Is a cybersecurity utopia – where no CISO lies awake at night worrying about threats known and unknown – even possible? If you believe “yes,” how do you get others to share that vision? That’s what we discussed with Lou Senko, Chief Availability Officer at global banking technology company Q2 on this episode of The Catalyst. First and foremost, Senko doesn’t believe in leading with the fear factor. Fear, he says, only frees up some of the wallet.   He talks with host Cheryl Stookes about his strategies for improving security posture and justifying security budgets, whether you’re a small business or a major enterprise. He also outlines his personal approach to getting the most  value from security investments. And, with the security talent shortage showing no signs of abating, he shares his experience recruiting against giants Tesla, Oracle and Dell in the fast-growing tech hub of Austin, Texas.    Cheryl also signs off as co-host of The Catalyst, as she takes on a new and opportunity outside Softchoice. Thank you, Cheryl. We wish you all the best with your latest chapter!   Featuring: Lou Senko, Chief Availability Officer at Q2  Resources: Read Lou Senko’s white paper Demystifying Zero Trust and learn about Q2’s community initiative Spark.   The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.  

As a CISO, how do you know when you’re getting through to the board and the C-suite?  One way is to look at the quality of the questions they ask you.  Are they learning?  This is just one of the questions Kevin Magee fields a lot during “CISO therapy,” a discipline he finds himself practicing more often as Chief Security Officer at Microsoft Canada. Aside from the technology components, the thing his “clients” want to talk about most is how to build, sustain and grow those all-important executive relationships. To conclude National Cybersecurity Awareness Month on the Catalyst, host Cheryl Stookes chats with Kevin about how CISOs can break through with boards and leadership.  He also dives into the cybersecurity skills shortage, which he names a symptom of too narrow an approach to finding candidates. Instead, he says, those seeking cybersecurity talent should look beyond the relatively small pool of technologists and consider backgrounds in psychology, criminology and law enforcement – that is, people who understand how cybercriminals think, behave and operate.  Universities and other training institutions have a part to play here, too. He discusses “reverse mentoring relationships” with younger members on the team. After all, the security leader’s job is not to be the best technical problem-solver, but to define the problem and empower others to solve it.  Featuring: Kevin Magee, Chief Security Officer, Microsoft Canada The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology. This episode is brought to you by Microsoft's Workplace Security Solutions. See how Softchoice can help you get started with Zero Trust and fill every gap in your security infrastructure with Microsoft. Reach out to a Softchoice Solutions Specialist or visit softchoice.com/microsoft-zerotrust to learn about our custom workshops and services. 

 Is it time to pick a cybersecurity safeword? Mike Storm, Cisco Cybersecurity Distinguished Engineer and our guest on The Catalyst, thinks so. With over 30 years of cybersecurity experience, even he finds himself challenged by new AI-powered scams. Why?  The short answer: At the heart of it, humans are an easier target than computers and software, because human psychology and behaviour have been known quantities for millennia, he says.  Attackers prey on behavior wired into us by exploiting things like the “click principle,” the unconscious reflex that drives us to click on links, buttons and other shiny digital objects without a second thought.  With AI at their disposal and uninhibited by ethical, legal or regulatory concerns, these bad actors are already able to contextualize these attacks in ways that become more intimate and convincing all the time. How can “the good guys” respond?   Storm and host Aaron Brooks talk about how, in this world, everything from devices, applications, links, and infrastructure and trust is based on identity. Distributed identities will become more of an object you own, says Storm. He also sheds some light on the next phase of cybersecurity’s evolution and provides his tips for making yourself “un-hackable.”    Featuring: Mike Storm, Cybersecurity Distinguished Engineer at Cisco The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.  This episode of The Catalyst is brought to you by Cisco Security Solutions. Defend against threats and safeguard the most vital aspects of your business. Reach out to a Cisco expert at Softchoice to learn more or visit softchoice.com/cisco-security-solutions.   

It’s official: generative AI has permeated the culture, appearing in conversations at work, around the dinner table and yes, even over drinks with friends. With 2024 on the horizon and technology budgets due to reset, C-suite leaders and boards are talking about it, too.  So how do you take this hot topic from casual chat to enterprise strategy?   This week, Craig McQueen, VP of Digital Acceleration at Softchoice, joins hosts Cheryl and Aaron on location at their favorite watering hole to discuss why now is the time to act on GenAI implementation – and, more importantly, how to go about it.  The discussion uncovered 3 steps for adopting large language models (LLMs) in a business context. First, find your use case – a hypothesis for proving whether GenAI will solve your business problem. Next, determine the data needed and do a full security review. Then, start testing, iterating and seeking out those internal enthusiasts to help lead the change. Featuring: Craig McQueen, Vice President of Digital Acceleration, Softchoice The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology. Want to unlock the power of Gen AI in your business? See how Softchoice’s Catalyst Generative AI Workshop can help: Softchoice.com/GenAI. 

