PLANET CYBER SEC - Key Persons
Aaron Turner is a multi-decade cybersecurity veteran. From his days as an independent pen tester in the early '90s, to his work at Microsoft as part of teams that developed technologies like Active Directory, Bit Locker and Windows Update, he was fortunate to help shape critical security improvements in enterprise technology. Aaron was invited to help build the first critical infrastructure cybersecurity research laboratory at the Idaho National Laboratory and spent two years digging into the vulnerabilities that exist in the utilities and services that make modern life possible. After leaving INL, Aaron became a serial cybersecurity entrepreneur, inventing technologies to give defenders the ability to keep up with attackers and building businesses to support the development of those capabilities.
He successfully started Terreo, a wireless intrusion detection platform developed with the US Secret Service to detect credit card skimmers in payment terminals and sold that to Verifone in 2015. He started Siriux in 2020 to focus on M365 vulnerabilities, grew that business and merged Siriux with Vectra in January 2022 to take Siriux's M365 security capabilities to the next level.
Job Titles:
- Independent Insurance Agent
Adriana Mendieta is an experienced independent insurance agent who has been working in the industry since 2005. She owns an agency called Tech Coordinator Cyber Insurance Solutions and is licensed in 15 states. Adriana has been recognized for her sales skills and has been named Sales Coordinator of the year multiple times at Colonial Life. Her expertise includes database management and managing field sales teams.
Adriana achieved the status of Lead Producers Round Table (LPRT) at the National Association of Independent Benefit Advisors in 2018. This recognition is given to top producers in the insurance industry, specifically in the health insurance field. LPRT members are considered experts in their field, and are able to produce a high volume of business in a cost-effective manner. Their success is attributed to their dedication to excellence and their ability to produce a significant amount of business. (https://nabip.org/membership-resources/lprt-leading-producers-round-table)
Adriana studied Cyber Security 101 At Long Beach State in 2019.
In 2020, Adriana implemented a sales distribution partnership with Zeguro Cyber Insurance, and began specializing in Cyber Insurance. This partnership allowed Adriana and her agency, Tech Coordinator Cyber Insurance Solutions, to offer clients a specialized service in the area of Cyber Insurance, which is becoming increasingly important for businesses of all sizes.
Alex Wood has 20+ years of experience in Information Security and is currently the CISO for Uplight, a software company powering decarbonization of the power grid. Alex has managed security programs and services at companies across verticals, including telecommunications, energy, healthcare, entertainment, travel, and financial services. Additionally, Alex has served as a Director on the International Board of the Information System Security Association (ISSA), is Past-President of the ISSA Denver Chapter, and is Co-host of the Colorado = Security Podcast.
Alexander Braehler is a Cyber Security Architect and a Wazuh Security Engineer with over 35 years of experience in IT/IS consulting for SMBs and enterprises. He joined the information security community in 2011 and has since been actively involved with various security industry organizations, including the Southern California chapter of HTCIA, where he served as 1st VP and Chapter President. Alexander is also an Infrastructure Liaison Officer with FBI Infragard, an active member of USSS CFTF, and the Cloud Security Alliance. He has been a key member of the conference planning committees for OWASP L.A. and ISSA L.A., two organizations that host events focused on information security and cyber threats.
April Sather leads the development, implementation and evaluation of campus-wide information security risk management processes and policy at UCI. In this role, she work closely with senior administration, academic leaders and the campus community.
She has over 20 years' experience spanning post-merger integration, information technology, strategy, business process improvement, innovation and operations. Her career has included work in financial services, healthcare, professional services, real estate and education sectors. Prior to joining UCI, April was Chief Information Security Officer and Director, Innovation, Architecture and Security Services at Pacific Blue Cross in Vancouver, Canada. Earlier roles include positions at First West Credit Union, Deloitte, Sun Microsystems and Computer Sciences Corporation.
April earned her MBA from the University of California, Irvine and a Bachelors of Information Technology and Bachelors of Commerce from Bond University, Australia. April is a member of ISACA, PMI, UC Women in Technology and a founding member of UCI Women in Technology.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer for the California Institute of Technology
Arlene Yetnikoff is the Chief Information Security Officer for the California Institute of Technology. Arlene has worked in Information Security for many years as a leader, consultant, educator, and hands-on practitioner. Today, Arlene leads Caltech's Information Security team, which also houses their identity managnement function . Arlene has previously taught numerous graduate cybersecurity courses at the University of Chicago and DePaul Univerity. Arlene is a CISSP and CISA. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Chicago and a Masters in Computer Science, Telecommunications from DePaul University.
Job Titles:
- Sales Engineer at Sonatype
Austin Steffes is a Sales Engineer at Sonatype, dedicated to driving innovation and solving organizational challenges. With a keen interest in supply chain security, he leverages his understanding of current business processes to develop technical solutions. Prior to Sonatype, Austin held positions in Software Engineering and NLP Engineering.
Bill Corbitt has more than 35 years of cybersecurity experience. He was a Federal Agent in Cybersecurity and Forensics, and later led the Incident Response and Forensics teams at Mastercard and Nike.
Mr. Corbitt led the creation and implementation of a global cybersecurity, forensic, and incident response organization that immediately delivered ROI by strengthening the company's risk response in 147 countries and across all 2.4 million total endpoints. He is also a Global Cybersecurity thought leader and a chair of the University of South Florida's Cybersecurity Advisory Committee influencing university policy and corporate business practices.
Mr. Corbitt is recognized as an authority in corporate counterespionage and corporate counterintelligence. He has received his government training and tradecraft in the intelligence operations, counterespionage, and counterintelligence fields and organized a privately based team of experts in both HUMINT (Human Intelligence) and Cyber Intelligence operations.
Job Titles:
- Risk Management Executive
Cybersecurity and Risk Management executive with over 20 years of experience. Billy has worked in a variety of industries at start-ups as well as enterprise companies. His current role is CISO at FFF Enterprises which is a multi-billion dollar healthcare and pharmaceutical distribution and solution firm out of Southern California. He oversees cybersecurity as well as product security and physical security. He also co-leads the Privacy and Enterprise Risk Management programs with the Chief Compliance Officer.
Brett Fulmer, "Broker Brett," is an insurance agent, agency owner, and carrier access provider. He is also a startup Advisor, including to 1Fort Inc. , and considers himself an "InsurTech Guinea Pig," kicking the tires and giving real-time boots-on-the-ground feedback to startups, companies, and investors in the Insurance industry.
Brian Reed leads the mobile innovation and DevSecOps charge at NowSecure helping orgs deliver high quality secure mobile apps faster. He brings decades of experience in mobile, apps, security, dev, testing and operations helping Fortune 2000 global customers, federal agencies and mobile innovators. Brian is a compelling storyteller, speaker and writer including Droidcon, AllDayDevOps, OWASP, DevOpsWorld, DevOps Days, RSA, Mobile World Congress, FS-ISAC, and more. Brian is a graduate of Duke University.
Job Titles:
- Strategic Cybersecurity Expert
Caroline Wong is a strategic cybersecurity expert with more than fifteen years of experience delivering global programs. Her practical knowledge stems from broad experience, including Chief Strategy Officer at Cobalt, Director and BSIMM practice lead at Cigital, global product management at Symantec, and day-to-day security leadership roles at eBay and Zynga. As a thought leader with a passion for community building, Caroline hosts the Humans of InfoSec podcast and teaches cybersecurity courses on LinkedIn Learning. Caroline is the author of Security Metrics: A Beginner's Guide, which was inducted in the Cybersecurity Canon Hall of Fame in 2022.
Cuc currently serves as Cal State Long Beach's Information Security Officer. She has over 20 years of experience in governance, risk, and compliance. At CSULB, Cuc is responsible for maturing the campus' information security and privacy programs. She also oversees security operations, awareness and education, compliance, and risk management strategies. Prior to CSULB, Cuc has worked with a wide range of industries including automotive, financial services, healthcare, and security professional services, leading diverse, cross-functional teams in both private and public sectors domestically and globally. Cuc is a lifelong learner and is driven to elevating cultural responsibility, stewardship, and advocacy through education and awareness.
A globally recognized software security expert, Dan Cornell has over 20 years of experience architecting, developing and securing software systems. As a CISO Advisor at Coalfire, Dan works with customers and industry partners to help solve their challenges in cloud and application security. Prior to its acquisition by Coalfire, Dan was a founder of and the Chief Technology Officer at Denim Group, where he helped Fortune 500 companies and government organizations integrate security throughout the development process.
Cornell is an active member of the development community and a sought-after speaker on topics of application and software security, speaking at international conferences including RSA Security Conference, OWASP AppSec USA and EU, TEDx, and Black Hat CISO Forum. He holds three patents in the area of software security.
