2026 Secure Carolinas Conference

Amy Barthelemy is the founder of GovParti (govparti.net), a free civic intelligence platform covering all 3,127 US counties, built solo in 14 days for approximately $5,000. The platform stores data from 30-plus federal sources locally, functioning as a living civic archive resilient to federal data removal. She is a published researcher (SSRN: 10928268), Latina first-generation American, military spouse, mom and resident of San Angelo, Texas.

Senior Technical Product Owner modernizing enterprise platforms with AI at their core. With deep experience across eCommerce, fintech, OTT streaming, he delivers end-to-end transformations: strategy, roadmaps, integrations (ERP/OMS/PIM), leading distributed teams/vendors to predictable outcomes. Jim specializes in AI‑augmented PM: Automating 80% grunt work (research, drafting, tickets) while amplifying human strengths – systems thinking, stakeholder alignment, accountability. Trusted to stabilize off-rails programs, restore exec trust, and redefine roles in AI‑first worlds. Passionate about ethical AI governance preventing psychopathic patterns (surveillance, short-termism).

Fletus is a seasoned IT and security professional, with a career spanning since the mid-2000s when he began as an IDS handler. Throughout the years, he has managed cybersecurity initiatives in various industries, including finance, utility, and software development. Fletus holds a Master of Science in Information Systems (M.S.I.S.) specializing in Information Assurance, along with a range of certifications such as CISSP, SSAP, GISF, GSEC, GCED, GPCS, GMON, GCCC, GSLC, GSOM and GCIL. He takes great pleasure in sharing his expertise and passion for cybersecurity with others.

https://www.giac.org/certified-professional/Carlton%20Fletus-Poston%20III/183722

Lakeidra Smith is a cybersecurity strategist, educator, and founder of The Cyber Consultant, where she advises organizations on human risk, security culture, and cyber governance. She has built and delivered cybersecurity curriculum for the Department of Defense and Amazon.
Her work sits at the intersection of behavioral science and security strategy — helping organizations understand that their most persistent vulnerability isn’t in their systems. It’s in their people.

A published author and keynote speaker, Lakeidra has presented at Sloss Tech and the Dell Cybersecurity Summit, and her book Cyber Curiosity has been used as an educational resource across workforce development and security awareness programs. She brings both the practitioner’s understanding of how attacks work and the educator’s ability to build the human defenses that stop them.

Joe Brinkley (TheBlindHacker) has spent over two decades in offensive security research and consulting. As the Director of Offensive Security Research & Community at Cobalt.io and the founder of Dead Pixel Sec, Joes focuses on the practical execution of automated attack surfaces.

His current work explores the integration of high-density edge AI hardware with agentic workflows, specifically looking at how multi-node AI clusters can be weaponized for Continuous Penetration Testing (CPT) and deep data research. By leveraging open-source models and custom frameworks, Joseph builds autonomous systems that bypass traditional detection engineering. He is a builder at heart, constantly experimenting with new ways to automate red team operations, defeat context window limitations in LLMs, and push the boundaries of what local hardware can do.

I am a cybersecurity professional with 17 years of experience in both IT and OT operations and cyber security program management and development within the federal government space. After earning my Masters Degree in computer science from the University of Louisiana @ Lafayette he took his first big boy job working for the Department Of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) MOX project in Aiken, SC at the Savannah River Site.

I cut my teeth on systems administration and security management as well as people management while at MOX for over 7 years, rising from analyst to Domain Admin responsible for all things security implementation in an environment with over 2000 users and 200+ servers and managing approximately 15 people

After leaving MOX my focus shifted to program development which is where i really got into cybersecurity. I spent the next 5 years at the Parsons Salt Waste Processing Facility project for DOE Environmental Management (EM) in Aiken, starting as the single cyber person in the engineering department. In that time i developed an Operational Technology cyber program in line with Nist SP 800-82 R2 and implemented the program fully, gaining an Authority to Operate from DOE for that facility. By the time i left that project i was again managing a team of approximately 15 people and had become a Certified CISSP, ISSEP, and ISSMP.

