Arlington Forward

At the Cross-Roads of Health Policy and Information Technology - Cybersecurity and Healthcare Data: What Executives and Policy Makers Need to Know Event Held in Arlington

John Brandon Cantrell — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 18:59:20 +0000

At the Cross-Roads of Health Policy and Information Technology - Cybersecurity and Healthcare Data: What Executives and Policy Makers Need to Know Event Held in Arlington John Brandon C… Wed, 10/06/2021 - 14:59

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Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Research

Health Information Technology

Department of Health Administration and Policy

Arlington Forward

CHHS News

Tech Talent Investment Pipeline (TTIP)

TTIP

Tech Talent Investment Program

In This Story

PJ Maddox, EdD, MSN, RN

Alison Evans Cuellar, PhD, MBA

Department of Health Administration and Policy Partner with Healthcare Technology Network (HealthTechNet) and Arlington Forward to Host a Successful Event.

The cybersecurity event provided attendees with networking opportunities, a keynote presentation, and a panel of cybersecurity experts discussing the top concerns in the federal, state, and private sectors.

Cyberattacks have become a pervasive threat in the health care industry. As more hospitals, clinics, and other health care organizations rely on technology for storing confidential medical records and delivering patient care, cyberattacks can jeopardize the safety and health of millions of individuals, making cybersecurity a priority for protecting public health.

As leaders in health administration, policy, and informatics, Mason’s Department of Health Administration and Policy (HAP) partnered with Healthcare Technology Network (HealthTechNet) and Arlington Forward to address this important issue and help professionals learn about the latest cybersecurity concerns in health care—and what to do about it.

On September 23, information technology (IT), cybersecurity, and health care professionals across the DMV region gathered in Mason's Van Metre Hall in Arlington, Virginia, for “Cybersecurity and Healthcare Data: What Executives and Policy Makers Need to Know,” hosted by HAP, HealthTechNet, and Arlington Forward.

"It was a pleasure to moderate this panel of experts," said Alison Cuellar, HAP professor and the event moderator. "Cybersecurity in health care has become hugely important. As we learned from our panelists, it's more than a data security issue; for providers, it can mean patient safety, too. And the state, federal, and private partners are working to address this important challenge."

Connecting, Collaborating, and Gaining Insight from Leading Cybersecurity Experts

The event offered attendees a valuable opportunity to network with a wide range of professionals dedicated to improving cybersecurity practices in their organizations. More than 100 professionals registered for the event.

PJ Maddox, HAP department chair, welcomed attendees and noted the significance of partnering with like-minded organizations to create an event where professionals can connect, collaborate, and gain insight from leading cybersecurity experts.

Keynote speaker Robert Wood, chief information security officer at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, spoke about simplifying cybersecurity processes throughout his career and encouraged attendees to be flexible and adaptable to meet the fast-paced changes in cybersecurity successfully.

The panel provided a robust conversation on the public and private sectors' cybersecurity concerns. Alison Cuellar guided the discussion regarding current threats through the unique lens of each panelist, resulting in a well-rounded perspective on how cybersecurity affects all areas of health care and individual citizens.

Top Cybersecurity Concerns for Federal, State, and Private Sectors

John Riggi, senior advisor for cybersecurity and risk at the American Hospital Association, spoke on how the pandemic created vulnerabilities at hospitals throughout the country and the move to increased telehealth delivery created new opportunities for hackers to take advantage of weaknesses in cybersecurity – resulting in security breaches that affected millions of patients.

John Guerriero, a senior policy analyst in Homeland Security & Public Safety at the National Governors Association, discussed how cyberattacks affect the public’s trust in state government and the state executives’ focus on policies that protect patient data.

Looking to the future, Melina Scotto, chief information and security officer at General Dynamics Information Technology, focused her discussion on how private sectors can be proactive in cybersecurity by investing in educational pathways for students to become experts in cybersecurity engineering.

What's Next for HAP, Arlington Forward, and HealthTechNet

The event was one in a series of seminars on the most pressing issues at the intersection of information technology and health care.

