In light of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s new second iteration of its cybersecurity framework, Rubrik Public Sector CTO Travis Rosiek breaks down the framework’s importance across public and private sector organizations. Rosiek discusses the framework’s backup durability provisions, how artificial intelligence is helping protect data integrity and some of the evolving cybersecurity threats for federal agencies to be aware of. The framework is a critical component that...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s current iteration of its strategic priorities features a new goal for environmental justice alongside civil rights and climate change. EPA Chief Financial Officer Faisal Amin shares new details about how the agency is developing new technology standards that will decrease greenhouse gas emissions and improve overall air quality. Amin also discusses where EPA sees potential for AI and other emerging technologies.

The Food and Drug Administration produces and processes a lot of data. As FDA’s inaugural chief data officer, Ram Iyer discusses the office’s plans for data modernization and how it is using technology to create interdependency across the agency. Iyer also highlights where he sees emerging technology making the most impacts, how data governance is evolving and how partnerships are improving communication and collaboration. Plus, he highlights how his past experiences in industry are...

The White House's port cybersecurity executive order tasks the Coast Guard with monitoring the cybersecurity of vessels, facilities and harbors. Threats could target the global supply chain, national security interests and other vital systems. Rear Adm. Wayne Arguin, the Coast Guard's assistant commandant for prevention policy, discusses how the executive order will affect the service and why cybersecurity matters to the Marine Transportation System. He explains his shifting priorities as...

The Marine Innovation Unit works to accelerate the adoption of advanced capabilities in the Marine Corps. Made up of reservists, MIU comprises personnel with diverse functional backgrounds in areas like logistics, cybersecurity and consulting to tackle some of the largest technological challenges at the service. MIU Commanding Officer Col. Brooks Braden discusses at Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, how MIU advises the Marine Corps on emerging technology, what public-private...

The Navy center responsible for managing IT supporting intelligence operations has a critical responsibility to keep communications and data-sharing capabilities both reliable and secure. Commanding Officer Capt. Matt Cegelske for the center, called the Hopper Global Communications Center situated in the Office of Naval Intelligence, discusses at the Sea-Air-Space conference some of the unique cybersecurity challenges the center faces in the current threat environment and his plans for...

The Coast Guard is increasingly relying on modern technology to propel its mission. At Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan said the changing pace of technology requires creative thinking and partnerships. She cites how the service is expanding artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics to bring its legacy computing ecosystem into one focused on modernization efforts for capabilities like autonomous vehicles and whatever the future...

The Marine Corps needs to balance security and accessibility challenges that come with having many devices and systems working together. At Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, Marines Cyber Technology Officer Shery Thomas briefs implementation plans for zero trust as part of the Defense Department’s broader plan to adopt zero trust architectures by 2027. Thomas also discusses how end user safety and artificial intelligence fits into this plan. Follow more of our Sea-Air-Space...

Cyber threats are constantly evolving, so the Department of the Navy needs to be agile to thwart attacks. Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare Jennifer Edgin at Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, discusses the challenges of securing Navy’s networks and how she sees technology like AI supporting threat monitoring in the cyber domain. She also discusses some of the acquisition considerations and breaking through the outdated tech model of break, buy,...

The White House’s executive order on port cybersecurity tasks the Coast Guard with leading cyber defenses for the expansive American Maritime Transportation System (MTS). The size and complexity of this network of waterways and ports can make it a prime target for cyber adversaries since breaching these avenues can disrupt global economic movement and security. Coast Guard Cyber Commander Rear Adm. Jay Vann at Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, puts these threats into perspective....

National security challenges for the Defense Department require innovative technology and solutions from the defense and commercial sectors. Often times, these solutions that might begin development in one military service can apply to another. At Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, we spoke with Kedar Pavgi, national capital regional director at the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN). He discusses how the office, part of the Defense Innovation Unit, is working to bridge...

Defense Department leaders are looking at artificial intelligence to augment or automate core functions and processes. For the Navy, this technology can impact critical maritime missions. Dr. Glen Henshaw, senior scientist for autonomous and robotics systems at Naval Research Laboratory, discusses at Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, how the Navy is examining potential use cases for artificial intelligence within robots and other autonomous systems.

