Keeping IT Brief
Keeping IT Brief is FORUM’s fast, focused podcast delivering essential insights on government technology, federal modernization, and the evolving GovCon landscape. Each short episode features conversations with industry leaders, government executives, and innovators who are driving mission success through new strategies, emerging technologies, and forward-thinking approaches to public sector IT.
Designed for busy federal and industry professionals, Keeping IT Brief gets straight to what matters—key trends, practical takeaways, and expert perspectives on cybersecurity, digital transformation, AI adoption, cloud advancements, and the policies shaping federal technology priorities. Instead of long discussions, the podcast provides concise, high-value briefings that help listeners stay informed and ready for what’s next.
Whether you support federal programs, lead technology initiatives, work in business development, or simply want to keep pace with the rapid changes across government IT, Keeping IT Brief delivers the insights you need in a format that fits your schedule. Guests include senior government officials, CIOs, CTOs, acquisition experts, solution architects, and strategic voices from across the public and private sectors.
About the Host:
Mary Ann Brown hosts Keeping IT Brief and brings extensive experience in connecting government and industry across technology, policy, and mission-driven initiatives. As Senior Director of Operations at FORUM, she supports collaboration through strategic events, leadership programs, and platforms that elevate critical conversations in the federal space.
Stay informed in minutes. Subscribe to Keeping IT Brief for timely insights that help you understand federal IT trends and anticipate opportunities across the government technology community.
Keeping IT Brief
Encore Episode: Federal Cybersecurity: Creating a Modern Response for Today’s Risks
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Some conversations are worth hearing again—this episode is one of them.
Federal agencies are under pressure to innovate—while staying compliant.
As cyber threats evolve and AI becomes mission-critical, agencies are struggling with the growing tension between innovation and compliance. Frameworks like NIST’s Risk Management Framework (RMF) are essential—but increasingly criticized for slowing modern technology adoption.
One of the biggest pain points?
The Authority to Operate (ATO) process.
In this episode of Keeping IT Brief, Peter O’Donoghue, CTO of Tyto Athene, and Gaurav “GP” Pal, CEO of stackArmor, join the conversation to explore how agencies can modernize RMF implementation without throwing the framework away.
Together, they discuss:
- Why the ATO has become a bottleneck for federal IT and cloud programs
- How manual, outdated processes clash with modern DevSecOps practices
- The role of automation, ATO-as-code, and continuous compliance
- Practical ways agencies can accelerate innovation while maintaining security and trust
With decades of experience in cloud computing, cybersecurity, FedRAMP, FISMA RMF, DoD RMF, and CMMC, Peter and GP bring real-world insight into how government can move faster—without compromising mission or security.
If you work in federal IT, cybersecurity, cloud modernization, or compliance, this episode delivers clear, actionable perspective on what needs to change—and how to get there.
Keeping IT Brief with Mary Ann Brown features quick, insightful conversations with government and industry leaders on federal IT, cybersecurity, AI, and emerging technologies shaping the future of government operations.
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