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UnHack the Podcast

Hosted by Drex DeFord

In-depth conversations about cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and building resilient healthcare organizations in the face of evolving cyber threats.

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Episodes (61)

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UnHack the Podcast UnHack the News Executive Interview Solution Showcase Newsday 2 Minute Drill

Oct 7, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: Where Will AI Focus First and Huntzinger Announcement with Bob Kitts

October 7, 2025: Bob Kitts , CEO and Founding Partner of Avarion (formerly Huntzinger Management Group), shares insights on navigating healthcare IT transformation in an era of unprecedented change. From AI integration strategies that vary dramatically between rural hospitals and academic medical centers to the coming revolution in revenue cycle management, Bob explains why successful technology adoption starts with business needs, not buzzwords. Learn how CTOs are already embedding AI into security and operational tools, why digital roadmapping and analytics must work together, and how healthcare organizations can deliver real ROI during times of intense economic pressure. Key Points: 00:37 Background and Evolution of Huntzinger Management Group 02:41 Industry Trends and AI Integration 09:22 Major Announcement: Huntzinger Rebrands to Avarion 11:40 Conclusion and Future Outlook X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Oct 3, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: The AI-Enabled Vendor Problem and Necessary Transparency with Ed Gaudet

October 3, 2025: Healthcare leaders are sitting on a cybersecurity time bomb, and most don't even know it. Censinet CEO and Founder Ed Gaudet reveals that 80% of healthcare vendors have quietly AI-enabled their products while organizations still rely on outdated SOC 2 certificates for risk assessment. Drawing lessons from the Change Healthcare crisis, Ed explains why hope has become the default security strategy and how single points of failure are hiding throughout health system operations. From building a $7M ARR startup to transforming third-party risk management, this conversation exposes the uncomfortable truth about vendor compliance and offers a blueprint for healthcare leaders ready to stop playing cybersecurity roulette with patient care. Key Points: 00:35 Challenges of Founding a Healthcare Startup 07:43 Addressing Third-Party Risk in Healthcare 15:49 The Critical Role of Business Processes 18:21 Challenges in Vendor Risk Management 25:55 Personal Insights and Podcasting X : This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Oct 1, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: DCH's Quality Turnaround Journey With Faith Burkett and Billy Helmandollar

October 1, 2025: How does an 880-bed health system in rural Alabama transform from a Leapfrog safety grade of D to B in just two years while achieving CHIME Most Wired Level 9 recognition? DCH Health System's CIO, Billy Helmandollar , and Chief Clinical Informatics Officer, Faith Burkett , reveal the multidisciplinary approach that drove their remarkable turnaround. Discover how simple fixes like standardizing barcode scanners and addressing WiFi dead zones boosted medication scanning compliance

Sep 17, 2025·Executive Interview

Executive Interview: Shrinking the Gap Between Idea and Reality with Nishith Khandwala

September 17, 2025: Healthcare is notorious for changing slowly, but does it have to be? Nishith Khandwala , Co-Founder of Bunkerhill Health , is breaking down the walls between an idea and life-saving reality. Nishith reveals how major health systems are now identifying thousands of at-risk patients through automated clinical workflows, including the story of a police officer whose dismissed "heartburn" led to emergency triple bypass surgery. Can healthcare finally match the breakneck pace of A

Aug 25, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Creating Security Ambassadors and AI Ethics with Chase Franzen

August 25, 2025: Chase Franzen , VP and CISO at Sharp Healthcare , discusses how they transformed their cybersecurity training into something so engaging that employees actually call it fun. But as AI capabilities advance at breakneck speed, what happens when traditional phishing indicators disappear and deepfakes become indistinguishable from reality? Chase discusses Sharp's AI ethics committee and their approach to balancing innovation with responsibility, while sharing candid thoughts about A

Jul 28, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Agentic Anxieties and Rural Connectivity with Aaron Heath and Brian Zegers

Even cyber pros have technical issues sometimes – our camera caught a bug, but the audio is clean and packed with security insights! July 28, 2025: Aaron Heath , CISO and Cybersecurity Counsel at the Medical University of South Carolina , and Brian Zegers , Information Security Officer at Lee Health , discuss a variety of security topics. The conversation takes a turn when both leaders address their growing concerns about AI's rapid evolution from helpful tools to autonomous agents with privileg

Jun 23, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Security Consolidation and the Viral Google Bug with Chris Plummer

June 23, 2025: Chris Plummer , Senior Cybersecurity Architect from Dartmouth Health , discusses the realities of defending healthcare systems against sophisticated threats. Chris shares his path from childhood computer enthusiast to cybersecurity leader, including the surprising story of how he discovered a major Google security flaw that made national headlines. Why do over 6,000 hospitals still fight cyber battles independently when other sectors have found strength through consolidation? Chri

May 26, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): CISO Changes and Building the Cyber Foundation with Dennis Leber

May 26, 2025: Dennis Leber, Cybersecurity Executive with a rich military and CISO background, discusses the current healthcare landscape. Dennis shares his unique journey from police officer to cybersecurity leader, challenging common assumptions about career paths in the field. As boards increasingly face responsibility for security breaches, what fundamental communication strategies should security leaders employ when explaining complex technical risks to non-technical executives? The conversa

Apr 28, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Cybersecurity - From Restrictors to Facilitators with James Bowie

April 28, 2025: James Bowie , VP and CISO of Tampa General , explores the human side of cybersecurity leadership. Facing a fragmented IT team James reveals how a $20,000 investment in ethical hacking training eliminated millions in security risks in a single weekend. Then, how do healthcare security leaders balance life-and-death decisions when ransomware hits critical services? The conversation delves into managing AI implementation safely in healthcare settings, with James detailing their two-

Mar 24, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): From "All or Nothing" to Scalable Solutions and Resilience with Heather Costa

March 24, 2025: Heather Costa , Director of Technology Resilience at Mayo Clinic , shares her journey of rebranding her team from "disaster recovery operations" to "technology resilience operations," emphasizing that cyber incidents require a fundamentally different approach than physical disruptions. The conversation delves into the challenges of communicating technical needs with clinical staff, with Heather explaining her philosophy of "meeting people where they are" and focusing on their wor

Feb 24, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Meaningful Metrics and Stopping Breaches Before They Happen with Steven Ramirez

February 24, 2025: Steven Ramirez , VP and CISTO of Renown Health , discusses how organizations are grappling with increasingly sophisticated threats. What makes the 60-minute breach window so critical in today's threat landscape, and how are healthcare organizations reshaping their approach to identity security? As Ramirez shares insights from his journey at Renown, we explore the delicate balance between rapid threat response and strategic planning, while questioning what makes an effective cy

Jan 27, 2025·UnHack the Podcast

UnHack (the Podcast): Addressing the Human Factor and Reaching the Board with Matt Christensen

January 27, 2025: Matt Christensen , Sr. Director of Cybersecurity and Intermountain Health , delivers an insightful discussion on the intricate balance of technology, leadership, and the human factor in cybersecurity. How does Intermountain Health’s approach to systemic risk reimagine third-party management in healthcare? Why is the human element—often labeled the weakest link—still undervalued despite its role in 90% of breaches? Matt reflects on the paradox of advancing technology overshadowi