Q&A: Novant Health Reflects on Building a Strong Cybersecurity Team

UPPUGONDURI: We have cross-disciplinary talent, including clinical care, IT, engineering, regulatory compliance and business operations. This allows us to understand risk in the context of healthcare operations and collaborate effectively with clinicians, administrators and vendors. We also have strong communication and relationship-building skills. This ensures faster adoption of security policies and tools, as well as greater incident transparency and reporting, in addition to stronger alignment with our organizational goals. Our executive and senior leaders also foster psychological safety, so team members feel empowered to speak up, share ideas and challenge assumptions.

KUSICK: Team culture was intentionally built with this group, and they have developed a level of trust that has allowed them to support each other. Each team member is valued for their knowledge, skills and experience, and is an integral part of the team.

TOURE: While I am new to Novant Health, I’ve been impressed by the genuine sense of collaboration and dedication within the cybersecurity team. People understand that our work directly impacts patient care, and that sense of purpose drives a high level of commitment and conscientiousness. I’ve observed a strong willingness to share knowledge and work together to overcome challenges. This collaborative spirit is a significant strength, and there’s a clear openness to learning and growth. The team seems eager to embrace new technologies and approaches, which is essential in the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape.

KUSICK: We have worked with some fantastic partners that know what our organization needs and have helped us recruit the right people. For me, I knew from the interviews I had that there was nowhere else I wanted to be. The Novant Health team has been unlike any other I’ve had in terms of positive culture.

MUHAMMAD: Novant Health’s success is due to a multifaceted approach, including a strong commitment to its people, strategic business imperatives, and a focus on talent development and leadership. Through initiatives such as leadership development programs, active business resource groups and ongoing training, Novant Health fosters an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and supported.

UPPUGONDURI: Our recruitment strategies include broadening talent pipelines, engaging with nontraditional talent pools and recruiting from within healthcare. We partner with diverse institutions such as universities and colleges, and veteran transition programs. Over the past 26 years in cybersecurity, I’ve found extremely talented resources in boot camps, community colleges, military backgrounds and career-switching programs. We also look for experienced professionals with healthcare experience who may have transferable skills and deep institutional or domain knowledge.

TOURE: I believe several factors contribute to Novant Health’s success in this area, but the main one is the intentional willingness from the organization’s senior leadership team. They put a lot of effort into communication, mentorship, personal development and employee well-being.

MUHAMMAD: A diverse cybersecurity team brings a wide range of perspectives, experiences and problem-solving approaches, which significantly enhances the team’s ability to identify, assess and respond to threats. Diversity, whether in background, culture, education or technical expertise, enables the team to think more creatively, challenge assumptions and avoid blind spots that a more homogenous group might miss.

UPPUGONDURI: When facing complex threats such as ransomware or supply chain attacks, a team with a wide range of thinking styles is more likely to generate effective, adaptable solutions. We also see the value of including clinical experience in cybersecurity operations. These team members understand how security decisions impact care delivery. This ensures that incident response, access controls and system protections do not disrupt critical workflows, such as emergency care or surgical procedures. Having clinical voices in cybersecurity also builds credibility and fosters cooperation from frontline staff, which is essential for timely incident reporting and risk mitigation.

TOURE: The value of a diverse cybersecurity team is immeasurable. It’s not just a strategic imperative but a strategic advantage. When you bring together individuals with different backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking, you tap into a wealth of knowledge and viewpoints that are essential to achieving goals in complex and ever-changing threat landscapes such as healthcare. In addition, Novant Health serves all members of the community. It simply makes sense for our team to resemble the population we serve by ensuring it includes various perspectives that will strengthen security strategies. When teams reflect the populations they serve, they’re more effective in building trust and user-friendly security solutions.

KUSICK: Let people have a voice, and let them try things, fail or succeed. It is important to allow the team to come together, learn what works and what doesn’t, and build a program that is right for your organization.

TOURE: Leaders need to be intentional in building a team that celebrates differences in every form. To truly have a well-balanced organization with a deep pool of knowledge, skills, backgrounds, personalities and perspectives, you must embrace the complexity of humans.

UPPUGONDURI: Approach inclusion as a strategic imperative. Inclusive teams are more innovative, resilient and effective, especially in high-stakes environments like healthcare IT and cybersecurity. Building a culture of belonging starts at the top. Be visible in your commitment, make time to talk about it, prioritize it and set goals. Teams thrive where individuals feel safe to speak up, ask questions and challenge ideas without fear of judgment or retaliation.

TOURE: Often, cybersecurity is visible only when there’s a crisis. Our teams don’t get enough credit for all the times things go right. I wish more healthcare leaders understood the day-to-day work of a cybersecurity team is proactive and preventive. The vast majority of our work involves constantly monitoring, analyzing and implementing controls to prevent those crises from happening in the first place. It’s a continuous arms race against sophisticated and persistent threats.

KUSICK: Cybersecurity attacks continue to increase against hospitals, and attackers don’t care if they impact patients. Every person at Novant Health has a role in cybersecurity, even if IT isn’t in their job title.

MUHAMMAD: Cybersecurity is not a separate function but an integral part of patient safety, enterprise risk management and overall business strategy. Cybersecurity is an ongoing, evolving process, not a one-time fix, requiring continuous monitoring and adaptation to new threats.

UPPUGONDURI: It’s not just about technology or compliance, it’s about protecting the entire foundation of safe, uninterrupted patient care. Most decisions are a balance of security and clinical usability. Security teams are constantly navigating trade-offs: locking down systems versus ensuring clinicians can provide care efficiently, or restricting access versus supporting collaboration and patient engagement. We’re not here to say no; we’re here to say yes, securely. Most important, cybersecurity in healthcare must enable care, not obstruct it.