2026 March 5, Dallas, Texas
Israel Martinez of Axon Global Services Highlights the Strategic Importance of the UTSA Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security
Martinez, CEO and Global CTO of Axon Global Services, and board member at the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) is continuing to highlight the importance of CIAS and its role in advancing cybersecurity readiness across industry, government, education, and local communities. Recent CIAS board meeting participation records show Martinez accepted and participated in CIAS board meeting activity, underscoring his engagement with the center’s mission and strategic direction.
Founded in 2001, the UTSA Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security was established as part of UT San Antonio’s broader cybersecurity program and has played a significant role in advancing the university’s cybersecurity leadership. According to CIAS, the center delivers research, training, cyber competitions, exercises, and K-12 cybersecurity programs designed to strengthen organizational and community cybersecurity capabilities and collaboration.
CIAS has had a broad and lasting effect on the cybersecurity field by helping shape how communities, schools, public-sector organizations, and critical institutions prepare for cyber threats. The center says its work has included national-level cyber exercises, cybersecurity preparedness courses developed through the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium, and collaborations with information-sharing organizations to better prepare the workforce, technology professionals, organizations, and communities for cyber incidents.
CIAS also has had a major influence on cyber workforce development and awareness-building. The center helped create the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition and was a co-founder of CyberPatriot, which CIAS describes as the world’s largest cybersecurity competition introducing tens of thousands of students to cybersecurity, while also expanding K-12 learning through games, training tools, and community-focused awareness initiatives.
Martinez’s role brings board-level cybersecurity governance experience into that ecosystem. Axon Global Services describes Martinez as a recognized leader in governance, cyber risk, strategy, and innovation, with experience advising or serving as a director or board advisor across multiple industries including healthcare, technology, manufacturing, financial services, government, and international organizations.
That background aligns closely with CIAS’s mission to connect cybersecurity preparedness, practical training, and collaborative resilience across sectors. Martinez’s engagement with CIAS board activities reflects the growing importance of bringing industry operators, governance leaders, and mission-driven cybersecurity professionals into closer partnership with academic institutions that are shaping future cyber talent and operational readiness.
At a time when cyber risk continues to affect public institutions, private enterprises, and critical infrastructure alike, CIAS’s model offers the industry a practical example of how to build resilience through education, exercises, information sharing, and cross-sector coordination. The center’s long-running work shows that cybersecurity impact is not limited to technical defense alone, but also depends on leadership development, workforce preparedness, and the creation of a cybersecurity-aware culture from K-12 classrooms to executive decision-making.
Martinez’s involvement helps reinforce that message. As a private-sector executive with deep experience in cyber governance and boardroom strategy, his participation in CIAS board-level discussions highlights the value of linking industry leadership with university-driven cybersecurity innovation and preparedness programs.
The result is broader industry relevance for CIAS and stronger momentum for the kind of public-private-academic collaboration that cybersecurity leaders increasingly view as essential. By combining research, training, exercises, competitions, and community engagement, CIAS continues to influence how cybersecurity capability is built at scale, while leaders such as Martinez help extend that impact into boardrooms, enterprises, and mission-critical environments.
For organizations watching the evolution of cyber preparedness, the continued alignment between experienced industry leaders and institutions such as CIAS signals a maturing approach to resilience—one grounded in collaboration, education, governance, and operational readiness.
For more information see: https://cias.utsa.edu or AxonCyber.com