Dave is a current and founding member of the Los Angeles County District Attorney (LADA) Cyber Investigation Response Team (CIRT). His unit is the law enforcement criminal investigation arm of cyber-attacks, intellectual property thefts, and network intrusions against Los Angeles County government technology assets and resources, including human resources. Dave has been assigned to CIRT for more than ten years. In this role, he is also a member of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Identity Theft Task Force and the United States Secret Service Los Angeles Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Dave has trained thousands of law enforcement professionals, Los Angeles County employee end-users, and County business enterprises and residents in the disciplines of cyber security, risk reduction, and Internet investigations. Before joining the LADA, Babcock was a Police Officer for the City of Glendale. He served as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, with a degree in Chemical Engineering.
David Spark (@dspark) is the founder and executive producer of the CISO Series, a media network for cybersecurity professionals. He also co-hosts many of our shows. Spark is a veteran tech journalist that's appeared in many media outlets such as eWEEK, Wired News, Forbes, PCWorld, Clearchannel, and TechTV (formerly ZDTV). Spark is the author of "Three Feet from Seven Figures: One-on-One Engagement Techniques to Qualify More Leads at Trade Shows." Outside of tech, security, and marketing, Spark squandered more than a dozen years working as a touring stand up comedian, a San Francisco tour guide, and a comedy writer for The Second City in Chicago.
David Wettenstein is active member of the information security community in Southern California for over a decade, and board member for several Not-for-Profit (NFP) organizations such as Information System Security Association (ISSA) and Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Los Angeles Chapter. He was the treasurer for High Tech Crimes Investigation Association (HTCIA SoCal) and helped other NFPs, BSides Los Angeles, AppSec California and ISSA.LA Summits organize their conferences.
David has over three decades of IT/IS experience helping for SMB and large enterprises build and architect their digital footprints. He has earned an MBA and continued his education with various technical certifications including computer forensics.
Deb Radcliff is an author, speaker, and analyst with extensive background in cybersecurity and cybercrime writing. In 1996, after researching a best-selling book about computer hacker Kevin Mitnick (Jon Littman's "The Fugitive Game"), she decided to make cybercrime a beat. As a pioneering cybercrime journalist, she built relationships with cyberagents and leaders at the FBI, DoD, the Secret Service, CIA, NYPD, and many other local and federal agencies that were creating and growing their cyber units. Her articles are cited in numerous research papers and college textbooks. She's spoken at West Point, won two Neal Awards for investigative business reporting, and was runner up for a third. In 2005, Radcliff stood up a new Analyst Program for the SANS Institute which she ran for 15 years before returning to her independent analyst roots.
Deb is now writing a cyber thriller series. Book one, "Breaking Backbones: Information is Power," is available at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Backbones-Information-Hacker-Trilogy/dp/1665701080/), and book two is underway.
DeMarcus Gilliard, a seasoned Senior Account Executive at Orca Security, brings over 15 years of professional experience to his current sales role. His unique journey, marked by service as a United States Marine Corps Officer and academic rigor as a 2009 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, has profoundly shaped his professional ethos. DeMarcus's comprehensive expertise in cybersecurity sales is a testament to his ability to adeptly navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of cyber threats. He excels in devising customized solutions that address the specific needs of his clients, fostering long-lasting relationships built on trust and results. Renowned for his ability to tackle complex challenges with unyielding professionalism, DeMarcus is committed to delivering exceptional outcomes. His career is a reflection of his belief in the symbiotic relationship between his clients' success and his unwavering dedication.
Dennis Stimpson is Director, Western US at Zyston LLC. Dennis has 20+ years of global enterprise software experience in sales, marketing, software development, and operations. In both individual contributor, product specialist and leadership roles(Manager, Director, VP, Global Director) with companies such as IBM, BMC, BEA Systems/Oracle, JP Morgan Chase, and Insight. Prior to entering the software industry, Dennis was a Director of Engineering for United Technologies Corporation-Carrier Air Conditioning Business Unit. Where he led a team of engineers designing electrical controls and circuits for commercial and industrial HVAC machinery.
As an undergraduate, Dennis studied electrical engineering at Texas A&M University. He also holds a master's degree in marketing from Southern Methodist University and earned his MBA in Monte Carlo, Monaco from the University of Monaco. With a specialization in Private Equity + Luxury Goods & Services. In his spare time, he enjoys fitness, reading, traveling, skiing, riding his motocross bikes, and spending time with family. While a native of Texas, he now resides in Los Angeles, California.
Derek has gained accolades for his extensive expertise and decades-long journey across the engineering domains of hardware, software, and cybersecurity. As an author, leader, speaker, and university instructor, Derek brings a wealth of knowledge to the forefront of the industry. His commitment to enhancing information security has defined his career, steering high-performing cybersecurity teams and crafting strategic initiatives that effectively mitigate risks and safeguard sensitive data.
Derek's has focused his efforts on bridging divides and uniting teams for cybersecurity success. Derek is adept at designing and implementing regulatory compliance systems and cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions, preventing security incidents, optimizing security postures, and streamlining organizational workflows. He has a knack for developing and maintaining corporate IT policies and standards pertaining to information security and his organizational influence encompasses the establishment of comprehensive enterprise security services, including innovative vulnerability management programs, pioneering bug bounty initiatives, and impactful security training. His understanding of regulatory compliance systems and cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions ensures that organizations are well-equipped to navigate the digital landscape securely.
Derek has built a career out of public speaking, content creation, sales, marketing, and enterprise design around a core set of technologies like identity security, Active Directory/Azure Active Directory, cloud identity, PAM, CIEM, MFA, SSO, Group Policy, and other integrated technologies. Derek has worked for and with companies leading in these areas such as Microsoft, AWS, BeyondTrust, Quest, ManageEngine, Specops, Bloodhound, and more.
Derek has authored over 15 books, including The Group Policy Resource Kit and Auditing Windows Active Directory. Derek is always consulting with high profile prospects and customers that need to understand how different identity related technologies work together and what each component is responsible for. Consulting requires the ability to speak to the most technical person, as well as the least technical person, while still communicating the overall concepts and requirements to all levels. Derek maintains these abilities in oral and written forms, as well as mastering the art of communicating to audiences of all sizes to intertwine his knowledge, communication skills, and enterprise design understanding.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer ( CISO ) for Protect AI
Diana Kelley is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Protect AI. She also serves on the boards of WiCyS, The Executive Women's Forum (EWF), InfoSec World, CyberFuture Foundation, TechTarget Security Editorial, and DevNet AI/ML. Diana was Cybersecurity Field CTO for Microsoft, Global Executive Security Advisor at IBM Security, GM at Symantec, VP at Burton Group (now Gartner), a Manager at KPMG, CTO and co-founder of SecurityCurve, and Chief vCISO at SaltCybersecurity.
Diana Kelley is the CSO2 (Chief Strategy Officer/Chief Security Officer) and co-founder of Cybrize. She also serves on the boards of Cyber Future Foundation, WiCyS, and The Executive Women's Forum (EWF). Diana was Cybersecurity Field CTO for Microsoft, Global Executive Security Advisor at IBM Security, GM at Symantec, VP at Burton Group (now Gartner), a Manager at KPMG, CTO and co-founder of SecurityCurve, and Chief vCISO at SaltCybersecurity.
Her extensive volunteer work has included serving on the ACM Ethics & Plagiarism Committee, Cybersecurity Committee Advisor at CompTIA, CTO and Board Member at Sightline Security, Advisory Board Chair at WOPLLI Technologies, Advisory Council member Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics, Bridgewater State University, and RSAC US Program Committee.
She is a sought-after keynote speaker, the host of BrightTALK's The (Security) Balancing Act, co-author of the books Practical Cybersecurity Architecture and Cryptographic Libraries for Developers, has been a lecturer at Boston College's Masters program in cybersecurity, the EWF 2020 Executive of the Year and EWF Conference Chair 2021 and 2022, an SCMedia Power Player, and one of Cybersecurity Ventures 100 Fascinating Females Fighting Cybercrime.
Dr Jessica Barker is an award-winning global leader with over ten years of experience working in the human side of cyber security. She is Co-Founder and co-CEO of Cygenta, where she follows her passion of positively influencing cyber security awareness, behaviour and culture in organisations around the world. Jessica has been named one of the top 20 most influential women in cyber security in the UK and has delivered face-to-face cyber security awareness-raising sessions to over 50,000 people. She serves on multiple boards, including the UK Government Cyber Security Advisory Board.
She is an international keynote speaker, including for NATO, the World Government Summit and RSA San Francisco. Jessica is the go-to cyber security expert for many media outlets, appearing on BBC News, Sky News, Channel 4 News, BBC radio and much more. She is the author of the best-selling book ‘Confident Cyber Security: how to get started in cyber security and futureproof your career' (Kogan Page) and co-author of ‘Cybersecurity ABCs: delivering awareness, behaviours and culture change' (BCS).
