Day 1: Smart Secure Cities
John leads the International Collaboration team made up of mayors, city leaders, 110 tech companies and universities from across the world (www.amnick.com). This group focuses on commercial projects within City Challenges/Smart Cities/Environment and Technologies (AI, IoT, Industrial IoT, Digital Transformation).
John is the ex-chair for Telegraph newspaper (UK) Tech and Innovation. John is the editor in chief of City Pulse magazine – focusing on Smart Cities, Environment and Technologies (AI, IoT, Digital etc) circulated to an audience of 10 million. Link to magazine is at www.amnick.com. John also leads on government projects in Business and Digital Transformation, Smart Cities, and Transportation.
Welcome
8:45 AM - 9:00 AM PDT
MC: Organizers Welcome Video & Announcement for "Leading Smart Cities with Trust" by No. 1 Ranking Public Policy School, Cybertrust America and NIST GCTC
Opening Keynote: Leading Smart Cities and the US with Trust
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Nitin Natarajan, Deputy Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), DHS
Nitin Natarajan serves as the Deputy Director for the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as of February 16, 2021. In this role, he supports the CISA Director overseeing the Cybersecurity Division, the Infrastructure Security Division, the National Risk Management Center, and the Emergency Communications Division. His operational support responsibilities are to ensure a holistic approach to critical infrastructure protection across physical and cyber risks activities.
Prior to joining CISA in February 2021, Natarajan served as an executive at a consulting firm providing subject matter expertise on a variety of topics, including IT, cybersecurity, homeland and national security, critical infrastructure protection, environmental emergency management, continuity of operations, and health security matters. Natarajan also held a number federal government roles including serving as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of Critical Infrastructure Policy at the White House/National Security Council, and as the Director at U.S. Health and Human Services overseeing their critical infrastructure, continuity of operations (COOP), and medical logistics programs. He also has experience working at the state and local government levels.
Natarajan started his career spending 13 years as a first responder in New York including service as a flight paramedic. He was the Commander of a federal medical response team, based in New York, and has extensive experience deploying to natural and man-made disasters throughout the nation. He holds an undergraduate degree from the State University of New York and a graduate degree from the United States Naval Postgraduate School.
Mayor Lily Mei, Fremont, CA
Mayor Lily Mei grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the Drexel University. Her diverse professional experience includes over 20 years in competitive analysis, product and channel management, supply chain practices and serving as a worldwide sales operations controller. Most recently she led a global high-technology trade association representing industry leaders to develop best practices to advance intellectual property protection.
Mayor Mei is proud to be a contributor to the growing success of Fremont’s public education where she was elected twice as a School Board Trustee to the Fremont Unified School District serving from January 2008 to December 2014.
In addition to education, Mayor Mei embraces diverse recreational and cultural programs serving as a volunteer and leader supporting local scouting and sports programs. She is a board member/advisor of Citizens for Better Community, Music for Minors II and South Bay Chinese Service Club. Mayor Mei also has been a dedicated supporter involved with community focused groups encouraging civic engagement such as the Silicon Valley Leadership Group – Minority Women Leadership Day/Education Summit and American Association of University Women.
A Lesson from Crises: Your City's SafetyNet
9:30 AM - 10:10 AM
Justin Price, National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA)
Experienced Director with a demonstrated history of working in the public policy industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Microsoft Word, Fundraising, Leadership, and Microsoft Excel. Strong professional with a Master's degree focused in Public Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY).
Mayor Steve Schewel, Duram, NC
Steve Schewel has lived in Durham since he came to Duke as an undergraduate in 1969. He is deeply immersed in the civic and political life of the community.
He is a former vice-chair of the school board, served for six years on the Durham City Council, and he now serves as Mayor of the City of Durham. His particular commitments are to issues of homelessness, immigration, affordable housing, civil rights, policing and crime, shared prosperity, and the preservation of open space, trails and parks.
Steve co-founded the Independent Weekly in 1983 and published it for nearly 30 years before selling it in 2012. Since 2000, he has been a visiting assistant professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke where he teaches courses about social movements and political change. Steve and Lao Rubert have raised two sons in Durham, both graduates of Durham Public Schools. Steve is a long-time youth soccer coach, a reader, runner and cyclist, and he fancies himself a pretty good cook.
