In this episode of the CNL podcast, Joe Orlando Director of IT and Cybersecurity at Kern Health Systems opens up about what it really takes to succeed in cybersecurity today, and how he leads with clarity, curiosity, and collaboration.
Joe talks about the importance of stepping back from narrow specializations to see the bigger picture. From networks to software to human behaviour, he believes that understanding the full scope of the attack surface is key. Software, in particular, continues to be a major challenge, especially as AI makes launching ransomware and DDoS attacks easier than ever.
For Joe, strong security isn’t just about tools, it’s about people. He’s passionate about building teams where everyone knows their role when something goes wrong. Whether it’s a system admin or someone at the help desk, Joe ensures they’re prepared with clear, practical playbooks. “In a real incident, no one should be stopping to think about what to do,” he explains. “It should already be second nature.”
He also talked about one of the tougher parts of working in healthcare cybersecurity: data classification and compliance. With the volume and sensitivity of patient data, tasks like deleting information can be anything but simple. He points to encryption and anonymization as essential strategies to protect what matters most.
Outside the office, Joe is a self-proclaimed “prolific reader” with a love for technical and medical non-fiction. He’s constantly gathering “fun facts” and insights that help him think more strategically, proof of his genuine commitment to lifelong learning and staying ahead in a fast-moving field.
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