Dr. Fred Kwong has been in the information security and technology field for the past 20 years in working in education, financial, telecommunication, healthcare, and insurance sectors. He is an award-winning thought leader in security and currently works at DeVry University where he currently serves as the VP and Chief Information Security Officer. He is a member of several advisory boards and is a frequent speaker at national security forums on cyber security and information technology and is often asked to consult on matters of security and leadership.
Fred also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Roosevelt and Benedictine Universities. He received his Bachelor of Arts in psychology and professional communications, Master of Business Administration in management information systems from Roosevelt University, and holds his Doctorate in organization development from Benedictine University. Fred has earned several certifications including the CISSP, CISA, CISM, CDPE, PCIP, PMP and ITILv3f.
Job Titles:
- Professor at the Harvard Business School
Dr. Hise O. Gibson is a Professor at the Harvard Business School in the Technology and Operations Management Unit. He graduated with a B.S. in Operations Research from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He received his M.S. in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Masters in Operations from the Air Command and Staff College, and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Technology and Operations Management from Harvard Business School. He is a career military officer and master-aviator who has been awarded the Bronze Star medal. He has led large and small teams globally. His expertise is at the intersection of operational effectiveness and human capital development. He has also worked with midsize and large transportation and distribution organizations, retailers, finance, energy, and tech-startups on operational issues and pathways to better leverage their human capital in more effective ways to maximize the intersection of Technology, People, and Processes and leading through crises.
As a former combat leader, Eric has experience and has received extensive training in Resiliency, Suicide Prevention and Intervention as well as Casualty Notification/Assistance. The US Military is a high stress environment in addition to the "normal" stresses associated with frequent relocations, new jobs and separation/reintegration situations. A successful Technologist and Cybersecurity Leader with broad experience in Federal, State, Municipality and Aerospace, Eric (CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, SSCP) has over 25 years of experience developing and aligning Security programs with organizational needs by developing a deep understanding of the business, assessing potential operational impact, and participating in or driving organizational change. He is passionate about ensuring that security is "part" of the business and not just enabling it. As a trusted advisor, Eric listens to and works with the business to develop a proper and relevant security program based on threats to the business. His previous experience includes Director of Cyber for the Institutional Compute Environment at JPL/NASA, CISO for the New Hampshire Army National Guard, as well as Operations Officer on a WMD HAZMAT Team and as an Army Counterintelligence Special Agent (Arabic Linguist.
Gal Shpantzer has been a full-time security consultant since the year 2000, providing (mostly good) advice to early-stage tech startups, security vendors, Ivy League universities, non-profits, and Fortune 50 clients.
Gal owns and operates a boutique consultancy focused on vCISO and Observability Pipeline services that enable modern, scalable, user-friendly, auditable, and forensically ready security programs. Gal leads security programs and projects that empower business and technical leadership to prevent, detect and respond to security incidents, including threats to confidentiality (sophisticated IP theft) and availability
Gary Hayslip is an experienced Global CISO with repeated success delivering innovative security programs to safeguard billion-dollar enterprises at every touchpoint. Intensely focused on driving continuous improvement that maximizes security program efficiency and minimizes costs. An insightful thought leader with proven business acumen and commitment to organizational mission, values, and goals. Demonstrated ability to collaborate at all levels to champion new ideas, gain buy- in, and build consensus. Hayslip brings this wealth of information technology, security leadership, and risk management experience to his role as the CISO, for SoftBank Investment Advisers - The Vision Fund & Vision Fund II and SoftBank Group International - The LATAM Fund, The Opportunity Fund, and The Tech Fund. Hayslip's previous executive roles include multiple CISO, CIO, Deputy Director of IT, and Chief Privacy Officer roles for the U.S. Navy (Active Duty), the U.S. Navy (Federal Government employee),the City of San Diego California, and Webroot Software.
Hayslip is a proven cybersecurity professional; he has demonstrated an exceptional record of communication and public speaking skills; adept at presenting multifaceted security & risk concepts to audiences of varying knowledge levels. Hayslip has established a reputation as a highly-skilled communicator, author, and keynote speaker. Hayslip co-authored the CISO Desk Reference Guide: APractical Guide for CISOs - Volumes 1 & 2, The Executive Primer: An Executives Guide to Security Programs, and Developing your Cybersecurity Career Path. He also recently published The Essential Guide to Cybersecurity for SMBs, a guide specifically written for the security practitioners protecting startups and small businesses. These books are considered among the leading books on enabling CISOs to expand their leadership and business expertise. Hayslip is currently on four security & technology advisory boards and writes for Forbes Technology Council. Hayslip is an active member of the cyber community with memberships in the professional organizations ISC2, ISSA, ISACA, and Infragard. He currently holds several professional certifications, including CISSP, CISA, and CRISC and has earned a BS in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland University College and an MBA from San Diego State University.
Ms. McGinty has been in the Information Technology and Cyber Security industry for over 22 years.
She is currently working for Hoag Hospital, a recognized high performing hospital in the range County area as a Cyber Security Operations Manager. She is responsible for leading a team of cyber analysts and a MSSP focusing on protecting, defending, and continuous monitoring Hoag's crown jewels.
Over the course of her career, she has helped many organizations with penetration testing, threat hunting and computer forensic investigations involving criminal and civil litigation.
Recently she created another company that offers Cyber Security Solutions here is our mission statement: At Genevieve Solutions, our mission is to empower organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate the complex landscape of digital security and compliance. We are dedicated to delivering excellence in forensics, compliance, and penetration testing services, table-top exercise, dark web investigations etc…ensuring the protection and integrity of digital assets in an ever-evolving digital world.
Affiliations:
Genevieve McGinty is strongly involved in her local community and is a member of the following professional organizations. Her dedication to the cyber security industry is evident by her actions and commitment to stay involved and being recognized as a subject matter expert. Ms. McGinty was a past Director for Women in eDiscovery (WiE), has provided several presentations to the following organizations, ISSA, Boeing, WiE, Guidance Software Panel discussion, ELN Panel Discussion, as well as corporations and bar associations.
Job Titles:
- Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts
Dr. Carpenter is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in London and was selected the National Security Agency's Operations Officer of the Year in 2007.
He serves on the Board of Directors for ATNA Systems and is a Senior Advisor for ARIC, Inc. He formerly sat on the Board of Advisors for EC-Council University and the International Board of Advisors for the Mackenzie Institute.
Haral Tsitsivas is a cybersecurity leader and software developer with 40+ years of IT and software development and 20+ years of systems and software security experience, specializing in threat modeling, product security reviews and assessments.
Job Titles:
- Information Security Leader
Heath is an information security leader with over 15 years of experience building information security programs for multiple medium and large organizations in various industries. He is a veteran of the US Navy and has spent time within the US Government and Intel Community.
He has developed a reputation for creatively finding new ways to mature information security programs. Although known for his ability to find practical ways of implementing various aspects of GRC programs, Heath also has tactical experience in the areas of vulnerability management, threat modeling, and creating effective security metrics programs.
Heath has experience leading teams and overseeing projects in order to drive results and resiliency into an organization's security program. He has a strong focus on enabling success by simplifying the complex, cutting costs, and saving time while delivering cyber security services.
Some of his more notable projects include creating a threat model for a global pharmaceutical company, conducting a security tools rationalization effort for a global financial firm, and integrating Splunk and Tenable for a global streaming media entertainment company. Heath has also been responsible for creating strategic information security roadmaps for a number of firms.
Education includes two business degrees (BS, MBA) and three information security certifications. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Point Loma Nazarene University.
Howard is an experienced cybersecurity practitioner specializing in governance, risk, and architecture spanning across multiple industries. In addition, Howard is a CMMC Certified Professional and serves as the Director of Education for the National Upcycled Computing Collective, a 501(c)3 non-profit computer science and engineering research institute, and is an organizer for RaiseMe, a volunteer organization focused on assisting veterans and engineers mature their infosec careers. Howard also helms Irvine Underground, one of California's oldest hacker meetups.
Howard Miller is currently the Chief Information Officer at UCLA Anderson School of Management. Prior to joining UCLA, Howard was the Acting Chief Information Officer and CISO at the Columbia University School of Business, leading both the Information Security and Project Management Office functions.
Howard is an accomplished executive and senior IT leader with expertise in the design, development, and deployment of technical strategy and policy.
Howard holds an MBA degree in Management Information Systems and a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Howard also has several professional certifications including a PMP, CISM and CRISC.
Howard enjoys spending free time with family, watching sports and staying fit.
Ira Winkler, CISSP is the Field CISO for CYE (pronounced Sigh) Security, former Chief Security Architect at Walmart, and author of You Can Stop Stupid, Security Awareness for Dummies, and Advanced Persistent Security. He is considered one of the world's most influential security professionals, and has been named a "Modern Day James Bond" by the media. He did this by performing espionage simulations, where he physically and technically "broke into" some of the largest companies in the World and investigating crimes against them, and telling them how to cost effectively protect their information and computer infrastructure. He continues to perform these espionage simulations, as well as assisting organizations in developing cost effective security programs. Ira also won the Hall of Fame award from the Information Systems Security Association, as well as several other prestigious industry awards. CSO Magazine named Ira a CSO Compass Award winner as The Awareness Crusader. Most recently, Ira was named 2021 Top Cybersecurity Leader by Security Magazine.
