Arizona Technology Summit Agenda

More information coming soon.

Synopsis

In this session, we’ll explore how a converged SASE platform combined with AI and machine learning (ML) enables real-time threat detection and mitigation, transforming network security from a reactive to a proactive model. The focus will be on how AI-driven solutions within the SASE framework can identify, analyze, and neutralize security threats in real-time across distributed environments.

Alan Kerr has over 25 years of enterprise experience serving as lead visionary, advisor and designer of IT strategy for companies in the Forbes Global 2000 across continents. Mr. Kerr advises companies that are leaders in their industrial sectors such as Insurance, Finance, Defense, Manufacturing, Hospitality and Healthcare. Topics that he frequently assists organizations with are such things as data protection, data and system availability, fault tolerance, business continuity and extreme performance. Mr. Kerr speaks at conferences around the globe most recently for Microsoft in Asia.

Synopsis

In this session, Alan Kerr, senior solutions architect of Stable Path, discusses how public and private organizations are using software-defined storage (SDS) to integrate data protection strategies into their existing storage environments to protect against ransomware, cyber attacks, and other availability threats. Learn how you can leverage your heterogenous storage environment while unifying data protection through easy-to-use, single-pane-of-glass management that extends over dissimilar storage platforms across both production and disaster recovery systems.

Jim West possesses over 28 years’ experience in the Information Technology field with over 18 years focused within Cyber Security. He has worked in the IT and Security industry across many sectors of commercial, space, federal, and defense with expertise in Biometrics, Risk Management, Security Analysis, and Network and Systems Auditing. Jim holds multiple certifications which include; CISSP-ISSEP, ISSMP, CAP, GSLC, GCIH, GSNA, GCWN, G2700, PMP, CIPP, C-CISO, CEH, and many others.

Jim has been invited to speak at Cyber Security conferences and events worldwide to include the NSA IA Symposium, Texas Technology Summit, CSfC Tech Day, TechNet Korea, TechNet Pacific, Cyber Bowl, Best Cyber Ranger, and many others. He was shortlisted as a finalist for Personality of the Year for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Cyber Security Awards. Jim is also an Award Winning author and writer. Recently Jim’s “Cyber Security and Test Tips” ebook placed in the 100 Best Cyber Security Books of All Time list by Bookauthority.org.

Jim specializes in Cybersecurity strategy and solutions that solve complex problems for National Security systems and networks to include systems and software integration, enterprise-wide and cloud security, network engineering, penetration testing, and more.

Synopsis

Quantum Computing is soon to become a major advancement for the world, but with this huge step forward in compute power comes a real and serious threat to security for everyone. Cyber Security Expert, Jim West, explains the threats that both commercial and government sectors face in our near future where Quantum Computing will be able to easily undermine the fundamental security safeguards we utilize to protect communications and data, as well as, the efforts and programs in place today to counter this threat."

Joe Nay is a Sales Engineer at Horizon3.ai, where he works with security teams to turn autonomous pentesting results into real risk reduction. Drawing on years of hands-on penetration testing and consulting experience, he helps organizations move from check-the-box security to continuous, proof-driven validation of their attack surface.

Synopsis

Most security programs measure effort — not outcomes. Organizations patch thousands of vulnerabilities, deploy dozens of tools, and run annual tabletop exercises… but when an attacker shows up, none of that matters.

What matters is whether they can prove their defenses actually work.

In this talk, Horizon3.ai shares how leading organizations are using autonomous pentesting to see their environment through the attacker’s eyes — continuously, safely, and at scale. By shifting from assumptions to proof, they’ve learned to:
• Prioritize what’s exploitable. Focus limited resources on the weaknesses that truly put the business at risk that are known to be abused by threat actors.
• Quickly fix what matters. Close the loop from find → fix → verify and reduce your exploitable attack surface.
• Reduce attacker dwell time. Use pentest results to precisely deploy honeyTokens to detect compromise early, and to continuously prove your EDR and SIEM are tuned and working as intended.

Cyber resilience isn’t about being perfect — it’s about getting better over time. And the only perspective that truly matters is the attacker’s.

