Overview

April 19

State and local governments have a huge opportunity to tackle cybersecurity gaps with unprecedented funding in the form of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The IIJA allocates nearly $2 billion directly to address cybersecurity across public sector programs, including $1 billion in grants directly to state and local governments.

But focusing on upgrading specific infrastructures via discrete projects in isolation can limit the benefits governments could gain from upgrading multiple infrastructures simultaneously. How can we think differently and take more strategic approaches to cybersecurity modernization across all infrastructure?

Join Government Technology and Fortinet on April 19 at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern as our panel of experts discusses how governments can make the most of this historic investment by addressing cybersecurity systematically across all infrastructures. We’ll cover topics like:

- The importance of focusing on interoperability: Why addressing digital infrastructures in isolation will limit benefits
- Planning for the long term: The importance of software-based solutions
- Making security an essential element: Why it’s critical to consider cybersecurity in every infrastructure project

Speakers

Joe Morris

Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, e.Republic

Joseph Morris is the Deputy Chief Innovation Officer of Government Technology's parent company e.Republic and a national keynote speaker on issues, trends and drivers impacting state and local government and education. He has authored publications and reports on funding streams, technology investment areas and public-sector priorities, and has led roundtables, projects and initiatives focused on issues within the public sector. Joe has conducted state and local government research with e.Republic since 2007 and knows the ins and outs of government on all levels. He received his Bachelor of Arts in government and international relations from the California State University, Sacramento.

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.

Deborah Snyder — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

Deborah is an accomplished C-level influencer, with a broad range of experience in government, policy, cybersecurity, 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 cybersecurity governance, risk management and compliance program, providing strategic leadership and vision, and assuring business-aligned, risk-based investments that maximized business opportunity and minimized cybersecurity risk. She also directed the NYS Cyber Command Center, hotline, procedures for reporting and response to cyberthreats, and digital forensics.

Webinar

Spending Smart: Strategic Approaches to Cybersecurity Modernization with IIJA