I spent the next 3.5 years back at the NNSA working on the Pu PIT Production project using my cyber skills to advance the nations nuclear deterrence program before coming back home to the EM mission with SRMC, where i currently serve as a contracted IT Program Manager/Technology expert through Boston Government Services.

At BGS my role is Regional Director, Cybersecurity where i maintain a team of 7 experts across the nation doing cyber and IT missions for the DOE along with fostering strategic partnerships and doing business development (in my spare time).

Despite all this, my biggest priority is my relationship with Jesus Chris and my wife of 17 years and my 2 children whom i love dearly. They are the reason i do what i do. Without them i would be nothing. So in my spare time i am a worship leader at Fearless Church Aiken, a small group leader, i play with my kids, hang out with my wife, play video games, and serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Horse Creek Academy , a non profit K-12 Charter School in Aiken SC.

Dusty Gulleson helps leaders cut through digital noise to achieve measurable results. As CEO of Tectonic, he has led the company through significant growth, transformation, and the unification of its diverse divisions into a cohesive digital powerhouse.

With more than 25 years in IT and digital transformation, Dusty specializes in guiding executives to focus on what matters most. His expertise spans cybersecurity, automation, custom applications, and enterprise-scale digital strategy, giving him a unique vantage point to advise organizations on both proven best practices and emerging innovations such as AI, no-code platforms, and advanced systems integration. He is also a certified StoryBrand facilitator, using the framework to lead consensus on important decisions and outcomes.

Audiences value Dusty’s candid, story-driven style. He shares lessons from decades of building trust-based relationships and leading transformations without the overwhelm, always balancing vision with practical execution.

What audiences can gain from Dusty’s talks:
– A practical framework for leading change without waiting for full alignment
– How to identify when resistance is fear versus legitimate risk
– Leadership behaviors that accelerate or quietly stall change
– Why overreaction, not tech debt itself, creates organizational damage
– How to restore execution without restarting strategy or restructuring teams

Over the years, Dusty and his companies have supported organizations such as Stanford University, Google and the Manufacturing Institute. Today, he brings those experiences to stages nationwide, equipping leaders to modernize with confidence, clarity, and impact.

Meet Gareth Hay – Your Expert in Control Room Innovation. With over 30 years of navigating the complex world of audiovisual, Gareth has helped shape control rooms that power the world—quite literally (half the world’s electricity transmission, to be exact).

Hailing from the UK, Gareth brings a sharp wit, a no-nonsense attitude, and perhaps a cuppa to every challenge he faces. When not tackling the intricacies of control room workflows, you might find him geeking out over AI trends or contemplating how donuts might be the secret to job satisfaction.

Anandan Sonaimuthu is a Senior Mainframe Lead Developer and Data Architect with over 21 years of professional experience in enterprise application development, legacy system modernization, and production support across multiple industries, including financial services, payment systems, healthcare, and aviation.
He has extensive experience in end-to-end mainframe application development, including system design, coding, testing, implementation, and maintenance using technologies such as COBOL, DB2, CICS, JCL, IMS, and VSAM. His work also includes integration with distributed and web-based technologies, including C#, XML, SOAP, and service-oriented architectures.
In addition to core mainframe expertise, he has contributed to modernization initiatives involving migration of legacy systems to cloud and distributed platforms. His experience includes working with AWS cloud infrastructure and big data ecosystems such as Hadoop, Hive, and related technologies.
He has held leadership roles involving team management, onsite-offshore coordination, and agile delivery execution. His domain expertise includes retail banking, investment banking, credit card processing, and payment systems, enabling him to deliver scalable and business-aligned solutions.
He holds a Master of Computer Applications (MCA) degree with distinction. He is recognized for his strong problem-solving abilities, performance optimization skills, and commitment to delivering high-quality, scalable solutions in complex environments.