As the Vice President of Cybersecurity and Innovation at Logicalis US, Rob Edwards leads the strategic development of next-generation security and AI-powered compliance solutions. Rob’s deep expertise was forged in both his civilian entrepreneurial ventures and service in the U.S. Army National Guard where he retired as a Sergeant First Class. His leadership and operational resilience uniquely influence his approach to mitigating risk in today's most complex threat environments.
Rob previously served as the President and CEO of Maple Woods Enterprises, leading the firm to a successful acquisition by Logicalis US. He is best known for developing and evangelizing the OverWatch Continuous Compliance service - a solution built to solve persistent regulatory challenges facing IT leaders. And the way business must be done in the future. His deep understanding of the MSP business model, combined with his military-inspired defense in depth strategy, allows him to deliver highly practical, effective, and scalable solutions for service providers and enterprises alike.

Synopsis

Organizations are under increasing pressure to strengthen cybersecurity while navigating a complex mix of frameworks, regulations, and operational demands. Yet many struggle to translate frameworks into practical, measurable outcomes.

In this session, Logicalis will explore how leading organizations are operationalizing frameworks such as NIST CSF, CIS Critical Security Controls, and industry-specific standards to establish a common language for security, align business and technical priorities, and create measurable progress.

We will share how a framework-driven approach simplifies decision-making, improves visibility into risk, and provides leadership with greater confidence in their security posture while enabling teams to move beyond checkbox compliance to sustained resilience.

Revised Agenda:
• Why Frameworks Matter Now
o The role of NIST CSF, CIS Controls, and industry mandates
o Moving from fragmented controls to unified strategy

• From Theory to Execution
o Common gaps in framework adoption
o Translating frameworks into operational workflows and metrics

• Aligning the Organization
o Creating a shared language across IT, security, and business leaders
o Using frameworks to prioritize investments and demonstrate progress

• Real-World Outcomes
o Examples of improved visibility, risk reduction, and decision support
o How organizations are using frameworks to build long-term resilience

• Enabling Continuous Improvement
o Sustaining momentum through ongoing measurement and adaptation
o Where managed and advisory services can accelerate outcomes (light touch, not product-centric)

Joe Austin serves as Vice President of Solution Architecture at Comcast Business, a leading provider of communication services to the enterprise market. He leads a team focused on designing custom network solutions and driving product innovation for global managed services. Joe holds a Master's degree in Strategic Management and Executive Leadership from Penn State, with graduate certificates in Enterprise Architecture and Strategic Leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently pursuing an MBA in Artificial Intelligence from Drexel University. Joe is an active member of Cisco's Customer Advisory Board, Cisco's Partner Advisory Board, and Fortinet's Technical Partner Advisory Council.

Synopsis

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly evolving from a productivity tool into a foundational component of enterprise operations, reshaping how organizations design, secure, and manage their technology environments. This session explores the journey from today's AI-assisted capabilities to a future where intelligent networks, AI-driven security operations, digital workers, and predictive IT platforms work together to enhance performance, resilience, and business outcomes. Attendees will gain practical insights into where enterprise technology is headed, the role humans will continue to play, and the steps organizations should take today to prepare for the AI-ready enterprise of 2030.

Gabe Gabaldon, CIO with W. L. Gore & Associates

Synopsis

The executive CXO Forum is for attendees with VIP badges only. This session is intended for audience participation so be ready to discuss, receive valuable information, and connect with others for further discussion.

Aisa Burke is a Field Solutions Architect specializing in Cyber Resilience at Everpure, where he partners with organizations to build infrastructure and strategies that can withstand, respond to, and recover from today's most advanced cyber threats. He brings over 15 years of technology experience — and a career path that proves great engineers are made, not just hired.

Aisa got his start in IT at Salve Regina University, working his way up from Technical Support Specialist to Network Administrator before moving into the enterprise technology sector. He spent six years at Dell Technologies progressing from Associate to Senior Account Systems Engineer, then joined Commvault as a Senior Sales Engineer focused on data protection. Most recently, he served as a Customer Engineer at Zero Networks, helping companies deploy automated zero trust segmentation to eliminate lateral movement and stop ransomware in its tracks.

