Fireside Chat: Unleashing Your Campus's Cyber Potential – The Power of CIS Controls in Higher Ed

On September 11, 2025, NYSERNet hosted a Fireside Chat bringing together higher education and cybersecurity leaders to explore how the CIS Controls and Benchmarks can help institutions move beyond compliance to achieve true cyber resilience.

Panelists:

• Phyllis Lee, Vice President of Content Development, Center for Internet Security

• Mike Benedetto, Chief Information Security Officer, American Museum of Natural History

• Matt Nappi, Chief Information Security Officer and Assistant Vice President, Stony Brook University

• Marcos Vieyra, Chief Information Security Officer, University of South Carolina

Facilitated by: Nicole Holden, Principal Security Engineer, NYSERNet

What We Covered

The panel explored timely and practical issues related to CMMC:

• Why the CIS Controls remain one of the most effective, foundational frameworks for building security programs.
• How universities are aligning CIS with frameworks like NIST and ISO.
• Real-world insights into the value gained during early adoption of CIS Controls.
• Key challenges and opportunities institutions face when shifting their approach to resilience.

Access the Resources

Participants were also introduced to the CIS Self-Assessment and invited to join a year-long peer cohort, offering curated content, monthly sessions, and a supportive community to guide implementation.

Register before October 1st: https://cvent.me/333r3D