Page 31 - Cyber Defense eMagazine RSAC Special Edition 2025

About the Author

Aparna Achanta is a Principal Security Architect at IBM Federal
Consulting. Aparna oversaw mission-critical projects for US Federal
Agencies. While at IBM, she successfully implemented the Zero Trust
framework in federal agencies. Aparna spearheaded the Center of
Excellence for SaaS applications at federal agencies like Department of
Veterans Affairs, which is tasked with implementing the Zero Trust
framework, thereby enhancing the security posture of these agencies.
This Center of Excellence equips numerous citizen developer
professionals with the necessary tools and security and governance
frameworks to develop applications using low-code, no-code platforms,
such as Power BI and Microsoft Co-Pilot, and establishes guidelines to
ensure the responsible and secure implementation of GenAI apps. Aparna
also established an Architecture Review Board for D365 and Power
Platform applications, defining security requirements and shaping application architecture best practices
for development teams. With 10+ years of experience, Aparna has designed secure digital transformation
projects for large federal clients that have greatly streamlines processes. Aparna is a motivated person
who is committed to giving back to the cybersecurity industry. She is an active mentor, author, peer
reviewer, and speaker.

Aparna can be reached online at her website https://aparnaachanta.com/ or her LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparna-achanta-41741739/

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