Today at Everpure, Aisa works at the intersection of storage infrastructure and cyber resilience, helping IT and security leaders close the gap between data protection and real-world recovery.

Synopsis

More Info Coming Soon

Brian Deitch is a Chief Technology Evangelist with a focus on cloud security, zero trust, and SASE/SSE. He has over 20 years of experience in the technology industry and has worked for companies such as US Airways, Apollo Group, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and F5 Networks. In recent years, Brian has become a leading expert in cloud security, zero trust, and SASE/SSE. He has spoken at numerous conferences and events on these topics, and is often sought out as a thought leader in the field. He is particularly interested in the intersection of security and cloud, and is a strong advocate for zero trust security models and the use of SASE/SSE to design and implement digital, network, and application transformation. In his current role as a Chief Technology Evangelist, Brian is responsible for driving the adoption of new technologies and best practices within his organization, and for educating and inspiring others in the industry to do the same. He is passionate about helping organizations to adopt secure, reliable, and scalable cloud-based solutions, and is dedicated to helping to make the internet a safer place for everyone.

Synopsis

Explore cutting-edge technologies and strategies designed to safeguard against an ever-evolving threat landscape and enforce zero trust. This presentation covers a comprehensive array of advancements, including external attack surface management, deception technologies, event-driven traffic capture, command and control (C2) detection, cloud custom IPS, and isolation techniques. By leveraging these innovations, organizations can proactively adapt, detect, and neutralize emerging cyber threats, ensuring robust and dynamic protection in a constantly changing digital environment.

Frank has been working full time in various IT roles for over 25 years. A presales professional in hosted and managed services since 2015, recent roles included Mitel and RingCentral where he specialized in UCaaS and CCaaS. Now at TPx, he works closely with partners and customers to design a range of secure managed solutions that align with and support the growth of their organizations. Earlier roles included Product Manager at Vodavi and Vertical during the era when SIP was emerging as the future of voice communications as well as on-site engineering for a regional MSP and network engineering for a wireless carrier.

Synopsis

What if your cybersecurity strategy was a cross-country road trip—with ransomware hiding in the potholes? Discover how to map uncharted risks, pack unseen essentials, and train reluctant copilots before the engine starts. We’ll navigate dark highways where threats loom and rest stops save your engine. Your destination? A future where breaches don’t derail you. Leave with the map to a future where threats don’t define your destination.

Sean brings more than 18 years of information security and IT experience to his role at Netskope. Prior to Netskope, Cordero served as Senior Executive Director, oCISO, at Optiv, where he provided executive-level advisement to the company’s Fortune 100 clients. Cordero has been a key driver in the cloud adoption space; since 2011 he has led creation of the industry standard control framework for cloud security, the Cloud Security Alliance’s (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM). For his contributions to cloud security and adoption, the CSA awarded him the 2013 Ron Knode Service Award for North America and he was inducted in 2016 by the CSA as an Inaugural Research Fellow.

Synopsis

The cloud has changed how we do business, making work more intuitive, connected, open, and collaborative. This change has presented new security risks, unlike what enterprises have seen before. As enterprises continue to adopt new clouds, with or without the involvement of IT and Security, new ways of defending, responding to, and technical control capabilities are required to succeed in this new reality. In this talk, practitioners will hear from Cloud industry leader, Sean Cordero, who will provide tips, lessons learned, and recommendations on how to defend from these new vectors of attack and share the lessons learned from defending some of the largest public and private organizations in the world. Attendees will learn: 1. Common challenges & cloud sourced risks facing organizations in a cloud-first world and how to address them. 2. Technological innovations which have enabled large enterprises to securely adopt cloud services while protecting their core data assets. 3. Real-world examples of modern attacks used to damage public and private organizations which leverage the cloud.

