FY26 A.I. Securing School Data in the AI Era
Securing School Data in the AI Era: What Every School Business Administrator Needs to Know
Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every aspect of school operations—from budgeting and HR to classroom learning tools. But as AI expands, so do the data privacy and security risks. This session gives school business officials a clear, actionable overview of how AI impacts data privacy, what makes cloud-hosted information vulnerable, and the steps districts must take to ensure their data remains protected. Attendees will walk away with concrete strategies for responsible AI adoption, cloud security best practices, and the questions every district should be asking vendors before sharing student or staff data.
Robert Hamel
Public Sector Specialist
Custom Computer Specialists, Inc.
Bob Hamel is currently serving as Public Sector Resource for Custom Computer Specialists, LLC. He was a career public school educator for over 35 years and served for the last part of his career as Assistant to the Superintendent in the Springfield Public Schools. Bob served 23 years in the East Longmeadow MA Public Schools as a teacher, assistant principal, and for a number of years, as Director of Administrative Services. He has been a member and Director of MASBO for numerous years and has served on the “Technology Committee” of ASBO. Bob has been a presenter at a number of local, state and national conferences and continues to conduct seminars on many topics including Cybesecurity, Physical Security and E-Rate.
Suzanne McLaughlin
Executive Vice President
Custom Computer Specialists, Inc.
Suzanne McLaughlin is the Executive Vice President at Custom Computer Specialists. Suzanne is passionate about technology, but more importantly compassionate in her approach, immediately putting clients at ease. With more than 30 years of technology consulting and management experience, focuses on E-Rate, cybersecurity, physical security, infrastructure design, networking and collaborative technologies. Suzanne has been working with School Districts and Libraries since the inception of the E-rate Program to understand, navigate and maximize the benefits offered through E-Rate funding. She is an active leader in the E-Rate community and strives to help Districts be successful with the Program.
Mason Sock
Client Relationship Manager
Custom Computer Specialists
Mason Sock is the Client Relationship Manager for Custom Computer Specialists, LLC. With more than 20 years of consulting, design and implementation experience, Mason has been focused on driving client success with new technology solutions including cybersecurity, physical security, and others, as well as serving as a Subject Matter Expert in these areas. He is a Thought Leader and Trusted Advisor to many of our K-12 clients and strives to provide outstanding client support and satisfaction in every interaction he has. He is truly committed to our clients’ success.
