Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson

Please enjoy this encore episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea while Ann Johnson and team are taking a break.

Dr. Hugh Thompson⁠, Executive Chairman of RSA Conference and Managing Partner at Crosspoint Capital joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. They discuss what goes into planning the world’s largest cybersecurity conference—from theme selection to llama-related surprises on the expo floor—and how the RSA community continues to evolve. Hugh also shares how his background in applied math led him from academia to cybersecurity, his thoughts on the human element in security, and what keeps him optimistic about the future of the industry. 

Resources:  

⁠View Hugh Thompson on LinkedIn⁠ ⁠ ⁠ 

⁠View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn⁠   

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

⁠Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast⁠  

⁠The BlueHat Podcast⁠   

⁠Uncovering Hidden Risks⁠  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at⁠ ⁠⁠microsoft.com/podcasts⁠  

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network. 

Please enjoy this encore episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea while Ann Johnson and team are taking a break.

Jack Rhysider, the creator and host of cybersecurity podcast Darknet Diaries joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Jack shares his journey from network security engineer to self-taught storyteller, detailing how his passion for cybersecurity and relentless dedication to learning and marketing helped him build an independent media powerhouse. He discusses the challenges of growing the podcast from scratch, the intensity required to succeed, and why telling well-researched cybercrime stories keeps him motivated. 

Resources: 

⁠View Jack Rhysider on LinkedIn⁠

⁠View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn⁠  

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at⁠ microsoft.com/podcasts⁠ 

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.   

Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco, joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. Jeetu shares insights on the urgent need for machine-scale defenses, the potential for defenders to finally tip the scale against attackers, and the importance of collaboration across the industry. They discuss the evolution of agentic AI, the challenges of innovation fragmentation, and why cybersecurity must become more accessible and effective to keep pace with modern threats. 

Resources:  

View Jeetu Patel On LinkedIn  

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn   

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast  

The BlueHat Podcast   

Uncovering Hidden Risks  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts  

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.    

Dr. Aleise McGowan, Chief Information Security Officer of BlackGirlsHack and a 20-year cybersecurity veteran, joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Aleise shares how a career-defining hack early on shifted her trajectory from developer to defender, and why she believes the future of security lies in resilience, diversity, and human-centered leadership. She talks about what separates good and great leaders during the first hours of an incident response and why delayed action equals exponential damage. She also spotlights her work with BlackGirlsHack, a rapidly growing nonprofit that opens doors for underrepresented talent in cyber, and makes the case that building an inclusive security workforce isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. 

Resources:  

View Aleise McGowan on LinkedIn  

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn   

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast  

The BlueHat Podcast   

Uncovering Hidden Risks  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts  

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.    

Yonatan Zunger, Corporate Vice President and Deputy Chief Information Security Officer for Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. They dive into the evolving cybersecurity landscape shaped by generative and agentic AI, discussing both the opportunities and the risks. Yonatan shares insights on how organizations should think about AI as a junior employee - not infallible, but useful when paired with human oversight. They also explore the principles of safe AI development, how to balance innovation with governance, and why AI could finally enable persistent cybersecurity defense in a way never before possible. 

Resources:  

View Yonatan Zunger on LinkedIn  

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn   

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast  

The BlueHat Podcast   

Uncovering Hidden Risks  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts  

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.    

Dr. Hugh Thompson, Executive Chairman of RSA Conference and Managing Partner at Crosspoint Capital joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. They discuss what goes into planning the world’s largest cybersecurity conference—from theme selection to llama-related surprises on the expo floor—and how the RSA community continues to evolve. Hugh also shares how his background in applied math led him from academia to cybersecurity, his thoughts on the human element in security, and what keeps him optimistic about the future of the industry. 

Resources:  

View Hugh Thompson on LinkedIn   

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn   

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast  

The BlueHat Podcast   

Uncovering Hidden Risks  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts  

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network. 

On this special episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea, Ann brings listeners inside the 2025 RSA Conference to explore the intersection of AI, quantum computing and cyber resiliency with two visionary experts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Vinod Vaikuntanathan and Dr. Sasha O’Connell from The Aspen Institute. Vinod shares how quantum computing poses a serious threat to current encryption methods and explains the urgent need for post-quantum cryptography, while Sasha shares her non-technical path into cybersecurity, her work leading Aspen Digital’s global policy efforts and the launch of the new public campaign aimed at making cybersecurity accessible and actionable for everyone.  

Resources:  

View Sasha O’Connell on LinkedIn  

View Vinod Vaikuntanathan on LinkedIn          

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn   

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast  

The BlueHat Podcast   

Uncovering Hidden Risks  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts  

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.    

Christina Morillo, Head of Information Security at the National Football League’s New York Giants joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Christina discusses the ins and outs of building a resilient cybersecurity strategy, the importance of entering organizations with curiosity—not checklists—and why listening is always her first step. Christina breaks down common cybersecurity misconceptions, shares how to move from strategy to implementation, discusses the importance of storytelling in governance and shares how she addresses burnout and mental health in her teams. 

Resources: 

View Christina Morillo on LinkedIn   

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn  

Related Microsoft Podcasts: 

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts 

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.   

Jack Rhysider, the creator and host of cybersecurity podcast Darknet Diaries joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Jack shares his journey from network security engineer to self-taught storyteller, detailing how his passion for cybersecurity and relentless dedication to learning and marketing helped him build an independent media powerhouse. He discusses the challenges of growing the podcast from scratch, the intensity required to succeed, and why telling well-researched cybercrime stories keeps him motivated. 

Resources: 

View Jack Rhysider on LinkedIn

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn  

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts 

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.   

Ryan Field, Executive Vice President & Chief Information Security Officer at Bank of Hawaii joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. With over two decades of experience in IT and cybersecurity, Ryan shares his approach to security leadership; and the importance of fostering collaboration and diverse perspectives. He discusses the unique challenges of cybersecurity in banking and financial services, how organizations across Hawaii are coming together to build a more resilient security workforce, and how shifting from enforcers to influencers is transforming security culture.  

Resources:  

View Ryan Field on LinkedIn        

View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn   

Related Microsoft Podcasts:  

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts  

Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.