This August through September, FI$Cal Chief of Information Security, Ken Ketsdever, will attend the California Department of Technology’s (CDT) Information Security Leadership Academy (ISLA). ISLA participants were required to submit an application, with participants selected based on the quality and thoughtfulness of their application responses.
The ISLA is a 9-week intensive training program, aimed at preparing the state’s security workforce for critical roles in the areas of information security. The academy incorporates security best practices, National Institute of Standards and Technology risk and security control frameworks, California-specific policy, standards, and compliance, and information security program management skills. “The program is a great effort on the part of the state and CDT to improve the knowledge of state security professionals and overall maturation of the state’s security posture” said Ken. ISLA participants will develop and enhance their security skills through both formal training and the Certified Information Security Manager exam at the end of their program experience.
As a steward of state financial information, FI$Cal places security innovation at the core of its strategic plan, which emphasizes the importance of incorporating cutting-edge technology to enhance security, reliability and efficiencies through the use of innovative techniques. The ISLA program will provide an opportunity for Ken to represent the department, network with peers, receive mentorship from program coaches and advisors, and tap into the latest information security practices from security professionals and other executives who are at the forefront of the state’s security efforts.
Through this intensive program, Ken hopes to contribute his expertise and improve his own knowledge base to bring back to FI$Cal. “It is great honor to be a part of this effort” he said, “I look forward to improving my skills and knowledge and bringing newly gained knowledge and information back to FI$Cal to assist in the maturation of our security program and our work towards aligning our security program with the state’s Cal-Secure plan.”
To learn more, visit the ISLA website.