Zero Breach Zone

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 3 of the Zero Breach Zone, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo sit down with leaders shaping the future of technology and security in K-12 education. This week they're joined by Andrew Marcinek: father, author, education veteran and CTO, to dig into why building a culture around cybersecurity is the most important thing schools can do right now. Andrew shares his j...

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 2 of the Zero Breach Zone podcast, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo break down emerging cybersecurity threats and what they mean for K-12 schools in 2026. Drawing from recent industry predictions, they explore how cybercrime is becoming more industrialized—powered by AI, automation, and speed. Andy shares real-world examples of how quickly attackers identify and...

Episode Description: Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of the Zero Breach Zone podcast. Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo dive into the latest cybersecurity threats facing K-12 schools. They break down the rise of scam tactics like the “Hi, how are you?” texts and long-term “pig butchering” schemes, highlighting how attackers are shifting beyond email into more personal and trusted channels. The hosts sha...

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 5 of the Zero Breach Zone, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo sit down with the people on the front lines of K-12 cybersecurity. This week they're joined by Brian Parton, penetration tester and security expert at Zelvin Security. Brian pulls back the curtain on what a real pen test looks like inside a school district, what attackers are actually looking for, why y...

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 4 of the Zero Breach Zone, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo sit down with the people on the front lines of K-12 cybersecurity. This week they're joined by Sandra Paul, a seasoned K-12 technology leader who takes us inside a real cyberattack on her school district. What happened, how her team responded, and what she'd do differently. Sandra brings hard-won, pract...

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 3 of the Zero Breach Zone, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo sit down with leaders shaping the future of technology and security in K-12 education. This week they're joined by Andrew Marcinek: father, author, education veteran and CTO, to dig into why building a culture around cybersecurity is the most important thing schools can do right now. Andrew shares his j...

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 2 of the Zero Breach Zone podcast, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo break down emerging cybersecurity threats and what they mean for K-12 schools in 2026. Drawing from recent industry predictions, they explore how cybercrime is becoming more industrialized—powered by AI, automation, and speed. Andy shares real-world examples of how quickly attackers identify and...

Episode Description: Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of the Zero Breach Zone podcast. Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo dive into the latest cybersecurity threats facing K-12 schools. They break down the rise of scam tactics like the “Hi, how are you?” texts and long-term “pig butchering” schemes, highlighting how attackers are shifting beyond email into more personal and trusted channels. The hosts sha...

Welcome to episode 15 of the Zero Breach Zone podcast, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo discuss their experiences at recent conferences, focusing on cybersecurity strategies in K-12 education. They explore the importance of multi-factor authentication (MFA), the challenges of session timeouts, and the need for continuous improvement in cybersecurity practices. The conversation also highlig...

Welcome to episode 14 of the Zero Breach Zone, in this episode hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo dive into the current state of K-12 cybersecurity, analyzing key findings from the Cisco Talos 2024 report. They explore the concerning rise in ransomware attacks targeting educational institutions, the struggles schools face with limited security budgets, and practical strategies for strengthening cy...

Welcome to episode 13 of the Zero Breach Zone! In this episode hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo speak with Jeff McCoy, Associate Superintendent for Academics in Greenville County, South Carolina. Drawing from his 25+ years in education, Jeff discusses the integration of technology in schools, emphasizing the distinction between vendors and solution partners. The conversation highlights cybersecu...

Welcome to episode 12 of the Zero Breach Zone! Join hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo as they sit down with Michelle Krieger to explore topics top of mind at the intersection of education and cybersecurity recorded at FETC. In this energetic conversation, Michelle shares her unique journey from Special Education Teacher to Education Innovation to Data Protection Officer, to Director of Technology...

Welcome to episode 11 of the Zero Breach Zone! Join us for an enlightening conversation with  Scott Bailey, former superintendent and educational innovator from Desert Sands School District. Through his engaging storytelling, Bailey shares candid experiences from his work across Nevada's largest school districts, including Clark County School District with 314,000 students and Washoe County School...

