UnHack (the Podcast): Passion Over Paychecks and Hidden Risk with Mary Dickerson and Gordon Groschl
November 4, 2025: Identity has become the foundation of healthcare security, but managing it is more complex than ever. In part two of this UnHack (the Podcast), Mary Dickerson, Associate VP and CISO of UTHealth Houston & Gordon Groschl, CISO and Director of HTM at Texas Children’s Hospitals, explore how organizations are shifting from prevention to resiliency. They also share candid career advice for aspiring cybersecurity professionals, challenging the industry's unrealistic entry-level requirements and explaining why passion matters more than credentials. From volunteer firefighting to CISO leadership, discover the unconventional paths and practical strategies shaping healthcare security today.Key Points:00:24 Identity as the New Perimeter04:09 Transition from Prevention to Resiliency09:17 Behavior Analysis in Cybersecurity12:17 Lightning Round: Personal Insights15:35 Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity ProfessionalsX: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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Newsday: The CxO Pulse - Insights and Lessons from 229 Summits with This Week Health
November 3, 2025: What are healthcare IT leaders really concerned about? Fresh from three 229 Project summits across the country, Bill Russell, Sarah Richardson, and Drex DeFord pull back the curtain on the most pressing conversations happening right now. From simplifying AI governance with a two-track vendor approach to rethinking hiring strategies for an agent-driven future, this episode captures the pulse of healthcare leadership in real time. Discover why some organizations are solving hundreds of problems while others struggle with their first five, and learn the one-word qualities leaders are seeking in their next hires to thrive in today's rapidly changing landscape.Key Points:04:24 AI Success Factors09:57 Balancing Moonshots and Practical Solutions14:37 Sourcing Strategy and Engagement22:32 Building Organizational Culture26:27 Leadership and Succession PlanningX: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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Solution Showcase: Smooth and Rapid Growth In the M&A Era with Glen Phares and Brent Lamm
October 29, 2025: When UNC Health embarked on integrating 14 hospitals and hundreds of clinics across North Carolina, they needed more than just technology—they needed a scalable playbook. Brent Lamm, SVP and CIO at UNC Health, joins Glen Phares, National Director for Healthcare Solution Delivery at Experis Health Solutions, to reveal how UNC Health built repeatable processes for rapid M&A integration. From consolidating nine different payrolls into one ERP system to managing infrastructure migrations that enable innovation. With strategic staffing partner Experis, they've transformed what could be overwhelming growth into a competitive advantage. Key Points:02:24 UNC Health's Mission and Growth05:20 Experis Health Solutions06:43 Challenges and Strategies14:47 The Role of Infrastructure18:36 Future of Burnout in HealthcareX: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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2 Minute Drill: Pokemon Go's Hidden Agenda: How AR Apps Map the World With Drex DeFord
Drex explores how Niantic's Pokemon Go used gameplay to crowdsource geospatial AI training data, including strategically placing Pokemon at hospitals and clinics to map sensitive facilities. Players unknowingly volunteered location data, camera scans, and movement patterns through terms of service agreements most never read. A cautionary tale about digital consent and the hidden costs of "free to play" apps in healthcare settings.Remember, Stay a Little Paranoid X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
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UnHack (the Podcast): Zero Trust and the Identity Perimeter with Mary Dickerson and Gordon Groschl
October 28, 2025: Mary Dickerson, Associate VP and CISO of UTHealth Houston & Gordon Groschl, CISO and Director of HTM at Texas Children’s Hospitals, discuss the current research landscape. Identity has become the ultimate battleground in healthcare security, but most organizations still don't have the fundamentals right. From securing non-human identities to enabling research without compromising compliance, these CISOs share hard-won lessons from the frontlines. Key Points:03:36 Challenges in Integrating Research and Clinical Services06:10 Building Secure and Agile Research Environments10:04 Collaboration Across Institutions for Research12:11 Top Projects: AI in Radiology14:58 Merging Identity and Security OperationsX: This Week HealthLinkedIn: This Week HealthDonate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer
Cyber-safety is patient-safety. On “UnHack,” Drex DeFord, veteran healthcare CIO and infused strategist, breaks down the biggest cybersecurity and risk challenges facing healthcare today. Drex and expert guests explore what happened, why it matters, and how to build real-world resilience. The show's a mostly plain-English, mostly non-technical discussion that dives into the people, process, and technology making healthcare more secure; and it's NOT just for cyber-professionals; it’s for everyone in a healthcare organization, because modern cybersecurity is a team-sport.
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