Articles by Karcy Noonan

Technology

When Machines Defend Medicine: Anjan Kumar's AI-Driven Approach to Cybersecurity

Hospitals have become digital lifelines, where seconds can determine survival. In that urgency, a cyberattack is more than a data breach-it's a disruption of care. Anjan Kumar Gundaboina, Senior Cloud Security and DevSecOps Architect at Optum, realized this when he built an AI-based defense system that predicted and neutralized threats before they could reachpatients. From Reactive to Predictive Defense Healthcare's dependence on cloud systems made it a target for ransomware and data theft. The traditional model, which detects breaches after they occur, was too slow. Gundaboina's work at Optum marked a significant shift toward predictive security, where attacks are intercepted in real-time. "Cyberattacks on healthcare infrastructure, particularly ransomware, required a move from reactive monitoring to predictive, AI-driven threat detection," he said. "At Optum, I designed and deployed an AI-enhanced DevSecOps framework that combined machine learning with automated response playbooks." The system was built within Optum's hybrid ecosystem, connecting AWS, Azure, GCP, and on-premises networks through a single continuous monitoring loop. Machine learning models analyzed access logs, API requests, and system telemetry, learning to identify subtle irregularities before they escalated into incidents. A critical moment arose during an anomaly on a telemedicine platform. Unusual API calls triggered the system's defense pipeline. Within seconds, access tokens were revoked, Kubernetes pods were quarantined, and alerts were sent to response teams, all without human intervention. That automation prevented data theft and ensured uninterrupted remote consultations. Teaching Systems to Think Like Defenders What Gundaboina built went far beyond an automated firewall. His framework allowed machines to learn from every security event and react intelligently to new ones. Each incident became training data for a stronger future response. He encoded human experience into machine logic by creating incident response playbooks, scripts that dictated what to do when breaches occurred. These playbooks automate critical containment steps such as rotating credentials, isolating compromised virtual machines, and initiating forensic captures. Every alert generated new knowledge; every containment improved the next defense. The impact was measurable. Optum's mean time to detect (MTTD) dropped from hours to minutes. Mean time to respond (MTTR) fell from days to under an hour. These improvements ensured that clinical workflows, encompassing electronic health records, diagnostic imaging, and teleconsultations, remained online even during digital attacks. His work didn't stop with detection. He was at the forefront of training predictive classifiers that could detect insider threats, unexplained access, or misuse of privilege by personnel that are often unnoticed by traditional systems. Instead of static credentials, these models learned the contextual behavior of users, marking interactions as highly risky before they became actual breaches. The Human Stakes of Automation For Gundaboina, automation isn't about replacing people but protecting them. Healthcare staff can't spend hours chasing false alerts when patients need attention. His systems reduce noise, isolate verified threats, and allow responders to focus on recovery rather than detection. "The goal is simple," he said. "Protect patient data, protect patient care." His framework has since influenced Optum's broader cloud strategy, embedding predictive DevSecOps principles into every deployment. By integrating security automation into continuous delivery pipelines, the company's healthcare platforms became more resilient without slowing clinical operations. Gundaboina's contributions to research, published in IEEE and Scopus-indexed journals, further solidify his status as a global thought leader in predictive healthcare cybersecurity. His work bridges the gap between AI and DevSecOps, demonstrating the automation of prediction and neutralization of attacks at a speed surpassing that of any human response team. Through these advances, Gundaboina turned incident response from a reactive scramble into a silent, predictive discipline. Each second saved represents more than just uptime; it represents uninterrupted care, secure patient trust, and a healthcare system prepared for the unseen.