Autonomous Pentesting

Lock's Topic

AI & Tech Debt

Kevin's Topic

Tooling Your Team for Today's Challenges

Synopsis

The executive roundtables are for attendees with VIP badges only. The roundtables are intended for audience participation so be ready to discuss, receive valuable information, and connect with others for further discussion.

Jason Konzak, MBA, is the Vice President of Consulting at ISOutsource, bringing over 25 years of executive leadership across managed IT services, cloud infrastructure, data centers, and professional services consulting. He specializes in helping organizations modernize service delivery through practical technology integration and intelligent automation, translating emerging tech into pragmatic, high-impact business strategies. Throughout his executive career, Jason has led large-scale operational transformations and driven multi-million-dollar P&L growth across major technology platforms.

Synopsis

Artificial Intelligence is transforming how organizations operate, how employees work, how customers engage with businesses, and how decisions are made at every level. But alongside unprecedented productivity gains and innovation opportunities come serious challenges around security, governance, ethics, compliance, workforce disruption, and trust. In this session, we will explore the current state of AI adoption in 2026. We will examine the tangible business benefits organizations are achieving today, the common pitfalls and risks organizations often underestimate, and the broader societal implications that could reshape industries, jobs, and human interaction in the years ahead.

Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of where AI is creating real value, the guardrails needed for responsible adoption, and what leaders should be doing now to prepare for the next wave of AI-driven transformation. Whether you are an executive, technologist, business leader, or simply curious about the future, this session will provide an honest and thought-provoking look at what AI means for you, your organization, and society.

Key Takeaways:
• Understand the biggest opportunities AI creates for organizations in 2026.
• Identify emerging risks related to security, privacy, governance, and compliance.
• Explore the potential impact of AI on jobs, business models, and society.
• Learn practical strategies for adopting AI responsibly and effectively.
• Gain insight into where AI is headed next and how to prepare for the future.

Jason Bickford, Application Development Senior Manager with Evernorth Health Services

Panelist:

Dana Kline, VP of IT & CIO with Cordia

Panelist:

Christian Lees, CTO with Resecurity

Panelist:

Bill Ryan, Senior VP & CTO with BWH Hotels

Panelist:

Frank Sweeney, CIO with State of Arizona DCS

Synopsis

The executive panel discussion is for attendees with VIP badges only. This panel will cover an array of different topcis, come and listen! This session will include audience Q&A.

Mike Janson is a seasoned technologist and Channel Sales Engineer with over 25 years of experience in data center architecture, cybersecurity, and enterprise backup solutions. With a background in both engineering leadership and technical presales, Mike specializes in helping organizations simplify and secure their backup infrastructure through immutable, high-performance on-prem storage.
At Object First, Mike works closely with partners and customers to deploy Zero Trust Data Recovery solutions that eliminate complexity and reduce risk. He brings deep expertise in secure data protection strategies, Veeam integration, and scalable storage architecture — making him a trusted voice for backup resilience in the face of modern ransomware threats.
Mike holds a Master of Science in Computer Science and has presented across national forums on topics ranging from secure infrastructure design to data protection best practices.

Synopsis

96% of ransomware attacks target backup data. In the past, having endpoint protection and securing your infrastructure may have been sufficient. Still, today, businesses recognize that security measures will fail, and the threat of ransomware is “when,” not “if”. Ransomware targets backups because bad actors know that if they can take out the possibility of recovery, the ransom is all but guaranteed. Paired with the fact that backup solutions today are often too complex, fragile, and slow to recover, businesses frequently find themselves choosing between a suboptimal recovery option and the risk of paying for a decryption tool that may not even work.

This session shows how to transform your backups from a weak point into your last line of defense against ransomware. Learn how Object First delivers secure, simple, and powerful backup storage purpose-built for Veeam that’s absolutely immutable. With the ultimate ransomware defense, you and your organization become Simply Resilient.