Welcome to episode 21 of Zero Breach Zone! In this hosts Andy Lombardo and Phil Hintz welcome Itza White, the Director of Cybersecurity for Five Star. The group discusses the unique challenges of cybersecurity in K-12 education, the importance of documentation, and building a culture of security awareness. Itza shares her journey into cybersecurity, two big challenges schools face including the ri...

Welcome to episode 10 of Zero Breach Zone! Join us for our continued FETC 2025 coverage featuring Dr. Joe Phillips, CTO of Fulton County Schools. In this insightful conversation recorded live at the conference, Dr. Phillips draws from his unique background in both education and military service to address the complex challenges facing large school districts. Beyond introducing his innovative PLANT...

Welcome to episode 20 of Zero Breach Zone! Hosts Andy Lombardo and Phil Hintz sit down with Mindy Fiscus, a 25+ year veteran in the world of education technology and the Director of Government Affairs & E-Rate at the Learning Technology Center of Illinois. Mindy brings a wealth of experience and passion to the conversation, sharing her journey through the evolving EdTech landscape and the pivo...

Welcome to episode 9 of Zero Breach Zone! Put on your spurs and join us for our first episode in our special FETC 2025 series! Hosts Andy & Phil kick off our conference coverage with master storyteller Dr. Sheryl R. Abshire, a 40+ year education technology pioneer whose deep understanding of policy and government has shaped educational technology across the nation. Her compelling narratives an...

Welcome to Episode 19 of Zero Breach Zone. In this episode, hosts Andy & Phil  interview Duane Shaffer, the director of technology services at the Learning Technology Center of Illinois. They discuss the importance of cybersecurity and data privacy in K-12 education, the vision behind the IT summit, and the role of documentation in enhancing cybersecurity practices. Duane shares insights on th...

Welcome to Episode 18 of Zero Breach Zone. Hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo sit down with Maurice Payne, Director of IT for Decatur Public Schools, to talk about his journey from corporate America to K–12 EdTech. Maurice shares his approach to leading technology in a school district, what excites him most about tackling cybersecurity challenges, and why moving toward NIST standards is critical f...

Welcome to Episode 17 of Zero Breach Zone, in this episode hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo are joined by Jennifer Womble, a trailblazer in the EdTech community and the visionary Program Chair of the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC). Jennifer brings her passion for amplifying educator voices and designing meaningful professional development experiences to the table. Together, the...

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Zero Breach Zone ! Join hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo as they sit down with Frankie Jackson, a cybersecurity expert and former CTO of Cypress Fairbanks ISD, to explore the intersection of education and cybersecurity. From NASA to one of Texas's largest school districts, Frankie shares her journey and insights on developing comprehensive cybersecurity frameworks for...

Welcome to episode 16 of the Zero Breach Zone. In this episode, hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo are joined by Dr. Adam Phyall, Director of Professional Learning and Leadership at All4Ed and a board member of ISTE. With a career that began as a high school science teacher, Dr. Phyall has served as a Chief Technology Officer and brings a wide breadth of experience in educational leadership and te...

Welcome to episode 15 of the Zero Breach Zone podcast, where hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo discuss their experiences at recent conferences, focusing on cybersecurity strategies in K-12 education. They explore the importance of multi-factor authentication (MFA), the challenges of session timeouts, and the need for continuous improvement in cybersecurity practices. The conversation also highlig...

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Zero Breach Zone! In this episode, hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo welcome Jason Yaw Osei, Tech Director of Technology and Cybersecurity at Campbell ISD in Texas, for a fun and engaging discussion about cybersecurity in education and innovative training approaches. Yaw's infectious energy and passion for all things tech shine through in this episode packed with laugh...

Welcome to episode 14 of the Zero Breach Zone, in this episode hosts Phil Hintz and Andy Lombardo dive into the current state of K-12 cybersecurity, analyzing key findings from the Cisco Talos 2024 report. They explore the concerning rise in ransomware attacks targeting educational institutions, the struggles schools face with limited security budgets, and practical strategies for strengthening cy...