TECH EXEC NETWORKS - Key Persons
Ajay Gupta is currently working as a Vice President - Cyber Strategy, Defense, Data and Threat Management at AmerisourceBergen responsible for wide range of security functions to provide threat aligned cyber capabilities and protection. Prior to his time at AmerisourceBergen, his most recent role was at Humana as Chief of Cyber Security Operations where Ajay was responsible for transforming Humana's Cyber Security and Counter Threat Operations into a proactive Cyber Fusion Center. Prior to his time at Humana, Ajay served as a Global Information Security Officer for Yum Brand/Pizza Hut and was responsible for Pizza Hut's information security and governance program, including all security ecosystems in support of markets spread across 100+ countries. Prior to his time at Pizza Hut, Ajay served as Chief Information Security Officer for Concentra, a national provider/urgent care organization, where he was in charge of setting up the organization's end-to-end information security program, including Governance, risk, security architecture, technology and operations functions. Prior to Concentra, Ajay served in various progressive leadership roles at Humana in application development, enterprise architecture, and information security functions. In those roles, he led multiple initiatives around security-driven application development, web access control, perimeter, cloud, and mobile device security and architecture.
Ajay holds an MBA and M.S. in strategic finance and B.S. in electrical and electronics engineering and resides in Frisco, Texas. He is a technology enthusiast and in his spare time, Ajay enjoys traveling, hiking, watching movies and cheering for his favorite Dallas Cowboys.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President and Chief Security Officer for Utility Technology Solutions
Bernie Cowens is Executive Vice President and Chief Security Officer for Utility Technology Solutions, a New York-based investment company focused on modernizing and protecting the grid and other critical infrastructure.
Most recently, Bernie was Vice President and Chief Security Officer for Pacific Gas and Electric Company, one of the largest combined gas and electric utility companies in the United States. In this position, Bernie led company-wide efforts to identify and manage physical and cyber security risks to protect PG&E's people, critical infrastructure, information assets, and business operations.
Before joining PG&E, Bernie was the Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer for First American Financial, where he oversaw all aspects of cyber security for the company and its global business units. He has held senior security executive positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Experian, and the Automobile Club of Southern California. He previously served as the Vice President and Chief Information Officer for SafeNet, a global encryption technology manufacturing company.
A former military officer and Special Agent, Bernie has extensive international counterintelligence, counter-terrorism, and physical security experience. He completed his military service as the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Security Officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency in Los Angeles. He has more than 30 years of security and technology leadership experience, and he earned the CISSP and CISA designations.
Bernie has a bachelor's degree in information systems management from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in management information systems from Bowie State University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Chief Privacy Officer
Job Titles:
- Director of Threat & Vulnerability
Corinne Bertolino is the Director of Threat & Vulnerability Management in Refinitiv's Cyber and Information Security Organization. Corinne began her career with General Electric (GE) in the Information Technology Leadership Program (ITLP) after obtaining her undergraduate degree in Security and Risk Analysis (B.S.) from Penn State University. In 2012, GE divested its retail card business and Corinne had the opportunity to build and lead the bank's Vulnerability Management program through separation and maturation journeys. In 2018, Corinne joined Refinitiv to tackle an even bigger challenge of separating and transforming the Threat & Vulnerability Management program while building a global team and navigating a complex and evolving technology estate. Some of Corinne's personal passions include Phillies baseball, inventing new recipes, and traveling to new places with her husband.
David Austin was named Senior Vice President, Information Systems & Chief Information Officer for Six Flags in December 2017. Mr. Austin had previously served as Chief Technology Officer at Berkshire Hathaway Automotive from December 2014 to December 2017, where he had operational responsibility for all technology across 100 business units, technology development, and leadership of the IT team. Prior to that, from May 2007 to December 2014, he served as the Vice President of Information Technology at Larry H. Miller Group, a company with many businesses that included The Utah Jazz and associated arena businesses, large megaplex cinemas, a 500-acre racetrack complex, and a large automotive business, where he led the IT team. Mr. Austin majored in Speech Communication at Fresno State University.