Ira is also author of the riveting, entertaining, and educational books, Advanced Persistent Security, Spies Among Us and Zen and the Art of Information Security. He also writes for a variety of online sites, including RSA Conference, DarkReading and ComputerWorld, and for several other industry publications.
Mr. Winkler has been a keynote speaker at almost every major information security related event, on 6 continents, and has keynoted events in many diverse industries. He is frequently ranked among, if not the, top speakers at the events.
Mr. Winkler began his career at the National Security Agency, where he served as an Intelligence and Computer Systems Analyst. He moved onto support other US and overseas government military and intelligence agencies. After leaving government service, he went on to serve as President of the Internet Security Advisors Group, Chief Security Strategist at HP Consulting, and Director of Technology of the National Computer Security Association. He was also on the Graduate and Undergraduate faculties of the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. Mr. Winkler was previously elected the International President of the Information Systems Security Association, which is a 10,000+ member professional association.
Mr. Winkler has also written the book Corporate Espionage, which has been described as the bible of the Information Security field, and the bestselling Through the Eyes of the Enemy. Both books address the threats that companies face protecting their information. He has also written hundreds of professional and trade articles. He has been featured and frequently appears on TV on every continent. He has also been featured in magazines and newspapers including Forbes, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, Planet Internet, and Business 2.0
Job Titles:
- Director of Cyber Risk and Assurance at British Telecommunications
Irina Kensinger has been a Director of Cyber Risk and Assurance at British Telecommunications (BT) for the last 8 years leading British Telecom's Top Tier Global outsourcing clients enabling security compliance. In this role, Irina influences contractual commitments and attainment for BT's largest clients impacting risk management, cybersecurity operations, and successful functional operations.
Previously, Irina held IT Audit, Risk and Compliance roles at PWC as well as private industry companies in IT Risk and Compliance functions. Throughout her career, Irina has demonstrated her ability to develop strategies aligned to GRC maturity, build cross-functional innovative teams, and produce optimized solutions. Irina holds a Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA) in IT Audit from Cal Poly Pomona and holds multiple industry certifications.
Jackie brings over 20 years of expertise in Cybersecurity and IT, where she has excelled in forging strong relationships and fostering collaborative environments. Her commitment extends beyond professional boundaries, as she is deeply passionate about raising awareness and educating others in the field of Cybersecurity. Jackie's efforts are focused not just on enlightening people about Cybersecurity, but also on aiding them in fortifying their digital spaces and nurturing a sense of community.
Previously serving as the Vice President of the ISSA OC, she now holds the position of President at the Cloud Security Alliance in OC, and is a valued member of the Board of Advisors for CSA San Diego. Jackie's professional journey spans across both large corporations and smaller entities. However, she finds unique joy and fulfillment in the dynamic environment of Cybersecurity Startups, dedicating herself to their growth and success.
Senior executive with over 25 years in the information and cyber security space with a passionate focus on technology, strategy, and business growth. Javier possesses strong acumen inclusive of architecting and executing strategic plans and cyber disruption & innovation roadmaps.
With a demonstrable leadership record centered in efficacy, he has successfully strategized a wide arrange of initiatives in the areas of governance, risk, and compliance, cyber security due diligence, and disruptive transformation. He enjoys vast experience as Chief Technology and Information Security officer, driving cost down, improving tech life cycle, and enhancing quality & efficiency of the security posture.
Presently, he served as the Mexico Chief Information Security Officer for a top 20 Global Bank.
Job Titles:
- CTO
- Distinguished Engineer
Jeff Crume is a Distinguished Engineer, Master Inventor and CTO for IBM Security Americas with 39 years' experience in the IT industry. He has a PhD in Cybersecurity and serves as an Adjunct Professor at NC State University. Jeff is the author of a book entitled "Inside Internet Security: What Hackers Don't Want You To Know" as well as a contributing author to the "Information Security Management Handbook." He is a member of the inaugural class of the NC State University Computer Science Alumni Hall of Fame where he has served on the school's Strategic Advisory Board. He also serves on the editorial board for the "Information and Computer Security" research journal and is a member of the IBM Academy of Technology. He holds CISSP and ISSAP professional IT Security certifications as well as Distinguished Chief IT Architect credentials from The Open Group. Jeff lived in Beijing on assignment in 2006 and has worked with clients in 50 countries.
Job Titles:
- Visionary Technology Executive
Jeff Farinich is a visionary technology executive with over 25 years of experience driving enterprise capabilities by leading IT and Security strategy, people, processes, and governance. Jeff was recruited at New American Funding in 2019 to transform IT and Security, building a security program from the ground up as the world locked down due to Covid and the mortgage industry experienced record growth. Jeff is also a member of both the Executive and Strategy C-level committees. Previously Jeff worked in various leadership roles at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Cisco Systems, NDS Group and other organizations.
Job Titles:
- Group Senior Security Architect for NTT Holdings
Jerry Hoff is the Group Senior Security Architect for NTT Holdings, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.
Previous to NTT, Jerry was the head of security and executive information security officer for Sony, heading up and overseeing the security programs for both Sony Electronics and Sony Semiconductor lines of business.
Jerry has over 25 years of technical experience, 16 of which has been spent primarily focused on information security.
He holds a Masters degree in computer science from Washington University in Saint Louis, and currently lives in Austin Texas.
Job Titles:
- Head of Information Security at Netflix DVD
Jimmy Sanders, Head of Information security at Netflix DVD. Jimmy has spent his career creating holistic and innovative security program as well as learning security ideas from some of the industries brightest minds. In addition to his duties at DVD.com, Jimmy currently serves as the San Francisco Bay Area chapter president of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) since 2014. He is also on the ISSA International Board of Directors, a Board Member for the ISSA Education Foundation, a Board member of the Information Security Leaders Foundation (ISLF), and a member of the Office of the CIO. Furthermore, he has been a keynote speaker at BlackHat, RSA, SecureWorld, InfoSec World as well as other notable events.
Prior to DVD.com, Jimmy Sanders has also held key roles at organizations that include Samsung, Fiserv, and SAP. He is a Cyber Security Committee advisor for Merritt College, Ohlone College as well as on advisory board for other colleges and non-profits. Jimmy Sanders maintains the certifications of Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified in Risk Information and Information Systems Control (CRISC), and Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM). He holds degrees in Psychology and Behavioral Science from San Jose State University.
Job Titles:
- EVP of Engineering and Sales With LightStream
Joe Vadakkan is EVP of Engineering and Sales with LightStream, for cloud and security platform strategy and market development. Previously he was Global Strategic Services leader of innovation and incubation with Optiv, and also the Global Head of Cloud Security. Joe shares 23 years as an executive leader and a technologist in global infrastructure & security products and services, supporting Fortune 100, top 5 industry organizations and startups. He is President of the Cloud Security Alliance Southwest Chapter.
John is a multi-award winning, cybersecurity industry visionary and strategic global Information Security executive with 30+ years of experience, knowledge and expertise. He is a thought-leader and early adopter of emerging security technologies, adept at building and optimizing enterprise cybersecurity programs, communicating in a common language with business risk context and driving risk-based decisions at every level of an organization, which includes operational/technical, senior management, and executive management inclusive of the Board of Directors.
Throughout his career, John has helped multiple organizations (mid-size and large) develop a clear picture of their current cyber risk posture and cybersecurity capabilities, develop and executing a multi-year strategy to achieve the desired target state, while delivering an informed view of when, where, how and why to invest in people, process and technology to manage cyber risk.
John Furay is a Senior Special Agent in the United States Secret Service. He has a Bachelor's degree, Masters Degree, Juris Doctorate, and a Doctorate in Public Administration. He is also a graduate of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government Leadership in Homeland Security Program.
He is assigned to the Secret Service's Los Angeles Field Office's Cyber Fraud Task Force and Regional Digital Forensics Lab where he serves as an Electronic Crimes Special Agent in Digital Forensics and Cyber Crimes Special Agent working in the areas of State and Federal cyber crimes investigations, cyber and infrastructure security, and cyber intelligence and security. He has been with the United States Secret Service as a Special Agent since 1998.
From the United States Secret Service's Los Angeles Field Office and its Cyber Task Force he is seconded to the Beverly Hills Police Department's West Side High Tech Crimes Task Force and Digital Forensic Lab which is a cyber crimes task force with law enforcement partners for all of West Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. He has served on multiple task force and investigative assignments both nationally and overseas.
