Guardians of the Data

Most organizations have spent decades classifying data without ever asking the most important question: what are we actually trying to do with that classification?

In this episode, David Smith, a cybersecurity leader with 30 years of experience across financial services, biopharma, consulting, and the vendor space, reframes the entire data governance conversation around one deceptively simple idea: custodianship.

David argues that AI...

What happens when a ransomware threat actor claims they have 380 gigabytes of your data and you have no idea what is actually in it? That was the reality Zach Lewis faced, and it became the catalyst for one of the most thorough data governance journeys you will hear on this show. In this episode, Ward sits down with Zach Lewis, CIO and CISO in the healthcare and higher education space, author of "Locked Up," and a 15 year veteran o...

What would happen if someone asked your team right now who has access to your most sensitive data and why? For most organizations, that question alone exposes just how far they still have to go.

In this episode, Jason Torres draws on over 20 years of experience in healthcare cybersecurity to make the case that data security still comes down to two fundamentals that most organizations haven't cracked, knowing where your data lives, a...

What if someone asked you right now where your most sensitive data lives? Most organizations would struggle to give a confident answer.

In this episode, Tony Schimizzi draws on years of consulting experience to make a point that cuts to the core of modern data security: this is no longer just a cybersecurity problem. It has become a large-scale business operations and governance challenge.

Tony breaks down why data sprawl across SaaS...

What's your biggest data security blind spot?

Today's guest, Cory Zaner, Senior Enterprise Architect for critical infrastructure and trusted advisor to executive leaders, joins Ward to discuss why organizations continue to struggle with data security fundamentals, and what it actually takes to fix them.

With over 20 years of experience across energy, manufacturing, and defense industries, Cory draws on his military background, time a...

What data do you have, where does it live, and who has access to it?

These three questions sit at the heart of every data security challenge and according to Brian Cherry, most organizations still can't answer them. 

In this episode, Brian, a Global Director of Information Security with over 20 years in cybersecurity, joins Ward to dig into the sprawling reality of data security: why data never stays where you think it does, how...

What would happen if your AI searched all your data right now?

Today’s guest, Kevin Feck, Director of Data Protection and Security Architect, joins Ward to unpack how AI is reshaping the data security landscape.

With over two decades in cybersecurity, Kevin shares why the industry’s long-standing challenges of data classification, access control, and visibility have suddenly become urgent in the age of AI. From the risks ...

How can organizations govern AI responsibly when the technology (and the risks) are evolving faster than ever?

In this episode of Guardians of the Data, Ward sits down with Sweeney Williams, Head of Responsible AI, to unpack the biggest challenge facing data security today ... speed.

With over 20 years of experience spanning cybersecurity, privacy, and AI governance, Sweeney shares how the rapid acceleration of AI is reshaping everyt...

Are security teams already behind on AI? And what does it take to catch up?

In this episode of Guardians of the Data, Ben Rothke joins the show to break down the biggest data security challenges facing organizations today and why many of them are harder to solve than ever before.

With over 30 years in cybersecurity, Ben shares a grounded perspective on how the landscape has evolved from simpler perimeter-based models to today’s...

How much of your company’s data is completely unknown? And what risk is it creating?

In this episode, Ward sits down with Brent Bigelow: security consultant, President of the Charlotte ISSA, and a cybersecurity veteran with nearly four decades of experience. They unpack one of the most persistent and overlooked challenges in data security: unstructured data.

Brent shares why unstructured data remains the “wild west&rd...

What if your DLP tool is slowing your business down instead of protecting it?

In this episode, Andrew Wilder shares why traditional data loss prevention (DLP) programs have struggled to deliver real value, and what needs to change in an AI-driven world. Drawing from decades of experience leading security programs at global organizations, he breaks down the core challenge most teams still face: relying on humans to classify and manag...

How do you protect sensitive data without becoming the bottleneck in a business that’s moving faster than ever?

Today, Ketan Gotmare shares how nearly two decades in cybersecurity have shaped his perspective on modern data protection and why today’s biggest challenge isn’t a lack of tools, but a fundamental imbalance between speed and control.

He introduces the concept of the “velocity versus control paradox,&...

How can the super technical cybersecurity leaders communicate risk and protection to other business leaders?

Today, we unpack a huge topic: how to “speak business” when you’re a technology leader. We take a look back at recent episodes to hear from real cybersecurity experts on how they convey risk and security concerns to people who don't have the technical expertise.

This episode brings together insights from indu...

What is the first step in building an effective data security and data governance strategy?

In this re-aired episode, we revisit a powerful conversation with Hans Vargas, Enterprise Data Protection Lead at Marathon Petroleum Corporation.

Hans shares timeless insights on one of the most persistent challenges in data security: understanding what data actually matters and how to protect it effectively. From the importance of data discov...

Are organizations focusing on the wrong things when it comes to data security?

In this episode of Guardians of the Data, Anand Pallapalayam, an enterprise data protection leader with nearly 30 years of experience, explains why the biggest data security challenge isn’t technology, it’s people. Anand breaks down the classic “three Ps” of security: people, process, and products. He argues that education and awar...

Are your AI models amplifying bias and exposing your organization to data scraping risks without you realizing it?

Today, Ward sits down with Areejit Banerjee, Senior Manager of Data Protection and Product Strategy and published author, to unpack one of the biggest challenges in modern cybersecurity: protecting data in the age of artificial intelligence. With over 20 years of experience across banking, data analytics, AI, and advers...

Why do so many security leaders struggle to build lasting, effective programs, even as technology keeps getting better?

In this episode, Ward sits down with retail CISO Mark Alvarado to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in cybersecurity leadership: technical expertise alone isn’t enough anymore. With over 20 years of experience across digital risk, IT infrastructure, and data privacy, Mark shares why today’s m...

How do you secure AI when you don’t have data inventory, classification, identity controls, and governance frameworks? You can’t.

In this episode of Guardians of the Data, Ward sits down with Jason Elrod, Founder of Limitless Cyber and CISO of a multi-billion-dollar healthcare system, to unpack the real risks and realities of AI in today’s enterprise.

Jason makes it clear: AI may be the biggest emerging data threat,...

What happens when your AI system has more access to your data than your employees (and you don’t even know it)?

Sanjeev Kumar, Senior Global AI & Data Protection Lead at Amazon Web Services, joins Ward on the podcast today for a deep dive into the real risks organizations face as AI moves from experimentation to production.

With more than 20 years of cybersecurity experience and a career that spans the rise of cloud computi...