Onkar Singh is the Co-Founder and CEO of 42Gears Mobility Systems, an enterprise mobility management platform securing millions of connected endpoints globally. With over two decades of engineering and leadership experience, Onkar previously held senior engineering roles at Motorola and Symbol Technologies, where he spearheaded software development for rugged handheld business devices. In 2009, he co-founded 42Gears to solve complex mobile device management (MDM) challenges for enterprises. Today, he leads 42Gears in shaping the future of Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) and IoT device deployment. Onkar holds a degree in Computer Science & Engineering from NIT Jalandhar.

Synopsis

AI-Driven IT Operations: Automating the Mundane centers on shifting IT's focus from reactive, manual "firefighting" to proactive, autonomous management. The goal of this session is to demonstrate how 42Gears leverages AI to handle repetitive tasks, freeing IT teams to focus on strategy rather than maintenance.

Warren Ponder is VP of Product at Classie.ai. He is a product leader with a track record of building new market categories and scaling them to enterprise impact.
Warren began his career as a Principal Engineer at Sun Microsystems, then spent his tenure at VMware as a founding contributor to creating the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure category, and innovations around graphics virtualization.
Following VMware, Warren advised startups and venture capital firms on product strategy and technical due diligence before serving as Chief Product Officer at a browser security startup. He joined Classie.ai to help define the emerging AI supervision category, applying decades of experience turning complex technology into products that solve real customer problems.
At Classie, he is focused on helping enterprises move beyond AI observability to true understanding, transforming AI activity into actionable insight that enables organizations to adopt AI with confidence.

Synopsis

How we work from knowledge workers to developers is changing. AI has moved from a passive chatbot you query into an active, autonomous collaborator. One that can read and write files, run background tasks, and carry out entire workflows without any supervision. Employees are already using this shift to scale their output. Most of it is happening invisibly to IT, security, and leadership, and the pace is only accelerating.
This session lays out a practical supervision playbook built around the three strategic steps needed to supervise AI. Discovering where AI is already running inside your organization, analyzing how and why it's being used, and supervising AI, turning supervision into real business value by controlling AI spend having audit-ready answers when someone asks why an agent did something, and capturing institutional knowledge that compounds instead of disappearing when a tool or vendor changes.
It's a framework any organization can use. Attendees leave with a concrete way to turn this shift into an advantage instead of a liability.

Tim is a certified security expert with over 25 years of experience leading IT and cybersecurity initiatives. He’s helped organizations of all sizes strengthen their defenses by building system roadmaps, guiding implementation projects, and aligning technology with long-term security goals.

Synopsis

Is your business below or dangerously close to the Cybersecurity Poverty Line? AI is now integrated into operations and security, offering powerful defenses while creating new risks and vulnerabilities.

In this expert-led session, you will learn practical, budget-friendly strategies to harness AI safely: strengthen protections, avoid common pitfalls, and rise above resource constraints. Leave with clear, actionable steps to navigate business security with confidence, no matter your size or budget.

Jennifer Pittman-Leeper, known professionally as JPL, brings nearly two decades of expertise as a strategic thought leader and policy developer in state government. She currently serves as the SLED Field CISO at Axonius, where she collaborates with state and local governments to address cybersecurity challenges and support the successful adoption of new technology initiatives. JPL is also a passionate advocate for expanding opportunities for women in tech and empowering the next generation of cyber heroes through partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In her previous role as Cybersecurity Program Manager for the State of Arizona, JPL spearheaded collaboration among multiple state agencies to identify enterprise solutions and develop comprehensive state cybersecurity policies. She led the deployment and implementation of several enterprise-level cybersecurity tools and managed the statewide cybersecurity grant program, which provided critical security tools to local municipalities. JPL’s efforts also led to the creation of governance models that continue to guide the state's cybersecurity practices today. Before her work in cybersecurity, JPL held key roles as a legislative liaison, project manager, customer success manager, and executive director for various Economic and Workforce Development boards and commissions, where she drove initiatives to enhance workforce opportunities and economic growth.

Synopsis

In this session, we’ll explore how security teams can strategically plan cybersecurity investments and demonstrate value to leadership using metrics that truly matter to the business. We’ll discuss the current landscape of cybersecurity spend, introduce key metrics for tracking program effectiveness, and show how Axonius can help quantify and communicate security impact.

