Cybersecurity & AI Speaker
for Higher Education
From Campus IT to the President's Office.
Advisor to 250+ K-12 and higher education institutions. 50+ education keynotes in five years. SMU Cox School of Business board. Educational pricing available.
Educational pricing available for colleges, universities, and higher education conferences.
Higher Education Faces a Unique Cybersecurity and AI Challenge.
Open research networks. BYOD cultures. FERPA-protected student data. Faculty resistance to security controls. AI tools that are transforming academic integrity overnight. And IT budgets that never match the threat.
Mark Lynd advises over 250 K-12 and higher education institutions across the United States on AI and cybersecurity. He's delivered over 50+ keynotes on AI, cybersecurity, and incident response at education events in the last five years. He's served on the SMU Cox School of Business board. And as a 5x CIO/CISO, he's managed the same IT governance challenges universities face — just in enterprise environments with even less tolerance for disruption.
Higher Education Keynote Topics
AI Governance for Universities: Policy, Pedagogy, and Protecting Academic Integrity
Generative AI isn't coming to campus. It's already there. Mark covers the governance frameworks universities need: AI acceptable use policies, academic integrity in the age of ChatGPT, AI in research ethics, and building institutional AI literacy. Based on his work advising 250+ education institutions.
Cybersecurity Strategy for Campus IT Leadership
University CISOs and CIOs face unique constraints: open networks, shared governance, research computing, and compliance requirements. Mark delivers cybersecurity strategy tailored for higher education environments, covering ransomware preparedness, identity management, vendor risk, and building security culture in an academic setting.
The Cyber Threat to Higher Education: What University Leaders Need to Know
Universities are the #3 most targeted sector for ransomware attacks. Mark covers why higher education is disproportionately targeted, what recent attacks look like, and the practical steps university leadership can take to reduce risk without breaking the academic mission.
Incident Response Tabletop Exercise for Universities
Mark designs university-specific tabletop exercises: ransomware targeting student information systems, research data breaches, credential theft campaigns targeting faculty, and FERPA notification scenarios. Cross-functional participation: IT, legal counsel, communications, student affairs, and executive leadership.
Why Higher Education Books Mark Lynd
- 250+ education institutions advised. K-12 and higher education across the United States.
- 50+ education keynotes in 5 years. Consistent, dedicated presence in the education sector.
- SMU Cox School of Business board. Direct higher education governance experience.
- Author of 3 books. Including Cybersecurity Life Skills for Teens used by CTE programs.
- 5x CIO/CISO. Enterprise-grade expertise that translates directly to university IT challenges.
- Educational pricing. Universities shouldn't have to compete with Fortune 500 speaker budgets.
- References from education leadership. Impeccable references from executive leadership across K-12 and higher education — available upon request.
Book a Higher Education Cybersecurity & AI Speaker
Educational pricing available — contact for university rates
Formats: Keynote, faculty development session, board briefing, tabletop exercise
Duration: 30 minutes (briefing) to half day (keynote + exercise)
Frequently Asked Questions
What higher education topics does Mark Lynd speak on?
Mark delivers keynotes on AI governance for universities, cybersecurity strategy for campus IT leadership, protecting student and research data, AI's impact on teaching and academic integrity, building cybersecurity degree programs and CTE pathways, and incident response preparedness for higher education institutions.
Has Mark Lynd spoken at higher education events?
Yes. Mark has delivered over 50+ keynotes on AI, cybersecurity, and incident response at education events in the last five years and advises over 250 K-12 and higher education institutions across the United States. He has also served on the SMU Cox School of Business board and presented at university conferences nationwide.
Does Mark Lynd offer educational pricing for universities?
Yes. Mark offers discounted educational pricing for colleges, universities, and higher education conferences. Contact marklynd.com/contact for university rates.
Can Mark Lynd speak at a faculty development event about AI?
Yes. Mark delivers faculty-focused keynotes on AI's impact on teaching, academic integrity in the age of generative AI, building AI literacy programs, and the governance frameworks universities need as AI becomes embedded in campus operations.