In this special #DisruptivebyDesign episode, SIGNAL Media reporters Evan Lynch and Nuray Taylor sit down with Lt. Gen. Paul Stanton, Director of DISA and Commander of the Department of War Cyber Defense Command. Stanton discusses the latest developments coming out of his agency, ranging from recruitment and retention to the mission network as a service rollout. Stanton is scheduled to speak at AFCEA International’s TechNet Cyber, taking place June 2-4 in Baltimore, MD.

Join us at TechNet Cyber: https://events.afcea.org/afceacyber26/Public/enter.aspx

Reporters

Evan Lynch - elynch@afcea.org

Nuray Taylor - ntaylor@afcea.org

Contributing Reporters

George I. Seffers

Kimberly Underwood

Producer

Sandra Jontz

Editor

Lydia Antonio-Vila

In this episode of Disruptive by Design, we bring you a compelling panel discussion from the AFCEA Rocky Mountain Cyberspace Symposium (RMCS26), centered on a critical yet often overlooked driver of mission success: relationship building.

Moderated by Maj. Gen. John W. Maluda, USAF (Ret.), the panel brings together a diverse group of leaders, including David Stickley, Former Services Executive at DISA and National Guard Bureau Advisor, U.S. Cyber Command; Col. Hansang Bae, USA (Ret.); Col. Von Gardner, USAF (Ret.) and Cadet Emile Olivier, USAF Academy.

Featuring an introduction by Alisha Kelly Faulkner, Program Chair, RMCS 2026 and VP of Membership, AFCEA Rocky Mountain Chapter.

In this recorded webinar from January 2026, hear directly from Emerging Leaders (EL) panelists representing AFCEA’s Alamo, Bethesda, Bonn, Hawaii and San Diego chapters as they discuss their personal journeys, lessons learned and how mentorship has shaped their professional paths.

Learn more about AFCEA’s EL program: https://www.afcea.org/emerging-leaders

Episode 1 of our Emerging Leaders series features a recorded webinar with Parker Woods, an Emerging Leaders Advisory Council (ELAC) member. Tune in as Parker gives an overview of the Emerging Leaders program and shares the ins and outs of how to leverage this community as you build your career. Listen today!

Learn more about AFCEA's Emerging Leaders program: https://www.afcea.org/emerging-leaders

Cyber risk is no longer a distant threat—it’s a business reality. In this episode, host Kimberly Underwood is joined by two cyber experts, Brian O’Connell and Travis Rosiek, to break down the essentials of cyber insurance in today’s evolving threat landscape.

Report: Cyber Insurance 2026 insurancequotes.com/insurance-tips/cyber-security-guide-2026

Brian O'Connell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-o-connell-a92aa7a/

Travis Rosiek LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-rosiek-3255b669/

Rubrik Agent Cloud https://www.rubrik.com/products/rubrik-agent-cloud

In this Disruptive by Design episode, repurposed from the #WEST2026 Emerging Leaders panel, hear experts discuss the future of human-AI collaboration. Agentic Experience (AX) defines a new stage in human–AI collaboration where intelligent systems act on intent, not instruction. This model is particularly relevant to the Navy, Marine Corps and the Coast Guard, where operational tempo, data complexity, and mission interdependence demand both speed and trust. Take a listen!

In our latest Disruptive by Design episode, Kimberly Underwood sits down with Russ Feller from AFCEA’s Rocky Mountain Chapter. Learn about the Rocky Mountain Cyberspace Symposium, Pikes Peak Robotics and the different programs supporting school-age literacy and robotics initiatives aimed at strengthening the future workforce. Don’t miss this episode!

SIGNAL Media’s Nuray Taylor sits down with Vice Admiral Michael Vernazza, Commander of the Naval Information Forces, for a forward-looking conversation on the future of naval information warfare. Tune in for a preview of the WEST 2026 conference in San Diego and insights into key initiatives from Vice Adm. Vernazza’s team, including AI integration, the Navy’s first Information Warfare Squadron, and Maritime Operations Centers.

Register for WEST 2026: https://www.westconference.org/West26/Public/Enter.aspx

Navy’s First Information Warfare Squadron:

navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/display-news/Article/4353901/a-paradigm-shift-navy-establishes-first-information-warfare-squadron/

Maritime Operation Centers:

https://news.usni.org/2025/04/08/maritime-operations-centers-need-better-data-standards-to-fight-future-conflicts-says-panel