CCN Conversations

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with members of UNIT 7300, including Nathan Chan, Paul Kriukov, James Wang, Chelsea Kensall, and Michael Thomas. Founded in 2018, UNIT 7300 is a Canadian cybersecurity team dedicated to developing practical security skills through Capture the Flag competitions, bug bounty research, hands-on training, and collaborative problem solvi...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Michael Argast, CEO and Co-Founder of Kobalt , about entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, and why security should be viewed as a business enabler rather than a business blocker. Michael shares the story behind Kobalt, from an unexpected return from semi-retirement to building a company focused on helping small and mid-sized businesse...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with David Shipley, CEO of Beauceron Security. David shares his unconventional journey into cybersecurity, from serving as a soldier and working as a newspaper reporter and digital marketer, to helping respond to a cyber incident at the University of New Brunswick and eventually building one of Canada's leading cybersecurity awareness...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with Evgeniy Kharam, cybersecurity strategist, solution architect, author, podcaster, and industry leader. Evgeniy shares his journey from quality assurance and firewall testing to becoming a solution architect responsible for helping organizations connect technologies, teams, and business objectives. The conversation explores the...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Amisha Parikh, Vice President of Product Management, Cyber Intelligence Solutions at Mastercard. Amisha shares her journey into cybersecurity and discusses the growing importance of trust, collaboration, and innovation in an increasingly digital world. The conversation explores how organizations can move beyond viewing cybersecur...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Tim McCreight, CEO and Founder of TaleCraft Security. With more than four decades in the security industry, Tim shares insights from his journey through physical security, cybersecurity leadership, enterprise risk management, and mentorship. The conversation explores the importance of storytelling in cybersecurity, explaining why...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Shruti Mukherjee, Director of GRC, about the growing importance of governance, risk, and compliance in today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape. Shruti shares her journey from software engineering into cybersecurity and GRC, highlighting how curiosity, adaptability, and continuous learning shaped her career. The conversation...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host François Guay speaks with William Mailhot about his unconventional path into cybersecurity and how curiosity, hands-on learning, and persistence shaped his career. William shares how his interest in hacking game consoles led him into programming, reverse engineering, malware analysis, and eventually cybersecurity consulting. The conversation explores the...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Jason McKeen, Founder of BlackSwan Cyber Group. Jason shares a deeply personal and powerful story of resilience, from overcoming a difficult upbringing to building a career in cybersecurity and launching his own company. The conversation explores the realities of non-linear career paths, the importance of persistence, and the rol...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Pamela Draper, President of Digital Commerce Payments, and Paul Twigg, Chief Technology Officer at Digital Commerce Group. Together, they explore the evolving role of payments, digital banking, and trust in today’s financial ecosystem. The conversation highlights how money movement has shifted from traditional methods to real-tim...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host François Guay speaks with Junior Williams about his unconventional journey into cybersecurity and the lessons learned along the way. From early exposure to operational technology and programming, to roles in IT, digital forensics, sales, and cybersecurity leadership, Junior’s path reflects a reality many professionals experience but rarely talk about. Thi...

Cybersecurity is often driven by urgency and fear. But is that the right approach? In this episode of CCN Conversations, François Guay speaks with Michelle Balderson about her journey through the industry and the perspectives she has gained along the way. Drawing from years of experience across teams, roles, and leadership environments, Michelle shares why cybersecurity needs to move beyond fear-b...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Bruno Couillard, CEO and Co-Founder of Crypto4A Technologies. Bruno shares the origin story behind Crypto4A and the mission to prepare the digital world for a quantum future. Drawing from decades of experience in cryptography and secure systems, he explains why the shift to quantum safe security is not a distant concern, but a pr...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Sophia Kudlyk about her journey into cybersecurity and what it really takes to break into the industry today. Sophia shares her non-traditional path into cyber, highlighting the challenges, doubts, and turning points that shaped her career. Her story reflects a reality many aspiring professionals face: there is no single “right”...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with David Masson of Darktrace. With decades of experience spanning from early computer network exploitation to today’s AI driven security landscape, David brings a rare long term perspective on how cybersecurity has actually evolved. The conversation explores how cyber threats have shifted from supporting operations to becoming the p...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Jayson Myers, CEO of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen). Jayson shares insights from his experience leading one of Canada’s most important innovation organizations, focused on advancing manufacturing capabilities across the country. The conversation explores Canada’s position in advanced manufacturing, highlighting a cri...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with Tracey Nyholt, founder and CEO of TechJutsu. Tracey shares her unconventional path into cybersecurity, beginning with an English literature degree and working her way into the industry by teaching herself technical skills and learning through hands on experience. The conversation explores the founding of TechJutsu, a Calgary b...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Julien Richard, Vice President of Information Security at Lastwall. Julien shares his journey into cybersecurity more than two decades ago, long before the field was widely recognized. From early work in FinTech and network administration to leadership in security, his career highlights the role curiosity and persistence play in...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with Anthony Green, CISO Consultant, Educator, and Founder of Green Hat Security. Anthony shares his journey from building computers and hacking FarmVille as a teenager to leading ISACA Vancouver as one of its youngest presidents. The conversation explores the power of networking, community involvement, and how leadership roles sha...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with Roberto Ishmael Pennino to explore the power of human-centric cybersecurity. Roberto shares his unconventional journey from education and healthcare into cybersecurity, where he now specializes in awareness and knowledge translation. He discusses how translating complex technical concepts into practical, relatable guidance is...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Jennifer Quaid, Executive Director of the Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX). Jennifer shares her unconventional path into cybersecurity, from political science and communications to leading one of Canada’s most important cyber threat collaboration organizations. She reflects on surviving major cyber attacks in small businesse...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Alexandre Blanc, a cybersecurity and privacy leader with more than 25 years of experience across IT, security, and incident response. Alexandre shares his unconventional path into cybersecurity, beginning in infrastructure, networks, and encryption work, and explains how regulation, governance, and real-world events shaped his fo...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with Farzia Khan, Senior Manager of Information Security at TD Bank, where she leads enterprise-wide cyber resiliency initiatives. Farzia shares her journey into cybersecurity, from self-teaching technology skills and pursuing computer science, to building cyber literacy, awareness programs, and upskilling initiatives within a larg...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with Neumann Lim, Manager of Cybersecurity at Odlum Brown and founder of Malware Village. Neumann shares his path into cybersecurity, from early technical roles in software and firewall development to leading malware research and education initiatives. The conversation dives into what makes cybersecurity compelling from an investig...

In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Steve Waterhouse, a veteran cybersecurity leader with more than two decades of experience across national defence, government, education, and the private sector. Steve shares his journey from being one of Canada’s earliest cyber soldiers to helping shape cybersecurity culture within government. He reflects on the early days of di...