Why it matters:
Understanding and leveraging the right metrics not only strengthens your security posture — it also helps secure buy-in (and budget) from executives and the board.

What you’ll walk away with:
A clear framework and talk track for measuring, reporting, and getting leadership alignment on your cybersecurity initiatives.

More Info Coming Soon

Synopsis

AI is being touted as the solution to modern networking challenges—promising to simplify operations, improve security, and ease the burden on IT teams. With networks growing more complex than ever, the appeal of AI-driven automation is undeniable. But can AI truly solve the underlying problems, or is it just addressing symptoms? In this presentation, we’ll explore the evolution of network complexity, why traditional architectures are so difficult to manage, and how AI is being applied to address these challenges. We’ll examine the reality behind AI’s promises and whether it can finally deliver the simplicity and efficiency network operators have been chasing for decades. Is AI the breakthrough we've been waiting for, or is there something deeper at play? Let’s find out!

Steen Hambric is a seasoned C-level IT leader with extensive experience across federal and local government in the Greater Phoenix area. At the City of Phoenix, he oversees strategic technology initiatives, digital transformation, and cybersecurity. His leadership drives innovation, operational excellence, and secure, citizen-centric municipal services.

Speaker's Bio

Mitchell Kohlbecker, Chief Information Security Officer with the City of Phoenix

Speaker's Bio

Chuck Boyer, Assistant Chief Information Officer wtih the City of Phoenix

Speaker's Bio

Alan Claypool is a Global Business Executive (CEO/COO/CIO/CTO) and author with 20+ years of C-suite experience, who builds and leads high-performing teams to maximize corporate value. He drives continuous business and cultural transformation to improve service, employee growth, cost reductions, performance, initiative traction, and stakeholder value. He is an experienced leader and coach for future leaders. Alan is also a proud Air Force Veteran!

Synopsis

More Details Coming Soon

Daniil Zaika is a Senior Cloud Advisor at TierPoint, where he helps organizations navigate the intersection of cloud and modernization. Daniil works with technical teams and executive leadership alike to cut through the hype around cloud and focus on what actually makes it work.

Synopsis

AI is only as good as the data behind it, and most organizations are racing toward adoption on foundations never built for it. Success is hindered by data that is too distributed, too stale, and too exposed, compounded by fragmented systems, outdated perimeter security, and low data quality. Data, security, and governance must evolve together under a Zero Trust model, delivered not as a one-time project but as a continuous cycle of strategy, control, and secure operation, with TierPoint and Microsoft's security ecosystem positioned as the partners to get you AI-ready.

Jeff Polczynski is Vice President of Solutions Architecture at 11:11 Systems, where he leads the global pre-sales Solutions Architects team. His team partners with customers to design resilient cloud and connectivity solutions that support their business goals. Drawing on more than 30 years of networking, security, and leadership experience across government, financial services, and service provider environments, Jeff brings deep technical expertise, leadership perspective, and real-world insight to customer conversations.

Synopsis

The threats are not new. What is new is the velocity and volume. AI is helping attackers automate reconnaissance, improve phishing and impersonation, accelerate social engineering, and scale operations that used to require far more time and expertise. For IT and security leaders, that means cyber resilience can no longer focus only on prevention. This session explores how organizations should adapt their architecture, operations, and recovery planning for an environment where familiar attacks now move at machine speed.

Jitesh is a Senior Solutions Architect with Palot Alto Networks. He graduated With MS in Computer Networks & Network Security from San Jose State University.

Madhuresh Anur's Bio

Madhuresh is a Senior Product Manager with Palo Alto Networks. He has been with Palo Alto for almost 8 years.

Synopsis

Your IT, DevOps and security teams are working as hard as possible, but attackers are watching and waiting for a single mistake to exploit. When teams are overextended and development cycles are rushed, cloud management procedures and crucial gaps get overlooked.
Cortex® Xpanse™ regularly fills in incomplete risk assessments to ensure security teams can accurately answer:
• How many cloud workloads are currently live?
• Are our cloud policies being followed across every workload and cloud subscription?