"At HealthTechNet, we are proud of our growing collaboration with ��AV and its Department of Health Administration and Policy," said Jim Oakes of HealthTechNet and adjunct faculty at Mason. "Several HAP faculty members were instrumental in the growth of HealthTechNet over twenty years ago, and we are grateful for their ongoing support and contributions to our programs. We are delighted to have put on this joint program and look forward to working together in the future."

President's Innovation Advisory Council will help guide Arlington campus development and university-wide innovation initiatives

Melanie Balog — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:09:54 +0000

President's Innovation Advisory Council will help guide Arlington campus development and university-wide innovation initiatives Melanie Balog Mon, 02/22/2021 - 12:09

Fairfax, VA – ��AV President Gregory Washington announced he has formed a new, diverse roundtable of regional business executives and community leaders to provide strategic guidance and advocacy for the university’s Arlington innovation initiative.

The President’s Innovation Advisory Council (PIAC), comprised of forward-thinking executives, signals Mason’s community-centric vision for its Arlington Campus and the emerging Rosslyn-Ballston innovation corridor.

“These council members have been carefully selected for their knowledge and expertise, and also because they represent industries and organizations that are critical to the ecosystem we want to build,” Washington said. “We are bringing together community leaders that have a stake and an interest in helping us create an inclusive innovation economy.”

The President’s Innovation Advisory Council includes executives from a wide range of organizations such as Deltek, Sandy Spring Bank, Dovel Technologies, Verizon, Arlington Public Schools, the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and the NAACP.

Aneesh Chopra, council chair. Photo provided.

The Arlington innovation initiative is Mason’s contribution to the Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP) – the Commonwealth’s 20-year program designed to produce 25,000 additional graduates in computer science, computer engineering and software engineering. Spurred by Amazon’s decision to locate its new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia launched the TTIP to build and sustain a diverse tech talent pipeline.

As Virginia’s largest and most diverse public university, Mason assumed a leading role in the TTIP effort. The university was granted $235 million from the Virginia General Assembly and will produce approximately thirty percent of the 25,000 new undergraduate and graduate majors who will serve northern Virginia’s and the Commonwealth’s employers, including Amazon. The university will also raise an additional $125 million from philanthropic sources for a total investment of $360 million.

The initiative’s centerpiece will feature a 400,000-square-foot public-private-partnership building that will be structured around research and social impact – driven by the needs and the feedback from the community it serves.

The council will advise the university as it adds a digital innovation research hub for learners, educators, entrepreneurs, innovators and industry partners to its Arlington Campus. Mason’s footprint in Arlington – home to the Antonin Scalia School of Law, the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and the Schar School for Policy and Government provides a unique ecosystem for a future innovation district.

“We have a once in a generation opportunity to build an economy for our region that works better for everyone, anchored on technology, data and innovation,” said Aneesh Chopra, who will chair the council. Chopra is President of CareJourney, and served as the Obama administration’s Chief Technology Officer. “I'm eager to collaborate with regional stakeholders to build on George Mason's impressive foundation to spark new products and companies that will employ more of our talented workforce."

Mason is the state’s leading producer of tech talent, and has the nation’s fastest-growing research portfolio of any public university.

Kurt John. Provided photo

“I’m excited to help create a talent pipeline that can advance industrial and infrastructure systems, making them smarter, more productive, more efficient, and more sustainable,” said Kurt John, Chief Cybersecurity Officer of Siemens USA. “I look forward to applying my passion for technology and innovation to help diversify the educational experiences of students and ultimately improve my local community.”

The new building will provide labs and working space for students and faculty from Mason’s new Institute of Digital InnovAtion (IDIA) and the proposed School of Computing. A portion of the building will be dedicated to space for industry partners and entrepreneurs who want to advance innovation in collaboration with the university.

Virginia’s Commonwealth Cyber Initiative NoVa Node and the East Coast HQ for the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute will move to the Arlington Campus this April residing in the new IDIA HQ Pilot Space in the Vernon Smith Hall. The Pilot space will reflect the mix of university, industry and community partners that are critical to accelerate innovation and inclusive economic development.

NIna Janopaul

The council’s focus areas will include Mason’s long range plan to anchor an innovation district in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, but the COVID-19 pandemic has created community needs that call for immediate council engagement. With the pandemic causing layoffs and unemployment, Mason will launch several new initiatives that address job readiness, preparation, and placement supporting Virginians with internships, job prep, micro-credentials and entrepreneurship programs.

