SWWC IT² 2026

Nicole Pruden is the Network and Security Administrator for the East Central Minnesota Educational Cable Cooperative (ECMECC), where she supports cybersecurity and shared network services for K-12 school districts in East Central Minnesota. With more than 20 years of IT experience, Nicole brings a practitioner’s perspective to cybersecurity education, grounded in the day-to-day realities schools face.Since joining ECMECC in 2017, Nicole has worked directly with district technology leaders, educators, and administrators to improve security posture through risk assessments, vulnerability remediation, and targeted professional development. Her work emphasizes helping schools move beyond compliance checklists toward meaningful security practices that build critical thinking, threat awareness, and digital responsibility among staff and students.Nicole is an advocate for cybersecurity in education and serves on the Minnesota Cybersecurity Task Force, where she represents public education and helps shape guidance and resources for K-12 schools. As a speaker, she is known for translating complex cybersecurity concepts into practical, accessible strategies that empower educators to make safer decisions and better protect their school communities.