At the center of the cybersecurity conversation.

The National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College is an academic and research center dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the challenges in cybersecurity policy, technology, and education.

The NCI is shaping a coordinated effort to build the cybersecurity workforce and influence an informed leadership base that implements cutting-edge cybersecurity policy. We target the development of effective cybersecurity practice in specific sectors, including health care, finance, utilities/energy, telecommunications, and education/training.

Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education

The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Excelsior College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.

Leadership

Laurel Schneider, Director of National Cybersecurity Institute

Learn More About Laurel

Laurel is the Faculty Program Director for the Bachelor of Science Cybersecurity program and is a senior technology executive with over 25 years of business, technical, and management experience. She is the Chief Information Security Officer for Vytal Health, where she directs strategy and operations for the enterprise information security program. Before that, Laurel was the Vice President, Information Technology & Processing at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and oversaw all aspects of their technology infrastructure, electronic giving, and transaction processing. She has also worked for several technology firms within the insurance industry, including a dental processing company that works with Medicaid and Medicare dental programs.

Laurel is well versed in the detection, prevention, mitigation, and remediation of Cybersecurity threats as well as secure networking and coding practices. She has extensive experience managing network security and has successfully audited and remediated for regulatory and legal compliance, including HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), Sarbanes Oxley, and PCI (Payment Card Industry).

Laurel’s academic experience includes face-to-face and online instruction, program design, and course development. She has been teaching graduate and undergraduate courses since 2009, specializing in Cybersecurity, information technology, and business. She has also served on advisory boards and as a subject matter expert for several colleges and universities. Her diverse background, including ten years in the military, provides insight into facilitating the varied needs of adult, multi-cultural, military, and online learners. She has been an online learner herself, so she knows and understands students’ challenges while pursuing their educational goals.

Laurel is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) focusing on Computer and Information Security from Northcentral University. Her research interests include security awareness, social engineering, and the human factor of cybersecurity risk. She has also earned a Post Master’s Certificate in Computer and Information Security from Northcentral University, a Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus, an MBA from Columbia College of Missouri, and a BA from Lakeland College.

National Cybersecurity Institute Fellows

Weylin Brad Leavitt

Weylin Brad Leavitt is a cybersecurity leader and technical subject matter expert. He works for the Defense Intelligence Agency, where he is assigned to the chief information officer for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Leavitt is responsible for providing access and customer support to seven worldwide networks across the Indo-Pacific Command theater.

Leavitt is a 2008 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he studied computer engineering. In 2010, he became an active-duty Air Force officer and quickly became well- known among the cadre of cyber operators. He was first assigned to the Air Force Enterprise Service Desk for three years, creating policies and leading quality assurance efforts, before being deployed with the U.S. Army to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. There he fulfilled the role of system operations officer-in-charge at the Regional Network Operations Service Center-Afghanistan. After returning from deployment, he was assigned to the Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team, becoming mission-qualified and eventually commanding one of the six Air Force Cyber Weapon Systems. He was responsible for conducting various cyber defensive operations against all activities, from daily phishing attempts to large-scale network attacks.