Jan. 28, 2025

#191: Securing the Public Cloud: How Seattle & LA County DCFS Are Transforming Cybersecurity

#191: Securing the Public Cloud: How Seattle & LA County DCFS Are Transforming Cybersecurity
#191: Securing the Public Cloud: How Seattle & LA County DCFS Are Transforming Cybersecurity
The Public Sector Show by TechTables
#191: Securing the Public Cloud: How Seattle & LA County DCFS Are Transforming Cybersecurity

#191: Securing the Public Cloud: How Seattle & LA County DCFS Are Transforming Cybersecurity

From Asset Management to AI: Building Modern Security for Vulnerable Communities

Featuring:

Greg Smith, Chief Information Security Officer and Director of Security & Infrastructure, City of Seattle IT

Allen Ohanian, Chief Information Security Officer, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

Brent Byrnes, Account Executive SLED, Wiz

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How Seattle's risk-based approach is transforming traditional government cybersecurity

LA County DCFS's strategy for securing the nation's largest welfare agency's sensitive data in the cloud

Why emerging IoT devices and cloud assets are creating new visibility challenges for government infrastructure

The role of cloud visibility and democratized security in modern government environments

Real-world lessons from Seattle's cross-agency incident response and recovery strategies

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Backgrounds

(03:14) Seattle's Evolution to Risk-Based Security

(04:52) Securing LA County DCFS's Cloud Environment

(07:38) Cloud Visibility in Government

(09:22) Asset Management Challenges in Modern Infrastructure

(12:45) Cross-Agency Incident Response: Seattle Library Case Study

(16:33) Crisis Communication Strategies

(22:18) AI Implementation and Security Threats

(27:42) Managing Modern Security Vendors

(31:15) Future of Government Cloud Security



To hear more, visit www.techtables.com

 

🎥 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

Left to right: Joe Toste, host of TechTables; Ted Ross, CIO, City of Los Angeles; Richard McHattie, CIO, Maricopa County; and Justin Fair, CIO, City of Garland, at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 (Bellagio, Las Vegas)

 

2. 2026 EDUCAUSE - Denver, CO - Sept. 30th - Oct. 1st

Returning for a third year in partnership with Carahsoft, and we could not be more excited. TechTables heads to Denver to celebrate the leaders, the stories, and the work shaping the future of higher education!

→ 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.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

 

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.