From the Deans' Suite - 4/23/26 - A Stronger Future in Cybersecurity and Privacy

Last Thursday and Friday, April 16 and 17, our College of Law welcomed leaders from across the country for the 11th Annual Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection Conference—a gathering that once again made clear both the urgency of this work and the distinctive role CSU Law plays in shaping it. What began as an ambitious vision has grown into one of the leading cybersecurity and privacy convenings in the Great Lakes region, reflecting the strength of a Center built to bring law, technology, business, and public policy into meaningful conversation.

This year’s conference captured that mission beautifully. Over two days, the program engaged some of the most consequential questions facing institutions, lawyers, regulators, and technologists today: the rapidly evolving patchwork of state privacy and cybersecurity laws; how legal, communications, and security teams must coordinate before a breach occurs; recent enforcement developments; the federal regulatory landscape; governance at the board level; data ethics; AI-cloud security; state AI and security laws; and AI governance. The conference also featured a fireside chat with Federal Trade Commissioner Mark Meador, adding a timely national perspective to an already rich conversation.

What distinguishes this conference, and the Center’s overall mission, is a commitment to practical, interdisciplinary leadership. The Center for Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection was created to help bridge precisely the kinds of divides that can no longer remain separate: between legal doctrine and technical design, between compliance and innovation, and between policy and implementation. That work is reflected not only in the panels, which consistently bring technologists and lawyers into conversation, but also in the Center’s broader educational offerings, including the online Master of Legal Studies in Cybersecurity and Privacy and the JD Certificate in Cybersecurity and Privacy, which includes required and elective technical courses.

We are especially excited that the Center is entering this next chapter with two important additions to its leadership. Cory Scott, the Center’s new Executive Director, brings more than 25 years of cybersecurity experience spanning both private industry and public service, including work in vulnerability research, forensics, incident response, and security leadership at major technology companies such as LinkedIn, Google, and Confluent, as well as public-sector cyber resilience efforts in Ohio. Cory has already secured a $50,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education to study how local governments are responding to new cybersecurity requirements and has provided testimony and input on several AI-related bills in the Ohio legislature.

We are also delighted to highlight the recent appointment of Kirk Herath as a Senior Fellow of the Center. Kirk has long been one of Ohio’s most respected voices in cybersecurity, data governance, and privacy, with deep experience in law, policy, and public leadership, including serving as the first-ever Cybersecurity Strategic Advisor for the State of Ohio, Chairman of CyberOhio, and as a member of the Center’s National Advisory Board.

The conference is also made possible by the outstanding work of our students, who partnered to bring the event to life. From planning and coordination to welcoming and supporting participants throughout the two days, they demonstrated professionalism, initiative, and pride in their lawschool. I want to especially recognize Amanda Borngen, Scott Prebles, Theresa Augustin, Emma Prusha, Maggie Cornelison, Ayo Olusanya, Hadass Galilli, Victoria Colucci de Souza, Lana Kanawati, Nura Latif, and Jeffrey Yoham for their contributions. They represented CSU Law exceptionally well, and their efforts were essential to the success of the event.

Behind all of this is the vision and leadership of my colleague and co-dean, Brian Ray. This conference exists because Brian built it. It is an extraordinary accomplishment and a powerful reflection of his commitment to this work and to our law school.

At a time when questions of privacy, security, and AI governance touch nearly every sector of society, this work could not be more important. We are proud that CSU Law continues to help lead these efforts through scholarship, teaching, convening, and the work of a Center that reflects the very best of our mission. We are grateful to everyone who made this year’s conference such a success, and we look forward to the work ahead.

Warmly,
Carolyn