Clarence Clayton

Privacy Compliance Lead
Red Hat

Clarence Clayton is the Privacy Compliance Lead at Red Hat, an open-source software and services company headquartered in Raleigh, NC. He has been with Red Hat since 2013 and is responsible for the implementation, maintenance and growth of Red Hat’s data protection and privacy program and ensuring the organization is compliant with global data privacy laws. With more than fifteen years of experience in Business Systems Analysis, Project and Program Management, he has a demonstrated track record of success in various industries including Technology Services, Consulting, Healthcare, Public Accounting and the US Postal Service.

Clarence is a self-described master communicator and collaborator, thrives on challenges, and always strives to bring a positive and infectious energy to any endeavor. He is a founding member of Red Hat B.U.I.L.D. (Blacks United in Leadership and Diversity), one of Red Hat’s diversity and inclusion communities. Clarence currently serves as B.U.I.L.D. Chair, helps advance his company’s commitment to a more diverse workforce and was instrumental in establishing the company’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. He was selected to work alongside Red Hat CIO Mike Kelly as lead of the Program Management Office responsible for coordinating the activities of Red Hat senior leaders working on Red Hat’s acquisition by IBM in July 2019. In January 2019, he was selected as a winner of the General H. Hugh Shelton Chairman’s Award, one of Red Hat’s highest honors.

In his spare time, Clarence is very passionate about genealogy and family research and is an avid college basketball and tennis fan.

A native of Henrico, NC, he is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a B.S. in Accounting and lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife and two daughters.