St. Clair College President Michael Silvaggi and Amar Singh Chief Information Officer/Chief Information Security Officer at the college September 2026.
AI finds ‘unknown vulnerabilities’ every day.
With AI as a tool, threat actors no longer need to make choices about where the most effective attacks are. They attack everywhere. And Windsor-Essex is attractive. Our region is home to major manufacturing, financial institutions, post-secondary institutions and one of North America’s busiest trade corridors. We can no longer hide behind the idea that there are ‘bigger targets’ out there. We face sophisticated international threats; we need a sophisticated response.
The Problem Isn’t Just Technical.
Additionally, the challenge of responding to a cyber event can’t be assigned to a single department.
This is not an ‘IT problem’.
Amar Singh, Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer at St. Clair College compares cyber-preparedness to organizational fire drills.
“Everyone needs to be a part of it. Leadership has to be the biggest part of implementation and strategy. IT will do our part, we’ll contain and eradicate. We need to know who’s doing everything else? Who is considering legal implications and managing the risks? Who is deciding whether a ransom will be paid, if there is one? And who is talking to the media?”
Attacks on IT systems happen every minute. There is no reprieve. Preparing for a breach attack is no longer optional, it is the cost of doing business.
Two Ways In
Now organizations in Windsor-Essex don’t have to travel to Toronto or prepare alone.
St. Clair College, in partnership with SiberX and the SANS Institute, offers organizations two pathways to greater preparedness here at home.
Operation Defend the North puts participants into a single, immersive simulation of a cybersecurity breach. For organizations ready for more, NOW // AI is an executive program that tests governance, decision making and response at a deeper level.
These world class, immersive offerings are designed to “provide insight and a glimpse into the challenges we face.” Michael Silvaggi, President at St. Clair College said.
Operation: Defend the North
Operation: Defend the North on October 20, 2026, puts participants inside of a simulated cybersecurity incident. Unlike other workshops, Operation Defend the North is unscripted, meaning that the answers and input that participants and panelists give will dynamically change the simulation. No one, leaders included, will have all the answers. “It is an experience,” said Singh. “People should expect to participate. There will be industry leaders on the panel, and we will give people as real of a simulation as we can.” The goal is to get people asking: ‘what would I do? What is my part in this?’
Zekelman School of Business & Information Technology at St Clair College’s main campus in Windsor.
NOW // AI
NOW // AI is an immersive executive program where organizations can test their decisions and experience the SANS AI Blueprint and framework. The broader approach spans three areas and three levels of the organization: Governance, at the leadership level, Protect, for IT and security teams, and Every Day Use, which recognizes that we all interact with technology on some level.
Participants develop their skills and hone their responses before an event occurs. “The experiences we offer help people test their governance,” Singh said. “That governance creates a way for businesses to keep continuity. We’ll not only share world class governance frameworks with you, we’ll teach you how to put governance to work.”
There is no universal solution to the challenges organizations face. “We’re providing the learning so that your imagination and experience can lead to developing your unique solution,” said Singh.
“We want participants to leave with a better understanding of the interactions. We want them to better understand the data they collect. As senior leaders, we can’t micro-manage, we have to empower people to think,” Silvaggi added.
Why It Matters
One of the things the college is most proud of is making high-quality learning accessible. “We work in a budget constrained world. We can’t all travel and we still want this region to have the best exposure to world class learning and experiences,” Singh said. “At the end of the day, it is about IT security which is making sure your business is functioning and your reputation is intact. We want people to think about it in terms of, protecting your family and yourself. Because you are. Threat actors don’t care who they attack.”
Through this partnership, St. Clair College is increasing the level of expertise in the region, increasing understanding, creating connection and investing in the future of our community.
“We’re putting the St. Clair name and reputation behind these programs,” Silvaggi stated. “We believe there’s real value for our region and an appetite for experiential learning.” The value of these experiences goes beyond learning different approaches. The vision is to create connections between students, industry and the Windsor-Essex community. “There are vendors in the city who can help,” Silvaggi observed. “When we raise awareness of what’s out there it helps everyone. If we can [facilitate the growth] of the ecosystem, we will.” Ultimately, when community and industry come together, it creates opportunities for students and the whole region benefits.
A Signal for Our Future
Organizations practice for an emergency event that they hope will never happen. St. Clair College has made that kind of practice available in our region.
The impact goes beyond what participants take away. Silvaggi sees regional engagement in cybersecurity and AI as a signal – Windsor Essex is willing to step into the light and take on emerging challenges. Over time, that kind of visibility helps build a center of expertise, attracts investment and most importantly for the college, it creates educational opportunities.
“We have a lot in our small community. Really, what don’t we have?” Singh asked. “Why shouldn’t we be a leader?”
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