Cass Cooper sits down with cybersecurity powerhouse Jen Waltz, award-winning CRN Role Model of the Year and founder of Imaginative, a next-gen MSSP focused on partner orchestration. Listen to their conversation as it covers AI’s growing impact on cybersecurity, healthcare sector vulnerabilities, and what every channel leader needs to know to stay secure and ahead.
Jen, tell us a little about yourself and your work with Imaginative.
I’m the founder and CISO of Imaginative, where we bridge the gap between partner strategy and go-to-market execution in the cybersecurity space. We’re not just consultants—we’re builders. We help vendors identify the right partners, develop financial models, and create scalable paths to success in six to eight months. It’s partner orchestration with business outcomes at the center.
You shared a powerful insight about the word “network.” Can you explain that concept?
Absolutely. “Network” has a trifecta meaning in cybersecurity:
- Network topology – understanding cloud infrastructure, SD-WAN, and data segmentation.
- Your professional network – the people who can lift you up, advocate for you, and share opportunities.
- Your network as your net worth – the value of that ecosystem and your contributions to it. To thrive in this space, you have to be fluent in all three.
What advice do you have for people, especially women and people of color, entering cybersecurity in the age of AI?
You’ve got to skill up. AI is evolving fast, and foundational roles like help desk and sysadmin are increasingly automated. Take free courses, get certified, and stay current. There are amazing resources like Coursera, New Horizons, and women-led cybersecurity groups offering free learning. I currently take a new certification course every week.
How is AI being used in cybersecurity defenses today?
AI is a powerful defense tool when applied correctly. Organizations should be using:
- Continuous authentication mechanisms (e.g., privilege access management)
- AI-driven anomaly detection to flag unusual network behavior
- Automated patch management
- User behavior analytics (e.g., location anomalies)
- Advanced email filtering for phishing detection
These tools let us move from reactive to proactive defense.
Let’s talk about healthcare. Why is this sector especially vulnerable to cyber threats?
Healthcare faces unique risks due to:
- Legacy systems that are expensive to replace
- Thousands of connected medical devices
- Chronic under-staffing in cybersecurity roles
- Telehealth expansion without full protection
- High-value data i.e. patient records sell for 10–20x more than credit card data on the dark web
Hospitals are being held at ransom; surgeries delayed which can be life-threatening. We need more certified professionals protecting this space.
Why are attackers targeting children’s hospitals and social security numbers?
Two words: fresh credit. Children have clean credit histories, making their SSNs especially valuable for synthetic identity fraud. Hackers can build entire personas using this data, often undetected until the child applies for college or credit as an adult. Children’s hospitals are attacked specifically for this data—parents must stay vigilant and consider tools like LifeLock.
What final thoughts would you leave for our channel leaders and cybersecurity professionals?
Cybersecurity in healthcare isn’t just about IT anymore—it’s about patient safety. We need stronger board-level representation, community engagement, and more people of color and women stepping into leadership roles. The workforce gap is our opportunity.
