The 2026 Top Consultants: Elizabeth O'Connell

Elizabeth O'Connell is a Director in Risk Advisory at CrossCountry Consulting with more than a decade of experience designing and operationalizing cyber, privacy, and non-financial risk programs. Based in Washington, D.C., she specializes in integrating governance, regulatory compliance, and technology enablement to strengthen enterprise risk operating models. As Risk Lead within CrossCountry's AI Innovation Lab, Elizabeth advises organizations on responsible AI adoption and governance strategy. She partners across service lines to evaluate generative AI use cases, assess data and model risks, and embed scalable control frameworks into AI-driven workflows. Her work focuses on aligning innovation with regulatory expectations while protecting enterprise value and stakeholder trust.

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Technology Management from the University of Notre Dame and maintains certifications including Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT) and OneTrust Privacy Management Professional. She is an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals and a frequent instructor on privacy, third-party risk, and responsible AI practices. She represents a modern risk leader who enables innovation while safeguarding trust and long-term resilience.