Meet the Birdwatcher With a Knack for Spotting Cybersecurity Threats
If you ever wander into Ravi Shivdat’s backyard in sunny Montverde, FL, you’ll find a scene that’s equal parts peaceful and comical. Bird feeders of all sizes and shapes dangle from tree branches throughout the property—a humble haven for cardinals, blue jays, and the occasional “bully bird” to spar over breakfast while squirrels conduct covert operations nearby.
And then there’s Shivdat—eyes focused, camera in hand—either tucked behind a shrub or pressed up against a window. With the stealth of a great horned owl, he finds the perfect vantage point, constantly adjusting his lens and shutter speed, and being ever so careful not to make any sudden movements.
It’s a spectacle that keeps his family and neighbors entertained.
It’s also the perfect metaphor for the unwavering determination he brings to the State of North Dakota each day as NDIT Privacy Officer. The same blend of vigilance and instinct that serves him in the backyard guides his work in protecting citizens and agencies online—underscoring his remarkable ability to spot cyber-threats long before they land.
A cardinal perched on a flower post—one of the backyard scenes that fuels Ravi Shivdat’s love of birdwatching. That same watchful instinct guides his work for North Dakota, where he helps protect citizens and agencies long before cyber threats materialize.
Killing Two Birds With One Stone
Shivdat has a fascinating mind. He’s always had a strong legal inclination while also carrying a deep love for technology—especially cybersecurity. In fact, before finding his way to NDIT, he had originally planned to attend law school. But in the midst of the Y2K boom, the IT world came calling with opportunities impossible to pass up.
That blend of legal and technical fluency led him into global compliance roles at Siemens USA. But the constant travel became unsustainable. I hardly saw my kids for a couple of years,
Shivdat says. I enjoyed the work, but it became very demanding on my work-life balance. I needed to make a change.
Then came the life-changing opportunity with NDIT—a chance to build something meaningful in a state rapidly growing in prominence in terms of technology and cyber strategy. It offered the perfect intersection of his legal and cybersecurity expertise. Just as important, it allowed him to work from home much of the week, spend more time with his kids, and focus on work that directly benefits citizens.
Legal and cyber—he had finally found the best of both worlds.
Thankful for the work-life balance NDIT offers, Shivdat makes the most of every moment he gets to spend with his family.
Watching Over the Nest
After joining NDIT, it didn’t take long for Shivdat’s team (and many others across the agency) to notice not only his easygoing personality, but also the impressive breadth of his background. His strategic instincts, meticulous attention to detail, and forward-looking vision stood out immediately, leading to him being entrusted with building North Dakota’s first statewide data-privacy program from the ground up.
He even had the opportunity to influence data-privacy law—essentially a dream come true. North Dakota had never implemented a unified, enterprise-wide approach to data governance and privacy, and helping shape it meant something significant. It was a chance to ensure that citizens and agencies weren’t left as sitting ducks in the face of daily cyber-threats.
For example, Shivdat has had the chance to streamline audit processes for agencies like North Dakota Health and Human Services (NDHHS), easing the burden on both agency staff and NDIT subject matter experts. The end result: They don’t have to run around like chickens with their heads cut off anymore, trying to track down miscellaneous details,
he says. They can put their focus where it matters most—helping the citizens they serve.
The goal of all this? To strengthen the state’s cybersecurity posture, which has been very successful. It’s part of a broader “whole-of-state” approach to data governance and security designed to create consistency, reduce risk, and build long-term resilience. This philosophy aligns closely with that of NDIT’s Chief Information Security Officer, Chris Gergen. A longtime cybersecurity leader at NDIT, Gergen helped stand up the state’s Cyber Operations Center and now oversees the agency’s security strategy, working closely with Shivdat to put it into action.
Today, Shivdat’s privacy efforts are part of a cohesive, statewide strategy under NDIT—combining data governance, privacy, and cybersecurity to protect the information entrusted to the state. This coordinated, intentional approach increases the likelihood that North Dakota’s data-driven transformation will be secure, sustainable, and built with both innovation and responsibility in mind.
Shivdat credits NDIT for giving him the rare chance to thrive at the intersection of legal and cyber—work that lets him make a real difference for the State of North Dakota.
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Ask Shivdat what he loves most about NDIT, and the answer arrives without hesitation: The people. It sounds cliché, but I really enjoy working with our team. It’s a different environment from where I came from. Here, people care about one another very much.
He’s especially grateful for NDIT’s strong leadership team. They have a clear vision of where the agency is going, and they live out their goals and values, leading by example every day.
Our executives and managers here have always been really supportive,
he says. I like to randomly throw ideas out there. They’ve always been very receptive to that, and they trust you to run with things and know how to develop them.
And if anyone ever asks why they should join NDIT, Shivdat doesn’t sugarcoat it—he just tells it like it is.
If your goal is to do work that’s relevant and impactful for people, and you want to be part of an organization that supports you, NDIT is the place,
he adds. It’s a place that truly cares about people and their peace of mind.
Making a Difference, One Citizen at a Time
When it comes to cybersecurity, Shivdat’s message is simple: Education is the most important thing we can do. It boils down to getting in front of people and using language they can understand and digest.
He’s equally committed to empowering citizens—one of the cornerstones of NDIT’s Stay Cyber SMART campaign, which teaches North Dakotans simple ways to protect their data, accounts, and personal information. At the end of the day, it’s about making sure people are protected online.
If we can prevent even one incident, that’s a big deal,
Shivdat says. How lucky am I to have a bird’s-eye view of that mission.