Michael Dunaway, Lead for the Global City Teams Challenge, National Institute for Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce
Michael Dunaway is Associate Director for Innovation in the Smart Grid and Cyber Physical Systems program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with principal responsibility as program lead for the Global City Teams Challenge (GCTC), a federal Smart City program within the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Dr. Dunaway’s previous experience included leadership positions in research centers at the University of Cincinnati and Louisiana at Lafayette, where he also served as Director of the Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center. Earlier assignments included Director for Preparedness and Resilience Programs at the American Red Cross; Program Manager for Risk Management and Community Resilience at the Science & Technology Directorate, Department of Homeland Security; and as a project manager in the Cognitive, Neural, and Social Science Division of the Office of Naval Research.
A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, retiring from active duty at the rank of Captain. He holds an M.A. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and Ph.D. (Systems Engineering) from George Washington University.
About the Global City Teams Challenge
In 2014, NIST launched the Global City Teams Challenge (GCTC) to encourage smart city and Internet of Things (IoT) stakeholders to develop and deploy standard-based solutions that are replicable, scalable, interoperable, and that provide measurable benefits for cities and communities. GCTC collaborates with local and regional authorities, business and industry, and research institutions through public private partnerships to develop technology solutions to city and regional challenges. GCTC seeks to help cities and communities share best practices, improve on successes, and build consensus for smart city standards.
Since its inception, the GCTC has helped create over 200 partnerships—called Action
Clusters—involving over 200 cities and 500 companies, universities, and non-profits.
Lena Geraghty, Program Director, Urban Innovation, Center for City Solutions, National League of Cities (NLC)
- Envision and create urban innovation research and resources to meet the needs of the 19,000+ U.S. cities, towns, and villages, focusing on the future of cities, emerging technology, broadband and 5G, mobility, cybersecurity, performance management, human experience platforms
- Manage cross-functional team of technical and non-technical staff members to execute urban innovation agenda while building key skills
- Provide guidance and implementation support on data analysis and visualization
- Devise and organize peer learning opportunities and convenings with NLC members and leading experts on topics of interest
Secure Cities: Planning, Execution & Resources
10:15 AM - 10:50 AM PDT
Track 1: Planning It: The Making of #1 Smart Secure City and a County in USA
Raimundo Rodulfo, CIO and Chief Innovation Officer, City of Coral Gables
Raimundo Rodulfo has worked for more than 26 years across industries delivering value, growth, sustainability, continuous improvement and innovation to customers and organizations. As the Information Technology Director and Chief Innovation Officer of City of Coral Gables, he is responsible for strategic planning, oversight and management of city-wide IT operations, infrastructure and smart city initiatives.
Prior to joining the City in 2004, Raimundo worked for 10 years in the private sector, including seven years with Bellsouth as a telecommunication engineer and two years at Siemens and NCR as an electrical engineer. He also worked on engineering projects with Motorola and Lucent in Chicago, and with Agilent Technologies in Silicon Valley; and he worked on joint technology projects with Alcatel, Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, DELL, CheckPoint, VMWare and other organizations.
Raimundo holds a Master's Degree in engineering management from Florida International University (FIU), a Graduate Certificate in enterprise systems from FIU, and a Bachelor of Science in electrical and electronics engineering from National Polytechnic University. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.), a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), and a Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB). He also holds other professional credentials such as Florida and National NCEES P.E. Record, Certified Virtualization Expert (CVE), Payment Card Industry Professional (PCIP), HIPAA Master, SAP Business Suite, and IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certification.
Benny Lee, Public WiFi Program Director, San Mateo County
Benny Lee has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry covering technology systems architecture, process design and business intelligence before moving into local government several years ago. Currently, he is the Director of SMC Public Wi-Fi Program for the County of San Mateo covering civic innovation projects. Under his leadership, the County of San Mateo has expanded to over 90 free Public Wi-Fi locations with about a million hours of online usage monthly. His other work includes Federal Advocacy, NIST Global Cities Team Challenge (GCTC) for Wireless Superclusters. He also serves as an advisor for the NIST GCTC Cybersecurity Privacy Advisory Committee, the NIST GCTC Smart Buildings Supercluster and serves as co-chair to the NIST GCTC Data Supercluster.
Benny was elected to San Leandro City Council in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. He’s focused on fiscal sustainability, solving social challenges and is driven towards smart civic technologies innovation and usage that ties it all together. He serves and advises on multiple boards and organizations focused on regional civic engagement in political affairs.
Benny is happily married to his lovely wife Rose. His son Austin works in the tech industry while pursuing his post-graduate degree in Data Science and Cybersecurity covering Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence development..
