The Technology Vanguard

How do you break into a field with almost no entry level roles? And how do you govern AI when anyone in your company can build an app? Jelani Campbell, The Cyber Disruptor and an enterprise, tech and cyber risk leader, joins Bob Hansen on The Technology Vanguard.

Jelani spent about 12 years at EY, starting as an IT auditor after a surprise on day 2 of training, before moving into an AI and cyber risk governance role and founding Cyber Made Simple and the Tech Catalyst Summit.

In this episode:

- Why you need certs, experience and the right connections

- How to choose a cyber role that fits what you love

- The mentor who made everything click

- The survey that hit 10,000 emails a day

- AI guardrails: policy first, knowing where AI runs, and the kill switch

- Why he only takes referrals, and what to ask for instead

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💼 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-hansen-01122491/

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033jtDxhHFbiSD15sBVsR3

How do you go from a university computer lab attendant to leading technology for an entire city? Ricardo Castillo, an experienced Chief Information Officer, ORBIE Award Finalist 2025, Certified Government CIO and Certified CISO, joins Bob Hansen on The Technology Vanguard.

Ricardo grew up in Panama, moved to the US at 16, and said yes to a database job he barely knew how to do. A mentor later told him to take his first city CIO role and promised to keep his old job open for 6 months. He led IT for the City of North Miami for about 10 years.

In this episode:

- The worst and best career advice he ever got

- How to grow a team that becomes a tree of future CIOs

- The 2-goal system: one professional goal, one personal goal

- Real AI use cases in city government, and where the human touch still wins

- Why Florida local governments can't pay a ransom

- 4 rules for future CIOs

▶️ Watch on YouTube @TechnologyVanguard: https://www.youtube.com/@TechnologyVanguard

💼 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-hansen-01122491/

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033jtDxhHFbiSD15sBVsR3

Ryan Waltz, CISO, cybersecurity executive, and fractional CISO with 20+ years in identity and access management, enterprise risk, and security transformation, joins Bob Hansen to share how he went from the jewelry business to cybersecurity leadership, and what it takes to grow your career when the path isn't clear. Most recently, he served as CISO and VP of Information Security & Compliance at Consumer Cellular.

Ryan grew up with a computer in the 1980s but didn't know technology could be a career until someone told him. He earned and taught Microsoft certifications, learned every system on a help desk, and turned security into a nights-and-weekends passion. During a tough job market, he studied for his CISSP on his own, which opened the door to security engineering. At Silicon Valley Bank, he learned governance, risk, and compliance and moved into leadership. As CISO at Consumer Cellular, he hired an entire security team and built the program from scratch.

In this episode, Ryan and Bob discuss:

• Following your passion instead of a planned career ladder

• Being passed over for promotion and knowing when it's time to move on

• Using downtime to upskill and set up your next opportunity

• Why "stay in your lane" is the worst advice he ever received

• Why 80% of cybersecurity still comes down to the fundamentals

• Engaging the business to fix security problems the right way

• Building a talent pipeline with career paths, training plans, mentoring, and passion projects

• Getting hired today: networking, building your brand early, and future-proof skills

• Learning from both good bosses and bad ones

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. WATCH. FOLLOW. LISTEN.

Watch on YouTube: @TechnologyVanguard

https://www.youtube.com/@TechnologyVanguard

Follow on LinkedIn: Bob Hansen | The Technology Vanguard

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-hansen-01122491/

Listen on Spotify: The Technology Vanguard

https://open.spotify.com/show/033jtDxhHFbiSD15sBVsR3

Bryan Younger, CIO of Liberty Dental Plan of Oklahoma, joins Bob Hansen at the Oklahoma City National Memorial for a conversation about IT careers, tech hiring, and leadership that starts with a story few guests could tell.

Bryan's father survived the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing from inside the Murrah Federal Building. Bryan shares how that day reshaped his family and how it still guides the way he leads more than 30 years later.

From there, Bryan breaks down how he went from running cable through ceilings to the CIO seat. He covers why his company dropped LinkedIn Easy Apply, how to stand out to a hiring manager before a job is even posted, and why he looks at culture fit before technical skills. He also explains why an MIS degree isn't enough to get started in IT, which certifications actually move your career forward, and why the CIO role is a business job, not a technical one.

Bryan also walks through IT as a service, Agile and Scrum, sprint retrospectives and Kaizen, his pizza oven analogy for price vs. cost, and the best career advice he ever received: underpromise and over-perform.

Book mentioned: The Phoenix Project

▶️ Watch on YouTube: @TechnologyVanguard

https://www.youtube.com/@TechnologyVanguard

💼 Follow on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-hansen-01122491/

🎧 Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/033jtDxhHFbiSD15sBVsR3

Darcy Van Patten, Executive Director of Specialized IT Services and Campus IT Resources at the University of Arizona, joins Bob Hansen to share how she went from oceanographer to IT executive, and what it takes to build an IT career that lasts in the age of AI.

