Oregon Cybersecurity Leader Charlie Kawasaki Featured on KGW
While many people understand the need to build a larger cybersecurity workforce with trained cybersecurity experts, it takes dedicated cybersecurity leaders to push this initiative forward. One standout in this effort is Charlie Kawasaki, vice chair of the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council (OCAC), CTO of PacStar, and co-founder of NW Cyber Camp – which kicks off today and goes through the week.
Last Thursday, Kawasaki was featured on KGW-TV’s 6:00 p.m. newscast in a nearly 10-minute interview for the segment “Those Who Serve: Struggle and Success.” Reporter Pat Dooris details Kawasaki’s good work with Cyber Oregon, OCAC, NW Cyber Camp, PacStar, the Technology Association of Oregon, and Oregon State University, among other organizations. Kawasaki’s family had struggles while he was growing up, which is a foundational element for his commitment to give back to the next generation. He now spends hundreds of hours volunteering – it is his passion. With his work with NW Cyber Camp, Kawasaki says, “It’s the geek Dad equivalent of coaching your daughter’s soccer team but also inventing the league and running the league all at the same time.”
If you didn’t catch the segment, you can watch it and read about it here.
“I’ve worked with Charlie for many years and he is incredibly inspirational. The Cyber Oregon team and the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council have known for a long time just how energetic and impactful Charlie has been for making important initiatives happen and now even more people will know just what a force of nature and great guy that he is thanks to this well-reported story on KGW-TV,” said Megan McKenzie, founder and CEO of McKenzie Worldwide and OCAC secretary.
In the interview with Dooris, Kawasaki says he gives back because he understands through experience how much a helping hand can make a difference.
NW Cyber Camp 2019
NW Cyber Camp 2019 kicks off this week – July 15 through July 19, 2019 – in three locations throughout Oregon (Wilsonville, Gresham, Corvallis). It’s a week-long intensive summer camp for high school students that offers hands-on cybersecurity training. Students will learn how to defend computer systems and networks from cyberattacks, breaches, and malware.
On Thursday, July 18, local cybersecurity experts will present at the Cyber Oregon Cybersecurity Summit: The Cyber Workforce, taking place at Mentor Graphics, 8005 Boeckman Rd, Wilsonville, OR 97070, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.