Track 2: Doing It: Securing No. 1 Smart City with a Small Team
Abstract: City of Coral Gables: winner of numerous awards, including 2018 Digital Cities Award, First Place Winner in the Up to 75K Population Category and the 2020 Smart 50 Award from around the world, City Beautiful shares its secrets.
Nelson Gozalez, Chief Information Security Officer, City of Coral Gables, FL
Fifteen years of experience in design, engineering, and support of Network, Telecommunications and Cybersecurity Infrastructures
Experienced in managing complex network, and telecommunication environments
Experienced managing highly regulated cybersecurity environments
Expert in the design and maintenance of cybersecurity infrastructures
Specialized in implementing security in-depth strategies
Experienced managing complex enterprise and urban physical security Infrastructures
Experienced with CCTV/ALPR and video analytics solutions (In-House, Urban, Mobile)
Experienced administrator of Microsoft based client/server environments
Fluent in English and Spanish.
FDLE/CJIS/FBI clearance
Track 3: Getting Resources: NIST Latest Guidance on IoT
Abstract: As Smart Cities adopt IoT technologies and devices, it is important to evaluate their security. NIST's recent publication offers a timely guideline to conduct your independent evaluation. Hear from one of the authors and engage with him for in-depth knowledge.
As a member on the IoT Cybersecurity Team at NIST, Kevin is one of the authors of NISTIR IoT Non-Technical Supporting Capability Core Baseline (NISTIR 8259B), published in August 2021. Kevin will share on the development of the document. https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/nistir/8259b/final
This publication is intended to be used in conjunction with NISTIR 8259, Foundational Cybersecurity Activities for IoT Device Manufacturers and NISTIR 8259A, IoT Device Cybersecurity Capability Core Baseline https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2020/NIST.IR.8259A.pdf.
Kevin also has experience working in public safety security research.
Enabling Secure Cities
10:50 AM - 11:25 AM PDT
Track 1: Planning It: Planning Smart Cities with Trust Built-in
Abstract: Failing to plan is planning to fail. It is proven true in cybersecurity posture for smart city and community projects. How do we ensure Smart Cities are trustworthy in the eyes of their stakeholders?
Join seasoned leaders Glenn and Pam to get your planning started right.
Glenn Ricart, Founder and CTO, US Ignite
Bio coming soon
Technologist, businessman, CTO, computer networking and security specialist, and academic / educator. Dr. Ricart has worked at the intersection of business, policy, and technology for more than 30 years. Among other accomplishments, he started what might be viewed as the first Internet Service Provider (ISP), has founded or co-founded 3 successful startups, served as EVP and CTO of Novell, and been DARPA's liaison to the Clinton White House. Areas of computer techology interest include: networking, security, wireless, and distributed algorithms. Dr. Ricart's most requested talks are on the future of technology and the application of that future to business or policy.
Pamela Gupta, Co-Chair, NIST GCTC: Smart Security and Privacy
* Co-Chair of NIST GCTC CPAC COVID-19 Taskforce.
* Security thought leader, Founding Member of IoT Security Foundation, a industry consortium of global IoT leaders.
* Technical cyber expert Subject Matter Expert (SME) for various organizations.
* 22 years working for Global Fortune 500 Companies creating strategic risk based programs to help businesses survive and be profitable.
* Guest commentator and writer for local television, print and online media. Featured on, among others, Forbes, Huffington Post and various industry organizations publications.
* Frequent presenter at industry events.
* President of OutSecure, A cybersecurity security company helping clients stay profitable and anticipate cybersecurity risks to their business.
* Chair Northeast Annual Cybersecurity Summit, NEACS – a security summit for business leaders.
* President CT Chapter of ISC2, helping spread security awareness in the community.
Track 2: Doing It: Advancing Local Governments and Regions Cybersecurity at Scale
Abstract: Facing the recurring challenges of shortages in budgets and experienced staff, as well as heightened needs of responding to regional incidents and disasters, some local governments have piloted programs to address biggest pain points. Join the session to explore:
* regional cybersecurity governance
* regional intelligence centers and
* virtual security operations center
Lee McKnight, Associate Professor, Syracuse University; Cybersecurity and Privacy Advisory Committee Leader, GCTC-Smart Secure Cities and Communities Challenge
Lee is an Associate Professor in the iSchool (The School of Information Studies), Syracuse University, an Affiliate of the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (INSTC), and Faculty Advisor to the Worldwide Innovation Technology and Entrepreneurship Club (WiTec).
