What happens when the systems we rely on every day stop working? A former Army officer shares how real-world failures reveal the hidden connections inside critical infrastructure.
In this episode, our hosts sit down with Chelsea Treboniak, U.S. Army veteran, West Point graduate, and owner of Critical Ops. Drawing from her experience deploying with the 82nd Airborne Division and working across critical infrastructure sectors, Chelsea explains why financial systems, energy, identity access, and supply chains are deeply interconnected.
The conversation explores why modern cybersecurity challenges go far beyond traditional IT environments. Chelsea shares how disruptions in one system can ripple across entire sectors, why disaster recovery plans often fail when they are not tested, and how leaders must rethink risk in a world of tightly coupled digital and physical systems. The discussion also tackles the growing role of automation and AI in security operations. While these tools can improve efficiency, Chelsea emphasizes that human judgment, accountability, and leadership remain essential when systems face unexpected failures.
Key takeaways:
- Critical infrastructure failures rarely happen in isolation; disruptions in one system often cascade across others.
- Financial services play a larger role in infrastructure resilience than many leaders realize.
- Business continuity and disaster recovery plans only work when they are tested under real conditions.
- Automation and AI can improve efficiency, but human decision-making remains essential in high-pressure situations.
- Leaders must embrace humility and curiosity to identify hidden risks across interconnected systems.