Coral AI + Hubscale

Like most early-stage startups, Coral AI reached a point where the founder network alone wasn’t enough. They needed to hire their first Security & Compliance Lead, someone who could build out everything from HIPAA and HITRUST to SOC 2 and ISO 27001, while also understanding AI and healthcare data.    

The role sat at the intersection of RCM/ prior –authorization workflows, human-in-the-loop AI, and real word provider operations. So, the hire needed to be pragmatic, but checkbox driven, and comfortable integrating governance into messy, evolving healthcare workflows.    

Finding that combination, deep healthcare compliance experience, AI/ML fluency, and the ability to execute pragmatically was tricky. The market is small, and urgency was high. Without this hire, they risked slowing down enterprise sales and delaying audit readiness.

Mapped role with CISO advisor; exec search; market map of 37 candidates; shortlist calibration; references; comp benchmarking; momentum management.

Hubscale  partnered with Coral AI to run a focused executive search. We narrowed in on  candidates who had built compliance programs in healthcare or fintech, but  who could also move fast in a startup setting.    

Here’s how we approached it:    

• Mapping out the position: We worked with our CISO-Advisor to assist with  mapping out exactly what Corla AI wanted. We did a deep dive around the  problems they’re facing, what they need resolved, and how this hire could fix  this. We helped specify the role requirements, the job description, and the  interview process.    
• Market map: Focused exec search to healthcare compliance and AI  governance + start up builder profile. We engaged 37 potential executives  across health tech, fintech, and AI.    
• Calibrated shortlist: Prioritized hands-on security leaders who’d owned  HIPAA/HITRUST end-to-end and understood data governance in AI.    
• References & validation: Collected outcome-based references from  senior level sponsors.    
• Compensation benchmarking: Shared early to keep everyone aligned and  speed up the process ($250–$300k base + equity).    
• Momentum management: We kept the Founder, VC, and candidates aligned  through structured updates and fast feedback loops to keep momentum high from  kick off to close.

We placed Sean Todd as Coral AI’s first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) in September 2025 after just 6 weeks of partnership, even with QBRs and holidays in the mix.
Within those 6 weeks, we engaged 37 potential executives, calibrated shortlist, and scheduled the finals with Coral’s Founder.
Since joining, Sean’s been instrumental in maturing Coral AI’s security posture and setting them up for HITRUST/SOC 2 readiness by mid-2026.

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Placed first CISO in just 6 weeks