Lee teaches Blockchain Management, Information Security Policy, and Cloud Architecture at Syracuse, and lectures annually at MIT on innovation since 1998. Lee serves on the Board of Directors of Imcon International Inc. (which makes the Internet Backpack he co-invented), and on Hu-manity.co, NineAI, and Promptous Advisory Boards. Lee was Principal Investigator of the 2011 Technology Project of Year TACNY Award-winning National Science Foundation Partnerships for Innovation Wireless Grids Innovation Testbed (WiGiT) project 2009-2014 which developed the Open Specifications Model (now 0.5). Lee is co-inventor of edgeware, a new class of software for creating secure ad hoc overlay cloud to edge applications and services for the Internet of Things. Lee's research focuses on cyber-physically secure service governance, and national and international technology policy. Lee was Research Associate Professor of Computer Science, Associate Professor of International Information and Communication, and Director of the Edward R. Murrow Center at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University; and Visiting Scholar, Principal Research Associate, Lecturer, Postdoctoral Fellow and Consultant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lee's research has been published in dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and several MIT Press books. He has been quoted by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, Bloomberg Business Week, AP, CNBC, NPR, and Voice of America, among others.
Lee's PhD was awarded by MIT, Masters by The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and Bachelors (magna cum laude) by Tufts University.
Alison Yakabe, Northern California Regional Intelligence Center
Alison Yakabe works as the Lead Cyber Security Analyst at the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC) in San Francisco, California. In this role, she engages with law enforcement and private sector partners to evaluate cyber security needs and develops insightful analytic products to share timely threat intelligence. Ms. Yakabe came to the NCRIC via the Military Forces and Technology Division at the US Department of State and the Auto Theft Task Force at the Colorado Information and Analysis Center. A San Mateo native, Ms. Yakabe holds an MA in International Security from the University of Denver and a BA in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth.
George Thomas, Vice President of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives, Connected DMV
George Thomas is a thought leader and adviser to public and private sector organizations in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. George has helped clients develop successful strategies and execute transformational projects in operations, capital improvement, organizational change management, and strategic planning. He currently serves as Vice President of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives for Connected DMV, a non-profit regional collaboration across Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia – the DMV. Its participants include local jurisdictions, federal agencies, industry, community, and academia who work together to advance the region's top opportunities, generate economic development, and shape a stronger future for the well-being of our region.
For 16+ years, George served as a Partner at IBM, where successfully delivered several complex, mission-critical transformation engagements which include innovative and breakthrough projects in technology, process, and people transformation. Prior to joining IBM in 2000, George held senior positions with the management, business consulting and engineering practices of PSINet; Metamor; and Mott MacDonald respectively. In these roles, he was involved in global multi-million-dollar engagements covering complex implementations in finance, human resources, supply chain, reengineering, process improvement, and core heavy engineering projects. George founded, and also serves as Managing Partner, for New Urban Informatics, a boutique advisory firm, providing expertise to some of the most innovative companies and governments focused on disruptive technologies analytics and Smart Cities.
George is a recognized industry expert at the intersection of business and technology in areas such as cognitive computing, deep analytics, smarter cities, optimization & simulation, Blockchain, the API economy, internet of things, and cloud computing. George is a founding member of the Smarter Cities Council, a member of the US Nation Institutes of Standards and Technology’s Executive Committee for Global City Teams Challenge, a member of American Society of Civil Engineer’s standards committee for resilience and sustainability. George is a mentor, board member and coach to several start-ups and innovative companies. He is a regular speaker at conferences, radio shows and events including at the C40 Mayor’s Conferences, TEDx, Chambers of Commerce, the American Institute of Architects, Smart City Expo, US Infrastructure Week, the World Bank, and the United Nations.
Track 3: Getting Resources: Funding, Hard Skills, Soft Skills and Inclusive Talent
Deidre Diamond, Founder and CEO, CyberSN; Secure Diversity
Talent and technology veteran, Deidre Diamond, Founder, and CEO of CyberSN and Secure Diversity, has created the largest cybersecurity talent acquisition service and technology firm in the U.S while focusing on the cybersecurity talent shortage, specifically the shortage of women.
Deidre's mission is to remove the pain from job searching and matching for everyone. Deidre cares tremendously about people's loving where they work and has been working to create cultures that have high EQ (emotional intelligence) skills. These skills focus on words and behaviors. Deidre is known in the D/I community as someone who works hard at making sure words and behaviors are inclusive for all so that inclusive environments can also be diverse environments.
