In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Chetrice Romero, Senior Cybersecurity Advisor at Ice Miller LLP, to unpack what organizations still get wrong about cyber readiness. Chetrice shares her unconventional path from public relations and crisis communications into cybersecurity leadership, including her work shaping Indiana’s statewide cyber strategy and advising organizations through high-stress incidents. She explains why the biggest cyber risks today are often people problems, why geopolitics now matter to business leaders far beyond government, and why incident response planning has to extend well beyond the IT department.

Chetrice also breaks down what effective tabletop exercises actually look like and why leaders need to understand their role before a real incident hits. This conversation is a practical look at how momentum in cybersecurity comes from preparation, shared responsibility, and the ability to respond calmly when the pressure is highest.

Key takeaways:

• Cybersecurity is a people and business problem, not just a technical one
• Tabletop exercises reveal leadership gaps before a real incident does
• Vendor risk, geopolitics, and poor preparation can quickly become operational crises

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:04) From PR into cyber leadership

(02:51) Building Indiana’s cyber strategy

(14:06) Geopolitics and destructive attacks

(17:38) What tabletop planning should cover

(24:21) When vendor breaches hit operations

(25:46) PR, panic, and crisis pressure

(28:16) What cyber insurance really covers

(29:48) How to run useful tabletops

(35:53) Rapid fire questions and reflections

Chetrice Romero on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romeroclm 

Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore Ice Miller LLP: https://www.icemiller.com/ 

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com

The Science of Scaling by Benjamin Hardy: https://a.co/d/76xHeGD 

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel, CEO of Project Brilliant, shares insights from a recent trip to Cuba and how the systemic challenges observed there can relate to organizational leadership. Drawing from his personal experiences in Cuba, Aaron explores how entrepreneurs and leaders are navigating a complex environment where top-down systems and governmental restrictions often hinder innovation. He delves into how leaders can unlock momentum within their organizations by addressing systemic barriers, such as rigid structures, policies, and metrics, that prevent long-term success.

Aaron shares lessons from entrepreneurs who are working within these constraints, showing how resilience and resourcefulness can drive meaningful change, even in the face of adversity. He reflects on the importance of leaders designing environments that allow for innovation, rather than focusing solely on immediate goals. The conversation touches on the role of systemic change in fostering organizational growth and the key skills that leaders need to create lasting impact.

Key takeaways:

• Addressing systemic issues is key to unlocking momentum
• Leaders must create environments that enable innovation
• Sustainable growth comes from designing systems, not just executing tasks

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:01) Why travel shapes leadership perspective

(02:04) Cuba trip context: entrepreneurs' journey

(03:24) First impressions: Havana’s challenges unfold

(06:25) Entrepreneurship's struggle under communist control

(10:58) Taxes, incentives, and the side hustle

(14:20) Farm success followed by government throttling

(18:21) Leadership agility through Castro’s lens

(21:42) Hope for Cuba: capital, tech, progress

(24:47) CIO lessons in unlocking organizational momentum

Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore Central Indiana Corporate Partnership: https://www.cicpindiana.com/ 

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Jason "JD" Duigou, an experienced CIO, leadership mentor, and the founder and principal consultant of Truefire Partners, LLC. JD shares insights from his career journey, including his time as a CIO, and offers valuable lessons on the importance of trust and relationships in driving business success.

JD reveals a crucial lesson: leadership isn’t about pushing harder. The truth is, it’s about being invited in earlier and shaping problems with the business, rather than rushing to solutions. He reflects on his realization that technology alone doesn’t earn influence; it’s the human connections and trust that make initiatives successful. JD and Aaron discuss how IT leaders can break free from “order taker” roles, become true business partners, and create a culture of collaboration across organizations.

Key takeaways:

• Leadership success comes from building trust and relationships, not just executing solutions
• Shaping problems collaboratively leads to stronger business outcomes
• IT leaders must shift from tech execution to strategic partnership with business units

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) Beginnings from first-gen college to work 

(02:45) Why mentorship will always matter

(05:04) How JD became a CIO by using trust

(08:21) On choosing guardrails and leadership over hype

(12:45) The CIO’s hidden operating system

(19:39) Networking, book club, and how to connect with JD

(22:08) Rapid-fire questions

Jason “JD’ Duigou on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonduigou/

Check out Jason’s CIO Field Notes: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cio-field-notes-episode-1-role-has-changed-have-we-jason-jd--8qfpc/

Check out Well Said! by Darlene Price: https://www.amazon.com/Well-Said-Presentations-Conversations-Results/dp/0814417876

Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore Truefire Partners, LLC: https://truefirepartners.com/

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Ting Gootee, Executive Vice President of Digital Adoption & Managing Director of Crossroads Health Ventures at the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP). Ting shares lessons from her journey immigrating to the U.S., building Elevate Ventures, leading TechPoint as CEO, and now driving digital adoption across Indiana’s innovation ecosystem.

