Putting people at the core of everything we do is paramount at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). We’re proud to be a people-first organization, where employees are supported, valued, and empowered to thrive, both personally and professionally.
Through the Our People series on BCIT News, we celebrate the passion, expertise, and impact of individuals who help shape a better future at BCIT and beyond.
Meet Sunny Jassal, Associate Vice President, Digital Transformation and Chief Information Security Officer, Raimonda De Zen, Director, Enterprise Risk and Internal Audit, and Nthusi Kaisara, Cyber Security Analyst. Together, they make up the Cybersecurity Governance and Risk Management team, the BCIT 2026 Employee Excellence recipient in the Outstanding Contribution – Department category.
What does it mean to your team to be a 2026 Employee Excellence Award recipient?
Receiving the 2026 Employee Excellence Award is both humbling and meaningful for our team. Cybersecurity often happens behind the scenes, so this recognition reflects the collective effort, collaboration, and shared commitment across BCIT to support secure teaching, learning, research, and innovation.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this work has been seeing a gradual shift in conversations from “security says no” to “how do we do this securely together?” While we are still on that journey, it has been encouraging to see growing collaboration and shared ownership in managing risk and enabling innovation across the institution.
Looking back on the past year, what do you think contributed most to your team receiving this recognition?
Over the past year, we worked to strengthen cybersecurity governance structures and practices to better address emerging risks while supporting BCIT’s strategic goals. A significant milestone that contributed to this recognition was the recent audit by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), which recognized BCIT as having a comprehensive governance framework to manage cybersecurity risks.
For our team, this was encouraging validation of the work happening behind the scenes to help ensure cybersecurity risks are managed consistently and in alignment with BCIT’s priorities. More importantly, it reinforced the value of collaboration across the institution in building a stronger and more resilient cybersecurity culture.
REGISTER NOW: Cybersecurity Awareness Month events this October.
Are there any projects that your team is most proud of this year? In a nutshell, can you describe what this project is about?
One area we are particularly proud of this year is the update of BCIT’s cybersecurity policies and technical standards to ensure they remain current and responsive to evolving cyber risks. Following Board approval, we held cybersecurity policy roadshows across the BCIT community to raise awareness that cybersecurity is no longer an IT issue, but a shared business responsibility.
One of the most rewarding outcomes has been seeing growing interest, participation, and meaningful conversations across the institution. While we are still on the journey, it has been encouraging to see our community gradually embracing cybersecurity as a shared responsibility. We are especially proud that this work has helped create greater visibility, consistency, and collaboration around cybersecurity across BCIT.
What aspect of BCIT’s workplace culture has helped your team thrive in your role or project?
Consultation and collaboration played a central role in our success this year. One of the clearest examples was during the community review of our revised cybersecurity policies, where we worked closely with different areas across BCIT to better understand their business requirements and ensure our policies were practical, relevant, and supportive of their needs.
This collaboration also helped us develop clear, implementable, and practical policies that reflect the realities of how different areas of the institution operate. What stood out most was the willingness of people across BCIT to engage in meaningful conversations about balancing risk, security, usability, and innovation, reinforcing the importance of cybersecurity as a shared responsibility.
What’s next for your team – any goals, upcoming projects, or aspirations on the horizon?
Looking ahead, our focus is on continuing to strengthen BCIT’s cybersecurity governance and resilience capabilities in alignment with our strategic commitments. This includes enhancing cybersecurity standards, supporting risk-based decision making, and embedding cybersecurity more seamlessly into institutional processes and projects.
We also want to continue building cybersecurity awareness and strong partnerships across BCIT so cybersecurity remains an enabler of teaching, learning, research, and innovation. Ultimately, our goal is to continue fostering a culture where cybersecurity is part of how we all work and a shared responsibility across the institution.