What happens when someone who helped shape FedRAMP from inside a federal agency joins the conversation from the industry side? In this episode of Behind the Shield, Gary Daemer sits down with Michael Schroeder, Director of FedRAMP Strategy and Market Development at Excentium, to discuss the evolution of FedRAMP, the impact of FedRAMP 20x, and what the future of cloud security and compliance could look like across the federal government. Michael shares insights from his time supporting FedRAMP efforts within the Department of Veterans Affairs Digital Transformation Center, where he worked closely with OIT and OIS leadership teams, Federal business owners, and Cloud Service Providers, in close alignment to the agency authorization process, before transitioning to Excentium to focus on strategy, market development, and industry engagement. The conversation explores the shift from traditional compliance-driven approaches toward outcome-based security, the growing role of automation and machine-readable evidence, and why increased transparency is changing how government agencies, assessors, and CSPs work together. Gary and Michael also discuss agency adoption, the relationship between FedRAMP and CMMC, the challenges of scaling assessments, and why collaboration across the cybersecurity community may be one of the most important developments in recent years. Beyond compliance frameworks, Michael shares his perspective on leadership, continuous learning, cybersecurity for nonprofits, and the importance of building solutions that make security more accessible and effective for organizations of all sizes. Whether you're a Cloud Service Provider, federal agency stakeholder, cybersecurity practitioner, or simply interested in where federal compliance programs are headed, this episode offers a thoughtful look at the opportunities and challenges shaping the next generation of government cloud security. Chapters: 0:10 - Meet Michael Schroeder: Career Journey and FedRAMP Background 7:38 - Public Discourse and FedRAMP 10:17 - FedRAMP Process and Challenges 16:25 - Security vs. Compliance 22:49 - Transparency and Public Trust 28:44 - Operational Security Practices 36:36 - Monitoring and Reporting 43:15 - Adoption of 20X and Future Predictions 55:54 - Closing Thoughts, Leadership, and Community Impact What You'll Learn • Michael Schroeder's transition from the VA to Excentium and the lessons learned along the way • How FedRAMP 20x is reshaping federal cloud security • The difference between compliance and operational security • Why Trust Centers are changing how agencies evaluate cloud services • The impact of machine-readable evidence and continuous validation • Common challenges CSPs face when adopting FedRAMP 20x • Where FedRAMP and CMMC may align in the future • How automation can help agencies improve security oversight • Michael's predictions for FedRAMP and agency adoption • Why collaboration is becoming a competitive advantage in cybersecurity • How security can drive business growth, not just compliance • Supporting nonprofits through practical cybersecurity initiatives • Balancing speed, security, and innovation in modern cloud environments Guest Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjschroeder1/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/excentium/ https://excentium.com/ Learn more about InfusionPoints: https://www.linkedin.com/company/infusionpoints/ Gary Daemer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/infusionpoints/ Request a Demo: https://xbu40.com/ FedRAMP 20x Quick Look Assessment: https://xbu40.com/assessment InfusionPoints & AWS: InfusionPoints is proud to be an Amazon Web Services Premier Tier Services Partner, supporting organizations in building, managing, and defending secure cloud environments. About Us: InfusionPoints is a trusted cybersecurity, cloud engineering, and compliance partner helping organizations Build, Manage, and Defend secure, mission-ready environments in highly regulated markets. We specialize in FedRAMP, FedRAMP 20x, DoD, and enterprise security frameworks, supporting organizations from initial authorization through continuous monitoring and optimization. Our team brings deep technical expertise and real-world operational insight to every engagement. Through our independent, security-first approach, we integrate people, processes, and technology to deliver scalable, compliant, and resilient solutions. From strategy and architecture to operations and defense, we help customers move faster without sacrificing security.