Patrick Wilson, CIO & CISO, Chief Information Officer,
Chief Information Security Officer, Contra Costa County Health Department, CA
Talent and technology veteran, Deidre Diamond, Founder and CEO of CyberSN and Secure Diversity, has created the largest cybersecurity talent acquisition service and technology firm in the U.S; while focusing on the cybersecurity talent shortage, specifically the shortage of women. Deidre's mission is to remove the pain from job searching and matching for everyone. Deidre cares tremendously about people loving where they work and has been working to create cultures that have high EQ (emotional intelligence) skills. These skills focus on words and behaviors.
Deidre is known in the D/I community as someone who works hard at making sure words and behaviors are inclusive for all, so that inclusive environments can also be diverse environments.
Keith Clement, CA Governor's Cybersecurity Task Force, Professor, State University Fresno
Dr. Keith Clement is Professor of Criminology at California State University, Fresno. He Chairs the Workforce Development/Education Subcommittee of the California Cybersecurity Task Force led by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and California Department of Technology.
Professor Clement is currently authoring the California Cybersecurity Workforce Development and Education Strategy. He is also developing and implementing the California Cybersecurity Career Education Pipeline and Pathway Project to prepare 50,000 cybersecurity professionals for statewide entry-level employment. In addition, he is co-organizing the 2020 California Cybersecurity Industry Convening Meeting (virtual) and recently co-authored the California Cybersecurity Essential Workforce Youth Pre- and Registered Apprentice Talent Model Framework and Strategy.Professor Clement Chairs the California Community College Chancellor’s Office Public Safety Education Advisory Committee (PSEAC) and also Chairs the Information Technology Subcommittee of the California Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships (IACA).
In terms of previous service, Dr. Clement served as former Director for the CSU Council for Emergency Management and Homeland Security (CEMHS) California State University Chancellor’s Office Faculty Affinity Group. Dr. Clement received a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Early Career Scientific Leadership Award in 2008. Dr. Clement facilitates and enhances IT-Cybersecurity collaboration with industry (public and private sectors), education/higher education, and government agencies. The common purpose is developing strong partnerships and resilient cyber communities through alignment and linkage of statewide education career pipelines/pathways. Pipelines prepare all segments of the cyber talent pool, contribute significantly to California cybersecurity posture, and serve as engine for transformative and equitable economic growth.
Keynote #2: Keynote: Emerging Risks and Opportunities in Smart Cities
11:30 AM - 12:10 PM PDT
Abstract: Leading strategist, a Top 10 LinkedIn Technologist and top researcher at RSA will summarize emerging risks and opportunities in security and privacy followed by a lightning round of solutions.
Matthew Rosenquist, CISO, Eclipz.io Inc., Former Cybersecurity Strategist, Intel Corp
Matthew Rosenquist is the former Cybersecurity Strategist for Intel Corp and benefits from 29 diverse years in the fields of cyber, physical, and information security. Mr. Rosenquist specializes in security strategy, measuring value, developing best-practices for cost effective capabilities, and establishing organizations which deliver optimal levels of cybersecurity, privacy, ethics, and safety.
Mr. Rosenquist is very active in the industry, speaks at conferences, and advises businesses, academia, and governments on best practices and how to move to sustainable models that comprehend the advancement of attackers while aligning to organizational goals. Matthew keynotes at industry events, is a member on multiple technical and academic advisory boards, and collaborates with the top minds in the cybersecurity industry. He has developed risk methodologies, fostered technologies, and publishes acclaimed blogs, articles, and white papers on a wide range of cybersecurity topics.
Matthew is very passionate about protecting technology and strives to blend practical risk mitigation practices, business processes, and technology capabilities to achieve an optimal level of security. His forward-looking focus is on the emerging risks and opportunities to make digital technology secure, trustworthy, private, and safe for everyone.
Riaz Zolfonoon, Sr. Distinguished Engineer, RSA
Mayors Panel: Loving Our Smart Cities Starts with Trust
1:10 PM - 1:55 PM PDT
Abstract: Facing a crisis the magnitude of COVID-19, many cities and counties have to pull back on their budget for smart city initiatives to meet basic needs. Never let a good crisis go to waste, a famous saying advises. What does it mean for innovation and investment opportunities for Smart Secure Cities?
Attend this session with award-winning smart city leaders for their insights and plans. Hint: innovations and investments have many forms.