His responsibilities as a Senior Special Agent include protective operations and criminal investigations to include conducting Federal and State criminal investigations, cyber criminal investigations, critical infrastructure protection and intelligence, cyber and criminal intelligence and analysis, and performing digital forensic investigations pertaining to a host of cyber platforms, mobile, vehicle and wearable technologies, and local and national critical infrastructure systems.
Mr. Kronick, an accomplished security executive, innovator and security architecture thought leader, joined Tutor Perini in Otober, 2022 as Head of IT Compliance, based in Sylmar, CA.
Mr. Kronick has over 25 years of professional experience in providing strategic and tactical privacy, security, risk management, transformation and forensics assurance services to healthcare, governmental and commercial entities; including:
Mr. Kronick received the 2008 Security Innovation of the year award from Gartner Group for his End User Security solution at a global cosmetics manufacturing company.
John Underwood is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in both physical and cybersecurity, having served in national security and private industry roles. Following his enlistment in the United States Army, he transitioned to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he held a Q clearance and supported the Department of Energy's Stockpile and Stewardship, as well as Nuclear Nonproliferation programs.
Currently, John holds the position of Vice President of Information Security at Big 5 Sporting Goods, a publicly traded retail company. Before assuming this role, he served as the head of security for two multinational organizations, playing a key role in building and maturing their security, compliance, and privacy programs.
John is engaged in various industry and security communities and holds several certifications, including CISM, CIPM, and GSTRT. He serves as an advisor for a company in stealth mode and dedicates time to mentoring individuals in the early stages of their security careers.
On a personal note, John is committed to community involvement and service. He focuses on two areas of particular interest: promoting clean oceans and beaches, and funding books for local Title 1 school libraries.
Job Titles:
- Information Security Leader
Josh Barons is an Information Security leader and trusted advisor who currently oversees the Information Security program for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Prior to joining San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance he was Head of Information Security for Zocdoc. Previously, Barons served as Director of Information Security and vCISO for Abacus Group LLC, globally responsible for all aspects of Information Security and risk for the company and their clients. Earlier in his career, he held Information Security management positions for Sony Corporation of America, Condé Nast, and other technology and media companies. He has spoken at security conferences such as RSA, Zero Day Con, HMG and Evanta. He is CISSP and CRISC certified and holds a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Cornell University and a Master of Fine Arts from Parsons School of Design.
An experienced business owner and leader, Karla has experience running businesses in recruitment, ecommerce and cybersecurity. With an international network in cybersecurity, Karla is passionate about values-led leadership and people development.
Karla founded the international recruitment business, BeecherMadden in 2010 before overseeing the acquisition by Nicoll Curtin. As a Director for Nicoll Curtin, she expanded the company further before moving to the US to accelerate growth of the American business. In 2020 she joined Orpheus Cyber as COO. Orpheus are a threat intelligence company with a SAAS platform that helps organisations manage their own risk, and that of their third parties, with an easy to understand cyber risk score.
Karla is a judge for The Cyber Security Awards, The National Cyber Awards and The American Cyber Awards. She is the host of industry interviews on the Cyber Talks media platform, the Zero Hour Podcast and the Capital Tea Podcast. She is also an experienced speaker, on the topic of cyber security and women in technology. Her views are often sought and published on this subject, as well as entrepreneurship.
Karla was included in SC Magazine's Top 50 Women in Security in 2019. She was a finalist for the Woman of Influence awards at the SC Awards Europe in 2022. She was a finalist at the Women of the Future awards in 2016, for Entrepreneur of the Year and a finalist in The Future Ladies Awards for Mentor of the Year in 2019. Under her leadership, Orpheus Cyber won Best Use of Machine Learning at the SC Awards in 2021.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Leader in Security & Advanced Network Technologies
Kate has been an active thought leader in Security & Advanced Network Technologies for over 20 years. She has two main passions in life: bleeding-edge technology that helps secure our world, and developing world-class people and companies.
Early in her career, she had been given the opportunity to work with and lead some of the most innovative technologies that have shaped our industries and had access to the ingenious minds that have changed our world. She led some of the industry's first projects in DDOS, Ethernet as a network (CPA), SaaS and IaaS, and was on the front line with some of the earliest attacks against the financial services markets.
Kate has purposely executed multiple roles across her career from CISO, CEO, Board of Director, Advisor, strategic business development / alliances, and leading sales and engineering teams. She has worked for companies including vArmour, Senseon, BT Group plc, Verizon, and Wandera. The culmination of her experience ensures Kate always brings expertise and a fresh perspective on emerging trends within cybersecurity. In addition, Kate has served for a number of years as a Cyber Advisor for the UK Government, representing their interests, and advising UK Government sponsored startups in missions across the US, UK and Latin America.
Kate is a trusted advisor in the industry, and holds positions on several boards including Redshield and Cybermainacs She is currently an Advisory Board Member for vArmour, Senseon, rThreat, and Net Thunder. She was also recently appointed to the IEEE steering committee for Cyber Security, and collaborates regularly with both ISSA & WSTA.
In addition to professional endeavors, Kate loves to give back to her community. She is active in a number of STEM initiatives including CORNCON, the Docent Group and the University of California, Berkeley. Kate also spends time as a volleyball coach at her children's school.
Experienced, driven cybersecurity professional with strong leadership partnering and communication skills over a 20-year cybersecurity career. Trusted to provide expert strategic and tactical security guidance to heads of technology product development, technology security infrastructures and corporate/government entity leadership for critical IT security risk decisions and analyses. Served as the inaugural CISO at a multi-billion-dollar public to private company and subsequently advised equivalent cyber leaders of large, international commercial and government entities. Utilizes positive leadership, practical methodologies, innovative initiatives, continuous growth/development and best of breed solutioning for today's cyber challenges. Team builder with a constant eye on making a difference and achieving lofty goals!
Keyaan J Williams has been building and running cybersecurity and privacy programs for more than two decades. He spent many years at many departments of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta before starting his own global consulting firm. In addition to his day job, Keyaan actively serves as a board member for commercial and non-profit companies around the world. He also regularly shares interesting insights on LinkedIn based on ideas he has published in books and professional journals.
KRISTIE BELL serves as an independent advisor to investors in the information technology sector and is the former Chief Executive Officer of ON2IT Inc., the North American business unit of ON2IT BV, a global managed cybersecurity services company. With more than 25 years in corporate executive roles, Kristie is a highly versatile, outcomes oriented executive with extensive experience in leading multinational teams and building strategic client and business technology partnerships across all industries. She is deeply passionate about cybersecurity and committed to working with organizations to utilize Zero Trust to strengthen their security postures.
In 2014, Kristie retired from IBM. During her tenure, she was responsible for billion dollar business portfolios and leading global teams that delivered creative solutions to difficult technology issues while maintaining the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Kristie served as Vice President in IBM's Global Technology Services and Systems & Technology Groups, including leading IBM's storage division in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Job Titles:
- CISO
- Co - Founder
- CSO
- CTO
- President
Larry Whiteside Jr. is a veteran CISO, CSO, CTO, former USAF Officer, and thought leader in the Cybersecurity field. He has 25+ years experience in building and running cybersecurity programs, holding C Level Security executive roles in multiple industries including DoD, Federal Government, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Critical Infrastructure.
He serves as the CISO for RegScale, an organization that is working to shift compliance left and freeing organizations from the paper world of compliance.
Larry is also the Co-Founder, President, and on the Board of Directors at Cyversity, a 501(c)3 non-profit association that is dedicated to increase the number of minorities and women in the cybersecurity career field through providing workforce development that includes skills assessment, training, education, mentorship, and opportunity.
Larry routinely advises several corporate security executives and companies across the cybersecurity industry on how to make Cyber Security a number one objective to their business. He has helped CEOs and board members of private cybersecurity companies achieve their goals in sales, marketing, and customer retention.
Larry routinely speaks in front of large audiences, C Level leadership and the Board of Directors of some of the largest private and public sector organizations in America. A thought leader in the industry with extensive experience presenting at conferences such as the Gartner Security Summit, RSA Conference, and SC World Congress, Larry has been featured in many articles relating to information security and risk management.
Larry received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science at Huston-Tillotson University, an HBCU that is the oldest institution of higher learning in the State of Texas.
A recognized authority for building technical, cybersecurity, fraud, and data analytics solutions, Laz has more than 30 years' experience in building and supporting some of the largest InfoSec programs in financial services, technology, retail, hospitality, and transportation verticals. Laz is the Co-Founder and President of Blue Lava, a SaaS business platform built with, by, and for cybersecurity leaders.
As a Boardroom Certified Qualified Technology Expert (QTE), Laz is no stranger to the boardroom, analyst, regulator, and investor community. Laz is an advisor to some of the most innovative companies in technology and cybersecurity. He advises investors and companies about trends with cybersecurity, technology, regulations, and go-to-market strategies.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President, Cyber Services
Linda Comerford, Assistant Vice President, Cyber Services and Incident Response, joined AmTrust in January 2022. She manages vendor relationships, and collaborates with the insured, privacy counsel, forensic firm and notification vendors to ensure superior cyber claim service throughout each critical stage of the incident response process.
