Hannah Brown, UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government CyberArch intern, was named runner-up for the UGA Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Award at last month’s Student Employee of the Year Award Ceremony. Brown, originally from Loganville, graduated in May with a Management Information Systems degree and was a CyberArch Team Lead. She was nominated by the Institute of Government’s CyberArch Coordinator, Mark Lupo.  

UGA CyberArch, facilitated by the Institute of Government, works with organizational partners in K-12 school districts, local governments, rural hospitals and small businesses to help build a broader awareness about cybersecurity threats and strengthen cyber preparation and response. Student interns work in teams to conduct a cybersecurity risk review and create a final report with recommendations to enhance the organization’s cybersecurity posture.

Brown was part of the initial CyberArch intern cohort in 2022. Her “diligence and her focused, organized approach” stood out from the beginning, Lupo said.

In addition to coordinating her team in conducting cybersecurity risk reviews for county governments, Brown was one of two students selected by Google to represent UGA CyberArch in Washington, D.C., for the launch event of the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund the summer of 2023.

“My time in CyberArch has given me lots of hands-on experience not only in cybersecurity, but also in leading a team and working with real-world professionals,” said Brown.

Brown also led one of the key secondary projects of the UGA CyberArch program, developing a monthly webinar series focused on cybersecurity for city and county governments. She coordinated both national and statewide speakers to present at these webinars, with an average of more than 50 attendees per webinar.

Lupo is grateful for her contributions. Brown “has made a profound impact on the success of the UGA CyberArch program,” he said. 

Brown reflected on her CyberArch experience in contemplating her new role with Coalfire, a cybersecurity services and solutions company.

“Through the CyberArch program, I have found a passion for cybersecurity,” said Brown. “It has prepared me to be in the workforce and given me the opportunity to figure out what I want to be doing.”