38North Security, one of the leaders in cloud security compliance engineering, is pleased to announce the new addition of Sam Leestma to their executive ranks. Sam’s role will be Vice President of Solutions Engineering. Leestma has over two decades of experience in Information Technology, with a specific focus not just on compliance frameworks but also organizational and operational efficiency. In addition to adding another level of expertise to 38North Security’s team, Leestma will help operationalize the company as it charts its next phase of growth.
Leestma joins 38North from the FedRAMP Project Management Office, where he had served as a Deputy Program Manager since 2016. In this role, Leestma worked with stakeholders including representatives from the CSPs, government risk executives and Third Party Assessors (3PAOs) to develop FedRAMP policies that tailored NIST 800 series requirements to cloud implementations.
“Sam brings a decade of FedRAMP experience that’s unmatched – from guiding countless CSPs through complex authorizations to shaping modernization efforts like FedRAMP 20X. His deep relationships with agency CISOs, policy leaders, and cloud innovators make him a strategic force as we help our clients accelerate digital transformation through secure automation and emerging technologies like AI,” said Matthew Earley, President and Founder of 38North Security. “We’re thrilled to have Sam onboard to elevate our compliance engineering solutions to the next level.”
“In considering my next chapter, I was looking for a team pushing the envelope in cloud security and compliance – not just in the U.S., but globally,” said Sam Leestma, VP of Solution Engineering at 38North Security. “From my first conversations with the leadership team and industry peers, it was clear that 38North is driving meaningful, high-impact work. I’m excited to bring my experience in FedRAMP and federal cloud to a firm that’s tackling complex challenges across diverse frameworks and helping customers modernize securely at scale.”
38North believes the hiring of Leestma proves that they remain the gold standard of compliance advisory services and will help build the foundation for future growth in both domestic and international compliance engineering work, especially as digital transformation efforts finally gain traction in the industry.
About 38North Security:
38North Security is a leading cloud security and compliance advisory firm specializing in helping organizations navigate complex regulatory frameworks such as FedRAMP, Australia’s IRAP, CMMC, ISO 27001, and Japan’s ISMAP. Founded in 2012, we serve a global client base ranging from innovative startups to Fortune 500 companies, delivering engineering-driven solutions that accelerate cloud adoption and streamline compliance. Our team of seasoned advisors includes former 3PAO assessors, cloud engineers, and policy experts who bring a hands-on, automation-first approach to securing public and private cloud environments. At 38North, we don’t just interpret compliance—we operationalize it.
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