This presentation will showcase how Xpanse automatically identifies and associates unknown cloud assets and allows command through Prisma® Cloud for complete cloud security and manageable policy enforcement.

Coming Soon...

Synopsis

Coming Soon...

Coming Soon...

Synopsis

The roles and responsibilities of the IT team have historically been well understood. However, IT of tomorrow needs to be in the driving seat for marketing, intelligence, and insights surrounding the company’s customers and markets. The future IT moves at a fast pace and uses new technologies to respond to changing customers trends/needs quickly – while relying on solid, foundational IT. The evolution of digital technologies enables IT insights and new engagements models, new services, and new products.

Wayne Johnson founded Stellar Technologies in 2014 with a clear vision: help organizations stay secure, resilient, and ahead of an increasingly complex digital threat landscape. With more than two decades of experience in Information Technology and a background as a Chief Technology Officer, Wayne built Stellar on the belief that cybersecurity and IT services should be both powerful and deeply client focused.
As CEO, Wayne leads Stellar’s strategy and growth, positioning the company as a trusted provider of Cybersecurity and Cloud solutions. Under his leadership, Stellar has expanded its capabilities and partnerships, including becoming the Official Cybersecurity Provider of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury.

Synopsis

Artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed the cybersecurity landscape. Today’s attackers no longer need sophisticated malware to compromise organizations—they can convincingly impersonate trusted executives, employees, vendors, and even customers in real time.

This session begins with a live demonstration unlike anything most audiences have experienced. While the presenter moves through the audience, an AI-generated version of the presenter remains on stage, delivering the presentation, interacting with attendees, and responding to live questions. The goal isn’t entertainment—it’s to demonstrate how difficult it has become to distinguish reality from fabrication. From that demonstration, we’ll explore how the same technologies are already being used in real-world attacks, including executive impersonation, voice cloning, social engineering, business email compromise, fraudulent video conferencing, and AI-assisted phishing campaigns.

Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of where this technology is today, where it’s heading over the next few years, and what organizations must do to adapt. The discussion will cover identity verification, zero-trust communication practices, employee awareness, technical safeguards, and how security leaders should prepare their organizations for a world where digital evidence can no longer be assumed authentic.

This is not a theoretical discussion about the future of AI. It’s a live demonstration of capabilities that exist today—and a roadmap for defending against them tomorrow.

Benjamin Petersen is an accomplished Systems Engineer/Architect with over 25+ years of experience in the IT industry, spanning roles from non-profit organizations to major financial institutions. Currently serving as a Systems Engineer specializing in data resiliency with Veeam Software, Benjamin leverages his extensive expertise to help businesses protect and manage their critical data assets.

Benjamin’s diverse background reflects a deep understanding of IT infrastructure and data management, gained through his work across various sectors. His career has equipped him with a unique perspective on the challenges and solutions in data resiliency, making him a valuable asset in his current role. With a commitment to advancing security technologies and a passion for helping organizations safeguard their data, Benjamin Petersen is a sought-after expert in the field of data protection and recovery.

Synopsis

Ransomware threats don’t discriminate. And as the industry’s leading provider of data resilience solutions, we’ve seen it all here at Veeam. Public sector organizations are just as likely to be targeted as those in the private sector, and the stakes can be even higher. Veeam’s latest Ransomware Trends Report exposes critical vulnerabilities and highlights why relying solely on backups is no longer enough to ensure resilience. In this session, Senior Systems Engineer Benjamin Petersen will unpack the most common oversights that leave organizations — government, education, healthcare, and beyond — exposed to cyberthreats, especially when backups become an overlooked back door in your security strategy.

Drawing from real-world incidents and hard-earned lessons, Benjamin will share what he wishes every IT professional knew before facing a ransomware or security breach event. You’ll leave with actionable insights, practical guidance, and research-backed recommendations to help you strengthen your data resilience. Whether you’re securing sensitive public sector data or safeguarding private enterprise information, this session will equip you to prepare for tomorrow’s threats today.

