Join us for a fascinating conversation with Zach Lewis, Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, as he reveals the surprising parallels between homesteading and cybersecurity. Discover how his experience with chickens and fences led to a philosophy of "defense in depth" that protects critical data. Zach shares his journey from individual contributor to award-winning leader, emphasizing the importance of raising your hand for new challenges and empowering your team to succeed. This episode is packed with wisdom on building trust before a crisis, navigating change, and leveraging AI for personal and professional growth. You won't want to miss his insights on what it takes to protect an organization and how he’s normalizing the conversation around cybersecurity breaches in his new book, Locked Up.
Bio: Zach is a seasoned IT executive with a distinguished career spanning strategic IT management, cybersecurity, risk mitigation, and budget oversight. As the CIO and CISO for a private higher education institution, Zach has orchestrated transformative initiatives that have fortified the institution's cybersecurity landscape while driving strategic growth. His leadership in negotiating vendor contracts, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and chairing the Enterprise Risk Management Committee has resulted in substantial cost savings and operational efficiencies.
With a focus on aligning IT strategies with organizational goals, Zach has led successful cloud migrations, implemented robust cybersecurity measures, and established a culture of transparency and collaboration. His expertise extends to compliance with GLBA and FERPA regulations, managing cybersecurity training programs, and optimizing network infrastructure. Zach's passion for innovation, user-centric approach, and ability to build cross-functional teams have been instrumental in driving organizational success, enhancing cybersecurity defenses, and positioning the institution as a leader in health education and operational excellence.
Zach is a 3X recipient of Cyber Defense Magazine’s Top Global CISOs and was St. Louis Non-Profit CISO of the Year. He’s a recent graduate of the FBI CISO Academy. His first published book, Locked Up: Cybersecurity Threat Mitigation Lessons from A Real-World LockBit Ransomware Response will be released in January 2026. Zach provides his industry expertise to others by speaking at conferences, webinars, and universities throughout the country.
Something Extra: "I think that something extra every leader needs is it goes back to trusting your people."
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