Pradeep Periasamy is a design leader with extensive experience shaping products from inception through scale across fintech, mobility, enterprise SaaS, and consumer platforms. With a foundation built at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and Purdue University, he brings together strong technical depth and a user-centered design philosophy, enabling him to navigate complex problem spaces while delivering clarity, structure, and meaningful impact.
In his current role as Director of Product Design at Wolfe, Pradeep oversees design across a diverse gifting ecosystem that spans consumer experiences and sophisticated B2B tools. His work focuses on elevating product usability, modernizing design systems, and fostering alignment across cross-functional teams. Through a collaborative and thoughtful approach, he helps position design as a strategic driver of product growth, brand cohesion, and long-term vision.
Previously, Pradeep served as Staff Product Designer at Connect IQ Labs (Miles), where he led design for the company’s consumer application and guided the evolution of a mobility rewards platform used by a globally distributed user base. He also designed white-label mobility reward systems for leading automotive brands and expanded the design function by mentoring a growing team and setting foundational processes, systems, and workflows. His contributions supported product expansion, improved user experience, and strengthened the company’s B2B offerings.
Earlier in his career, Pradeep shaped enterprise experiences at Sprinklr, where he designed marketing and customer experience tools for large global brands during a period of rapid scale. He also contributed to the design of Treebo’s enterprise booking and management platform and played a founding design role at Enroot, where he helped transform a student project into a fully launched product supported by external funding.
His work is complemented by research and publication experience in generative AI and tangible user interfaces, as well as hands-on exposure to emerging technologies through internships at Amazon, MIT Media Lab initiatives, and Purdue University. Across every role, Pradeep brings an ability to blend vision with execution, guide teams through ambiguity, and deliver design solutions that balance user needs with business outcomes.

Neviar Rawlinson is a Cyber Risk and IT Governance leader focused on helping organizations translate complex cybersecurity challenges into practical governance and risk management strategies. She designs governance programs that align security, compliance, and engineering operations while enabling organizations to scale securely. Her work spans change management, incident governance, enterprise risk assessment, and security program maturity in fast-paced technology environments. She has experience supporting ISO 27001 readiness, SOC 2 audit preparation, and implementing governance frameworks that strengthen security while enabling innovation. Neviar is also the founder of GRC Explained, an initiative dedicated to making governance, risk, and cybersecurity concepts accessible to technologists and emerging professionals through educational content, community engagement, and practical frameworks. She holds an MBA in IT Management, a B.S. in Computer Science, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Artificial Intelligence. She frequently speaks on topics including cyber risk leadership, governance program design, bridging the gap between engineering and security teams, and the future of enterprise risk management in modern technology environments.

Dr. Siegfried Isele is a Managing Director, senior transformation executive, and board-level
advisor with more than 25 years of international leadership experience across insurance,
financial services, government, logistics, retail, and technology.

He specializes in large-scale modernization and transformation programs, including legacy
system replacement, data migration, AI-enabled automation, and regulated platform
transformation. Dr. Isele has led initiatives involving hundreds of specialists across multiple
continents, operating in highly regulated environments where reliability, compliance, and
governance are mission-critical.

In addition to his executive delivery leadership, he serves as a Senior Security Auditor (ISO/IEC
27001 & OT Security) and trusted advisor on cybersecurity, operational risk, and regulatory
compliance. His board and advisory contributions focus on technology strategy,
transformation governance, risk oversight, and executive decision-making.

Dr. Isele is known for his pragmatic application of agile principles, bridging structured
governance with real-world execution. He holds advanced degrees in economics, law, and
business engineering and has completed executive education at Harvard University, MIT,
Columbia Business School, UC Berkeley, and IIM Bangalore.

He is authorized to work in all Europe (incl. D A CH), the United States, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as he operates internationally.

