In this episode of the Cyber Minds podcast, we sit down with Sam McKenzie—cybersecurity expert and critical infrastructure leader—to explore the real-world impacts of cyber attacks on physical systems. Sam shares compelling stories from autonomous vehicles to raw sewage hacks, giving listeners a rare glimpse into the intersection of digital threats and public safety. He also reflects on his origin story on a Victorian farm, why scarecrows don’t work (in farms or cyber), and how leaders and boards need to adapt to the rising complexity of cyber risk. This is a must-listen for cybersecurity professionals, critical infrastructure stakeholders, and anyone interested in the future of secure digital society.

👩‍💼 Guest Biography – Sam MacKenzie

Sam Mackenzie is a driven technology and cybersecurity leader with 25 years of experience dedicated to protecting and advancing critical infrastructure. As a valued committee member of both the Australian Control Rooms Network Association and the Australian Computer Society, Sam is known for his structured thinking, his talent for simplifying complex challenges, and his ability to harness culture as a catalyst for meaningful change.

Sam’s career spans leadership roles with global brands and household names in Australia, where he has built high-performance teams across sectors including health, telecoms, energy, and local government.

🔗 Links Mentioned Throughout the Podcast

• 🌐 Quigly Website - https://www.quigly.com.au/
• 🌐 Australian Control Rooms Network Association Website - https://acrna.org/
• 🌐 Australian Computer Society Website - https://www.acs.org.au/
• ⚖️SOCI Act https://www.cisc.gov.au/legislation-regulation-and-compliance/soci-act-2018
• 🚗 Waymo - https://waymo.com/
• 👤 Mark Williams – Host LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwilliamsmelbourne/
• 👤 Sam MacKenzie – Guest LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelmackenzie/

⏱️ Timestamps & Topics:

• 00:08 – Welcome Message
• 00:47 - Introduction to Sam McKenzie
• 01:50 – Experience riding in a fully autonomous vehicle with Waymo
• 05:00 – Cybersecurity’s role in protecting essential services like power and transport
• 08:09 – The evolution from automation to AI and the cyber implications
• 09:38 – Sam’s cyber origin story: from country farm to cybersecurity
• 11:50 – Balancing technology and cybersecurity leadership roles
• 14:44 – Boardroom cyber literacy: Do directors need deep cyber knowledge?
• 16:05 – Defining “cyber physical incidents”
• 17:40 – The Maroochy Shire sewage attack: Australia’s first cyber physical incident
• 19:00 – Why rare incidents still matter: real-world risk to life
• 21:35 – The Fire Rescue Victoria breach and its long-term impacts
• 22:45 – Cascading failures across critical infrastructure
• 26:15 – Patchability challenges in legacy operational technology
• 27:45 – Sam’s advocacy and the CS4CI community
• 29:40 – Lessons from the past: applying safety & financial risk models to cyber
• 31:55 – Sam’s advice to aspiring cyber leaders: compassionate leadership & prioritisation
• 34:30 – Closing remarks

In this episode, we sit down with cybersecurity leader David Luchi to explore his journey from IT educator in Brazil to leading enterprise security programs in Australia. David shares actionable insights on developing soft skills, fostering a culture of safe experimentation, and the critical role of mentorship in shaping the future of cyber. A must-listen for current and aspiring leaders in tech.

👩‍💼 Guest Biography – David Luchi

David Luchi, is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with a passion for embedding security into the fabric of technology. With 13 years of experience in security engineering and leadership, his expertise spans multi-cloud environments, Kubernetes, and implementing state-of-the-art Zero Trust architecture. Beyond his corporate role, David is a pillar in the cybersecurity community, frequently speaking at national events and co-organising multiple Melbourne meetups. He is a firm believer in empowering the community, sharing his insights on his blog, DavidLuchi.com, and is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of security professionals.