Job Titles:
- Director of Product Security and Services
Janeine Rose Charpiat is a Director of Product Security and Services at Philips. Philips is at the forefront of the COVID-19 response transformation. The key opportunities for response transformation are extending care delivery, optimizing clinical and operational workflows, and robust interoperability and security. The Philips Product Security team is dedicated to ensuring the security of patients, operators and customers who use Philips products and services.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer ( CISO ) at the University of Virginia
Jason Belford is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the University of Virginia (UVA). Mr. Belford joined the University in late 2015 after a cyber breach paralyzed the University's IT operations. Over the last four years, Mr. Belford and his team have modernized UVA's security operations, helping protecting UVA's data, systems, and networks. Mr. Belford has been working in higher education over 22 years. Prior to joining the UVA team, Mr. Belford was responsible for Georgia Tech's Cyber Security operations and incident response programs. He holds a BBA degree in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University and a Masters of Information Security from Georgia Tech.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Executive Vice - President
Jason Witty is Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Security Officer at U.S. Bancorp, providing singular accountability for all information security controls in the company. An award-winning CISO, Jason was recognized as a 2017 Ponemon Fellow; the 2017 SecureWorld Ambassador of the Year; a 2015 "CISO Superhero" at I.S.E. North America; the 2014 I.S.E. North America People's Choice Award winner; 2013"CISO of the Year" by the Information Systems Security Association of Chicago and the Association of Information Technology Professionals; and one of Information Security Magazine's 2013 "Security 7" representing the Financial Sector. He is a highly rated public speaker, frequently keynoting on cyber security topics at large events including CSA Cloud Summit, Finsec, InfosecEurope, RSA Conference, SecureWorld, and others.
Prior to joining U.S. Bancorp, Jason was the Senior Vice President and Cyberthreat Prevention Services Executive at Bank of America. He was responsible for a team of information security professionals spanning eight countries who provided information security risk prevention and deterrence services, globally. He was simultaneously accountable for all information security controls outside of the United States for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, covering 48 countries.
Jason is a certified Information Systems Security Management Professional (ISSMP) who has played major leadership roles in information security throughout his career. He has 25 years of information technology experience, 23 focusing on information security risk management. Before his role at Bank of America, Jason was the First Vice-President of Security Services for LaSalle Bank N.A. He also led the internal Information Security team at The Options Clearing Corporation and served as Director of Global Security Architecture for Aon Corporation at its world-wide headquarters in Chicago. He combines strong organizational management and leadership skills with a high degree of technical knowledge, the result of hands-on information security experience early in his career at Allstate Insurance, N.A.S.A. Langley, Siemens, and Jefferson Laboratories.
Over his career, Jason has been involved in 57 acquisition related network integrations, set up secure eCommerce environments, and led multiple cross-industry forums.
Providing industry leadership, Jason is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS/ISAC); Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Technology Security Coalition (NTSC); and a Board Advisor to Arbor Networks, Amgen, Forcepoint, Kohl's and Qualys. He was also on the Program Committee of the RSA Conference (2013-2017) and serves as FBI's Chicago Infragard Sector Chief for Finance.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer
Jody W. Blanchard is a seasoned cybersecurity expert with over 25 years of exceptional leadership experience, both in the US Army and in global corporate environments. Currently serving as the Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Zimmer Biomet, Jody leads a team of 56 senior managers and directors in executing advanced security strategies.
His career is a blueprint for excellence in cybersecurity, reflecting a deep commitment to protecting organizational assets and national interests through innovative strategies and solutions. His ability to lead, innovate, and educate makes him a paragon in information security.
A strategic thinker, Jody has been instrumental in risk management, overseeing compliance programs and developing Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that elevate the standards of information security and identity management. His foresight in managing assets worth over $8 billion and his ability to innovate security measures stand as a testament to his unparalleled professionalism in IT security.
Jody's career has been marked by significant leadership roles, particularly during his tenure with the US Army. He managed a robust team that shaped the strategic direction for cybersecurity and compliance with federal regulations. His military service endowed him with a profound understanding of national security and information assurance, making him an expert in integrating COTS services and capabilities.
Currently serving as Vice President, CISO at Zimmer Biomet, Jody also served as the Director of Global IT Security, where he laid down the vision for IT security, spearheading significant projects focused on cloud compliance, incident response, and security control automation. He has always been at the forefront of enhancing an organization's security posture through continuous development and execution of network security architecture and standards.
