Episode 144: Carrying on the MS-ISAC's Character and Culture
In episode 144 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager are joined by Carlos Kizzee, Senior Vice President of Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®) at the Center for Internet Security®(CIS®). Together, they discuss how the MS-ISAC's new funding model helps to carry on the character and culture of this collaborative cyber defense community.
Here are some highlights from our episode:
- 01:11. The unique mission, history, and value of building community at the MS-ISAC
- 05:36. A new fee-based model to preserve services and support amid federal funding changes
- 07:08. Service continuity as a commitment to U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial entities
- 09:45. Initial feedback and considerations heard at the 2025 ISAC Annual Meeting
- 11:40. The new membership funding model and how it preserves SLTT collaboration
- 15:25. A cost-effective approach to securing the "cyber-underserved"
- 19:31. The range of U.S. SLTT government organizations who can enroll as members now
- 21:59. The illusion of "free" in helping U.S. SLTTs to strengthen their cyber defenses
- 22:55. Why U.S. SLTTs need to enroll in paid MS-ISAC membership before October 1, 2025
- 28:03. Scale as the key to making MS-ISAC activities as cost-effective as possible
- 30:05. The essential need for U.S. SLTT government organizations to invest in the MS-ISAC
Resources
- Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center®
- Episode 142: SLTTs and Their Nuanced Cybersecurity Needs
- Episode 137: National Cybersecurity Through SLTT Resilience
- ISAC Annual Meeting
- MS-ISAC Membership Resources
- Become an MS-ISAC Member
- Episode 30: Solving Cybersecurity at Scale with Nonprofits
If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].

As of June 23, 2025, the MS-ISAC has introduced a fee-based membership. Any potential reference to no-cost MS-ISAC services no longer applies.