Overview

Higher education institutions operate in an increasingly complex threat landscape where cyber incidents have become an expected part of doing business. As recent breaches have shown, building resilience requires a strategy that goes beyond prevention and response.

Join experts from Commvault and Microsoft for a practical discussion on what it truly means to be ready in today’s threat environment. Learn how leading institutions are moving from tactical recovery to strategic cyber resilience by validating recovery plans, conducting realistic exercises and establishing Resilience Operations (ResOps) as a core component of cybersecurity readiness.

Our speakers will dive into:

Lessons from recent higher education cyber incidents
Moving beyond backup and recovery to a strategic resilience operations framework
What effective recovery testing and cyber recovery exercises look like
Integrating response and recovery into a unified resilience strategy including strategic partnerships/ecosystems

Whether you're a CIO, CISO, security leader or operations practitioner, this session will provide actionable guidance to assess readiness, strengthen recovery capabilities and prepare for the next major disruption before it happens.

Speakers

Corey Lee

Security Chief Technology Officer for U.S. Education, Microsoft

Corey Lee is the Security CTO for Microsoft SLED. Corey has a background in risk analysis, identity, cloud, and AI-enabled security. He has 15+ years of experience helping education, government, and commercial customers with secure innovation, zero trust architecture, and modern security operations.

Jared Whitehurst

Sales Director, SLED West, Commvault

Jared Whitehurst is a technology sales leader and Sales Director at Commvault, partnering with higher education institutions to strengthen cyber resilience, data protection, and recovery readiness. His experience spans the broader SLED landscape—including state and local government, higher education and K–12—giving him a practical view of public-sector cyber risk and operations. A strong storyteller, he helps CIOs and CISOs translate complex security challenges into clear, actionable strategies. He leads with kindness, trust, and accountability, building credibility through practical insight and real-world impact.

Derek Glascoe

Senior Manager, Sales Engineering, SLED, Commvault

Derek Glascoe is a seasoned Senior Manager of Sales Engineering for the US SLED West/Central region, with a deep expertise in the information technology and services industry. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Derek has over 20 years of experience in the field, specializing in Data Protection, Data Center, Storage Solutions, and Cyber Recovery.

Derek's technical prowess is evident in his ability to tackle any project, no matter how complex or unfamiliar. He has a remarkable talent for quickly mastering new technologies and methodologies, ensuring that he can deliver exceptional results every time. His expertise in backup and recovery solutions has been a cornerstone of his career, from implementing robust data protection strategies to designing resilient storage architectures.

Beyond his technical skills, Derek is known for his ability to teach and transfer knowledge. He fosters a culture of continuous learning within his team, encouraging cross-functional training to ensure that everyone is well-versed in the latest technologies and best practices. His leadership style is both supportive and effective, as he quietly pays attention to his team members, recognizing their strengths and weaknesses to assign the right person to the right task.

William (Bill) Rials, Ph.D. — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Education and Digital Government

William (Bill) Rials, Ph.D., is an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Senior Professor of Practice at Tulane University where he oversees academic programs in information technology, cybersecurity, emerging technologies, and other applied fields. He leads strategic curriculum development, assessment, new program design, and faculty governance with a focus on preparing adult learners for rapidly evolving digital and AI-driven careers.

Beyond higher education, Dr. Rials is recognized nationally as a leading voice at the intersection of government, technology, and education. He serves as a Senior Fellow with both the Center for Digital Government and Education and the Center for Public Sector AI, where he provides strategic insights on innovation, workforce transformation, and the responsible use of emerging technologies. A frequent keynote speaker, panelist, and moderator, he engages national audiences on topics ranging from AI adoption and cybersecurity resilience to digital transformation in state and local government. His expertise is regularly featured in national media outlets and industry publications, and he contributes scholarship, commentary, and research in both academic journals and practitioner platforms.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Rials held various senior technology leadership roles in both state and local governments, where he focused on large-scale modernization and innovation initiatives overseeing enterprise IT strategy, cybersecurity programs, and digital service delivery. In these roles, he led efforts to expand cloud adoption, strengthen information security, and modernize legacy systems to improve efficiency and transparency for citizens and public employees. His work in government laid the foundation for his ongoing research and national thought leadership on the adoption of emerging technologies in the public sector.

Webinar

Beyond Recovery: Establishing a ResOps Framework for Higher Education