Insights
The Trail Report
& field notes.
Reports, newsletters, and project spotlights, published from the field.
Built Around the People We Serve
A spotlight on Technical Account Manager Mike Baldacci, plus three cybersecurity threats districts need to understand right now: smarter phishing, collaboration tool hijacking, and social engineering through support platforms.
Walking the Path Forward, Together
Pathfinder 360 is officially launched. We share the story behind the Dillon Public Library security project, the growing role of cybersecurity investment in public institutions, and what we're hearing from the field.
Where Strategy Meets the Real World
From a unique fossil-site security project in Snowmass, Colorado to the growing need for public-private cybersecurity partnerships, and the full rollout of Pathfinder 360.
Trust, Visibility, and Planning Ahead
Attackers are abusing the platforms schools trust most, Microsoft and Google. Plus: a classroom security upgrade at Converse County School District in Wyoming and federal guidance on K–12 cyber readiness.
Rooted in Community
Prairie View Community School's infrastructure transformation, a spotlight on team member Brandan Bassett, and cybersecurity priorities every K–12 district should be thinking about now.
Built on Relationships
Thoughtful security planning helped protect new apartment communities in Montana from day one. Plus insights on smarter cybersecurity and the network as the backbone of instruction.
Spotlight: Bozeman Airport's Ruckus renewal
A decade in and still scaling, what the airport partnership looks like as a living example of Pathfinder longevity.
When Planning Meets Reality in Education IT
Cybersecurity threats in education are becoming more targeted and persistent. This edition covers the evolution of threats, a real-world school systems outage in Victoria, and what IT leaders should be prioritizing in 2026.
Mapping What's Ahead in 2026
The first Trail Report of 2026 covers real-world planning lessons from Sheridan City School District, a cautionary cyberattack story from overseas, and the continuing development of Pathfinder 360.
Montana Cybersecurity Report 2025: The Big Sky Wake-Up Call
Real data, local breaches, and a four-pillar roadmap to resilience for Montana's schools, hospitals, governments, and businesses. Rural does not mean immune.
The team
Employee spotlights.
Mike Baldacci
Technical Account Manager
Before working in technology, Mike was a fifth grade teacher. That experience still shapes how he supports districts today. He understands how much educators rely on technology and how quickly things can change when it is not working. As a Technical Account Manager, Mike partners closely with school leaders, helping them navigate both day-to-day challenges and long-term planning.
Read the storyBrandan Bassett
Behind every strong client relationship at Pine Cove is someone who genuinely cares, and Brandan Bassett is one of those people. As one of our most tenured leaders, Brandan brings more than technical experience; he brings relationship-first thinking. He's the kind of partner who remembers what matters to your district, who shows up consistently, and who sees beyond the immediate ticket to the bigger picture. Clients trust Brandan because he listens first. Strategy comes second.
Read the story