Welcome to a special game show edition of 'Identity at the Center,' hosted by Jeff Steadman! Recorded live at Identiverse 2025, this episode features two teams—Team IDPro (Heather Flanagan, Tina Srivastava, and Mike Kiser) and Team IDAC (Jim McDonald, David Mahdi, and Steven Rennick)—competing in a Family Feud-style trivia game focused on Identity and Access Management (IAM). Watch as they answer questions related to common IAM project failures, non-human identities, snacks at conferences, and p...
Jun 30, 2025•21 min•Ep. 358
This episode is sponsored by Silverfort. Visit silverfort.com for more. In this sponsored episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, Jeff and Jim sit down with Hed Kovetz, CEO and Co-founder at Silverfort. They discuss the rapid evolution in the identity security space, Silverfort's groundbreaking innovations, and the critical role of AI and non-human identities. Learn how Silverfort's inline, real-time enforcement technology is tackling the complexities of identity management at scale. Hed ...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 357
Join Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman on the Identity at the Center podcast as they welcome Lalit Choda, founder and CEO of the Non-Human Identity Management Group. Lalit, also known as "Mr. NHI," shares his journey from investment banking to becoming a leading expert in non-human identities. This episode delves into the critical and often overlooked world of NHI, exploring why it's such a hot topic now, the challenges practitioners face in managing these identities, and how to approach the proble...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 356
This episode features various professionals discussing their experiences and journeys in the identity and access management (IAM) field during a meetup in Oslo, Norway, and Berlin, Germany. Participants include individuals from the Central Bank of Norway, Space Norway, and newcomers to the IAM space, among others. The event, promoted as 'IdentitBeer,' highlights networking, the evolution of IAM, challenges faced, and the importance of honest relationships in business development. Key topics incl...
Jun 16, 2025•46 min•Ep. 355
Join Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman on Identity at the Center as they sit down with Kristina Yasuda, Product Owner, and Dr. Torsten Lodderstedt, Project Lead for the German EUDI Wallet project. Recorded at EIC 2025, this episode delves into the ambitious European Union initiative to create a digital identity wallet for all its citizens. Kristina and Torsten discuss the vision behind the EUDI Wallet, the political will driving it, and the funding making it a reality. They explore the challenges a...
Jun 09, 2025•52 min•Ep. 354
This episode is sponsored by Duo. Visit duo.com to learn more. Join Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman on this sponsored episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, brought to you by Duo! We welcome back Matt Caulfield, VP of Duo and Identity at Cisco, to discuss the ongoing "identity crisis" in security, where 60% of attacks have identity as a key component. Matt introduces Duo's new Security-First IAM, a revolutionary approach that prioritizes security by making it the default, enabling easy pa...
Jun 04, 2025•53 min•Ep. 353
In this episode of Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman and Jim McDonald are joined by Alejandro Leal, Senior Analyst at KuppingerCole, live from the EIC 2025 stage in Berlin, Germany. Alejandro delves into the critical distinctions between misinformation and disinformation, exploring their historical context and how they manifest in today's technological landscape, particularly within social media and legacy media. He discusses the intent behind disinformation, often aimed at creating chaos or...
Jun 02, 2025•40 min•Ep. 352
In this episode of Identity at the Center, hosts Jeff Steadman and Jim McDonald are joined by Jerome Thorstenson, IAM Architect with Salling Group, live from EIC 2025 in Berlin! Jerome shares his insights on B2B identity, the challenges of managing access for a complex supply chain, and the importance of an identity-first approach. Discover how Salling Group, operating major labels like Target and Starbucks, handles identity for thousands of employees and external partners. Jerome dives into the...
May 26, 2025•35 min•Ep. 351
This episode is sponsored by SlashID. Visit https://www.slashid.com/idac to learn more. In this sponsored episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim interview Vincenzo Iozzo, CEO of SlashID, to discuss the current landscape and innovations they are making in Identity and Access Management (IAM). Vincenzo, who has a background in offensive security and experience at CrowdStrike, explains how SlashID uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to enhance visibility and posture beyond ...