Jody's academic achievements are equally impressive. He is on track to complete a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Columbia International University by 2025, holding a CISO Executive Certificate from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.S. in Information Management from Syracuse University, an M.S. in Cybersecurity from Bellevue University, and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Bellevue University. A highly certified professional, Jody holds numerous industry certifications, including CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CISA, CDPSE, CASP, and several others from ISC(2), ISACA, CompTIA, and EC-Council. His education has provided a strong foundation for his professional pursuits, enhancing his expertise in leading complex cybersecurity initiatives.
Jody also contributes to the industry through various board memberships and advisory roles. He is a member of the Technology Executive Council at CNBC, an Incident Handler Scheme Committee Board Member at EC-Council, and an Advisory Council Member for the Transformative Leadership Program at Seton Hall University. These roles reflect his dedication to shaping the future of cybersecurity leadership and policy.
His expertise and leadership have not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by his industry recognitions, including the CyberDefense Media Top Global CISO Award in 2023 and 2024, and he is listed among the Top 10 Information Security Professionals by OnCon in 2023 and Top 50 in 2022 and 2024.
Job Titles:
- Vice President at Sanford Health
Kim Hogstad serves as a vice president at Sanford Health, where she leads a multidisciplinary team responsible for protecting the confidentiality and integrity of patient data and patient care services. Serving as the Information Security Officer, Kim has led the implementation of the Information Security Program focusing on strategic business alignment, prioritized risk management and promotion of organizational culture and governance. In addition, Kim stresses the importance of agility in the Information Security Program to ensure the organization is positioned to respond and adapt to emerging threats, new regulatory requirements, and changes in business strategy.
Prior to joining Sanford, Kim held various technical and leadership positions at Mayo Clinic. Kim holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Morningside College and a Master of Science from Colorado State University.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- President
- CEO and President of T.E.N
- Visionary Leader
Marci McCarthy is a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and advocate at the forefront of the information security industry. As the CEO and President of T.E.N., Marci brings nearly three decades of business management expertise to her role, spearheading innovative initiatives that redefine networking and relationship-marketing in the realm of cybersecurity.
A trailblazer in her field, Marci is the driving force behind T.E.N.'s flagship program, the Information Security Executive® of the Year (ISE®) Program Series. Recognized as the premier recognition and networking program for security professionals in the U.S. and Canada, Marci's dedication to fostering excellence and connectivity in the IT security industry is unparalleled.
Marci's impact extends beyond the business realm, earning her numerous accolades and honors. In 2012, she received a prestigious citation from the 4th Congressional District of Georgia, commemorating her efforts to elevate visibility and professionalism within the IT security sector. Her contributions were further celebrated with the declaration of "Marci McCarthy Day" on March 13th.
Acknowledged as one of IFSEC's Global Security and Fire Influencers for 2018, Marci ranked #3 in the Cybersecurity category, marking her as the highest-ranking woman on the list. Her dedication to improving security extends to her home state, where she received a proclamation from the Georgia State Senate in 2022, recognizing her leadership and commitment to enhancing security in Georgia's information technology systems and electoral processes.
Marci's commitment to education and empowerment is evident through her involvement in various corporate, academic advisory, and non-profit boards. She serves on Spirion's Board of Directors, the University of Alabama's Culverhouse Cyber Executive Board of Advisors, and Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group (EBCS). Additionally, Marci's philanthropic endeavors include establishing "The Marci McCarthy Cybersecurity Certification Scholarship Program" in partnership with Cyversity, providing financial support to women and minority students pursuing careers in cybersecurity.
Marci McCarthy is the CEO and President of T.E.N., an information security executive networking and relationship-marketing firm. With nearly 30 years of business management and entrepreneurial experience, McCarthy founded T.E.N.'s flagship program, the Information Security Executive® of the Year (ISE®) Program Series, which is lauded by the IT industry as the premier recognition and networking program for security professionals in the U.S. and Canada.
A 2012 recipient of a 4th Congressional District of Georgia Citation, McCarthy was lauded for fostering greater visibility and professionalism for the IT security industry, naming March 13th "Marci McCarthy Day." McCarthy was listed as one of IFSEC's Global Security and Fire Influencers for 2018 as #3 of 20 total leaders in their Cybersecurity category; she was also the highest-ranking woman on the list. In 2022, Marci received a proclamation from the Georgia State Senate recognizing her leadership and dedication to improving security in the State of Georgia, both in our information technology systems and at the ballot box, ensuring trust both by the people of Georgia.