Technology

Influential Cloud and AI Innovator Shaping the Future of the U.S. Digital Economy

Amidst accelerating technological progress, certain visionaries reshape the landscape and lead innovations that touch millions Pooja Devaraju, a transformative leader in cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), stands at the forefront of this movement. Based in Austin, Texas, and serving as a Cloud and AI Services Lead at Google Cloud, Pooja has played a critical role in guiding nation's leading enterprises through large-scale AI enabled digital transformations. Her pioneering work facilitated AI-powered innovations that directly benefit millions of Americans, positioning the United States as a global digital economy powerhouse. A Leader Across Industries Driving AI-Enabled Transformation At Google Cloud, Pooja is charged with overseeing strategic cloud and AI services initiatives across multiple U.S. states, spanning diverse industries including healthcare, technology, travel and hospitality, semiconductors, and enterprise software. Her expertise uniquely bridges advanced cloud services with cutting-edge AI applications, crafting tailored solutions that harmonize business strategies with emerging technologies. Bridging Business and Technology as a Trusted Advisor Pooja's role goes beyond services strategies; she is a trusted advisor to C-level executives and senior technology leaders. Her ability to translate sophisticated cloud and AI capabilities into tangible business outcomes has helped companies embrace digital disruption confidently. Within the travel sector, she spearheaded AI initiatives with a major U.S. airline and a global travel technology provider, deploying AI-powered natural language destination search and real-time price alerting. These applications not only improved customer experience for millions but also strengthened the operational excellence and global competitiveness of these companies. Her impact extends within enterprise software sectors, where she collaborated with two of the world's largest providers to embed generative AI into their platforms, enhancing predictive analytics, accelerating decision making, and boosting customer engagement for thousands of U.S. businesses. Scholar and Global Recognition for AI Leadership Pooja's influence is equally impressive within the research and academic communities. She is a published author of award-winning scholarly articles in prestigious IEEE journals, contributing original research on scalable AI pipelines, secure federated learning, and explainability preserving AI algorithms. Her papers have earned Best Paper Awards at major conferences such as I2ITCON and WCONF, highlighting both the scientific rigor and practical relevance of her work. Her expertise is globally acknowledged through invitations to judge internationally recognized awards like the Globee Awards for AI and Customer Excellence, participate as a peer reviewer for top AI conferences, and chair sessions at distinguished scientific forums. She holds memberships in elite professional bodies including the IEEE, AI Consortium, Forbes Technology Council, and other elite associations that admit only top leaders. Advocate for Diversity and Mentorship in Tech Outside work, Pooja is a passionate advocate for women and underrepresented groups in technology. As the Women@GoogleCloud Community Champions Leader for North America, she mentors over 120 professionals through workshops, panel discussions, and brain dates, she champions talent development and fosters inclusion across the tech industry, helping to build a more equitable and innovative technology workforce. Pooja's mentorship extends to multiple programs and platforms like ADPList and Topmate, where she guides emerging leaders on navigating career pathways in cloud and AI, equipping the next generation to tackle the challenges and opportunities of future technologies. Recognized Speaker and Industry Authority Pooja frequently shares her expertise as a keynote speaker at premier international conferences. She has delivered talks on data privacy, compliance, AI integration in cloud computing, and business process management at events such as ICCCOM 2025, ASAR, and the World Research Forum. She also leads Google Cloud panels and sessions, helping enterprises understand the potential of generative AI and cloud innovation. Her leadership is further recognized within Google through multiple awards A Proven Track Record of Executive-Level Impact Over the course of her career, Pooja has ascended through roles of increasing responsibility and influence, from managing large-scale SaaS implementations at GEP Worldwide to leading global professional services at Coupa Software. At each stage, she has designed innovative AI-enabled procurement analytics and supply chain resilience strategies pivotal to national business continuity and economic resilience. Pooja Devaraju's Impact and Legacy Pooja Devaraju exemplifies the future of leadership in technology where technical prowess, business acumen, scholarly excellence, and social responsibility converge. Her groundbreaking work in cloud computing and AI not only propels U.S. enterprises into the digital future but also ensures these transformations benefit millions, safeguard compliance, and foster innovation ecosystems inclusive of diverse talent. Through her visionary frameworks, mentorship, and collaborative leadership, Pooja is shaping a resilient and thriving U.S. digital economy. Her story is an inspiring testament to how technology leaders can wield immense influence not just within corporations but also across society at large advancing human progress through innovation.