#183: Errika Celsy, Aaron Jones, & Sandeep Desai – The Untold Story of Arizona’s Cyber Leadership Blueprint [2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour]

Featuring:

* Errika Celsy, Director of Educational Technology at Cave Creek Unified School District

* Aaron Jones, Analyst at Chandler Police Department

* Sandeep Desai, Information Security Officer at Arizona Department of Education

In this episode, you'll learn:

* How Cave Creek School District reduced phishing rates from 15% to 5% through security awareness training and creative incentives

* Why cybersecurity risk should be viewed through a business lens rather than just a technical perspective

* How law enforcement can leverage open-source intelligence (OSINT) to assist investigations

* The importance of the "60/40 Rule" when hiring cybersecurity talent

* Strategies for empowering women in technology through programs like "Cyber Squad" and "Girls Get IT"

This isn’t just a conversation—it’s a playbook for building tomorrow’s cybersecurity workforce. Don’t miss these actionable insights from Arizona’s top minds.

Timestamps

* (00:54) Guest Introductions & Personal Backgrounds

* (04:00) TechTales Newsletter: Gamifying Security Awareness

* (07:00) Last Bell's Security Corner & Business Risk Alignment

* (11:30) Digital Safety Best Practices

* (12:00) Digital Citizenship Education at Cave Creek

* (14:45) Building the Cybersecurity Talent Pipeline

* (18:00) OSINT & Modern Law Enforcement

* (23:00) Power of Mentorship in Career Development

* (28:45) Girls in Cyber & Women in Technology

* (31:45) Final Advice: The 60/40 Rule & Career Growth

Whenever you’re ready, there are 4 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

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PARTNERS

Thanks to our friends at SentinelOne for being our 2024 Podcast & Newsletter Partner

Want to see AI-powered security in action? Check out how the State of Montana revolutionized their cybersecurity using SentinelOne - they're now protecting over 15,000 endpoints across 25 state agencies. See their success story below.

Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Check out the solutions built for first responders: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

SAP: Discover how the latest in generative AI capabilities in the SAP solutions portfolio can help you revolutionize your business model strategy. Learn more at https://www.sap.com/index.html

🎥 Upcoming Live Podcast Tours

1. 2026 IGNITE Powered by Info-Tech LIVE - Austin, TX - Sept. 17th-18th

If you’re an IT leader in Austin, Houston, or nearby, Info-Tech’s got complimentary tickets with your name on them (just DM me I’ll be there). IGNITE is getting past the AI hype and into the real questions CIOs are wrestling with: how to get your people actually using AI, what the shift from “employee in the loop” to “employee on the loop” looks like, and how to budget when the costs keep moving up.

→ Ready to join the conversation in person? Email joe@techtables.com

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox.

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader — our next retreat is November 4th-6th in Austin, TX!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.