Dr. Jonathan Reichental, Founder & CEO, Human Future; Author of Smart Cities for Dummies (July 2020)
Dr. Jonathan Reichental is the Founder & CEO of Human Future, a global business and technology education, advisory, and investment firm. He is the former Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Palo Alto, and a multiple award-winning technology leader whose 30-year career has spanned both the private and public sectors. In 2017, he was named one of the top 100 CIOs in the world and in 2016 he was named one of the top 20 most influential CIO’s in the United States.
Dr. Reichental is also recognized as a global thought leader on a number of emerging trends including urban innovation and blockchain technology. In 2013 he was recognized as one of the 25 doers, dreamers, and drivers in government in America. He also won a best CIO in Silicon Valley award and a national IT leadership prize. His innovative work in government has also been recognized by the White House. Dr. Reichental works with his teams to apply technology innovation in organizations to create new value and to enable work to be more meaningful and fun.
Dr. Reichental is an adjunct professor at several universities including the University of San Francisco. He is a popular writer and online host, producing several highly successful online courses with LinkedIn Learning. He co-authored The Apps Challenge Playbook and he is a frequent public speaker on a wide range of technology and business-related topics. He co-hosts the popular podcast, Drinking Wine Talking Tech.
Mayor Steve Benjamin, Columbia, SC
As President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor Benjamin established the Mayors Leadership Institute on Smart Cities at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.
Since his election in April 2010, Mayor Steve Benjamin has made it his mission to create in Columbia the most talented, educated and entrepreneurial city in America.
President Barack Obama’s administration commended Mayor Benjamin on his work on behalf of My Brother’s Keeper (MBK). The city’s MBK efforts, in addition to Mayor Benjamin’s leadership, have led to Columbia being seen as a nationwide leader in implementing and upholding the missions of the program.
Mayor Benjamin was asked to speak at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, where he talked about the importance of instilling in his daughters that they can do anything they set their minds to, even becoming President of the United States.
In addition to serving as Mayor of Columbia, Mayor Benjamin also served as the 2018-2019 President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and as Chairman for Municipal Bonds for America, Member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, Member of the Accelerator for America Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the Mayors for 100% Clean Energy campaign.
Follow Mayor Benjamin on Twitter and Instagram: @SteveBenjaminSC.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell, City of New Orleans, LA
New Orleans declared State Of Emergency Following Cyber Attack in 2019; It started with phishing (an employee clicked on it); the way New Orleans handled its ransomware attack was a near-best-case scenario; recovering from even the unsuccessful attack cost approximately $5.2 million.
Cantrell was inaugurated as mayor on May 7, 2018, the first woman to hold the position in the city's history.
Once in office, she established a new Office of Youth and Families, with the goal of creating a strategic plan to address families in crisis in the city. Cantrell also founded a Gun Violence Reduction Council, tasked with finding solutions to violent crime. Starting with a push to rededicate hotel taxes collected within the city for city use, Cantrell has focused on her #fairshare initiative to improve city infrastructure, public transportation, public parks, and green spaces. As part of that initiative, in October 2018 the City of New Orleans filed a lawsuit against four opioid manufacturers and distributors.
During the 2019 session of the Louisiana Legislature, Cantrell negotiated the Fair Share Agreement with Governor John Bel Edwards and city, state, and tourism officials. The agreement secured $50 million in upfront funding for the city's infrastructure needs as well as $26 million in annual recurring revenue for the city. Following the approval of the Fair Share Agreement, New Orleans voters approved three of the four proposals Mayor Cantrell and the City Council put on the ballot in the 2019 general election. Voters approved a $500 million bond sale and a tax on short-term rental properties, as well the establishment of a Human Right Commission under the New Orleans Home Rule Charter.
Rob Lloyd, CIO, City of San Jose
Rob Lloyd is Chief Information Officer for the City of San José, California, directing the diverse technology portfolio of the nation’s tenth largest municipality. The City’s 6,600 employees and $3.7B+ budget serve one million residents and 80,000+ businesses in heart of Silicon Valley. The City’s quest: To be as innovative as the community we serve.
Over the past two decades, Rob has led organizations in the technology, government, and utilities sectors in California, Arizona, Oregon, and Colorado. His teams have earned over 20 national awards for engagement, operational excellence, and innovation through advanced uses of technology. He has earned recognition as a Government Technology Magazine Top-25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers; National Diversity Council Distinguished CIO; eGov Pioneer; Arizona Top Tech Exec; and Phoenix Business Journal Forty Under 40.
