Identity at the Center

Jeff and Jim are joined by Gartner Analyst Rebecca Archambault for a special live edition of the podcast recorded at the Gartner Identity & Access Management Summit in Grapevine, Texas on December 10, 2025. Instead of a traditional interview, the trio hosts "Majority Rules," an interactive game show where the live audience votes on pressing and fun identity topics. Listen in to hear the pulse of the room on everything from the biggest buzzwords of the year and the true purpose of analyst 1:1 sessions, to the best strategies for navigating the vendor hall. The group explores audience preferences on IGA, AI risks, non-human identities, and the most common lies told in sales cycles. It is a fun, lighthearted look at what identity professionals are actually thinking about the current state of the industry.

Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-becky-archambault-4b4285111/
Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/
Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/
Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com

Chapter Timestamps
00:00 - Intro and Game Rules
02:40 - First Question: Favorite Podcast
03:15 - Networking vs. Education
04:08 - Buzzword of the Year: Agentic Identity
04:47 - User Behavior Analytics Usage
05:37 - Expo Hall Memories and Socks
06:20 - The Twist: Battle Royale Rules
06:45 - The True Purpose of Analyst 1:1s
07:55 - Mitigating Agentic AI Risks
08:55 - Strategies for the Vendor Hall
09:37 - The Future of IGA
10:15 - Favorite Gartner Reports
11:05 - Benefits of Just-in-Time Access
11:45 - AI in Authentication Priorities
12:35 - Securing Non-Human Identities
13:05 - Keys to Successful B2B IAM 13:40 - The Hardest Part of Role Mining
14:15 - PAM for AI Agents
14:50 - Keynote Takeaways
15:40 - Measuring IAM Success
16:20 - Defining ITDR
17:05 - The Biggest Lie in IAM Sales
17:35 - Least Favorite Gartner Report
18:10 - Audit Preparation Preferences
18:45 - Common Lies in the Vendor Hall
19:15 - The Most Dangerous Access Right
19:35 - Winner Announcement and Outro

Keywords
IAM, identity management, cybersecurity, Gartner IAM Summit, Majority Rules, game show, Rebecca Archambault, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Agentic Identity, ITDR, non-human identity, role mining, zero standing privileges

#395 - Sponsor Spotlight - Redblock

This episode is sponsored by Redblock. Visit redblock.ai/idac to learn more.

Jeff and Jim come to you live from the Gartner IAM Summit in Grapevine, Texas, for a special Sponsor Spotlight with Redblock. They sit down with CEO Indus Khaitan to discuss how Redblock uses AI and computer vision to solve the "last mile" problem in identity management: disconnected applications.

Indus explains how Redblock acts as an "agentic" layer, using screen recordings to learn administrative tasks for apps that lack APIs. The conversation covers the origin of the company name, the urgency of securing the "long tail" of applications, and how they build trust and guardrails around AI execution. They also discuss the "DoorDash" analogy for identity fulfillment and wrap up with a fun chat about Indus's passion for flying planes.

Connect with Indus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaitan/

Learn more: redblock.ai/idac

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at [idacpodcast.com](http://idacpodcast.com)

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction from Gartner IAM Summit
00:46 Guest Introduction: Indus Khaitan of Redblock
01:40 Indus's Journey into Identity
02:41 The Origin of the Name "Redblock"
04:20 The Underserved Market: Services vs. Software
07:34 The Urgency of Securing Disconnected Apps
09:19 Why Traditional IGA and PAM Aren't Enough
11:35 The DoorDash Analogy: Where Redblock Fits
14:30 What Makes Redblock Unique? (Agentic Process Automation)
16:15 Trusting AI with Security Tasks
18:50 Onboarding Apps via Video Recording
21:23 Deployment: Running Air-Gapped on Customer Cloud
22:17 Handling UI Changes and "Full Self-Driving" Analogy
25:40 Integration with SailPoint and Governance Tools
27:13 Speed of Integration: Days vs. Years
32:00 How the "Headless Browser" Works
33:35 Limitations: Web Apps vs. Thick Clients
36:58 Redblock's 2025 Milestones and Future Outlook
39:48 Call to Action: Solving Disconnected Apps
40:27 Impressions of the Gartner IAM Summit
44:26 Are We in an AI Bubble?
46:46 Indus's Hobby: Flying Planes

Keywords
IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Redblock, Indus Khaitan, AI, Artificial Intelligence, IAM, Identity and Access Management, Disconnected Apps, Agentic AI, Computer Vision, Gartner IAM Summit, RPA, IGA, Cybersecurity

We are live from the Gartner IAM Summit 2025 in Grapevine, Texas! In this episode, we welcome back Sarah Clark, now the Chief Product Officer and GM of North America at Hopae. Sarah shares her journey from Mastercard to buying rainforests in Costa Rica and rescuing dogs, before diving deep into the world of digital identity infrastructure. We discuss connecting government-issued digital IDs with the private sector to combat fraud and improve user experiences. Sarah breaks down the differences in global adoption, highlighting why the EU is leading the charge with upcoming mandates and how countries like Brazil and India are scaling their programs. We also explore the state of mobile driver's licenses in the US, the potential for age verification and workforce management use cases, and whether the US can catch up to the rest of the world. Plus, we wrap up with a heartfelt conversation about dog rescue and the challenges of pet adoption.