Thought leader experienced with cloud & security architecture to drive a successful business outcome. Experience leading cross functional teams of highly skilled professionals focused on strategic delivery of solutions with built-in efficiency, security, and resiliency while maintaining a constant awareness to cost optimization and reducing associated cyber risk to the businesses.

My consulting experience is focused on working with businesses on their transformation journey through development, consultation, architecture design, implementation, optimization, and managed services. In consulting role, I have been advising both internal and external (local & International) stakeholders/customers on strategic technology selection and adoption along with delivery of solutions across a range of business units.

Rich Cominos is an Investigator, Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) for CyberCX in the Americas. Rich brings over 20 years law enforcement experience, which included time serving as a full time Task Force Officer (TFO) on the United States Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force and Cyber Fraud Task Force in Los Angeles, California, as well as working for the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General in the Internet Crimes Against Children section.

He has broad experience investigating a wide variety of cyber and electronic crimes which included a large number of high profile crimes against public and private sector entities.

While working in Los Angeles, Rich managed and oversaw all digital evidence handled by the California Highway Patrol, Southern Division Investigative Services Unit, which served all of Los Angeles County. He is experienced in a wide variety of digital forensics tools and methodologies. Rich has also developed custom programs and workflows to collect and analyze data. He has provided training and given presentations to Federal, State, and local law enforcement personnel on a wide range of topics including digital evidence, cryptocurrency tracing, and encryption.

Dusty Gulleson helps leaders cut through digital noise to achieve measurable results. As CEO of Tectonic, he has led the company through significant growth, transformation, and the unification of its diverse divisions into a cohesive digital powerhouse.

With more than 25 years in IT and digital transformation, Dusty specializes in guiding executives to focus on what matters most. His expertise spans cybersecurity, automation, custom applications, and enterprise-scale digital strategy, giving him a unique vantage point to advise organizations on both proven best practices and emerging innovations such as AI, no-code platforms, and advanced systems integration. He is also a certified StoryBrand facilitator, using the framework to lead consensus on important decisions and outcomes.

Audiences value Dusty’s candid, story-driven style. He shares lessons from decades of building trust-based relationships and leading transformations without the overwhelm, always balancing vision with practical execution.

What audiences can gain from Dusty’s talks:
– A practical framework for leading change without waiting for full alignment
– How to identify when resistance is fear versus legitimate risk
– Leadership behaviors that accelerate or quietly stall change
– Why overreaction, not tech debt itself, creates organizational damage
– How to restore execution without restarting strategy or restructuring teams

Over the years, Dusty and his companies have supported organizations such as Stanford University, Google and the Manufacturing Institute. Today, he brings those experiences to stages nationwide, equipping leaders to modernize with confidence, clarity, and impact.

Jason specializes in brand strategy, corporate identity systems, and brand architecture for organizations navigating growth and change. He helps companies clarify their structure, unify sub-brands, and build design systems that scale across teams, channels, and markets.

With decades of experience leading rebrands, product launches, and multi-channel campaigns, Jason brings a strategic yet creative approach to solving complex brand challenges. He has partnered with corporations, startups, and nonprofits alike, blending structure with personality to ensure brands are both organized and human.

A Louisville native, Jason has led award-winning projects recognized with Gold ADDYs, AIGA Louisville’s Best of Branding, and the organization’s only Visionary Award. He was also named one of Business First’s 20 People to Know in Advertising.

Jason’s talks explore branding as an essential business function that drives clarity, culture, and growth. He speaks on topics including brand architecture for growing companies, agile creative process, and how to align legacy with evolving markets.

He has presented at CreativeMornings, AIGA Louisville, AAF, and on panels covering branding, AI, and leadership.

Dr. Monifa McKnight is an accomplished executive leader, governance strategist, and former Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the United States. With more than 25 years of experience leading complex institutions, she is known for guiding organizations through high-stakes transitions, strengthening governance, and building resilient, people-centered leadership cultures. As Founder of McKnight Lotus Leadership Group, she advises executives and boards on leadership strategy, crisis navigation, and sustainable performance. She also serves as a leadership coach for the University of Maryland’s Central Office Leadership Academy (COLA) and holds board roles with Bowie State University, Africa University, and the National Capital Area Council of Scouting America.

