Cuick 10

by Derek White

Government Technology

Season 2

Picking the Right C3PAO for Your CMMC Journey

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, is joined by Jerry Leishman, Strategic Alliance Manager at NeoSystems, to break down how organizations should evaluate and select their C3PAO (Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization). Jerry shares best practices for finding an auditor that fits your industry, understands your tech stack, and can grow with you through contract changes or infrastructure updates. He also highlights the rising global interest in U.S. cybersecurity standards and the importance of collaboration across the ecosystem.

From Army to Cyber: Starting Fresh in Compliance

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, is joined by Chandler Ramirez, Account Executive at Zscaler and former Army officer, to talk about what it’s like breaking into cybersecurity and compliance from the military. Chandler shares his journey, what he’s learning about CMMC, and why a mission-focused culture is what drew him to this space.

Equipping the Ecosystem for CMMC at Scale

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, is joined by Regan Edens, Founder & Chief Compliance Officer at DTC Global, to explore what’s next for the CMMC ecosystem. From new CUI marking guidance to updated assessment materials, Regan outlines how industry leaders can reduce confusion, enable scale, and equip the next generation of compliance professionals. 🎧 Tune in for a strategic look at how education, clarity, and culture are shaping the future of compliance readiness. 🖥️ Watch the full Episode on YouTube: https://www.cuicktrac.com/cuick-10-podcast/

Compliance at a Global Scale

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, is joined by Keren de Via, Chief Operating Officer at Cyturus Technologies, Inc., for a conversation recorded live at CUI-CON 2025 in Tampa. Together, they explore how cybersecurity compliance differs across global regions and why international organizations are often ahead of the curve. Keren shares how consulting firms are shifting to continuous engagement models and the importance of delivering a consistent customer experience—even as services and expectations evolve. The episode also touches on how mature organizations are embracing proactive strategies and what lessons the U.S. market can learn. 🎧 Watch the full Episode on YouTube

Understanding the Real Timeline of CMMC Readiness

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, is joined by Koren Wise, CEO of Wise Technical Innovations, to unpack the hard truths about CMMC Level 2 readiness. They explore why secure enclave deployment isn’t as simple as buying a tool, the cultural shifts required for successful compliance, and how many defense contractors are scrambling under pressure. Koren also shares what assessors look for during audits, how training programs are changing, and what steps organizations should take before rushing into implementation. 🎧 Watch the full Episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/qCRcR6Zatdk

Automating Continuous Compliance with SP6

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, sits down with Nick Graning of SP6 to talk about how automation is changing the game for compliance and monitoring. Nick introduces SP6’s Acera platform, which helps defense contractors streamline continuous compliance by integrating with SIEM tools like Splunk and Microsoft Sentinel. They discuss how automation reduces manual monitoring effort, flags non-compliant activity in real-time, and helps mid-size and enterprise organizations stay on top of their cybersecurity requirements without needing a massive team. 🎥 Watch the full Episode on YouTube: https://www.cuicktrac.com/cuick-10-podcast/

CMMC Certification, Shared Responsibility & Scaling Security

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, recorded live at CUICON 2025, Derek White, COO of Cuick Trac, sits down with Scott Edwards, CEO of Summit 7. Scott shares real-world takeaways from Summit 7’s dual-scope CMMC assessment experience and why MSSPs are the key to scaling security across the Defense Industrial Base. They discuss how shared responsibility is changing the compliance landscape, what contractors can expect during an audit, and the long-term role of managed providers in the CMMC ecosystem. 🎥 Watch the full Episode on YouTube: https://www.cuicktrac.com/cuick-10-podcast/

CMMC Assessments Are Moving—Is the Ecosystem Ready?

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, COO of Cuick Trac, is joined by Thomas Graham, VP & CISO at Redspin, live from CUICON 2025. Tom shares what CMMC assessments really look like today, including the positive momentum since the rule dropped—and what’s still holding us back. They discuss the current bottleneck with assessor suitability, how official CMMC assessment teams must be structured, and what Redspin is doing to address industry confusion through their monthly open mic webinars. 🎥 Watch the full Episode on YouTube: https://www.cuicktrac.com/cuick-10-podcast/

The Human Element of CMMC: Culture, Buy-In & False Claims Risk

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, is joined by Derek Kernus, CEO of Aethon Security, to explore the people side of CMMC compliance. They dig into what happens when internal leadership buy-in transforms skepticism into support — and why documentation, visibility, and clarity are critical for success. Derek also shares his experience as a CMMC assessor and highlights how flexibility in 800-171 implementation is often misunderstood. They close the episode with a look at how concerns around the False Claims Act are driving more serious attention to doing cybersecurity “the right way.” 🎥 Watch the full Episode on YouTube: https://www.cuicktrac.com/cuick-10-podcast/

CMMC Assessments Are Here: Lessons from a C3PAO

In this episode of the Cuick 10 Podcast, Derek White, Chief Operating Officer of Cuick Trac, is joined by Tom Tollerton, Principal at Forvis Mazars and one of the first reauthorized C3PAOs under the 32 CFR rule. Tom shares real-world takeaways from the first wave of CMMC Level 2 assessments — including documentation challenges, post-assessment responsibilities, and the critical role of affirming officials. He also talks about what contractors need to consider when selecting a C3PAO and why alignment matters. Filmed live at CUICON 2025, this conversation gives contractors a behind-the-scenes look at how assessments are evolving — and what it takes to be ready.

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