Nori Barajas
Principal Strategist - Education Ambassador,
CDW
Three Years In: Lessons from Building System Wide Security Visibility Across a University System
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 11:30AM–12:15PM PT | California Ballroom A, Second Floor
Session Type:
Breakout Session
Delivery Format:
Industry Insights Session
As cyber risk grows more complex, higher education institutions face a persistent challenge: achieving effective security operations across decentralized campuses without undermining institutional autonomy. This session examines what it takes to operationalize system wide security visibility, drawing on lessons from a large public university system three years into its security transformation and renewal phase.
Panelists will share how leadership teams moved beyond fragmented, campus level views to establish a single, continuously updated system of record for institutional technology assets by integrating and normalizing data from existing campus tools. Rather than focusing on products or procurement, the discussion centers on how reliable asset intelligence reshaped governance, improved cross campus coordination, and enabled more informed decision making at the system level.
Attendees will hear how improved visibility helped leaders identify coverage gaps, respond more effectively during incidents, and provide more consistent reporting to executive leadership. The panel will also explore how asset intelligence supported renewal decisions after initial deployment, shifting conversations from implementation success to operational maturity, sustainability, and long term value.
Designed for CISOs, CIOs, and security leaders managing complexity at scale, this session offers an experience based perspective on sustaining security programs across decentralized environments.
