The SafeHouse

The SafeHouse Initiative

The SafeHouse Podcast series is presented by The SafeHouse Initiative (safehouseinitiative.org). The SafeHouse Initiative was organized to provide education and awareness to businesses who are inundated with technical concepts, jargon and terms around the concepts of Business Continuity and Cyber Security. The SafeHouse Initiative is a collaborative organization where organizations can turn to gain a holistic view of solutions, education information, and cyber security insights. Reach out to any of the SafeHouse Initiative contributors to learn more. Be sure to rate us and leave some comments!

  1. 15 Oct

    NO POWER. NO BUSINESS: The Hidden Dependency Behind the Digital Economy with Nick Vandenbrekel

    What happens when the electricity powering your business disappears? In today's interconnected digital economy, electricity is more than a utility—it's the foundation of nearly every business operation. Yet despite significant investments in cybersecurity, cloud services, and disaster recovery, many organizations overlook one of their most fundamental vulnerabilities: reliable access to power. In this episode of the Safe House Initiative Podcast, host Jeff Edwards speaks with Nick Vandenbrekel, electrical engineer and CEO of Inflection and FTG Energy, about the challenges facing our aging electrical infrastructure and the growing demand for electricity driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, and modern technology. Nick explores why centralized electrical grids represent a significant dependency, how decentralized power generation could improve operational resilience, and why conventional backup systems may be insufficient during prolonged outages. The conversation also introduces emerging approaches to energy generation, storage, and ownership, including technologies being developed by Inflection and FTG Energy. Key discussion topics include the vulnerability of aging power grids, AI's impact on energy demand, decentralized electrical generation, long-term business continuity, and the importance of recognizing electricity as a critical business dependency. The central question: Your organization may have a disaster recovery plan, cybersecurity protection, and cloud backups—but do you have a realistic plan for operating without electricity? Discover why understanding this hidden dependency is essential to closing the Failure Gap. Learn more at https://safehouseinitiative.org. #SafeHouseInitiative #BusinessResilience #EnergySecurity #PowerGrid #BusinessContinuity #CriticalInfrastructure #ArtificialIntelligence #EnergyInnovation #TheSafeHousePodcast

    NO POWER. NO BUSINESS: The Hidden Dependency Behind the Digital Economy with Nick Vandenbrekel
  2. 22 May

    Protecting Rural America from Cyber Threats: Inside the PISCES Mission with Mike Hamilton

    In this episode of The SafeHouse Podcast, Jeff Edwards sits down with Mike Hamilton, former Seattle CISO and Chief Technical Officer of PISCES International, a nonprofit organization providing free cybersecurity monitoring and workforce development for underserved communities across the United States. Mike shares his remarkable journey from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and early cybersecurity consulting to building one of the most impactful community-focused cyber defense initiatives in the country. The conversation explores: Why rural hospitals, school districts, utilities, and local governments are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacksHow PISCES delivers enterprise-grade monitoring capabilities to organizations that otherwise could not afford themThe growing cybersecurity workforce shortage and how hands-on training is changing livesHow AI is rapidly transforming Security Operations Centers (SOCs)One simple policy change organizations can make today to dramatically improve security postureThis episode is a powerful discussion about resilience, public infrastructure protection, workforce development, and the future of operational cybersecurity. Learn more about the SafeHouse Initiative and its mission to educate underserved communities on cybersecurity and operational resilience. #CyberSecurity #CyberDefense #CyberAwareness #OperationalResilience #CriticalInfrastructure #RuralCybersecurity #PublicSectorSecurity #SOC #AI #WorkforceDevelopment #CommunityResilience #SafeHousePodcast #SafeHouseInitiative #PISCES

    Protecting Rural America from Cyber Threats: Inside the PISCES Mission with Mike Hamilton
  3. 12 Feb

    When Cybersecurity became a state responsibility with James Saunders

    Nearly a year after federal cybersecurity policy shifted responsibility and funding to the states, what does that change actually look like in practice? In this episode of The SafeHouse Podcast, host Jeff Edwards sits down with James Saunders, Chief Information Security Officer for the State of Maryland, to unpack how cybersecurity leadership, resilience, and public service are evolving at the state level. James shares his career journey from frontline technical support at Comcast to federal cybersecurity leadership during COVID, and now to safeguarding Maryland’s digital infrastructure. Along the way, he explains Maryland’s IT Master Plan, the state’s five-pillar cybersecurity strategy, and why partnerships, talent development, and resilience matter more than ever. The conversation goes beyond policy and architecture, touching on leadership, empathy, burnout, and what it really takes to sustain a career in cybersecurity. If you work in cybersecurity, IT leadership, government, or risk management, this episode offers a rare, candid look inside how states are adapting to a new national reality. Key topics include: The shift of cybersecurity responsibility from federal to state governmentsMaryland’s IT Master Plan and cybersecurity strategyCyber resilience beyond technology aloneBuilding and retaining cybersecurity talentInformation sharing across statesLeadership lessons from crisis moments like COVIDOne practical thing everyone can do to improve their security posture #SafeHousePodcast #CyberRisk #CyberSecurity  #StateCybersecurity #RiskManagement #CyberSecurityPodcast  #Resilience #PublicSectorIT

    When Cybersecurity became a state responsibility with James Saunders

About

The SafeHouse Podcast series is presented by The SafeHouse Initiative (safehouseinitiative.org). The SafeHouse Initiative was organized to provide education and awareness to businesses who are inundated with technical concepts, jargon and terms around the concepts of Business Continuity and Cyber Security. The SafeHouse Initiative is a collaborative organization where organizations can turn to gain a holistic view of solutions, education information, and cyber security insights. Reach out to any of the SafeHouse Initiative contributors to learn more. Be sure to rate us and leave some comments!