Will your next new colleague be a machine? It’s no longer so far-fetched. Natural language interfaces will soon replace software UIs we’re used to with good old fashioned conversation.  That’s according to Doug Smith, GM of Solutions for Microsoft Canada.  This week on The Catalyst, he provides insights into the rapid adoption of GenAI, the hype around it, and why it matters to your business today more than ever.  GenAI tools, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, are going to make significant changes to the ways we do our jobs, augmenting human capabilities and boosting productivity. Smith walks us through Microsoft’s view on pressing concerns about AI, from its impact on jobs to ethical ethical considerations, while reinforcing the importance of a responsible approach to AI. He also outlines his advice for leaders and boards on educating themselves and adopting GenAI into their organizations with a focus on empowering everyone involved. Featuring: Doug Smith, General Manager of Solutions for Microsoft CanadaThe Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology. This episode of The Catalyst is brought to you by Microsoft Copilot.Want to explore the possibilities of GenAI in your business?Contact Softchoice today or visit Softchoice.com/genai to learn about our Genitive AI Catalyst Workshop and start harnessing the power of AI securely. 

The best sci-fi stories explore the question, “What exactly does it mean to be human in the face of evolving technology?”As we dive headfirst into the era of generative AI, this philosophical question has taken on a new, more practical dimension. As GenAI begins to upend the ways we work, live and do business, where do humans fit in? How will it change the ways we think about ourselves? In this episode, host Aaron Brooks explores the influences of AI on the evolution of human society with Prof. Alexander Manu of OCAD University and Mario Bourgoin, AI Specialist at AWS. The discussion ranges from the intersection of AI with art, creativity and more with practical advice as to how we ordinary humans can get ready for the changes to come. Featuring: Prof. Alexander Manu, acclaimed author and philosopher and Mario Bourgoin, AI Specialist from Amazon Web ServicesThe Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining light on the human side of technology.Support our sponsor: This episode was sponsored by AWS and Softchoice’s Lift and Shift cloud migration solution. Take full advantage of the cloud– and leave no opportunity untapped – with our seamless, guided services. Visit softchoice.com/awsmigration to get started today. Books referenced in the episode:Mechanization Takes Command by Siegfried Giedion Technics and Civilization by Lewis Mumford  The Philosophy of Disruption by Alexander Manu

“Upskill or fall behind.” That’s the message to millions of workers facing sweeping changes in technology and a generous helping of economic uncertainty. Okay, but upskill in what, exactly?  In this episode, host Cheryl Stookes meets with Kian Katanforoosh, the CEO and Co-founder of Workera. This California company’s platform uses AI to produce accurate and unbiased skills assessments. From there, it matches workers with the right training plans and materials to meet personal career goals, close organizational skills gaps and get more out of investments in training content.  Cheryl and Kian also explore what big advances in automation may mean for workers, what it will take to find staying power in the future and where AI can help rather than hurt. Kian also shares his thoughts on the continuing importance of mentorship and the need for leaders to be proactive in finding skills gaps to stay ready for change.  Featuring: Kian Katanforoosh, CEO and Co-founder of Workera The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.  

Did you always want to do what you do? Or did your grades and test scores suggest you’d be good at it? The 2020s are quickly being characterized by astonishing leaps in technology. Meanwhile, our education systems have remained anchored in 19th-century thinking. Rooted in standardized, one-size-fits-all models, the way we engage, develop and measure success for students is about to undergo a profound change thanks to, you guessed it, artificial intelligence. In this episode of The Catalyst, our host Aaron meets with Dr. David Vroonland, the executive director of LEARN, the Learning Environments Action Resource Network, and a consultant to the education sector with Softchoice. They explore a new approach to education that uses AI models to create personalized, self-guided learning paths for students, tailored to their demonstrated passions and interests, rather than aptitude alone.  Dr. Vroonland believes it’s poised to reshape the way we teach and learn for good.  Featuring: Dr. David Vroonland, Executive Director of LEARN and a consultant with Softchoice. The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.  

Our data is in danger.  It’s in danger from cybercriminals and malicious state actors. It’s in danger from more frequent and devastating natural disasters. It’s in danger from gaps and oversights in security posture. It’s in danger from people inside our organizations, whether they mean well or otherwise.  It takes heroic efforts from IT teams to prevent the worst outcomes. But who are the people making a difference behind the scenes? How do we find more of them?  This week on The Catalyst, Cheryl meets Terence Gleeson, Senior Director of VMware Cloud on AWS. The topic: the smart, talented (and hard-to-find) people who protect our data when and where it matters most. Gleeson shares some inspiring examples, including that of the IT team at one of Ukraine’s largest retailers, who established data recovery capabilities in the middle of a war. He also lets us in on his advice for finding your IT heroes, the right way to recover from ransomware and how AI is adding new stakes to the cybersecurity conversation.  Featuring: Terence Gleeson, Senior Director of VMware Cloud on AWS  The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology. This episode of The Catalyst is brought to you by VMware Cloud. Contact Softchoice and discover how VMware Cloud and Softchoice can be your partners in creating a seamless any cloud experience. Visit softchoice.com/vmc to get started today.  

Have you ever wondered how the products you use make their way across the world to reach you? The answer is industry ecosystems, intricate webs of people, processes and technology that connect our world and economy behind the scenes. In this episode of The Catalyst, we unravel the concept of industry ecosystems with guest John Comacchio, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Teknion, a future-focused office furniture manufacturer. From new supply chain hurdles to sustainability imperatives and changing definitions of “the workplace,” we explore how Teknion has rethought its approach. Get a deeper look into the hidden machinery behind the global economy and the extraordinary minds moving it forward. Featuring: John Comacchio, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Teknion The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of technology.