Episode: AI, Mental Health & the Human Side of Cybersecurity

Guest: Jameeka Green Aaron

Guest Title: Chief Information Security Officer, Headspace

Episode Summary

Jameeka Green Aaron, CISO at Headspace, joins Dr. KJ for a candid conversation on protecting mental health data, the limitations of AI in clinical settings, and why humanity must remain a non-negotiable in cybersecurity. As a Navy veteran and black woman in tech leadership, Jameeka also shares powerful insights on representation, courage, and the fight for equity in the industry.

Discussion Topics & Timestamps

• (00:00) Introduction and guest welcome
• (01:45) AI in mental health: balancing innovation with patient protection
• (08:30) Guardrails and governance: the CIA triad applied to AI
• (14:20) Why security leadership is critical in healthcare
• (21:30) Explaining security concepts to clinicians and product teams
• (24:30) Leadership, representation, and courage as a black veteran in cybersecurity

Key Takeaways

1. Humanity is a non-negotiable – AI lacks empathy, context, and the ability to read nonverbal cues. In mental health, models must never instruct users to harm themselves or others—guardrails must be absolute.
2. Data professionals are the linchpin of AI – Good data in, good data out. De-identification, anonymization, and clean data practices are essential before training any model on sensitive health information.
3. Protecting and healing go together – Security in healthcare isn't a barrier; it's an enabler. Clinicians already understand patient privacy deeply—security leadership helps them extend that protection through technology.

Resources & Frameworks Mentioned

• HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
• HITRUST – Healthcare information security certification
• CIA Triad – Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
• Headspace Ebb – AI companion that helps users navigate mental health content
• Large Language Models (LLMs) – Foundation for AI-powered tools

Notable Quotes"Technology is about people. Everything we create is for the greater good of humanity. As a CISO, I'm here to enable innovation and protect people from the woes of that innovation.""AI has the discernment of a mouse. It doesn't know if the data you provided is truthful or accurate.""Protecting and healing go together."Connect

Guest: Jameeka Green Aaron – (13) Jameeka Green Aaron, CISSP | LinkedIn

Host: Dr. Kenneth Johnson – (13) Dr. Kenneth Johnson, CISSP | LinkedIn

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