Ting reveals a hard-earned realization that leadership isn’t about doing more, it’s about creating clarity. She reflects on the 18-month stretch where she learned that constant motion can actually weaken ownership, and how restraint and system design unlocked stronger accountability and resilience. Ting and Aaron explore the future of middle management in an AI-driven world, explaining why judgment, ownership, and ambiguity tolerance are becoming the most valuable skills in modern organizations.

Key takeaways:

• Sustainable impact comes from system design, not individual heroics
• Clarity creates ownership faster than constant execution
• AI is flattening coordination roles, elevating judgment and accountability

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:29) Leading digital adoption and venture capital at CICP

(03:26) Ting’s advice to her younger self on ownership

(04:36) When doing less unlocked more leadership impact

(09:00) The future of middle management in an AI-driven world

(15:22) How to craft systems for impact

(18:43) Rapid fire: passion, influence, and legacy

Ting Gootee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinggootee 

Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore Central Indiana Corporate Partnership: https://www.cicpindiana.com/ 

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Earl Shaw, CIO at Renaissance Benefits & Health Insurance, to talk about what it really takes to rebuild trust and performance within an organization under pressure. Earl discusses how his love for strategy and puzzles shaped his leadership style, and how embracing unfamiliar opportunities made him a more well-rounded enterprise leader.

Earl also shares his take on what stays the same and what changes in an AI-driven world. He highlights why communication and change management are key, as tools like Microsoft Copilot reshape work, and why top technologists need more than just technical skills. In this conversation, Earl shows that momentum ultimately comes from clarity, curiosity, and the discipline to fix the system.

Key takeaways:

• Great leaders solve challenges like puzzles with critical thinking and strategy
• Communication builds trust faster than speed alone
• Liberal arts, like critical thinking, storytelling, and communication, are just as essential for shaping well-rounded IT leaders

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:04) Key moments that shape leadership

(05:25) How listening and innovation turned IT services around

(13:11) Why liberal arts matter for technologists in the AI age

(17:47) The power of storytelling in technology

(20:04) How AI is accelerating business growth and innovation

(23:51) Why knowing every aspect of the organization powers technology success

(25:52) Rapid-fire questions

(32:31) Why curiosity and adaptability matter in tech leadership

Earl Shaw on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/earl-shaw/ 

Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore Renaissance Benefits & Health Insurance: https://renaissancebenefits.com/ 

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com

The Science of Scaling by Benjamin Hardy: https://a.co/d/76xHeGD 

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Collin Hill, CIO of Indianapolis and Marion County, to explore how service industry experience, local government work, and calm leadership under pressure shape stronger technology leaders. Collin shares his unexpected path into public service and why running technology for his hometown has become the most challenging and rewarding role of his career.

The conversation explores a pivotal moment early in Collin’s CIO journey, when a cybersecurity initiative triggered backlash across the organization and forced a defining leadership choice. Rather than retreating, he leaned in, making a decision that reshaped how security and shared responsibility showed up across the city. He also shares why service industry experience builds the empathy and steadiness needed to lead tech teams under pressure.

Key takeaways

• Service industry experience builds empathy and stronger leadership skills
• Local government offers unmatched responsibility and community impact
• Effective CIOs lead with calm communication and a people first mindset

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:50) When playing it safe stops working

(04:39) Why everyone should spend time in local government

(10:45) How working in the service industry makes the best talents

(15:42) Culture is set in the most uncomfortable moments

(19:48) When you have to stand on what you believe

(21:03) Running technology for your own hometown

(23:07) Rapid fire questions

(27:45) Leaving the world better than when you found it

Resources

Collin Hill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-hill-b178483/
Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore the Information Services Agency of the City of Indianapolis and Marion County: https://www.indy.gov/agency/information-services-agency

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com

Explore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network/

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Jeff Ton, former CIO of Ton Enterprises, LLC, and a seasoned leader in IT and leadership development. Jeff shares his journey from COBOL punch cards to guiding leaders on transformative expeditions inspired by the Lewis and Clark trail. He explains why leadership is about more than just technical skills and how understanding core values can shape a team’s vision.