Darcy began her career collecting and analyzing data on deep ocean survey ships. After stints in nonprofits and consulting, she built a $4.5M business case at the University of Washington that launched her into leading application development teams. She later turned down a chief of staff role to forge her own path, took a remote individual contributor role at Oracle to relocate to Arizona, and joined the University of Arizona in 2017, where she has led enterprise CRM, digital transformation through COVID, and IT centralization.

In this episode, Darcy and Bob discuss:

• Why a winding career path and calculated risks can be your biggest advantage

• Finding sponsors who know what you're capable of and give you stretch opportunities

• Letting go of being the "answerer in the room" so your team can grow

• How choosing one month of acute pain over twelve months of chronic pain built a high performing team

• Why translating business needs into solutions is the IT skill AI can't replace

• How AI-driven applications and screening are changing hiring, and how to stand out

• Advice for students and new grads: get hands-on experience early and consider IT-adjacent roles

• What resume tenure signals to hiring managers and the risk of industry pigeonholing

• The best career advice she ever received: be good at what you do consistently and be easy to manage

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. WATCH. FOLLOW. LISTEN.

Watch on YouTube: @TechnologyVanguard

https://www.youtube.com/@TechnologyVanguard

Follow on LinkedIn: Bob Hansen | The Technology Vanguard

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-hansen-01122491/

Listen on Spotify: The Technology Vanguard

https://open.spotify.com/show/033jtDxhHFbiSD15sBVsR3

Chris Caruso, retired CIO of Fortune 500 company PPG and author of "The Impactful Technology Leader," joins Bob Hansen to share 40 years of IT leadership lessons and career advice for aspiring technology leaders.

Chris entered college planning to become a lawyer, switched to computer science after one month, and went on to spend 24 years at PPG, including five as Vice President of IT and CIO. Along the way, he co-invented patented technology, earned two CIO 100 Awards, and led PPG IT onto Computerworld's Best Places to Work in IT list for 10 straight years.

In this episode, Chris and Bob discuss:

• Why the title and pay of leadership wear off fast, and what to anchor on instead

• The three qualities great leaders build as individual contributors: listen to learn, communicate to connect, and the courage to do the next right thing

• Why a career lattice beats a career ladder in technology

• How mentoring programs, weekly talent reviews, and personalized recognition build a lasting workplace culture

• Managing risk first, talent second, and technology third

• The best and worst advice Chris ever received

• The story of fostering 15 newborns over 14 years, and how one child's drawing became his reminder of purpose

Chris's book, "The Impactful Technology Leader: Pursue Your Purpose to Innovate, Motivate, and Inspire," is available on Amazon, with 100% of profits supporting the next generation of technology professionals.

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. WATCH. FOLLOW. LISTEN.

Watch on YouTube: @TechnologyVanguard

https://www.youtube.com/@TechnologyVanguard

Follow on LinkedIn: Bob Hansen | The Technology Vanguard

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-hansen-01122491/

Listen on Spotify: The Technology Vanguard

https://open.spotify.com/show/033jtDxhHFbiSD15sBVsR3

He Never Planned to Become a CIO: Career Growth, Leadership, and Knowing When to Move On

What if your career's direction wasn't something you planned, but something you discovered along the way?

In this episode of The Technology Vanguard, Bob Hansen speaks with Christopher (Chris) Driscoll, Chief Information Officer at La Roche University, about his unexpected journey into IT leadership and the experiences that shaped his approach to leading people and organizations.

Chris began exploring technology while attending college in the mid-1990s. His academic major wasn't IT, and becoming a CIO wasn't a career goal he had mapped out from the beginning. Instead, working at a university helped him discover his interests, develop practical skills, and find opportunities that eventually led to executive leadership.

With more than three decades of experience in higher education IT, Chris has learned that successful leadership isn't simply about knowing the technology. It's about understanding the organization's mission, finding and developing the right people, building strategic relationships, and making decisions that solve real problems.

In this conversation, Chris shares why he believes leaders should recognize when it's time to move on, how observing other executives influenced his leadership philosophy, and why continued learning and calculated risks matter throughout a career.

We also discuss the unique challenges of leading technology in higher education, building effective teams, aligning IT with institutional priorities, and preparing the next generation of technology professionals for an evolving workplace.

In this episode:

• Discovering a career in IT without initially planning to pursue it.

• Learning leadership through practical experience.

• Building trust and creating opportunities for people to succeed.

• Finding inspiration by observing effective leaders.

• Recognizing when comfort becomes stagnation.

• Continuing to learn through education and new experiences.