Christopher Kemper is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with 23 years of distinguished military service, a decorated combat leader, and a non-traditional problem solver who now helps businesses win on digital ground.

Chris began his career at the Virginia Military Institute, earning a B.A. in International Studies and Modern Languages. Over two decades of service, he held command and leadership roles at every level, including Deputy Commander of Camp Marmal Garrison Command in Afghanistan and Commander of the 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry. His work in reconnaissance, intelligence, and operational strategy sharpened his analytical mindset and built his reputation for solving complex challenges by viewing them through an unconventional lens.

After retiring from the Army, Chris transitioned into civilian business leadership, managing global software development teams and leading multi-million dollar government contracts. This blend of military precision and civilian innovation laid the groundwork for co-founding EMILY Revolutionary Marketing Group®, where he now leads strategic growth for clients across industries.

At EMILY, Chris merges his strengths in analytics, systems thinking, and team leadership with cutting-edge digital marketing — offering SEO-first, AI-integrated strategies that help businesses grow their online visibility, attract qualified leads, and scale effectively. EMILY’s clients include national franchises, local nonprofits, manufacturers, and fast-growing service brands seeking a competitive edge.

Chris holds an MBA from Brenau University and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. His certifications include Google Digital Marketing, Google Generative AI Leader, SERanking, Google Search & Display Ads, Surfer AI Search and Meta Marketing Analytics.

A proud father, husband, and dog dad, Chris lives in Newberry, South Carolina with his wife Molly and daughters Ellis and Madeline. Whether deploying troops or building brands, he leads with clarity, data, and purpose.

Venkata Vivek Kothakonda is an accomplished Application and Production Support Engineer with over 15 years of experience supporting enterprise systems across telecom, banking, financial services, fraud and risk management, and digital payments domains. He brings deep expertise in UNIX/Linux environments, high-volume production systems, and customer-facing applications, with a strong focus on ensuring system reliability, performance, and operational excellence.
Currently serving as a Technical Support Engineer II at Flywire Corporation, Vivek supports complex payment processing platforms, resolving issues related to transaction failures, system integrations, and data synchronization across distributed systems. His work involves advanced database troubleshooting, API and webhook debugging, and detailed log analysis to ensure seamless financial operations and high customer satisfaction.
Throughout his career, Vivek has demonstrated strong capabilities in incident management, problem resolution, and change and release support, consistently ensuring SLA adherence and minimizing system downtime. He has played key roles in managing major incidents, conducting root cause analyses, and implementing process improvements to enhance operational efficiency. His experience spans working with leading organizations such as CGI, Mastercard, FICO, and Tech Mahindra, where he contributed to mission-critical platforms, including digital payment systems, fraud detection services, and enterprise communication engines.
Vivek is highly skilled in monitoring and observability tools, including Splunk, CloudWatch, and Wily Introscope, and has hands-on experience with AWS services such as EC2, ELB, and Route 53. He is also proficient in shell scripting and SQL, which he leverages to automate health checks, streamline operational workflows, and support data analysis and reporting. His ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams under Agile environments has enabled him to drive continuous improvements and maintain high standards of system performance and reliability.
He holds an M.S. in Telecommunication and Software Engineering from BITS Pilani and a B.Tech in Computer Science Engineering from JNTU Hyderabad. Additionally, he is certified in ITIL v3 Foundation and AWS SysOps Administration, reflecting his strong foundation in IT service management and cloud operations.

With over 25 years of experience in information security, Eric Kuehn has spent his career on both sides of the equation – building defenses and breaking through them. As a Principal Security Consultant with Secure Ideas, he works with organizations of all sizes to find the gaps between what they think is protected and what actually is. That same mindset extends beyond technical vulnerabilities to how organizations plan, respond, and recover when things go wrong. Eric speaks regularly at conferences and events on a range of security topics, and shares his knowledge through courses at Antisyphon Training.