Day 2: Smart Secure Communities
MC: Deidre Diamond, Founder and CEO, CyberSN; Secure Diversity
Talent and technology veteran, Deidre Diamond, Founder, and CEO of CyberSN and Secure Diversity, has created the largest cybersecurity talent acquisition service and technology firm in the U.S while focusing on the cybersecurity talent shortage, specifically the shortage of women.
Deidre's mission is to remove the pain from job searching and matching for everyone. Deidre cares tremendously about people's loving where they work and has been working to create cultures that have high EQ (emotional intelligence) skills. These skills focus on words and behaviors. Deidre is known in the D/I community as someone who works hard at making sure words and behaviors are inclusive for all so that inclusive environments can also be diverse environments.
MC: Organizers Welcome Video & Announcement
8:45 AM - 9:00 AM PDT
MC: Organizers Welcome Video & Moving-the-Needle-in-Cybersecurity Announcement:
"Leading Prosperous Communities with SafetyNets" by Cybertrust America with assistance from the Census Bureau and the City of Coral Gables
Cybersecurity Capture-the-Flag with Worldwide Black Hat Champion
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM PDT
Abstract: Over 100 (or maybe 200+) professionals and aspiring white hat hackers joined the CTF in 2020 with 3 well-deserved team winners. Our CTF grand master Rod Soto has upped his game in the design. Who are winning it this year? Win cool prizes and bragging rights :)
Opening Keynote: Small Business Recovery - Digital SafetyNet for the Future
9:00 AM - 9:40 AM
Ann Dunkin was most recently the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer focused on state and local government at Dell Technologies. Prior to that, she was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the County of Santa Clara. Dunkin served in the Obama Administration as CIO of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Previously, she was the Chief Technology Officer for the Palo Alto Unified School District, after a long career at Hewlett Packard in a variety of leadership roles focused on Engineering, Research & Development, IT, Manufacturing Engineering, Software Quality and Operations.
Dunkin is a published author, most recently of the book Industrial Digital Transformation, and a speaker on the topics of government technology modernization, digital transformation and organizational development. Dunkin was named one of ComputerWorld’s Premier 100 Technology Leaders for 2016, one of DC’s Top 50 Women in Technology for 2015 and 2016, and to StateScoop's Top 50 Women in Technology list for 2017. In 2018, she was inducted into Georgia Tech’s Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni. Dunkin holds an M.S. and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, both from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a licensed professional engineer in the states of California and Washington.
Pete worked inside the U.S. Federal Government for 25 years, kicking-off my career at the Pentagon and finishing as a Senior Executive Service member. Pete served four Presidential Administrations, three Cabinet Agencies, the Executive Office of the President, and was appointed Chief Technology Officer at the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Education.
An accomplished entrepreneur, business executive, and technology strategist with 30+ years leading public, private, and non-profit entities, Pete maintains a fervor for working in partnership with Government, Industry, Investor and Academia ecosystems to unearth inventive solutions, accelerate sustainable adoption, and streamline private-sector commercialization.
A trusted thought leader with corporate savvy and substantive technical proficiency, Pete maintains several Strategic Advisory Board roles in which Companies leverage his aptitude to facilitate digital transformation, mitigate supply-chain risk, and ensure global growth, particularly across the Smart and Secure Cities/Communities domain.
Pete’s appointment as the Utility Supercluster Chairperson affirms a dedication to the establishment and demonstration of replicable, scalable, and sustainable models for incubation and deployment of interoperable, secure, standards-based solutions intended to modernize digital, physical and social infrastructure and, thus, make delivery and use of public, private and hybrid services more efficient, cost effective and socially beneficial.
As such, Pete was recognized as one of the “10 Most Influential CEOs To Watch In 2021.”
Dots and Bridges is motivated to engender thought-provoking dialogue addressing how Technology, Humanity, and Culture intersect. Utilizing the power of Storytelling and Translation, we highlight individual passion, feature technological innovation, and convey societal impact.
Founded by Pete Tseronis, “We serve as a unique nexus for “Connecting Dots and Building Bridges. And our YouTube channel seeks to humanize the thought-leading individuals that embody passion and purpose to serve a “greater good.”
Pete received his B.A. in Communications from Villanova University and earned his M.S. in Information and Telecommunication Systems from Johns Hopkins University. Most importantly, Pete is blessed with an incredible wife (Betsy) and four amazing children (Jacob, Joshua, Gabrielle, and Zachary), in addition to an Australian Labradoodle (Phineas Maximus Tseronis).