Sumeet Shrivastava

“We hope Mason will support cradle-to-career pathways for low income youth and persons of color to step into well-paid, tech jobs,” said Nina Janopaul, President and CEO for the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH). “APAH is committed to promoting opportunity for low income and disadvantaged individuals in Arlington and throughout the DMV. We hope that Mason will engage as an anchor institution for the underserved and a link to the growing tech sector in NOVA, epitomized by the arrival of Amazon’s HQ2.”

“The President’s Innovation Advisory Council will play a vital role addressing today’s top economic and social challenges by connecting the academic community with industry and government leaders,” said Sumeet Shrivastava, President and CEO of Array Information Technology, and President of Mason’s Alumni Association. “This distinguished leadership council, along with the Arlington Innovation Initiative, will help ensure that the region continues to attract, educate and shape the brightest minds in our industry and continue our rise as one of the hottest technology and entrepreneur ecosystems in the country.”

President’s Innovation Advisory Council Members

Mahfuz Ahmed, BS ‘93 – CEO and Chairman, DISYS

Anne Altman, BS ‘82 – Co-Founder, Everyone Matters Inc.

Sanam Boroumand – CEO, Main Digital

AC Chakrabarti, BS ‘96 - CEO, ByteMethod

Aneesh Chopra – President, CareJourney

Mike Corkery – President and CEO, Deltek

Dr. Francisco Durán - Superintendent, Arlington Public Schools

Deepak Hathiramani – Founding Partner & Executive Chairman, SteeleHarbour Capital Partners

Victor Hoskins - President and CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

Ahmad Ishaq – Founder and CEO, U.Group and Managing Director, Spectre Holdings

Nina Janopaul – President and CEO, Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing

Kurt John – Chief Cybersecurity Officer, Siemens USA

Senator Tim Kaine, H.C. ‘07 – United States Senate, Commonwealth of Virginia

Riz Khaliq, BA ‘93, MA ‘94 - CEO, Assima

Paul Leslie – Executive Chairman, Dovel Technologies

John Loveland – Global Head of Cyber Security Strategy and Marketing, Verizon

John Maxwell – Commissioner, Virginia Department of Veterans Services

Dolly Oberoi – Co-Founder and CEO, C2 Technologies, Inc.

Jay O’Brien – EVP & Chief Banking Officer, Sandy Spring Bank

Jon Peterson – CEO, Peterson Companies

Kurt Scherer – Managing Partner, C5 Capital

Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ‘94 – President and CEO, Array Information Technology

Julius D. “JD” Spain, Sr. – President, Arlington Branch NAACP

Telly Tucker - Director, Arlington Economic Development

Vijay Venkateswaran, BS ‘90 – Founder and CEO, Viventum Incorporated

David Wiley – President, Widelity

Christina Winn – Executive Director, Prince William County Department of Economic Development

John Wood – CEO & Chairman of the Board, Telos Corporation

Topics

Arlington Forward

Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA)

Office of the President

Campus News

Arlington Forward 2020 event series is a virtual reality

Colleen Rich — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 09:00:35 +0000

Arlington Forward 2020 event series is a virtual reality Colleen Rich Wed, 10/07/2020 - 05:00

Topics

Arlington Forward

Arlington campus

Campus News

Three firms are finalists to build the Institute for Digital InnovAtion

Damian Cristodero — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:40:15 +0000

Three firms are finalists to build the Institute for Digital InnovAtion Damian Cristodero Thu, 06/11/2020 - 12:40

Topics

��AV

Arlington Forward

Rossyln-Ballston corridor

Campus Improvements (Construction)

Nine development teams under consideration

Damian Cristodero — Fri, 15 May 2020 14:03:23 +0000

Nine development teams under consideration Damian Cristodero Fri, 05/15/2020 - 10:03

Topics

��AV

Arlington Forward

Arlington campus

Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA)

Rosslyn-Ballston innovation corridor

Campus Improvements (Construction)

How engineers and peacebuilders work together to construct harmonious futures

Damian Cristodero — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 19:28:21 +0000

How engineers and peacebuilders work together to construct harmonious futures Damian Cristodero Fri, 03/06/2020 - 14:28