The Segment: A Zero Trust Leadership Podcast

Assume Breach, Build Trust: Zero Trust Lessons from STCU

Episode Notes

In this episode of The Segment, host Raghu Nandakumara sits down with Greg Mitchell, Application Administration Manager at Spokane Teachers Credit Union (STCU), for a candid, insightful look at what it really takes to drive security and innovation inside a modern, mission-driven financial institution.

Greg shares how his team is building resilience from the inside out—applying zero trust principles not as a buzzword, but as a practical, culture-driven framework for protecting core systems. 

From his roots in school district IT to leading major modernization efforts at STCU, Greg walks us through what it means to lead with intention, assume breach, and drive results with lean teams and strong partnerships.

You’ll learn:

• Why disaster recovery isn’t a one-time exercise, but a team muscle worth training
  
   
• How segmentation led to better cross-team relationships—not just better security
  
   
• The power of small wins (and small apps) to kickstart transformation
  
   
• Why enforcement beats perfection when it comes to securing infrastructure
  
   
• What zero trust really looks like in day-to-day operations—and how to start using tools you already have
  
   
• How STCU is approaching cloud expansion with Illumio
  
   

🔐 “Treat it like a business priority, not just a security one.” — Greg Michel

This is the employee community you didn’t know you needed—where mindset, momentum, and people-first security converge.

Stay Connected with our host, Raghu on LinkedIn

For more information about Illumio, check out our website at illumio.com