Ivan is a Solutions Engineer at Thales, empowering organizations to secure their most sensitive data and AI assets. A cybersecurity researcher by day and a high school football coach in the evenings, Ivan balances technical rigor with a commitment to his local community and family.

Synopsis

Join Thales to discuss how we enable organizations to adopt generative AI and autonomous agents while maintaining compliance with frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI, and addressing the specific risks identified in the OWASP Top 10 for LLMs.

• 20+ years experience in security & technology
• Military veteran of the United States Navy
• Book author (Cloud Attack Vectors – on Amazon!)
• Book Contributor (Identity Attack Vectors)
• Book Editor (Privilege Attack Vectors)
• Several Articles on Dark Reading, CSO, Security Brief, across UAE, APJ and UK
• Written Compliance Matrix for PAM – CIS 20/18, Mitre, ISO, PCI, NIST & GDPR
• Operated as Deputy CTO and Deputy CISO roles at BeyondTrust
• Former Practitioner

Synopsis

As threats have evolved so too has the approach to Modern Identity Security. A Privilege-Centric approach must be adopted and considered with this evolution. Identity and user management for all accounts within an organization must mature to meet the demands of the cloud, nonhuman identities, Agentic AI and modern attack vectors. Your PAM strategy must now manage and mitigate not only traditional privileged access (root and admin) but also attacks against identities with a path to privileged access.
These paths to privilege still remain one of the most valuable targets for cybercriminals because many organizations are defending their environments with fragmented or siloed security strategies and solutions. Security gaps and risks lie in endpoints, cloud environments, Saas Applications, third-party access and now Agentic AI and NHI which make the battleground even harder to defend. Identity Security builds on the foundation of defense-in-depth, coupling visibility with least privilege and Zero Trust while addressing critical risks with priority and exposing less-than critical risks for awareness.
Leverage a strategy that works, improves compliance, helps meet cyber insurance mandates, enhances security posture, while giving you the visibility needed to protect your environment.

Jeff is an Identity Strategist with SailPoint focusing on Energy/Utilities and Financial Services/Insurance verticals. He has 25 years of experience in Information Security. He has focused on Identity and Access Governance, has led security teams for large ERP implementation teams designing GRC security and controls, built Threat and Vulnerability programs, PCI and HIPAA compliance programs, and has led several IT Audit teams for Fortune 100 and 500 companies.

Synopsis

With the shift to distributed working models, SaaS application sprawl, and a rapidly evolving IT environment, it’s no surprise that organizations are now more susceptible to cyber attacks and threat actors. In the last year, 90% of organizations experienced an identity-related breach. Identity security has emerged as the new perimeter in the constantly changing world of cybersecurity. But barriers to strong identity security practices are often outdated tools, limited access to technical talent, a lack of executive sponsorship, or a constrained budget.

In this panel, we will discuss:
• How to develop a compelling strategy and get executive board buy-in
• How breaking down enterprise silos and aligning to the overall business strategy create a more resilient identity security program
• How AI/ML can improve your identity security posture to adapt to changing environments, boost IT productivity, and stay ahead of security issues across the enterprise
• Key considerations needed to make well-informed, risk-based decisions about provisioning, verifying, and deprovisioning access to non-employees and managing access to unstructured data

Throughout his 29-year career in IT, Tom has served the state, local government, and education industry as a strategic advisor and enabler. He focuses on generating positive outcomes by aligning technology investments against key industry imperatives. Today, Tom serves as the Region Director for the SLED Markets at Nutanix. In this position, he leads and supports the dedicated teams serving the public sector and education institutions throughout the Southwest Central US region.

Synopsis

Today’s hybrid and multi cloud infrastructures heavily utilize virtualization, software-defined infrastructure and automation. This has provided IT teams with more efficiency and agility but has also compounded security risks. These security threats are more acute for State, local, and education agencies as they carry confidential citizen, student and state information. The agencies and institutions face the constant threat of ransomware and other destructive forms of cyberattacks. Do you have the right infrastructure and processes to improve your security posture across the kill-chain?