Rachelle Waite-Bey is originally from New Jersey and is an USAF Veteran. She is a granddaughter to one of the developers and designers of the gaming console Atari and likes to say technology is in her DNA! Rachelle’s military duties included supporting Air Force 2 as a flight attendant and her last duty station was in support of the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe (SACEUR), as one of the three hand selected flight attendants to support the NATO Command. In both roles Rachelle flew on Special Air Missions to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2020 Rachelle registered WAITE SLTS, a cybersecurity consultant firm, in the State of South Carolina where she assisted DOD clients with their corporate security compliance needs and is a highly sought after cybersecurity professional.

Toby Louris is Director of Technology at Renewable Water Resources (ReWa), where he leads IT strategy, cybersecurity, and digital modernization for one of South Carolina’s largest wastewater utilities. Over a 25+ year career, he has built and led technology organizations across SaaS, telecom, healthcare, and critical infrastructure — including executive roles at BenefitFocus and Windstream Communications. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Toby chairs the SCAWWA/WEASC Ad Hoc Technology Committee and serves on advisory boards for ECPI University and Greenville Technical College

Zach Seiter is the manager of all cybersecurity operations at Renewable Water Resources (ReWa). He has been doing cybersecurity since early high school. He graduated from Anderson University as one of the first graduates from the center of cybersecurity. He is currently completing his masters in cyber at Kennesaw State where he plans to graduate from in December of 2026. Zach is passionate about security and technology as a whole, spending time experimenting in his home lab. He is also an avid rock climber and guitarist.

For most of his 30-year career in the Information Technology field, Clint had to know a little about a lot. His niche was coming into a company with no IT staff and building the department up. Once established, he would move on to the next opportunity to do it again. As he stated, “The joy is not standing on the mountaintop. It’s the climb up.” After building up the IT department at Sunland Logistics Solutions, as he had done so many times before for other companies, he was offered a new challenge: build and lead the company’s cybersecurity division. The opportunity to focus on one aspect of IT… the most important aspect… and master it, was just too good to pass up. After four years as the Head of Cybersecurity, Compliance, and Risk Management (and twelve years total at Sunland), Clint’s career path was dramatically altered. Clint left Sunland to take over as CEO of Spicer-Industries, the company that began as the brainchild of his late father.

He has held cyber security, data scientist, and leadership roles at JP Morgan Chase, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Bloomberg, and Goldman Sachs. Brennan holds a masters’ degree in Business Analytics from New York University and participates in the data science community with his non-profit pro-bono work at DataKind.

Randall Laudermilk joined the company in 2009 and is responsible for establishing the strategic direction of the SAINT risk exposure and compliance product portfolio and establishing strategic partnerships and alliances. He has a vast range of experience in the IT field, including 30 years of experience in both IT professional services and product management. Randy has an extensive background in business development and has been instrumental in developing several corporate and product strategies that facilitate increased customer value and revenue potential for our partners. He served in the U.S. Air Force and later held a position with the Joint Staff’s Special Operations Division at the Pentagon. Randy also completed professional study at the Performance Institute and earned an M.S. in Information Systems from Marymount University. He is a Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), and a member of the Scrum Alliance, CyberSC, and recent addition to the X9 Financial Services AI Study Group.

Lisa is a pharmacist dedicated to empowering patients to take care of their own health with ever advancing technology.

Jason Farrell is a Senior Solution Engineer at Microsoft where he focuses on Cloud Apps and AI. The role seeks to provide technical help to larger customers who are either adopting or using Microsoft Azure services including AI. Jason also focuses on AI Engineering which involves understanding how applications can consume and leverage AI. Outside work, Jason spends time with his family and loves Lego Star Wars

Cyrus J. Walker III is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Data Defenders, a civic cybersecurity firm serving municipalities, counties, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations. He brings thirty years of practitioner experience across cybersecurity operations, network architecture, digital forensics, and critical infrastructure protection.