May 21, 2025•47 min•Ep. 350
In this episode of Identity at the Center, hosts Jeff Steadman and Jim McDonald welcome back Henrique Teixeira, SVP of Strategy at Saviynt, for his third appearance on the show. Henrique dives deep into his transition from Gartner analyst to IAM vendor executive, sharing candid insights on career changes, identity security trends, and what it's like to travel the world advocating for better identity practices. The conversation ranges from AI's evolving role in IAM to the nuances of building a st...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 349
Eve Maler returns to Identity at the Center for her seventh episode, bringing her signature insight and humor to a deep conversation about the state of digital identity. Jeff and Jim explore the gap between lagging IAM programs and next-gen technologies with Eve, who dives into her research on non-human identities, the power of identity services as products, and how martech and adtech intersect with customer IAM. Plus, get a preview of her EIC talk and the latest on Identi-Squabble, the identity...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 348
In this episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim discuss with Simon Moffatt, founder of The Cyber Hut and identity researcher, the integral role of identity in security, productivity, and online services. They dive into Simon's journey in the identity space, the importance of fresh analytical tools, and his new book, 'IAM at 2035,' which delves into the future of identity security. The discussion also covers AI's impact on consulting and identity, the importance of non-h...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 347
Sponsored by Veza. Visit veza.com/idac for more info. In this sponsored episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim welcome Tarun Thakur, the co-founder and CEO of Veza, and Phil Venables, a strategic security advisor with Google and board director for Veza. The discussion spans the critical role of identity security in modern organizations, the innovative solutions offered by Veza's Access Graph, and the challenges posed by both human and non-human identities. They delve i...
Apr 30, 2025•56 min•Ep. 346
In this episode of the Identity at the Center podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim dive into the complexities and challenges of Identity and Access Management (IAM). They discuss the cumbersome user experience of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) setups, assess the value of IAM maturity programs, and highlight the changing landscape of authentication standards over time. Listener questions address topics such as the future of passwords, the importance of user experience, AI's impact on IAM, budget-consci...
Apr 28, 2025•56 min•Ep. 345
In this episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim enthusiastically announce that their podcast is now the official podcast of IDPro. Heather Flanagan, the Executive Director of IDPro, joins the discussion to share insights about the previous IDPro Show, the time and resource constraints of producing it, and the transition to making Identity at the Center the official IDPro podcast. They also discuss her global travels and participation in various identity-related conferen...
Apr 21, 2025•54 min•Ep. 344
In this episode of Identity at the Center, Kristin Olsen, Director of Product Management for the guest travel experience at Alaska Airlines, shares insights into the evolving world of digital identity in the travel industry. Kristin discusses the vision for seamless travel using face or phone for identity verification, collaboration with TSA, and future trends like AI and mobile IDs. The conversation also delves into the challenges and opportunities of enhancing guest experience, risk management...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 343
Join Jeff and Jim in this episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast as they delve into the upcoming Identity Management Day 2025. Featuring guest Jeff Reich, Executive Director at the Identity Defined Security Alliance (IDSA), this episode unpacks the significance of non-human identities, AI in identity management, and the existential questions surrounding identity. The discussion covers upcoming events, awards, and what to expect from Identity Management Day, while also exploring the potent...
Apr 07, 2025•53 min•Ep. 342
Join AI Jeff and AI Jim on 'Identity at the Center' as they explore the most outrageous and entertaining innovations in identity and access management (IAM) for this special April Fools' episode. From 'Identity at the Center - After Dark' on Diz-Prime-flix to the rise of 'Carrier Pigeon Authentication,' this episode promises a wild ride through the absurdities of digital identity. Don't miss highlights like toaster authentication challenges, karaoke biometric logins, and the surreal 'Session_Exp...
Apr 01, 2025•26 min•Ep. 342
In this episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim delve into the intricacies of compliance, governance, and cybersecurity with special guest and colleague Kia Smith, a director in RSM's Security and Privacy Risk Consulting practice. They explore the foundational role of compliance activities such as Sarbanes-Oxley, the crucial need to align governance with security, and the rising complexity of regulatory environments driven by third-party dependencies. Kia provides valua...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 340
This episode is sponsored by Permiso. Visit permiso.io/idac to learn more. In this sponsored episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim sit down with Paul Nguyen, co-founder and co-CEO of Permiso, to discuss the critical role of identity security in modern information security. Paul shares insights into the history of identity threats, the rise of identity-focused attacks like Scattered Spider and LLM Jacking, and the importance of real-time identity monitoring for both hu...
