[Teisha Nolen]

Access controls are essential in any organization, but reflecting on my career at an electric cooperative, it is absolutely crucial. In the electric utility sector, we manage critical infrastructure and sensitive operational data. From my experience working in this field, I have seen firsthand how well-defined access control policies can make or break a company’s ability to protect its systems. We deal with SCADA systems, customer billing platforms, and outage management tools, and each one needs strict access boundaries to prevent unauthorized changes or data leaks.
Access control isn’t about locking people out as much as it is about letting the right people in, with the right level of access. Role-based access, multi-factor authentication, and audit trails help ensure that employees can do their jobs without compromising security. For example, a field technician doesn’t need access to financial records, and a billing clerk shouldn’t be able to modify grid operations.
In my industry, a breach doesn’t just mean lost data-it could mean service interruptions, safety risks, or regulatory violations. That’s why access control policies must be clear, enforced, and regularly reviewed. They are not just IT protocols; they are part of our operational integrity. When done right, they protect our customers, our systems, and our reputation.