Cyrus serves on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s CISA Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) as a member of the Election Infrastructure Subsector Coordinating Council, working directly with federal partners on threat intelligence and joint incident response capabilities for election infrastructure. He is an internationally recognized expert in electronic voting system security and holds a certificate from MIT’s Smart City Design program.

Earlier in his career, Cyrus served as a Subject Matter Expert in Cyber Terrorism Defense and Incident Management at the University of Arkansas’s Cyber Defense Analysis Center under DHS funding, where he trained more than 5,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals, including personnel from the NSA, FBI, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Secret Service.

Under his leadership, Data Defenders serves as the operational architect of Aurora, Illinois’s regional cybersecurity operation, which has detected and mitigated 35,331 threats, eliminated 351 high-severity threats, declared zero major security incidents, and delivered those results at 77% below the cost of an equivalent in-house Security Operations Center.

Avdesh Mishra is a Cybersecurity Advisor and Senior Leader with over 18 years of experience supporting Fortune 500 organizations in strengthening cybersecurity resilience and enabling secure business transformation. He has deep expertise in executive advisory, cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and leading large-scale transformation programs across global environments.
Currently, he serves as a Managing Director at Ernst & Young (EY) in Chicago, where he leads global cybersecurity consulting across IT and OT domains. In this role, he advises boards and senior executives on cybersecurity posture, operating models, secure AI adoption, and M&A due diligence, while delivering measurable outcomes across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and financial services.
Previously, Avdesh held senior leadership roles at EY and Ilantus Technology, where he led major initiatives in Zero Trust, IAM/IGA, data protection, cloud security, and regulatory compliance aligned with frameworks such as NIST CSF, SOX, NERC CIP, HIPAA, and SSAE 18. He holds an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University and a Bachelor of Technology in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.

Seasoned Compliance and SecOps Manager with a proven track record of ensuring regulatory adherence and mitigating risks. Markel has worked with hundreds of clients from small businesses up to large Fortune 100 companies in refining their security processes to aid in the defense against threats far and wide.

Eugene Willis Jr. is an Application Analyst, Red Hat Systems Administrator, and Helpdesk professional who built his career in tech from the ground up. Starting without a formal background, he worked his way from support roles into managing Red Hat systems and higher education applications. With degrees in Business and Marketing, Eugene blends technical expertise with creative strategy to solve real-world problems. Outside of tech, he’s a touring emcee and author who enjoys mentoring others and helping them carve out their own path forward.

I am a cybersecurity professional with years of hands-on experience defending organisations against an ever-evolving threat landscape, from early-stage intrusion detection to today’s sophisticated, AI-powered supply chain attacks.
A member of CyberSc and Toastmasters International, I have built a reputation not only as a technical practitioner but as a compelling and authoritative voice in the cybersecurity community. That reputation was earned on stage: competing through Toastmasters’ rigorous evaluation process, I claimed first place at the Division level and advanced to District competition — a distinction that places me among the most accomplished communicators in the region.
This rare intersection of deep cybersecurity expertise and award-winning public speaking defines my approach to every presentation. Complex threats are translated into clear strategy. Technical depth is delivered with confidence, precision, and purpose.
I speak to inform, to challenge assumptions, and to move security professionals from awareness to action.

Meet Gareth Hay – Your Expert in Control Room Innovation. With over 30 years of navigating the complex world of audiovisual, Gareth has helped shape control rooms that power the world—quite literally (half the world’s electricity transmission, to be exact).

Hailing from the UK, Gareth brings a sharp wit, a no-nonsense attitude, and perhaps a cuppa to every challenge he faces. When not tackling the intricacies of control room workflows, you might find him geeking out over AI trends or contemplating how donuts might be the secret to job satisfaction.