Overview

November 24

Demand for digital services has skyrocketed at the same time government organizations confront potentially severe budget cuts, fierce competition for resources and growing complexity in cybersecurity threats. Historically, when resources get scarce in the public sector, ‘support elements’ like IT and security take extra cuts as organizations try to preserve the components of their core mission.

But the COVID-19 crisis put IT organizations in a unique position. IT was a critical enabler, allowing personnel to continue working with remote capabilities and maintaining crucial services by standing up cloud-based and other solutions in record time. How can IT leaders take advantage of this window of opportunity of good will and understanding to move their organizations forward as budgets tighten and competition grows?

Join Government Technology on November 24 at 11 a.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Eastern as our panel of experts discusses how you can identify and champion transformational technologies and the changes to organization behavior you should consider.

What technologies provide the best bang for your buck in terms of performance and efficiency
How to create enhanced dialogue between IT and security and increase your collaboration with other key stakeholders
What the office environment of the new normal might look like and what you should consider as you move forward

Speakers

Bill Rials, Ph.D

Associate Director, Tulane University School of Professional Advancement IT and Cybersecurity Program & Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

William (Bill) Rials, Ph.D., is a professor and associate director (department chair) of the Tulane University School of Professional Advancement IT and Cybersecurity Program. Where he focuses on continually delivering and updating the program curriculum based on innovative and emerging technologies, before transitioning academia and higher education, he had a diverse government technology career delivering value to state agencies, local governments, and law enforcement agencies throughout the State of Mississippi. He has served in CIO, CTO, and CISO roles for local governments and also in various leadership positions within the State of Mississippi’s IT organization as a deputy to the State CIO. Dr. Rials holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Belhaven University, a master's degree in Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity from Missouri State University, as well as a Ph.D. in higher education administration and public administration from Jackson State University. His dissertation research involved the critical factors that affect the adoption of cloud services within the public sector. He is a noted expert in the IT and Cybersecurity space and frequently quoted by national media outlets. He is also a frequent contributor to national IT government organizations such as NASTD and NASCIO.

Jim Richberg

CISO, Fortinet

Jim Richberg’s role as a Fortinet CISO leverages his 30+ years’ experience leading and driving innovation in cybersecurity, threat intelligence, and cyber strategy & policy for the US Government and international partners. Prior to joining Fortinet, he served as the National Intelligence Manager for Cyber, the senior Federal Executive focused on cyber intelligence within the $80B+/100,000 employee US Intelligence Community (IC). He led creation and implementation of cyber strategy for the 17 departments and agencies of the IC, set integrated priorities on cyber threat, and served as Senior Advisor to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on cyber issues. He brings a broad enterprise-level approach to cybersecurity honed as a member of the Executive team which created and oversaw implementation of the multi-billion dollar whole-of-government Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative (CNCI) that generated new Government cyber capability and enhanced cybersecurity in the private sector and critical infrastructure. Mr. Richberg’s broad operational experience –including his 20 years at CIA-- gives him practical insight into difficult cyber problems ranging from advanced threat capabilities to supply chain integrity and election security. He has extensive experience engaging with audiences ranging from Heads of State and CEO’s to analysts and IT staff. He brings a strong focus on strategic problem solving (identify and solve the key problem vs. the most visible one) and on framing complex problems in comprehensible terms that facilitate analysis and formulation of solutions.

Deb Snyder — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government, former CISO, NY

Deborah is accomplished C-level influencer, with a broad range of experience in government, policy, cyber security, privacy and information technology. An experienced and highly-respected thought-leader who has held executive roles for over two decades. She recently retired from her position as New York State’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), after over 35 years of public service. In that role, as part of New York State's information technology transformation and consolidation initiative, she helped redesign how the state protects its data. As State CISO, she directed the State’s comprehensive cyber security governance, risk management and compliance program, providing strategic leadership and vision, and assuring business-aligned, risk-based investments that maximized business opportunity and minimized cyber security risk. She also directed the NYS Cyber Command Center, hotline, procedures for reporting and response to cyber-threats, and digital forensics. https://www.govtech.com/blogs/lohrmann-on-cybersecurity/an-inside-look-at-new-york-state-government-cybersecurity.html She holds multiple industry certifications including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), SANS Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership (GSTRT) Global Information Assurance Certification, and Project Management Institute certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Webinar

IT Saved Government When COVID Hit - Now What?