Job Titles:
- CSO and Partner for Ember River
- Global CSO and Partner at Ember River
Macy is a Global CSO and Partner at Ember River with corporate security experience, focusing on all aspects of cyber, information and physical Security. He has over 25+ years of experience in law enforcement, IT, and cybersecurity. He is a highly skilled communicator with the ability to work at all levels of the business, from "C-level" down to a "Security Professional/Practitioner". Macy drives operational efficiency and effectiveness in his or his client's programs to fund investment in security. Macy has been nominated in the past for the National Counterintelligence Award and supported many Federal Agencies and OGAs in their directives. Now May and his teams focus on solving complex problems for National Security, Critical Infrastructure, and the Commercial Sector by providing product engineering, cryptographic, security engineering, and intelligence services.
Macy is the CSO and Partner for Ember River a Defense Contractor supporting Defense, Critical Infrastructure, and Commercial organizations. He is an Executive with over 25+ years of experience in law enforcement, DoD, Intelligence, IT and Cybersecurity. Macy has decades of experience both hunting and defending against nation state actor groups. Macy has a strong reputation as a Cyber and Information Security leader; he has been recognized by US Government agencies for building teams and programs that have been nominated for the National Counterintelligence Award. With this recognition it put his programs and leadership in the top 1% of the more than 15,000 Cleared Defense Contractors in the nation.
Malcolm Harkins Malcolm is Chief Security & Trust Officer with Epiphany Systems. He is responsible for enabling client growth with optimal information security infrastructure, systems, policies, and processes. He is also independent board member and advisor to several organizations. He is also an executive coach to CISOs and others in a wide variety of information risk roles. Malcolm engages in a wide variety of peer outreach activities to drive improvements across the world in the understanding of cyber risks and best practices to manage and mitigate those risks. Key areas of focus include the ethics around technology risk, social responsibility, total cost of controls, and driving more industry accountability.
Previously Malcolm was the Chief Security and Trust Officer at Cylance as well as Cymatic. In these roles he reported to the CEO and was responsible for enabling business growth through trusted infrastructure, systems, and business processes. He had direct organizational responsibility for information risk and security, as well as security and privacy policy. Malcolm was also previously Vice President and Chief Security and Privacy Officer (CSPO) at Intel Corporation. In that role Malcolm was responsible for managing the risk, controls, privacy, security, and other related compliance activities for all of Intel's information assets, products, and services.
Before becoming Intel's first CSPO he was the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) reporting into the Chief Information Officer. Malcolm also held roles in Finance, Procurement, and various business operations. He has managed IT benchmarking and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance initiatives. Harkins acted as the profit and loss manager for the Flash Product Group at Intel; was the general manager of Enterprise Capabilities, responsible for the delivery and support of Intel's Finance and HR systems; and worked in an Intel business venture focusing on e-commerce hosting.
Malcolm previously taught at the CIO institute at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and was an adjunct faculty member at Susquehanna University in 2009. In 2010, he received the RSA Conference Excellence in the Field of Security Practices Award. He was recognized by Computerworld as one of the Premier 100 Information Technology Leaders for 2012. (ISC)2 recognized Malcolm in 2012 with the Information Security Leadership Award. In September 2013, Malcolm was recognized as one of the Top 10 Breakaway Leaders at the Global CISO Executive Summit. In November 2015, he received the Security Advisor Alliance Excellence in Innovation Award. He is a Fellow with the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, a non-partisan think-tank providing on cybersecurity to the House, Senate, and a variety of federal agencies. Malcolm is a sought-after speaker for industry events. He has authored many white papers and in December 2012 published his first book, Managing Risk and Information Security: Protect to Enable®. He also was a contributing author to Introduction to IT Privacy, published in 2014 by the International Association of Privacy Professionals. The 2nd edition of Malcolm's book, Managing Risk and Information Security: Protect to Enable®, was recently published in August of 2016. Malcolm has also testified before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on the "Promises and Perils of Emerging Technology for Cybersecurity". He has also testified at the Federal Trade Commission hearings on data security.
Malcolm is on the board of directors for TrustMAPP and the Cyber Risk Alliance. He is also an advisor to the Yahoo, Cyvatar, Safebreach, Arista Networks, BlackCloak, Eclypsium, Immersive Labs, as well as a few other emerging Cybesecurity start-ups.
Malcolm received his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California at Irvine and an MBA in finance and accounting from the University of California at Davis
Job Titles:
- Chief Security Officer at AlertEnterprise
- U.S. Naval Officer
Mark Weatherford is the Chief Security Officer at AlertEnterprise and also serves as the Chief Strategy Officer and a member of the board at the National Cybersecurity Center.
Mark has held a variety of executive level cybersecurity roles including Global Information Security Strategist at Booking Holdings, Chief Cybersecurity Strategist at vArmour, Principal at The Chertoff Group, Chief Security Officer at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and the first Chief Information Security Officer for the state of Colorado. He was also appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008 to serve as California's first Chief Information Security Officer and in 2011 he was appointed by the Obama Administration as the first Deputy Under Secretary for Cybersecurity at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Mark is a former U.S. Naval Officer where he served as the Director of Navy Computer Network Defense Operations, Director of the Navy Computer Incident Response Team (NAVCIRT), and established the Navy's first operational red team.
Mark is an investor, a Board Director, and on the Advisory Board of several cybersecurity technology companies where he has a successful track record in helping startups from founding to acquisition.
Job Titles:
- Account Executive for Cowbell Cyber Insurance
Martin Murphy is an Account Executive for Cowbell Cyber Insurance and specializes in small-to-mid-sized business clients. He is a graduate of Florida State University and holds a degree in Risk Management & Insurance. Martin has had a focus on Cyber Insurance for the last 4 years.
Job Titles:
- Security Engineer With Netskope
Matt Clark, Senior Cloud Security Engineer with Netskope. In depth experience with the cloud, the network infrastructure, and cybersecurity. Previously a National Channel Engineering Lead with Palo Alto Networks, Sales Engineer for the Western US & Canada with Tenable Network Security, Senior Sales Engineer with Fishnet Security, IT Infrastructure Manager, IT Engineer and Network Specialist with Pinal County. President of the ISSA Phoenix Chapter. Past President and a founding team member for the Cloud Security Alliance Southwest Chapter.
Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Michael Sohn is currently an embedded FBI Cyber Division liaison to the National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance (NCFTA) in Los Angeles (NCFTA is a non-profit corporation, focused on identifying, mitigating, and neutralizing cybercrime threats globally). His investigative experience includes cyber terrorism, nation-state and criminal cyber intrusion matters. Prior to his employment with the FBI, he worked as a Cyber Counterintelligence Officer for the Department of the Army, a Counter Terrorism officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency, a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton and a U.S. Army Officer. Mr. Sohn received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the United States Military Academy, West Point and a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems from Boston University, Boston.
Michael Wylie, MBA, CISSP is the Sr. Manager of a 24/7/365 global managed threat hunting team. Prior to his current role, he was the Director of Cybersecurity Services at a top 100 CPA firm where he built the offensive and defensive security service practices. Michael has developed and taught numerous courses for the U.S. Department of Defense, DEFCON, Moorpark College, California State Universities, and for clients around the world. Michael is the winner of numerous SANS challenge coin and holds the following credentials: CISSP, CCNA R&S, CCNA CyberOps, GPEN, GMON, GCFE, TPN, CEH, CEI, VCP-DCV, CHPA, PenTest+, Security+, Project+, CNVP, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, and more. Twitter: @TheMikeWylie.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science from ODU, an Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, and will graduate this Spring with a Master's in Criminal Justice from USC.
Michelle's expertise lies in developing, improving, and training teams on complex processes, including contract review and negotiation, RFP template creation and management, vendor management, and compliance. As a savvy negotiator, she has mitigated risks for multi-million-dollar agreements, including SaaS, OEM supplier contracts, and SOWs, resulting in thousands of annual cost savings.
Michelle's compliance background includes mitigating risks by integrating legal considerations into incident response protocols, reviewing and assessing contractual obligations related to data security and privacy post-security incidents, conducting internal investigations into security breaches, collecting and preserving evidence while upholding legal and ethical standards, partnering with IT and InfoSec in conducting legal analysis of security incidents to assess potential legal implications and ensuring compliance with data protection laws, privacy regulations, and industry standards.
