Overview

January 27

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Government agencies have become prime targets for cyberattacks. To combat this issue, the federal government has announced a $1 billion investment that will help fund a cyber grant program specifically for state, local and territorial governments across the U.S. But with so many solutions available for enhancing cybersecurity systems, it can still be difficult to know the best place to start.

One area ripe for innovation is data security. The Zero Trust data security framework has gained prominence as a viable defense against ransomware. With state and local governments increasingly becoming ransomware targets, it makes sense for agencies to begin enhancing their cybersecurity defense with Zero Trust data security solutions.

Join Government Technology on January 27 at 11 a.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Eastern for a discussion with industry experts on Zero Trust data security and how it can help governments maximize returns on cybersecurity investments. During this session, you will learn how a Zero Trust data security strategy can:

  • Lower cyber insurance costs and reduce the risk of financial losses and reputational damage
  • Unify cybersecurity measures across on-prem, multi-cloud, and SaaS environments
  • Accelerate cyberattack recovery for near zero-RTO
  • Protect data with a system that can’t be modified, deleted or encrypted by hackers

Speakers

Benjamin Buecher headshot

Benjamin Buecher

Information Technology Manger for City of Lodi, California

Benjamin has been in the technology sector for over 25 years working with private industry, academia and public sector. He’s focused on the development and strengthening of cyber-infrastructure to protect all assets across the network. In his current role as Information Technology Manger for City of Lodi, he’s concentrated on expanding the concept of cyber-security beyond hardware and software and include the human element of accountability. He’s lead his team to introduce next generation systems that include AI to the City’s infrastructure, adding to its resiliency against both internal and external threats.

Paul LaValley headshot

Paul LaValley

Director of Information Systems for Butte County, California

Paul is the Director of Information Systems for Butte County, California. He was CIO for Yuba County, California from 2013 to 2021. Prior to his public sector experience, he worked for 26 years for private sector companies in the San Francisco Bay area. During that time, he helped build and develop IT departments for a variety of organizations in high technology and life sciences, helping 4 companies grow from start-ups to publicly traded corporations. Paul has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/paul-lavalley

Sterling Wilson headshot

Sterling Wilson

National Alliances Leader – Data Security, Public Sector, Rubrik

Bringing a unique perspective from 20 years of datacenter experience in government, private and financial sectors, Sterling Wilson is a passionate Data Security Evangelist who understands industry trends.

Mark Weatherford headshot

Mark Weatherford

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

Mark Weatherford is a globally recognized information security professional with experience at some of the world’s largest public- and private-sector organizations. He was appointed as the first deputy under secretary for cybersecurity at DHS in the Obama administration and was chief information security officer for the state of Colorado and for the state of California under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Deborah A. Snyder headshot

Deborah A. Snyder — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

Deborah is an accomplished C-level executive, influencer and educator who has dedicated her career to improving state and local government services for the citizens of New York state through policy and technology innovation. She has a broad range of experience in government, policy, cybersecurity, privacy and information technology. She recently retired from the position of New York state’s chief information security officer, where she led the state’s cybersecurity programs and directed the NYS Cyber Command Center. She works with organizations and universities to strengthen cybersecurity defenses and preparedness, and to create and inspire the next generation of cyber leaders.

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