• Balancing professional ambition with family, outside interests, and other commitments.

• Advice for aspiring IT leaders and future CIOs.

Chris's story is a reminder that career growth doesn't always happen according to plan. Staying curious, remaining open to new opportunities, and continuing to develop yourself can help you discover a path you might never have imagined.

Whether you're early in your IT career, managing a team, or preparing for executive leadership, this conversation offers thoughtful perspectives on building a career with purpose.

🎙️ Follow The Technology Vanguard for more conversations with technology leaders about the stories, lessons, and decisions behind their careers.

🔐 Great cybersecurity leadership isn’t about saying no. It’s about finding a better way forward.

In this episode of The Technology Vanguard, Konrad Fellmann, CISO and VP of Infrastructure at Modine Manufacturing Company, shares how his journey from the U.S. Marine Corps to executive leadership shaped his approach to cybersecurity, mentorship, and business innovation.

💡 Key Takeaways from the Conversation

✅ Lead with calm. Your team takes its cues from you, especially during a crisis.

✅ Choose transparency over perfect metrics. Real progress starts with being honest about the problems that need to be solved.

✅ Build bridges, not roadblocks. Cybersecurity should enable business innovation, not stand in its way.

✅ Never stop learning. Step outside your comfort zone, seek mentorship, and don't be afraid to ask for help.

✅ Master the fundamentals. Even as AI transforms cybersecurity, strong security hygiene, identity management, and visibility remain essential.

One of Konrad’s most powerful reminders? You don’t have to figure everything out alone. Great leaders know how to listen, collaborate, and bring the right people together to solve complex challenges.

🎯 The big takeaway: Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating an environment where people can collaborate, speak honestly, and make meaningful progress.

🎙️ Watch the full episode of The Technology Vanguard to hear Konrad’s story and explore his insights on cybersecurity, AI, mentorship, and effective technology leadership.

#TheTechnologyVanguard #Cybersecurity #Leadership #AI #CISO #Mentorship #CyberRisk #TechnologyLeadership

🔐 Great cybersecurity leadership isn’t about saying no. It’s about finding a better way forward.In this episode of The Technology Vanguard, Konrad Fellman, CISO and VP of Infrastructure at Modine Manufacturing Company, shares how his journey from the U.S. Marine Corps to executive leadership shaped his approach to cybersecurity, mentorship, and business innovation.💡 Here are a few lessons that stood out:✅ Lead with calm: Your team takes its cues from you, especially during a crisis.✅ Choose transparency over perfect metrics: Real progress starts with honesty about the problems that need to be solved.✅ Build bridges, not roadblocks: Security should enable the business to innovate, not prevent it from moving forward.✅ Never stop learning: Step outside your comfort zone, seek mentorship, and don't be afraid to ask for help.✅ Focus on the fundamentals: Even as AI transforms cybersecurity, strong security hygiene, identity management, and visibility remain essential.One of Konrad’s most powerful reminders? You don't have to figure everything out alone. Great leaders know how to listen, collaborate, and bring the right people together to solve difficult problems.🎯 The takeaway: Leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating an environment where people can work together, speak honestly, and make meaningful progress.🎙️ Watch the full episode of The Technology Vanguard to hear Konrad's story and insights on cybersecurity, AI, and leadership.#TheTechnologyVanguard #Cybersecurity #Leadership #AI #CISO #Mentorship #CyberRisk #TechnologyLeadership

What does it really take to go from an IT professional to a C-level technology leader? 👩‍💻🚀In this episode, Sara Wissmueller, CIO of Phillips Industries, shares the pivotal moments that shaped her career from unexpectedly discovering her talent for technology, to working directly with CFOs, building IT departments from the ground up, and ultimately becoming a CIO.One of the biggest lessons from Sara’s journey? Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to lead.She also opens up about:🔹 Why understanding the business is just as important as understanding technology🔹 How great mentors pushed her beyond what she thought was possible🔹 Why high standards and accountability can bring out the best in a team🔹 The importance of knowing when it’s time to leave a role that no longer serves you🔹 Why executives need to learn communication, negotiation, and “selling” the value of technology🔹 How AI is changing IT, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and technical support🔹 Why “just because AI can do something doesn’t mean it should”🔹 The importance of balancing innovation with security, ROI, and human judgmentSara’s story is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about trusting yourself, making decisions, learning from mistakes, surrounding yourself with great people, and continuing to grow.And sometimes, the biggest career opportunity starts with someone simply saying:“You’re smart. You’re resourceful. You’ll figure it out.” 💡🎙️ A conversation packed with career lessons, leadership insights, and a realistic look at the future of AI in business.#Leadership #CIO #TechnologyLeadership #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #ITLeadership #WomenInTech #CareerGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #Cybersecurity #FutureOfWork