Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) is excited to share two employees received the Visionary Leadership Award during the Cyber Security Summit. Terry Seiple was named Visionary Application Security Leader and Laura Johnson was named Visionary Security Operations Leader. Seiple and Johnson were celebrated on October 25, 2022, at an award ceremony during the summit in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Learn more about these individuals and their accomplishments. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Terry Seiple

Visionary Application Security Leader

Terry Seiple is a Senior Enterprise Information Security and Cloud Architect. As an enterprise architect, he helps design the entire technology footprint of the State of Minnesota – helping build the framework and guidelines that new systems have to follow. He brings together the architecture of different technology including cloud, cybersecurity, and networks. 

Are there any accomplishments that define your work at MNIT?

Seiple: I am a part of the team that developed the State of Minnesota’s cloud-first, or Intentional Cloud Approach. It’s been very challenging yet fulfilling work from a technology and logistical perspective. To prepare for such a large-scale migration, we have to coordinate many processes with many divisions. The planning and orchestration are resource intensive, but it culminates in the desired outcome – moving to the cloud for a more secure and flexible environment for Minnesota’s applications. I relate it closely to the words of Colonel Hannibal Smith from the A-Team, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

What does this award mean to you?

Seiple: I am quite humbled to be selected for this Visionary Leadership award. It recognizes the accomplishments of not only myself but that of my peers at the State of Minnesota. We all work so hard to create a successful and industry-leading security program – day in and day out.

I joined MNIT’s Enterprise Security Office when it was created. The culture and strategic vision of the team are the reasons that we have been able to protect the state and its systems so well. Without the team, we would not have realized any parts of the strategic vision.

“I have had the privilege to work with Terry over the past 8 years. Terry’s technical knowledge and experiences are vast, and he has built the trust of many through the solutions he has delivered. I value Terry’s architectural capabilities as he skillfully evaluates, assesses, and then provides sound technical recommendations for each and every opportunity he is presented. I consider myself and the State of Minnesota lucky to have someone as talented as Terry on our team.”

Terry's supervisor, John Moreland

Laura Johnson

Visionary Security Operations Leader

Laura Johnson is an Enterprise Endpoint Manager. She leads a team that provides foundational services to endpoints – workstations, laptops, servers, and more. Over the past five-plus years, her team has consolidated management of endpoints across Minnesota’s executive branch moving closer to the goal of consistent management while increasing the economies of scale.

Tell us more about what you do.

Johnson: The endpoint team contributes to the creation and maintenance of a stable and secure technology environment by delivering consistent and reliable services from one solution that reaches all State of Minnesota executive branch devices. Leveraging modern technology allows the team to extend our reach to endpoints in the executive branch to do things like deliver a patch the first day we identify a vulnerability or upgrade an out-of-support operating system that puts the environment at risk. In the past five years, we have been able to drastically increase our reach while reducing the amount of time it takes to patch devices when there is a vulnerability.

What does this award mean to you?

Johnson: This was as much of a surprise as an honor, to be noticed for the work we do every day. The recognition reinforces the importance of our services for state agencies, and it reenergizes and reaffirms the great work this team accomplishes every year.

What is your favorite project?

Johnson: I don’t have one specific project, but there is a type of work that brings me a lot of satisfaction. When we migrate environments to a new solution, we tackle a lot of hard work while providing quality and consistent services to our business partners. It is empowering and satisfying work that speaks to the potential of our environments.

“Laura is a bright, upbeat motivational leader and systems thinker. She has tremendous talent and enthusiasm for mutual success. She helps bring together various teams, technologies, and the human spirit to get through today by setting us up for future success.”

Laura’s supervisor, Dan Oehmke