Connect with Sarah https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmclark/

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/
Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/
Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com

Timestamps
00:00:00 - Intro: Live from Gartner IAM Summit 2025
00:01:25 - Introducing Sarah Clark and her journey to Hopae
00:03:00 - What is Hopae and the vision for digital identity infrastructure?
00:04:19 - Why governments are moving toward digital IDs (186 countries!)
00:05:32 - Solving the fraud crisis with government-issued credentials
00:07:05 - The benefits: Security, efficiency, and inclusion
00:08:52 - Global adoption curves: India, Philippines, and Brazil
00:10:48 - The EU vs. US: Who is winning the digital ID race?
00:14:04 - eIDAS 2.0 mandates and the intermediary role
00:17:03 - Future trends: Age verification, Fintech, and stablecoins
00:19:54 - Workforce management and "Know Your Employee"
00:21:28 - Sarah's passion project: Rainforest preservation and dog rescue
00:25:35 - Closing thoughts on the future of identity

Keywords
IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Sarah Clark, Hope, Digital Identity, Digital Wallets, Mobile Driver's License, mDL, eIDAS 2.0, Identity Verification, Fraud Prevention, KYC, Verifiable Credentials, Gartner IAM Summit, Digital Infrastructure, Biometrics, Age Verification

Join Jeff, Jim, and special guest Ian Glazer at the Gartner IAM Summit 2025 as they discuss the Identity and Access Management (IAM) industry, the evolution of IAM practices, and the exciting new concepts like Continuous Identity. They delve into topics such as the impact of AI, shared signals framework, and the struggles and triumphs of identity practitioners. Plus, hear about the Digital Identity Advancement Foundation’s mission and enjoy some lighter moments with tales of 'chuckles' and supper clubs. Don't miss this insightful and entertaining episode of the Identity at the Center podcast.

Connect with Ian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iglazer/

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/
Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/
Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Casual Banter
00:50 Conference Highlights and Podcast Milestones
03:00 Introducing Ian Glazer
05:43 Digital Identity Advancement Foundation (DIF)
08:09 Challenges in Identity Governance and Administration (IGA)
13:28 Continuous Identity: A Paradigm Shift
22:31 Real-World Applications and Organizational Impact
31:51 Realistic Security Measures
32:28 Maturity of Identity and Access Management
34:54 Skills and Challenges in IAM
36:44 Metrics and Outcomes in IAM
40:23 Identity Practitioner Skills
41:19 Solving Problems with AI
46:21 Continuous Identity and Future Trends
48:45 Identity Salon and Community
54:19 Wrapping Up and Future Events

Keywords
Ian Glazer, Continuous Identity, Shared Signals Framework, CAEP, Gartner IAM Summit, Identity Security, Joiner Mover Leaver, IGA, Access Certification, Identity Salon, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, IAM, Cybersecurity, Non-Human Identity, Identity Practitioner, DIAF

Join hosts Jeff Steadman and Jim McDonald for a special live episode recorded on location at Identiverse DC! In this interactive session, Jeff and Jim host a game of "Majority Rules," where the audience competes not to answer correctly, but to guess the most popular answer in the room.
The game covers a wide range of topics, from the trivial (worst conference swag and the official uniform of an IAM architect) to the technical (securing API keys, the biggest bottlenecks in IGA, and the primary causes of role explosion).
Things get intense halfway through with the introduction of the Battle Royale rules, where picking the minority answer sends a player's score back to zero. Watch to see who survives the explosions and takes home the grand prize.

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/
Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/
Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com

Chapter Timestamps
00:00 Intro to Identity at the Center Live00:36 Explaining the Rules of Majority Rules04:25 Question 1: The Worst Conference Swag06:00 Question 2: Replying to Access Denied07:05 Question 3: AI in Identity Management08:40 Question 4: Favorite MFA Method10:12 Question 5: Least Favorite Auth Factor11:15 Turning up the Heat: Battle Royale Mode12:10 Question 6: Why RBAC is Difficult at Scale13:30 Question 7: The IAM Architect Uniform14:50 Question 8: Best Place to Hide a Secret16:15 Question 9: Protocols You Secretly Miss17:25 Question 10: Most Hated Specialized Key18:40 Question 11: Conference Responsibilities20:00 Question 12: Securing API Keys21:20 Question 13: Secrets to Surviving Keynotes22:55 Question 14: The Biggest Bottleneck in IGA24:45 Question 15: Causes of Role Explosion25:50 Question 16: What Breaks First After a Schema Update26:40 Final Question: Fastest Way to Confuse a User27:40 Crowning the Winner

Keywords
IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Identiverse, Identiverse DC, IAM, Identity and Access Management, Cybersecurity, InfoSec Game Show, Live Podcast, Majority Rules, MFA, IGA, API Security, RBAC, Role Explosion, Tech Humor, Cyberrisk Alliance