The annual awards program, underwritten by Intel Security, recognizes the commitment, dedication, hard work and contributions of state and local government, healthcare organizations and leaders/innovators in cybersecurity technology services. The winners were evaluated on their creativity and leadership qualities to drive change, the utilization of technology to achieve results, and the impact of those efforts on local and state government and healthcare organizations.
“Cybersecurity is a hot topic and security breaches are a real threat to government agencies, and that makes it more important than ever that we highlight the jurisdictions that are making strong advancements in this area,” said Todd Sander, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. “The winners show true commitment to creating strategies and programs across all areas of state and local government and healthcare. Congratulations to all!”
The awards were announced in several categories: state, county, city, healthcare agencies, and leadership. Top honors were given to the entrants who have developed effective programs to safeguard systems and citizens’ information. The winners are listed below.
Center for Digital Government’s 2015 Cybersecurity Leadership and Innovation Award Winners:
State Government Category: State of Colorado – Secure ColoradoSince implementation of Secure Colorado, the state’s first cybersecurity strategic plan, the state has experienced more than 75 percent reduction in malware infections and more than $830,000 in cost avoidance and savings.
County Government Category: Maricopa County, AZ – Cyber Security Strategy
Maricopa County established performance measures, or Key Performance Indicators, for its cybersecurity processes that have clearly demonstrated risk reduction and allow business decisions to be based on measurable benefits.
City Government Category: City of Los Angeles – Integrated Security Operations Center
Los Angeles’ new Integrated Security Operations Center (ISOC) was initiated by the 38-department Cyber Intrusion Command Center established by Mayor Garcetti. The facility incorporates advanced security technologies and enables collaboration between city departments and state and federal agencies.
Healthcare Category: Boston Medical Center – Security Risk and Compliance Program
Boston Medical Center’s new program improved their security and operational readiness with a cost savings of $1.3 million dollars. The program is a model for nonprofit urban health centers.
Leadership/Innovators Category: Ricardo Lafosse, Chief Information Security Officer, Cook County, IL
Ricardo Lafosse developed Cook County's first Information Security Office and authored the county’s security ordinance —one of the nation's first for local government —which gives cybersecurity efforts a formalized, collaborative governance structure.
Leadership/Innovators Category: Susan Blanton, Sr. Director, Production Control, Dignity Health
Susan Blanton has championed security tools and products for decades in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Blanton educates stakeholders and ensures they understand which security software products resolve security breaches and challenges successfully.
Leadership/Innovators Category: Kirk Davis, Director, Information Security Services, Vidant Health
With a small staff, Kirk Davis was able to implement and use security tools to build management dashboards to increase protection of the 1.4 million patient records of Vidant Health in eastern North Carolina.
For more information about these awards, click here.
About the Center for Digital Government
The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute oninformation technology policies and best practices in state and local government.
The Center is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education.
Contact:
Janet Grenslitt
Director of Surveys and Awards
jgrenslitt@centerdigitalgov.com