Mar 26, 2025•57 min•Ep. 339
In this episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, Jeff and Jim discuss the upcoming European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC) with Warwick Ashford, Senior Analyst at KuppingerCole Analysts. Warwick outlines the differences between digital identity and identity and access management (IAM), emphasizing the importance of managing non-human identities in today’s digital world. The episode covers key themes for this year's EIC, including AI's role in cybersecurity, decentralized identity, ide...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 338
In this episode of the Identity Center Podcast, Jim McDonald discusses policy enforcement, adaptive authentication, and fraud prevention with Patrick Harding, Chief Product Architect at Ping Identity. They delve into how policy enforcement can be managed locally to maintain performance for SaaS applications while ensuring greater flexibility using standards like AuthZEN. Jim and Patrick also cover the benefits and challenges of using SAML and OpenID Connect for single sign-on (SSO) and explore t...
Mar 17, 2025•58 min•Ep. 337
In this episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, Jeff and Jim tackle questions from listeners around the world, including: "What certifications or skills would you recommend focusing on in 2025?" "What are some of the most common mistakes companies make when rolling out MFA, and how can they avoid them?" and "How should small and mid-sized businesses approach IAM when they don’t have the same resources as large enterprises?" Thanks to Ryan, Diego, and Omar for sending these in! Chapters 00...
Mar 10, 2025•48 min•Ep. 336
This episode is sponsored by Beyond Identity. Visit https://www.beyondidentity.com/idac to learn more. In this sponsored episode of the Identity at the Center podcast, Jeff and Jim host Sarah Cecchetti, Director of Product Strategy at Beyond Identity. They discuss the transition away from password-based systems to more secure, passwordless authentication methods. Sarah explains the unique differentiators of Beyond Identity, their integration with security tools, and how they leverage cryptograph...
Mar 06, 2025•48 min•Ep. 335
Get an insider's look at Identiverse with special guest Andi Hindle, the conference chair, on this episode of 'Identity at the Center.' Andi joins Jeff and Jim to discuss the upcoming Identiverse 2025 in Las Vegas, highlighting key sessions, workshops, and keynote speakers. They explore the significance of industry conferences, delve into non-human identities, and more. Plus, tips for maximizing your conference experience and enjoying Las Vegas! Chapters 00:00 Engaging with Industry Experts 01:2...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 334
In this episode of the Identity as a Center podcast, Jeff and Jim interview Andrew Cameron, Technical Fellow in Identity and Access Management at General Motors. The discussion covers the importance of speed and security in mission-critical automotive applications, the evolution and impact of identity standards, and the integration of modern identity solutions in vehicles. Andrew also shares insights on the challenges of customer identity management, the complexity of B2B environments, and the r...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 333
This episode is sponsored by IAMONES. Visit https://iamones.ai/idac to learn more. In this sponsored episode of the Identity at the Center podcast, Jim welcomes Andrea Rossi from IAMONES, an innovative conversational identity governance platform. They discuss the revolutionary approach IAMONES takes in simplifying identity and access management (IAM) using large language models (LLM). Andrea explains how IAMONES aims to eliminate the need for complex roles and middle layers by providing business...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 332
Join Jeff and Jim on the Identity at the Center podcast as they speak with Matt Franko, Principal at RSM, about the critical role of identity in cybersecurity. Matt discusses how risk management and digital identity intersect, providing insights into top attack vectors like phishing and weak passwords. They delve into the importance of strong identity practices and share real-world examples of risk scenarios. The episode also touches on the organizational structure of IAM, the significance of us...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 331
In this episode of the Identity at the Center Podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim dive deep into group management, AI, and organizational governance with David Johnson, Principal PM Architect at Microsoft. Join the conversation as David shares his extensive experience managing Microsoft 365, Entra, and SharePoint permissions, and provides best practices for guest management and labeling sensitive data. David also discusses how these paradigms shift with the introduction of AI-driven tools like Copilot. ...
Feb 10, 2025•51 min•Ep. 330
In this episode of the Identity at the Center podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim discuss the vital role of user access reviews, device identity, and the evolving landscape of Identity Access Management (IAM) with guest Stephen Washington, Head of IAM at Discover Financial. The conversation delves into regulatory compliance, the use of AI in IAM, and practical steps for improving user access certifications. They also explore the importance of managing service accounts, innovations in IGA, and the role o...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 329
