ILTA Voices

Cindy Heiner, Chief Information Security Officer at Aiden Technologies, brings more than two decades of security leadership to this candid conversation about career pivots, people-first leadership, and the evolving role of AI in security operations. What began as a near-exit from IT (she was seriously considering opening a coffee shop and bookstore in rural Oklahoma) turned into a defining career in cybersecurity after a colleague recruited her to build one of the earliest application security teams in 2003.
 
In this episode, Cindy shares how CliftonStrengths coaching helped her grow as both a leader and an introvert navigating a male-dominated field, why building the right team matters more than filling roles, and how she approaches AI and automation in security with enthusiasm balanced by a firm belief in human oversight. She also speaks directly to women considering a career in security, challenging the gatekeeping mindset and encouraging candidates not to let job descriptions scare them off.

Branding & Storytelling for Marketing Internal Tools examined how law firms can borrow from traditional marketing and storytelling techniques to drive internal adoption of legal technology. Rather than launching tools and hoping attorneys find them, this session explored creative, human-centered ways to demonstrate how tech actually supports day-to-day legal work. Through real-world examples and practical ideas, it reframed internal tech promotion as a narrative challenge—connecting the right tools to the right moments in an attorney's workflow, and making innovation feel relevant, useful, and worth engaging with.
Moderator:@Mallory Arents - Innovation Training Specialist, Greenberg Traurig
Speaker:@Vishal Agnihotri - Managing Director, Innovation and Knowledge, Alston & Bird
Recorded on 05-26-2026.

In this episode, we break down how law firms can move from recognizing the need for AI governance to putting it into practice. The speakers explored the unique position firms hold as both AI adopters and client advisors, along with the real-world challenges of balancing innovation, risk, and resources.
Moderator:@Madeleine La Cour - Director, Risk and Compliance Operations, Baker Botts L.L.P.  
Speakers:@David Arlington - Technology Innovation and Practice Solutions Department Lead, Baker Botts L.L.P.@Kevin Clark - Sr. Director of Compliance & Governance, Dickinson Wright PLLC
Recorded on 05-21-2026.

Executive burnout doesn’t always look like collapse—it often wears a polished exterior. In this episode, we explore the hidden toll of leadership done wrong and what it takes to reset before your impact starts to suffer.
- How does burnout show up in the C-suite? Think defensiveness, disengagement, or quiet stagnation.
- What are the early warning signs—and how can you catch them before they catch you?
- What’s the first thing you’d cut from your calendar to reclaim energy and clarity?
- And how do you rebuild focus without losing influence or momentum?
This episode builds tension with intention, inviting leaders to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. Because thriving isn’t just about performance—it’s about sustainability.

Join ILTA CEO, Joy Heath Rush, and ILTA Board Secretary, Christina Griffin, for the second 2026 ILTA Update to stay in the know on surveys, opportunities, and more!

Even the most secure AI tool fails without adoption. In part three, the focus shifted to people—how to run a meaningful pilot, identify credible champions, and use peer trust to drive real change. This session explored how late followers can turn caution into long-term success. Part three of three.
Moderator:Aaron Barbee - Learning & Development Manager, Thompson Coburn
Speaker:Jonathan Woolley - Cloud Engineer, Husch Blackwell

We are pleased to introduce the fourth ILTA Content Teams and NextGen Innovators Group podcast series—an initiative designed to repackage high‑value, evergreen content in a format tailored for today's Next Gen legal professionals.Session Included:Mentoring for Mutual Success

SheSecures is an ILTA Women in Security podcast series dedicated to amplifying the experiences, expertise, and leadership of women shaping the future of legal security.
Each episode is designed to be approachable and useful, with real takeaways you can apply in your own role.
This month’s episode is with Sherri Vollick.  Sherri is a strategic and accomplished cyber and risk leader with deep expertise in security operations, governance, risk and compliance, secure application development, and cloud security. Sherri currently serves as Director of Information Security & Compliance at Saul Ewing LLP and is an active mentor and contributor within the broader information security community.

Trust is the make-or-break issue for GenAI adoption in law firms. In part two, this session examines how Microsoft Copilot actually accesses firm data, why attorney skepticism is both expected and healthy, and how permissions, governance, and data hygiene act as critical guardrails. Part two of three.
 
Moderator:Aaron Barbee, Learning & Development Manager, Thompson Coburn
Speaker:Jonathan Woolley, Cloud Engineer, Husch Blackwell

One in five women you work with is in some phase of menopause. It starts earlier than we knew, and the first symptoms are often neurological rather than physical. Listen as four women from ILTA's Women Who Lead committee get real about menopause, the professional toll no one talks about, and the first US state law that's changing the conversation for women in the workplace.

This episode explores the often-overlooked vulnerabilities in third-party relationships that can expose your firm to data breaches, operational disruptions, and regulatory penalties. Listeners will learn how to move beyond static, one-time assessments to a proactive, continuous monitoring framework that addresses hidden risks, including those during vendor onboarding and offboarding. Moderator:Kevin J. Foster, Sr., Director Cybersecurity Operations, White and Williams LLP Speaker:Azam Shaikh, Sourcing & Procurement Leader, Baker Botts L.L.P. Recorded on 04-23-2026.