Leadership comes with both challenges and rewards, and Jeff explores what it really takes to guide a team. He shares how experiences, even a nature expedition, can offer fresh perspectives and reshape the way leaders see their role.

Key takeaways

• Leadership is about enabling others, not just controlling outcomes
• Strong communication builds trust and drives alignment within teams
• CIOs who focus on people and vision, not just the tech, make the biggest impact

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:10) How prioritizing the right projects transforms IT momentum

(06:45) AI as a tool for transformation, not a one-size-fits-all solution

(13:44) On leadership, writing, and walking the Lewis and Clark Trail

(19:11) How to navigate leadership with a balanced perspective

(24:09) Lessons on tech and music

(27:56) Rapid-fire questions

Resources

Jeff Ton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtonindy/
Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore Ton Enterprises, LLC: https://jeffreyston.com/

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com

Explore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network/

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel sits down with Warren Lenard, CIO of the Indiana Office of Technology, whose path has taken him through some of the toughest environments a CIO can face. From guiding a retail organization through COVID to stepping into statewide leadership with no public-sector background, Warren has led in seasons that reveal what leadership truly means.

Key takeaways

• Leadership evolves when leaders shift from controlling outcomes to enabling people
• Culture is strengthened or weakened by how leaders communicate
• CIOs earn their influence by partnering across the business, not protecting the tech

Episode highlights

(00:00) Intro

(01:33) How COVID challenges were tackled at Byrider

(13:25) Warren’s career journey and experiences

(21:55) Finding leadership growth and communication in IT

(27:56) Why in-person interaction shapes culture, teamwork, and silos

(38:32) How the CIO role continues to evolve

(43:18) The importance of AI literacy in the future of work

(46:07) What fitness and creativity teach

(48:08) Advice he’d give his younger self

(49:16) Connecting and networking with purpose

Resources

Warren Lenard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrenlenard
Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel

Explore the Indiana Office of Technology: https://www.in.gov/iot/ 

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com
Explore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network

Reset by Dan Heath: https://www.danheath.com
Books by Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.gladwellbooks.com

Books by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.tablegroup.com/books/?srsltid=AfmBOoo9gyp35SwrlEnRT9TEWq4bGBO5_SJ4oosSe7F3TR0lKMqyTFv7 

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

In this episode, Aaron Kopel chats with Republic Airways CIO Matt Belanger, who’s right in the middle of one of the most intense seasons a CIO can walk into. New headquarters are coming online, flight operations systems are being rebuilt, a major acquisition is closing, and two cultures are preparing to come together. It’s the kind of environment where leadership either shows up or doesn’t.

Matt talks openly about what it takes to prioritize when everything is important, how he stays present for his people when the pace spikes, and why CIOs have to step beyond being the “details person” and start leading like enterprise partners. His path towards aviation gives him a perspective you rarely hear, and it’s one every evolving CIO will recognize.

Key takeaways:

• Momentum requires leaders to let go of old habits
• Culture is the real engine of transformation
• Operational excellence earns you permission to transform

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Intro

(01:40) How Matt  unlearned being “just the engineer”

(03:55) Why Republic’s transformation demanded a new leadership lens

(05:22) Managing extreme organizational load without losing culture

(06:48) The power of self-organized culture teams during heavy change

(07:55) How CIOs decide what deserves their time when everything is urgent

(09:10) What needs to stop in order to grow

(11:58) Why apprenticeships are a strategic advantage in tech

(13:40) The journey to modernizing aviation’s next frontier

(15:05) Why CIO credibility starts with operational reliability

(16:22) Building trust across the business through curiosity, not control

(20:40) Inside the Indiana CIO Network and why CIOs shouldn’t lead alone

Resources:

Matt Belanger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbelanger/ 

Aaron Kopel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel 

Explore Project Brilliant: https://projectbrilliant.com/ 

Explore the Indiana CIO Network: https://techpoint.org/indiana-cio-network/ 

Buy Unlocking Momentum: https://a.co/d/hKPFqoS 

Unlocking Momentum is for the evolving CIOs, strategic leaders who aren’t satisfied just managing systems, but driving growth, enabling innovation, and building the future of their organizations.

Hosted by Aaron Kopel, founder of Project Brilliant and creator of the Momentum Locksmith framework, this show is where forward-thinking leaders come to grow.