Local governments are expected to deliver reliable, secure, enterprise-level services—often with limited staff, tight budgets, and aging infrastructure. These challenges don’t just increase technical risk; they make incidents more stressful, more isolating, and harder to manage when you’re going it alone.

This session reframes cybersecurity and resilience as a shared responsibility, not a solo effort. Through real-world scenarios and practical discussion, we’ll explore how public-sector IT teams can reduce risk by building strong relationships before a crisis—rather than scrambling for help in the middle of one.

We’ll highlight how peer networks, trusted contacts, and community collaboration serve as powerful (and often overlooked) security tools. Attendees will learn how to tap into existing support systems, build meaningful professional connections, and create informal networks that provide real operational value during incidents.

Whether you’re in a municipality, school district, or small agency, you’ll leave with a people-first approach to cybersecurity—and practical ways to build a network that supports you when it matters most.