Melissa Parker is a Senior Director in FTI Consulting’s Cybersecurity practice and is based in Washington, DC. She is a data governance, privacy, and cybersecurity expert with more than 15 years of experience advising global technology and financial organizations through complex regulatory, operational, and security challenges. Ms. Parker specializes in aligning multi-jurisdictional privacy laws with practical data operations, designing scalable governance frameworks, advising on law-enforcement and government data request protocols, and helping organizations strengthen data access, IP protection, and secure development practices. She is recognized for her ability to bridge legal, engineering, and security functions to drive defensible and sustainable outcomes.
Ms. Parker has deep expertise across privacy and security program development, secure product and systems lifecycle assessments, internal audit, enterprise risk management, and digital transformation initiatives. Her work spans multiple industries, including technology, aerospace and defense, finance, energy, and logistics, where she has advised organizations on safeguarding sensitive intellectual property, embedding privacy and security into development workflows, and maturing secure-by-design and secure-by-default practices.
At FTI Consulting, Ms. Parker leads teams dedicated to cybersecurity assessments, regulatory compliance evaluations, internal assessments, voluntary monitorships, and mandated program development. She has significant expertise in guiding organizations through complex security and privacy challenges. Her recent experience includes advising a crypto company on cybersecurity and data governance, several fintech and insurance organizations on NYDFS readiness and compliance, and amajor social media company on the development and implementation of a continuous safeguard monitoring program and hybrid testing for more than 300 privacy and security controls.
Additionally, Ms. Parker has led a privacy and security team for an internal assessment at a major smart home security company, ensuring operational excellence and alignment with strategic objectives. Drawing from her background as an information systems auditor, she advises clients on information security strategies, program delivery, assessments, compliance, incident response, and complex investigations.
Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Ms. Parker led cross-functional engagements at various Federal agencies as a consultant, advisor, and technical program manager. In these roles, she translated complex technical security findings into actionable insights, fostering data-driven strategic decisions that improved processes and enhanced risk management. Her work directly contributed to system consolidation, modernization, and digital transformation efforts for the Department of Navy, Defense Logistics Agency, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Ms. Parker holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Liberty University and is pursuing a master’s degree in law and emerging technology at William & Mary. She is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
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