Tech Transforms

Episode 126: The Undefended Front Line: Rethinking Cyber Coordination in an AI Age

June 16th, 2026  |  54 mins 17 secs

ai, cyberdefense, cybersecurity, nsa, owlcyberdefense, techtransforms

In this episode of Tech Transforms, Carolyn Ford sits down with cybersecurity attorney and former U.S. Cyber Command Deputy General Counsel Kurt Sanger to explore what he calls the "undefended front line" the everyday systems and technologies that are increasingly vulnerable to cyber disruption. Together, they discuss public-private collaboration, the case for a dedicated U.S. Cyber Force, and the growing challenges of accountability in the age of AI. It's a timely conversation about national resilience, cyber defense, and why cybersecurity has become everyone's responsibility.

Episode 125: Modernizing the Mission: Secure AI, Cyber Resilience, and the Future of Energy IT

May 28th, 2026  |  39 mins 57 secs

ai, doe, legacy it, owl cyber defense, tech transforms

In this episode of Tech Transforms, Dawn Zimmer shares how the United States Department of Energy is modernizing legacy systems, breaking down data silos, and securely adopting AI at scale. From DOE’s platforms Quanta and Joulix to building cybersecurity directly into innovation efforts, Zimmer explains how her team is moving at “the speed of need” without compromising mission security. The conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how one of government’s most complex technology environments is becoming a model for secure, mission-driven digital transformation.

Episode 119: 5 Steps to Zero Trust

March 17th, 2026  |  27 mins 29 secs

ai, legacy systems, micro segmentation, owl cyber defense, zero trust

In this follow-up episode of Tech Transforms, Carolyn Ford and Michael Blake of Owl Cyber Defense explore what it actually takes to begin implementing Zero Trust. From discovering shadow IT and legacy systems to microsegmentation and access control, the conversation focuses on the practical steps organizations must take to limit the blast radius of a breach. The episode also examines how leaders can prioritize critical assets and build the teams needed to sustain a Zero Trust strategy over time.

Episode 117: 2026 Predictions. What's Now. What's Next. What's Urgent.

February 27th, 2026  |  57 mins 31 secs

ai, cross-domain, owl cyber defense, predictions, tech transforms, zero trust

In this special 2026 Predictions episode of Tech Transforms, Carolyn Ford and the Owl Cyber Defense team unpack the signals already reshaping cybersecurity, AI, and defense. From the collapse of content trust to AI containment and hardware-enforced security, they explore why software alone won’t be enough in the year ahead. The message is clear: in 2026, leaders won’t lose because they lacked tools—they’ll lose because they trusted the wrong ones.

Episode 116: So What Returns.....Can the Pentagon Really Boil the Ocean?

February 17th, 2026  |  46 mins 48 secs

ai, cybersecurity, data integrity, defense innovation, r&d, techtransforms

The Pentagon is consolidating R&D, AI, and data under a single CTO and it could reshape how defense innovation moves from research to real-world deployment. In this episode of Tech Transforms, Carolyn Ford and Tracy Bannon break down what this shift actually means beyond the org chart. They explore secure GenAI rollout, data ownership challenges, and the cultural friction that could determine success. If you’re watching the future of AI in national security, this conversation is worth a listen.

Episode 112: Tech Transforms – Live from the Owl Evolution Summit

December 26th, 2025  |  26 mins 5 secs

ai, cybersecurity, data integrity, defenseinnovation, storytelling, techtransforms

Episode 107: The Curious Case of AI - Part 1 (The Chills)

October 7th, 2025  |  35 mins 15 secs

ai, aiethics, artificialintelligence, cognitive cities, digital transformation, futureofai, techtransforms

In this Tech Transforms Halloween special, host Carolyn Ford and futurist Joseph Bradley explore the unsettling side of AI. From identic AI that mirrors human identity to the risks of bias and the rise of cognitive cities, they discuss why trust, ethics, and purpose must guide how we design and deploy artificial intelligence. This episode asks the critical question: will our AI future look more like The Borg… or The Federation?

Episode 100: Trusting AI and Warfighting Technologies

July 1st, 2025  |  44 mins 53 secs

afcea, ai, cybersecurity, data integrity, defenseinnovation, techtransforms

In our 100th episode, Lt. General Susan Lawrence, President & CEO of AFCEA International and former CIO of the U.S. Army, joins Tech Transforms to talk trusted AI, cyber readiness, and how the human element must remain central in defense innovation. From battlefield examples to the future of cross-sector collaboration, this conversation is a powerful look at what it really takes to secure tomorrow.

Prompting the Future: AI, Leadership, and the Military Mindset with Capt. M. Scott Austin, USCG

May 20th, 2025  |  41 mins 53 secs

agentic warfare, ai, prompt engineering

When Capt. Scott Austin hears the phrase "prompt engineering," he thinks about leadership, not syntax. On this episode of Tech Transforms, Carolyn and Scott unpack how military leaders can integrate AI in ways that actually work—starting with empathy, problem definition, and a little R2-D2 wisdom.

Episode 96: Tech Transforms + ATARC: AI, Oceans, and Innovation with NOAA’s Frank Indiviglio

May 6th, 2025  |  30 mins 1 sec

ai, artificial intelligence, atarc, climate technology, cybersecurity, data science, government innovation, high-performance computing, noaa, ocean robotics

In this special crossover episode with ATARC, I sit down with Frank Indiviglio, Chief Technology Officer at NOAA, to explore how cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing our understanding of the planet. From hurricane forecasting to coral reef monitoring, Frank unpacks how AI, data science, and high-performance computing transform vast raw data into real-world impact. We dive into everything from boosting data processing efficiency to balancing open data with cybersecurity—all while showing how cross-sector collaboration drives innovation at NOAA. Don’t miss this fascinating ATARC-powered conversation!