The current Navy and Marine Corps voice communications technology is a conglomeration of different systems, vendors and structures from the past several decades. This has brought a need for enhanced base modernization and centralization of VoIP communications. David Rouse, senior director, Defense and National Security Verizon, joined us at Sea-Air-Space 2024 to discuss the future in which there is an infrastructure flexible enough to work with current technologies (inside plant and outside)...

Nearly 40% of the ocean has not been mapped using the latest resources and tools. Exploring the ocean is critical to maritime power for the U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations is at the forefront of mapping the ocean via its fleet of research ships and specialized data-collecting aircraft. At Sea-Air-Space in National Harbor, Maryland, Rear Adm. Chad Cary, the office’s deputy director for operations, discusses how his...

Following the passage of the PACT Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring more staff, serving more veterans and offering expanded access to benefits. After a record-breaking 2023, the agency says, it anticipates an even bigger 2024. VA CIO Kurt DelBene discusses the tech priorities for the agency headed into 2024, from EHR modernization to artificial intelligence, user experience to hiring and more.

The Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing Network (PECGS) part of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative is a collaboration between the National Cancer Institute and research institutions to engage cancer patients directly and ultimately better understand cancer genomics. One of six funded projects is with Washington University, which is focusing on rare and understudied cancer populations with health disparities. Dr. Bettina Drake, professor at the university’s School of Medicine,...

Indian Health Service CIO Mitchell Thornbrugh joins HealthCast to talk about ways that IHS is progressing in its modernization program and the need for a patient-centered, human-centered approach to care. He notes that IHS is working with across levels of government to provide better health care, ultimately, to Native Americans and Alaska Natives living in diverse communities nationwide. Modernizing a health care system is a big task, with organizations having to prioritize customer...

Veterans have the ability to manage their health and benefits information largely through the use of application programming interfaces (APIs) developed through the Department of Veterans Affairs' Lighthouse program. Director of the program’s developer experience, David Mazik, sits down with us at HIMSS in Orlando, Florida, to discuss how the program is helping veterans and clinicians share data both within and outside of VA. Mazik discusses how APIs are helping organizations that are...

Health-focused organizations look at technology to prevent and help curb the effects of cybersecurity threats to better protect patients, and federal agencies might serve as a model to others in the private sector for program governance. At HIMSS in Orlando, Florida, HIMSS Cybersecurity and Privacy Senior Principal Lee Kim puts these threats into context for the health care community and government partners. She highlights how many in the private sector can learn from government agencies in...

The CDC’s new Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology executing the Public Health Data Strategy met nearly 15 milestones over the past year. Looking ahead into its second year of the plan and after seeing through the first flu season, office director Dr. Jennifer Layden highlights some of those accomplishments around electronic case reporting and establishing core data sources. She discusses what she envisions is on the horizon for more automation, monitoring additional...

The Veterans Health Administration recently expanded health care benefits to all veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan or any other combat zone after 9/11. Behind the scenes, the agency is spearheading many initiatives to further enhance interoperability around its health care ecosystem to better serve veteran patients. Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal discusses with us at HIMSS in Orlando, Florida, some of the updates around the PACT Act, open...

Department of Health and Human Services CISO and Acting Deputy CIO La Monte Yarborough highlights during HIMSS in Orlando, Florida, how his office is prioritizing cybersecurity in the broader health care community in the age of AI. Cybersecurity resilience in the health sector demands public policies to keep data and systems secure as the threat landscape evolves. He highlights the HHS 405(d) program that can help the public health sector bolster cyber defenses. He also provides perspective...

The health sector faces many challenges that technology has the potential to alleviate including workforce burden, staffing shortages, cybersecurity challenges and data management struggles. Much of that can see improvements with smart uses of artificial intelligence and virtual care, according to NTT DATA Chief Health Informatics Officer Heather Hudnall at the HIMSS conference in Orlando, Florida. A former nurse herself, Hudnall describes how government can think about harnessing data to...

The Department of Veterans Affairs is setting in motion new artificial intelligence strategies in light of the White House’s executive order to prioritize ethical AI development. At HIMSS in Orlando, Florida, VA Deputy CTO for AI Kimberly McManus highlights the four areas the agency is taking a closer look at: governance, prior use cases, infrastructure and workforce. McManus cites the Veterans Health Administration’s framework for trustworthy AI she sees guiding much of the work around...