Marci serves in multiple capacities on several corporate, academic advisory and non-profit boards to include Spirion's Board of Directors, the University of Alabama's Culverhouse Cyber Executive Board of Advisors and Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group (EBCS). Most recently, Marci was the Inaugural Advisory Council Chair for the National Technology Security Coalition (NTSC), was the longest serving TechBridge Board Member, served on Cyversity Board of Directors and the Atlanta Girls' School Board of Trustees
McCarthy is also a former member of the Board of Directors for the Cyversity and partnered with the organization to create "The Marci McCarthy Cybersecurity Certification Scholarship Program," which provides $5,000 over a two-year period to help talented women and minority students advance into cybersecurity and obtain their CompTIA Security+ Professional Certification. Eight deserving individuals have been awarded this scholarship to date.
McCarthy has been a guest lecturer, speaker, and moderator at national conferences such as the ISE® Summit and Award Program Series, many ISSA Local Chapter and International Conferences, and more, speaking on cybersecurity, women in technology/security/business, STEAM, entrepreneurism, and leadership topics.
Honors and Awards
ATP Impact Award Finalist 2018
TAG Diversity Leadership Award of Excellence - Small Business (Individual) 2018
IFSEC Global Security and Fire Influencers - #3 in Cybersecurity 2018
Top Women Entrepreneurs in Cybersecurity 2017
Top Women Entrepreneurs in Cybersecurity 2016
CompTIA DC Fly-in: Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Delegate 2016
TiE Atlanta Top Entrepreneurs - Middle Market Entrepreneurs 2015
CompTIA DC Fly-in: TechAmerica Georgia Delegate 2015
Congressional Citation and Distinguished Service Award 2012
Marci McCarthy is the CEO and President of T.E.N., an information security executive networking and relationship-marketing firm. With more than 20 years of business management and entrepreneurial experience, McCarthy founded T.E.N.'s flagship program, the Information Security Executive® of the Year (ISE®) Program Series, which is lauded by the IT industry as the premier recognition and networking program for security professionals in the U.S. and Canada.
Nicolas Fischbach is Global CTO at Forcepoint. He drives corporate-level vision and innovation, defines the research agenda, and pilots technology and architecture roadmaps which underpin Forcepoint's cybersecurity portfolio. Prior to Forcepoint, he spent 17 years at global B2B service provider Colt leading company-wide strategy, architecture, and innovation. Under his leadership, Colt received significant industry awards as a SDN, NFV, and telco transformation pioneer. Fischbach is a recognized authority on service provider security and next-generation network and cloud architectures. He holds master's degrees in networking and distributed computing, and computer science, from Pierre and Marie Curie University and the Institute of Information Technology, respectively.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Senior Vice President
Job Titles:
- VP and Chief Information Security Officer for Children 's Healthcare of Atlanta
Mr. Manikin is currently VP and Chief Information Security Officer for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, one of the largest pediatric clinical care health systems in the United States. He has been Children's most senior information security executive for 12 years.
Job Titles:
- Information Technology Executive
Supro Ghose is an information technology executive with nearly 30 years of information security, risk, compliance and technology management experience predominantly in the financial services. Supro is currently the CISO at EagleBank, a midsize Bank in the Washington DC metro area. Previously he has worked in a variety of senior information security leadership positions, including CISO, at FINRA, VISA, Citibank, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland), Common Securitization Solutions (CSS); Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) and Microsoft.
Job Titles:
- Industry Leader and Cybersecurity Champion, Authored CISO COMPASS
Todd Fitzgerald, an industry leader and cybersecurity champion, authored CISO COMPASS: Navigating Cybersecurity Leadership Challenges with Insights from Pioneers. CISO COMPASS is a comprehensive, soup-to-nuts book enabling security leaders to effectively protect information assets and build award-winning programs by covering topics such as developing cybersecurity strategy, emerging trends and technologies, cybersecurity organization structure and reporting models, leveraging current incidents, security control frameworks, risk management, laws and regulations, data protection and privacy, meaningful policies and procedures, multi-generational workforce team dynamics, soft skills, and communicating with the Board of Directors and executive management.