Mike Cassar is a highly experienced Information Technology and Cybersecurity leader with a robust background spanning over two decades. As a CIO/CISO, he spearheads comprehensive cybersecurity initiatives aligning IT strategies with institutional goals. Mike's notable achievements include orchestrating a strategic information security program, implementing a unified risk-based control framework, and ensuring information assets' confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Mike brings a unique blend of strategic vision, leadership, and expertise in risk management, compliance, and integration of people, processes, and technology, as well as proficiency in cyber readiness, incident response, security awareness, and endpoint security. He is eager to contribute his skills to the organization's cybersecurity initiatives and welcomes the opportunity to discuss how he can meet its specific needs.
Mr. Bryan E. Hurd is a globally recognized computer forensics leader and expert in cyber crisis response, investigations, and operations to fight espionage, terrorism, organized crime groups and criminals. Bryan was the founder of the Cyber Counterintelligence program for the US Navy at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in 1994 and has gone on to hold executive positions as first Director of Intelligence for the Digital Crimes Unit within the Microsoft Cyber Crime Center, founding the computer forensics program at EDS (Now HP) and was the executive in charge of innovation for the entire US watchlisting system as the Chief of Operations, Director of Terrorist Identities at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) within the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
Bryan is a globally recognized keynote speaker, serves on several corporate boards, and leads some of the most significant breach responses in Canada and the US today in his role as Chief of Office, Seattle, at Aon Cyber Solutions (formerly Stroz Friedberg). He also works with global clients on testing, advisory, executive table tops and other efforts improving cyber security, including helping organizations (and entire states) in acquiring cyber insurance. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanhurd/.
Job Titles:
- Software Engineering Manager at Northrop Grumman Space Systems
Ms. Mary Wang is a software engineering manager at Northrop Grumman Space Systems. She has over 20 years of software engineering and cybersecurity experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Master's in Business Administration. Her certifications include an ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and CompTIA Security+. She is the winner of the 2019 Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC) President's Award. She is also the WSC Southern California Chapter Operations Lead.
Ms. Wang has given multiple software engineering presentations at technical symposiums and cybersecurity presentations at local security organizations and conferences. She is an active member of OWASP Los Angeles, OWASP Orange County, ISSA Los Angeles, Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Los Angeles, South Bay Web App Security Project (SBWASP) and Women's Society of Cyberjutsu organizations.
She likes nature, travel and working out in a gym.
Nelson brings over 20 years of IT industry experience, a solid electronics background, and began his career as a PC integrator. He holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Systems and has earned certifications from CISCO and CompTIA.
Throughout his career, Nelson primarily focused on networking and he had the privilege of working with notable organizations like IBM, Walmart, and the Mexican State government on various projects. He transitioned to the agricultural sector a decade ago, joining Andrew & Williamson Sales Co as an IT Manager in Mexico. Later, the company relocated Nelson to the US and promoted him to IT Director.
Currently, he oversees more than 350 users across multiple locations in California and Mexico, managingthe infrastructure and security of all their offices. His passion for cybersecurity and technology has also led Nelson to serve as a consultant for companies in the agricultural sector.
She has an MBA in General Business. She is passionate about building relationships, learning new things and meeting people. She is Specializing in Compliance and Webapp Testing. She is a member of Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC), Women In Cyber Security (Wicys) ISSA, IAPP, OWASP, and SBWASP, When Ola is not studying, you will find her actively Volunteering and Networking…she is also a Grace Hopper Diversity Scholarship Awardee.
With over 20 years of combined experience in the information technology and information security field, Quincey Collins (CISSP, CISA, CEH, GCIH, CIPP/US) brings a multi-dimensional perspective with an emphasis on information security operations, security controls assessments, auditing, compliance, vendor risk management, and IT operational risk management. Quincey spent 8+ years working for the United States Air Force and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Germany, Italy, and England. Quincey spent an additional 5 years supporting different commands and agencies within the Department of Defense in Europe as a contractor.
In his role as the Chief Security Officer for Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton LLP, Quincey is responsible for information security, privacy operations, and risk management strategy. He places a high emphasis efficient security operations, effective tooling, configuration management, process management, and team building.
Quincey holds a B.S. in Cybersecurity, and a M.S. in Information Technology with a specialization in Information Assurance from University of Maryland University College.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Security Advisor Alliance
Rafal Los is an industry innovator, strategist, and personality. His career spans 20+ years while working inside companies from the Fortune 10 to a firm of less than 10. Rafal's strengths include strategic leadership in security products and services - focusing on market strategy, roadmap development and execution, process optimization, and cross-functional problem-solving. Recent achievements include delivering on a company strategy pivot from infrastructure provider to security-as-a-service by rebuilding pre-sales strategy and delivery; implementing significant changes in business process that led to the company's ability to measure the direct impact of changes on sales and customer lifecycle.
Rafal is an active member of the Security Advisor Alliance, serving on the advisory board with the intent of creating innovative ways for security leaders to give back to their communities through service and knowledge sharing. Additionally, Rafal is a founder and host of the Down the Security Rabbithole Podcast - an industry podcast delivering a weekly office-friendly format since 2011 focused on thought leadership through interesting guests and topics.
Rafal's career is about more than being a recognizable expert - it's continually challenging accepted thinking and bringing people together to solve complex problems in innovative ways.
Raffi is a cofounder, responsible for architecting, developing, and maintaining the software platform at VULNERA.
Raffi has worked professionally in the cybersecurity services and software engineering fields for the past 15 years. He operated a consulting firm with cofounder Joe Luna for a number of years delivering offensive security services and bespoke engagements. Previous to the firm, Raffi worked at Optiv (formerly Accuvant) as a principal security consultant in the LABS consulting team.
Prior to Accuvant/Optiv, he worked as a software engineer at Boeing Defense Space Systems, building capabilities within an internal research and development team.
Rich Lindberg is a technologically capable, results-driven, and seasoned leader with 25 years of security experience in U.S. Defense, Civil Government, Fortune 50, and other industries. He provides expertise in efficient implementation of security solutions for technical, organizational, and GRC challenges. Rich has an extensive diverse background with technical execution, consulting, presentation, and leadership skills. https://www.linkedin.com/in/skippy/
Job Titles:
- CEO of Security Advisors LLC
Richard Greenberg, CEO of Security Advisors LLC, is a former CISO for 15 years. He was recognized as a Distinguished Fellow by the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) International, and was also awarded their Honor Roll designation.
Richard has been Chair of the ISSA-LA Security Summit and AppSec California, was a planner for AppSec USA, and also formed the Women in Security Forum and the Healthcare Security and Privacy Forum. Richard has served as an elected member of the OWASP Global Board of Directors and was leader of the OWASP Los Angeles Chapter.
You may have heard Richard's interview as a Cyber Security expert on Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy podcast: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/the-ron-burgundy-podcast-30270227/episode/cyber-security-47951911/.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer for Motorola Mobility LLC
Richard Rushing is the Chief Information Security Officer for Motorola Mobility LLC. Richard participates in corporate, community, private, and government security councils and working groups, setting standards, policies, and solutions for current and emerging security issues. As Chief Information Security Officer for Motorola Mobility, he has led the organization's security effort by developing an international team to tackle targeted attacks, cyber-crime, and emerging threats to mobile devices. He has organized, developed, and deployed practices, tools, and techniques to protect the enterprise's intellectual property worldwide. A much-in-demand international speaker on information security, Richard has spoken at many of the leading security conferences and seminars around the world.
Rosalia Hajek has been providing executive level leadership for Information Technology and Information Security teams for close to 20 years designing and implementing best-in-class, enterprise-wide, security, risk, and compliance programs at top-tier, global companies, both public and private. She is a Business-Driven Information Security Protagonist, who is passionate about driving alignment of top technology risks for varied industries like healthcare, insurance, gaming, hospitality and entertainment that has matured security metrics by more than 35% and has positively impacted more than 23M collective clients.
Currently she is the Business Information Security Officer for MGM Resorts International, where she leads a center of excellence to drive prioritized focus, to scale foundational security, privacy and compliance controls. Seen as a key partner, her mantra is "yes, and…" in finding security solutions which accelerate functional area strategic goals and strengthen foundational enterprise processes, like shortening and automating the new employee onboarding process.
Rouman Ebrahim has been serving as the Assistant Head Deputy of the Cyber Crime Division in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office since April 2021. In that role, he oversees day-to-day operations of eight attorneys and three staff members. Previously, he was the Deputy-in-Charge of the Victim Impact Program at the Van Nuys Branch where he supervised seven attorneys who prosecuted cases involving sex crimes, domestic violence, child abuse, hate crimes, elder abuse, and stalking.
In his over 23 years in the office, he has been assigned to East Los Angeles, Newhall, and Glendale Area Offices, as well as San Fernando Branch, Antelope Valley Branch, and Sylmar Juvenile. He spent eight years in the Sex Crimes Division and six years in the Cyber Crime Division as a trial attorney before being promoted to management in 2019.
Rouman is a graduate of USC and the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. He is a regular instructor at the FBI's Computer Analysis Response Team's Moot Court instructions for Forensic Examiners and Computer Scientists in training. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional with an emphasis on U.S. privacy laws, standards, and practices.
