CISO's Biography

Dr. Kevin T. Crouse

Chief Information Security Officer

Dr. Kevin T. Crouse brings nearly 30 years of experience in information technology, cybersecurity, and leadership to his role as Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). In this role, Dr. Crouse leads the university’s cybersecurity and data protection operations, technology and cybersecurity risk management, regulatory compliance, and cyber-resilience efforts across UTRGV’s diverse academic, research, and medical/clinical environments.

He is also the executive sponsor of UTRGV’s Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC), a multi-million-dollar state-funded initiative that provides cybersecurity services and workforce development opportunities to public entities across South Texas. In addition to his role at UTRGV, Dr. Crouse continues to serve as an online adjunct professor of graduate-level courses in cybersecurity leadership, IT and security financial decision making, digital forensic investigations, and IT risk management at Purdue.

He is known for his collaborative teaching approach, emphasizing shared learning and real-world application. Before joining UTRGV, Dr. Crouse was the Director of Information Security, Privacy, and Data Protection Officer at Illinois State University (ISU), where he established and led the Information Security Office. He also served as an adjunct Instructor of Cybersecurity, teaching courses in Security Event Management and Cyber Forensics. Over the course of his career, Dr. Crouse has worked as a private consultant and contractor, supporting IT, security, information collection/analysis activities, compliance operations, continuous quality improvement efforts, leadership development, and management operations for clients across multiple sectors.

Dr. Crouse holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer and Information Security, a Master’s in Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He is certified in multiple areas, including the CISSP, CISM, CIPP/Europe, and CIPM, and has served as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on numerous federal and state grant-funded projects. His research interests include cyber-risk frameworks, cybercriminal behavioral analysis, and the development of security-first institutional cultures. Committed to both operational excellence and academic engagement, Dr. Crouse has presented nationally on topics ranging from cybersecurity and privacy to online learning and continuous improvement.