🔗 Links Mentioned Throughout the Podcast

• 🌐 Quigly Website - https://www.quigly.com.au/
• 🌐 David Luchi's Website - https://www.davidluchi.com/
• 🌐 CISSP Certification Website - https://www.isc2.org/Certifications/CISSP
• 👤 Mark Williams – Host LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwilliamsmelbourne/
• 👤 David Luchi – Guest LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidluchi/

⏱️ Timestamps & Topics:

• 00:08 – Welcome Message
• 00:47 - Intro: Meet David Luchi
• 02:06 - Racing Max Verstappen in SIM racing
• 04:30 - Explaining cybersecurity to a 90-year-old
• 06:07 – Explaining cybersecurity to a 9-year-old
• 07:20 - David's cybersecurity origin story (via a RAT trojan)
• 09:55 - Transitioning from tech to leadership
• 12:55 - Creating safe-to-fail environment
• 16:30 - Innovation, AI, and learning from Kubernetes
• 19:45 - Cybersecurity misconceptions
• 21:40 – Sharing of cybersecurity training & workshops available for family members
• 24:11 - Starting a cybersecurity blog and going viral
• 26:19 – Thoughts on how industry can do more to support the development of capability in cybersecurity
• 29:27 - Learning from other industries & embracing diversity
• 31:19 - Will AI have a fairytale ending or turn dystopian?
• 34:45 - Why mentoring matters in developing the next generations of cybersecurity leaders
• 38:21 - Breaking away from military-style cybersecurity hierarchy
• 40:27 - Advice to someone aspiring to become a cybersecurity leader
• 43:32 - Closing remarks

🗓️ Episode Overview:

In this powerful and inspiring episode of Cyber Mindsz, Jacqui Loustau, Executive Director of AWSN, shares her journey through the cybersecurity landscape—from help desk support in Europe to speaking on global stages and founding the Australian Women in Security Network.

With passion and purpose, Jacqui discusses AWSN’s role in building an inclusive security workforce, empowering future leaders, and the dream of a world where AWSN is no longer needed. Alongside stories of challenges, laughter, and transformation, this episode explores leadership, representation, capability development, and the human side of cybersecurity.

👩‍💼 Guest Biography – Jacqui Loustau

Jacqui Loustau is the Executive Director of the Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN) which aims to connect, support and inspire a diverse security workforce.

She brings over 2 decades of international experience in IT, Cyber Security and cybercrime.

Jacqui is passionate about increasing the number of women in security in Australia, building inclusive teams and educating everyone on security.

She is on several advisory committees, including the recently formed Home Affairs Executive Cyber Security Council (Workforce and small business working groups), ISC2 Global Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council and the Technical Advisory committee for the Future Skills Organisation.

🔗 Links Mentioned Throughout the Podcast

• 🌐 Quigly Website - https://www.quigly.com.au/
• 🌐 AWSN - Australian Women in Security Network - https://www.awsn.org.au/
• 🌐 ISC² Global Diversity & Inclusion Council – https://www.isc2.org
• 🤝 Home Affairs Cyber Security Council – (Referenced as part of advisory involvement)
• 🤝 Future Skills Organisation - https://www.futureskillsorganisation.com.au/
• 👤 Mark Williams – Host LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwilliamsmelbourne/
• 👤 Jacqui Loustau – Guest LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquiloustau/
• 📝 RMIT Partnership (AWSN Research) – https://www.rmit.edu.au

⏱️ Timestamps & Topics:

• 00:08 – Welcome Message
• 01:50 – Introduction to AWSN
• 05:38 – How would you describe what you do to a 90-year old person who really doesn't understand the computing at all?
• 07:00 – How would you describe to a 9-year old who is digital native?
• 08:45 – What is your cybersecurity origin story?
• 11:19 – Has the world of security evolved in a way that you might have thought back then in 2007?
• 17:00 – What's the most bizarre or hilarious misconception about cybersecurity that you've come across?
• 18:20 - What motivated you to establish AWSN?
• 22:08 – Will you be a happy retiree knowing your legacy?
• 25:07 – Is there one story that illustrates the success of or the important role that AWSN plays?
• 28:36 – How do you think industry itself could do more to support the development of capability within cybersecurity?
• 33:10 – If you give one piece of advice to someone aspiring to become a cybersecurity leader, what would it be?
• 35:27 - Closing