Job Titles:
- CEO of Lambert & Associates
SANDRA M. LAMBERT is the CEO of Lambert & Associates, where she specializes in information security and business continuity consulting, with clients worldwide (https://www.lambert-associates.com). Prior to consulting, she worked at Citibank and Security Pacific Bank as the Director of Information Security.
Ms. Lambert transformed information security from a perceived nuisance into a positive marketing feature that increased bank revenue. She served on the National Computer System Security and Privacy Advisory Board and is Vice Chair of the ANSI X9F4 Working Group on Cybersecurity and Cryptographic Solutions Standards. Ms. Lambert served on the National Academy of Sciences Systems Security Study Committee where she co-authored Computers at Risk: Safe Computing In The Information Age. She is the Founder of the Information Systems Security Association, is a member of the ISSA Honor Roll, and was elected their first inductee into the Hall of Fame.
She is the Chairperson of the ISSA Education & Research Foundation, which gives scholarships to cybersec students. Ms. Lambert holds an MS (Mathematics), MBA, and is a CISSP-ISSMP, Certified in Disaster Recovery Planning, CCP, CGEITand CISA.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Sascha Schleumer is the Chief Information Security Officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and an advisory board member for ISSA-LA. Sascha has spent over 25 years in various IT roles, implementing security solutions, leading software development, and designing IT infrastructure. He holds a bachelor's degree in Information Technology and a CISSP certification.
Shannon Lietz is a 30+ year award-winning technology and security industry veteran. She is currently a member of It's 5:05 the Podcast and startup founder.
Previously, she was the Vice President of Product and Software Security at Adobe, driving the security of Adobe's products and software ecosystem. Ms. Lietz has held numerous roles throughout her career with a focus on Offensive Security, Application Security, Cloud Security, DevSecOps, and Threat Intelligence. In her recent role, Ms. Lietz operated a 24×7 DevSecOps team that specialized in Adversary Management at Intuit.
Shannon has worked for and consulted with many of the Fortune 500. Her work has been instrumental in changing how companies implement software security and has brought critical focus to security metrics. She holds 40+ Cloud Security patents, Start-up Advisor, Community Whisperer, RSA Program Committee, Glynn 100, and dedicates time to mentoring and coaching. Ms. Lietz is an IANS faculty member and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Mount St. Mary's College.
Job Titles:
- CTO and Managing Director at Boston Meridian
Shawn Anderson is the CTO and Managing Director at Boston Meridian. Shawn has over 25 years of experience in networking, cyber security, public speaking, systems engineering, and cloud computing. He is a former Marine who started working computer related investigations for the military. Throughout his career he has worked as a security analyst, engineer, security manager, Chief Information Security Officer, and Security Advisor.
Prior to Boston Meridian, Shawn was an Executive Security Advisor at Microsoft advising fortune 1000 companies on security, architecture design around zero trust, and cloud security solutions. He has helped guide customers, partners, and security providers in how to approach deployment, design, and implementation of security across their organizations. Shawn has also served as the CISO for both Raytheon's Intelligence business and Babcock and Wilcox.
With his depth of experience, knowledge, and management capabilities he will lead Boston Meridians technology partnerships, security advisory services, and working to drive collaboration with industry partners. He is available immediately for discussions, executive briefings, and speaking engagements.
Shawn holds a BS in Computer Networking from Strayer University and a M.S. in IT Systems Management from the George Washington University. He also holds current CISSP and PMP certifications.
Job Titles:
- Special Agent With the Drug Enforcement Administration
As a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Stephen Murphy and his partner, Javier Pena, targeted the world's first narco-terrorist, Pablo Escobar, and the Medellin Cartel. Living and working alongside their Colombian National Police counterparts in Medellin, Colombia, as well as with elite U.S. military units, their efforts resulted in the dismantlement of the largest and most violent international drug trafficking organization of its time. This was a first in the field of international narcotics investigations. U.S. and international law enforcement agencies continue to utilize many of the strategies and innovative ideas that were created and implemented by Steve and Javier.
Steve began his law enforcement career in 1975 as a Police Officer in the City of Bluefield, WV. He then moved to Norfolk, VA, and was employed as a Special Agent for the Norfolk Southern Corporation. In 1987, Steve became a Special Agent with the DEA. His agent assignments included Miami, FL; Bogotá, Colombia; and Greensboro, NC. Earning progressive promotions and leadership roles, Steve served two tours in Atlanta, GA, where he was assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) office and led the Mobile Enforcement Team Program, and later created and directed the Atlanta Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force. In 2001, Steve was assigned to the Special Operations Division in Washington, DC, serving as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge and as the Executive Assistant to the Director. In 2009, Steve was promoted to the Senior Executive Service ranks as Deputy Assistant Administrator over DEA's Office of Special Intelligence in Washington, DC, and later as the Special Agent in Charge/Director of the Department of Justice (DOJ), OCDETF Fusion Center, where he remained until his retirement in 2013, after 37+ years in law enforcement. Steve was the recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout his law enforcement career, to include the "DEA Special Agent of the Year Award," the "DEA Administrator's Group Achievement Award," the "Director's Award" from DOJ's OCDETF Program, the "Distinguished Service Cross" from the Republic of Colombia (first time presented to a non-Colombian official), and the "International Award of Honor" from the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association.
Toby leads the Media & Entertainment vertical in Google Cloud's Office of the CISO, where he focuses on driving strategic change across the content and enterprise security disciplines.
In his previous role at Microsoft and now at Google, he's partnered with every major studio on cloud transformation initiatives across animation, VFX and post-production.
Before getting involved at the intersection of Hollywood and cloud, he ran the services arm of a major MSP in Manhattan (where he developed their cloud consulting practice), and before that founded and sold his own consulting firm in Seattle, Washington.
He now lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two sons- who are officially recognized as the World's Best Kids.
Tony Cole is a cyber leader with over thirty-five years of experience as a strategist, risk expert, advisor, and board member. Today, he's the CTO at Attivo Networks, the global leader in identity detection and response, providing an innovative defense for protection against identity compromise, privilege escalation, and attacker lateral movement.
Prior to joining Attivo Networks, Mr. Cole held executive positions at FireEye, McAfee, and Symantec. He's retired from the U.S. Army, where he worked in intelligence, communications, and cryptography around the world including building out the Network Security Services at the Pentagon. Mr. Cole served previously on numerous boards and government committees including Secure Elements, Bayshore Networks, Silent Circle, the (ISC)² Board of Directors as Treasurer and Chair of Audit and Risk, the NASA Advisory Council under appointment by the NASA Administrator, and the FCC CSRIC (Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council).Today he serves on the Advisory Board for TDI Security and on the Gula Tech Foundation Grant Advisory Board helping the Foundation give back to the community and drive a more diverse cyber workforce.
In2014, he received the Government Computer News Industry IT Executive of the Year award, and in 2015 he was inducted into the Wash 100 by Executive Mosaic as one of the most influential executives impacting Government. In 2018 he was awarded the Reboot Leadership Influencer Award by SC Media. He has a bachelor's degree in computer networking and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)and a Digital Directors Network board certified Qualified technology Expert (QTE).
Job Titles:
- Head of Cybersecurity at the City of Santa Monica
Veronica Mitchell is the head of Cybersecurity at the City of Santa Monica, where she established and maintains a robust information security program for the City. She has over 20 years of cybersecurity professional experience. Ms. Mitchell holds an Information Systems & Public Policy, CISO Executive Leadership Graduate Certificate from Carnegie Mellon University - Heinz College, Enterprise Cybersecurity Leadership Master Certificate from ICMA Professional Development Academy, Information Assurance (Cybersecurity) Master's Degree from Walsh College and a Business Administration Degree in Management Information Systems from Wayne State University. She also earned an Enterprise System Graduate Certificate from Central Michigan University.
In addition, Ms. Mitchell certifications include an ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Computer Network Defense Architect (CNDA), ISACA Certified Information System Auditor (CISA) and Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer, Certified Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) - IT Service Management and Certified SAP Solution Consultant.
Ms. Mitchell has given multiple cybersecurity presentations at universities and local security organizations and conferences. She was the recipient of the Employee of the Year Award while employed at the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. She was also the recipient of the 2017 ‘Volunteer of the Year Award' from the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC) organization
Job Titles:
- Dean Is Senior Director at Supply Wisdom, an Always - on Monitoring Solution Helping Companies Stay Ahead of Supply Chain Disruptions
Prior to joining Supply Wisdom, Dean was Senior Vice President at Shared Assessments, a member driven organization delivering secure and resilient third-party partnerships and solutions, and the creator of the widely used SIG (Standardized Information Gathering) questionnaire. Dean holds a Certified Third Party Risk Professional (CTPRP) designation.
Dean is Senior Director at Supply Wisdom, an always-on monitoring solution helping companies stay ahead of supply chain disruptions.