Fireside Chat: Everyone's Bottom Line: Securing Energy, Water, and Other Critical Infrastructure
9:00am - 9:35am
Abstract: The year 2021 has taught us several lessons, including we, businesses and people alike, all rely on energy's security from cyber attacks. The Chief Information Officer, Department of Energy (DOE), will share her vision and plans to combat rising cyber threats. A former DOE CTO, current Utilities SuperCluster Chair of NIST GCTC and business founder rolls his experiences and insights in this dynamic fireside chat.
Keynote Panel: Closing the Last Mile For Each Other
9:35 AM - 10:15 AM PDT
Abstract: It's a team sport to enable small businesses to thrive in the digital economy. As businesses go digital as a safety net in droves, it is critical to bake in cyber protection. Leaders at the federal and local governments will share their thoughts and initiatives, followed by success stories across the nation.
Keynote: Small Business Recovery - Digital SafetyNet for the Future
Vince Lago, Mayor, City of Coral Gables, FL
Vince C. Lago was elected Mayor of the City of Coral Gables in April 2021
A former member of the Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Board, he brings a reasonable and creative approach to land use while remaining committed to preserving Coral Gables’ unique character and history and places the interests of residents first.
During his tenures, Mayor Lago has spearheaded numerous legislative initiatives and has led the City’s sustainability efforts.
Previously, he served on the Board of Directors of the Coral Gables Community Foundation where he worked to promote and enhance the quality of life for residents. He also assisted in raising funds to help the elderly, youth, and disabled population in the community.
A strong proponent of arts and culture, he has served on the board of Locust Projects for more than 10-years, a non-profit contemporary art organization that supports emerging and mid-career artists. He also served on the City of Miami’s Arts and Entertainment Council. Additionally, he is on the Board of Directors of the Coral Gables Museum.
He holds a bachelor’s in Construction Management from the School of Engineering at Florida International University (FIU) as well as a bachelor’s in Business Administration. Committed to advancing higher education, he serves on FIU’s President’s Council and has raised scholarship funds for his alma mater.
Chappie Jones, Vice Mayor, City of San Jose, CA
Vice Mayor Charles “Chappie” Jones was elected to the San José City Council in November of 2014 with close to 60% of the popular vote. He represents City Council District 1, the region of West San José (west of Hwy. 17 & 880) that borders the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Santa Clara and Saratoga.
Chappie was born in Sacramento and moved to San José in the 1990’s. His upbringing instilled a strong sense of civic responsibility and made him into tenacious advocate of civil service, fiscal culpability and community engagement.
Prior to his election, Chappie worked in the private sector where he held sales management positions with Apple and AT&T, was an executive manager with Cornerstone Consulting and Technology, and owned a technology service business.
Chappie represents the City of San José on the following committees and boards:
* Rules and Open Government Committee, Vice Chair
* Public Safety, Finance, and Strategic Support Committee (PSFSS), Member
* Smart Cities and Service Improvements Committee, Vice Chair
* National League of Cities, Information Technology and Communications Committee, Member
Ronald Ross, Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of Commerce
Ron Ross is a Fellow at NIST. His focus areas include computer and information security, systems security engineering, security architecture, cyber resiliency, privacy, and risk management. Dr. Ross currently leads the NIST Systems Security Engineering Project which includes the development of standards and guidelines for the federal government, contractors, and United States critical infrastructure. Dr. Ross previously served as the Project Leader for the Joint Task Force, an interagency group that includes the Department of Defense, Office of the Director National Intelligence, U.S. Intelligence Community, and the Committee on National Security Systems, with responsibility for developing a Unified Information Security and Risk Management Framework for the federal government. He also served as the project leader for the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) Implementation Project and is the former Director of the National Information Assurance Partnership, a joint activity of NIST and the National Security Agency. Dr. Ross also supports the U.S. State Department in the international outreach program for cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection. During his twenty-year military career, Dr. Ross served as a White House aide and senior technical advisor to the Department of the Army.
A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Dr. Ross served in many leadership and technical positions during his twenty-year career in the United States Army. He is a five-time recipient of the Federal 100 award for his leadership and technical contributions to critical cybersecurity projects affecting the federal government and is a recipient of the Presidential Rank Award. Dr. Ross has also received the Department of Commerce Gold and Silver Medal Awards and has been inducted into the National Cyber Security Hall of Fame. In addition, Dr. Ross has been inducted into the Information Systems Security Association Hall of Fame and given its highest honor of Distinguished Fellow. Dr. Ross holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy and Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School specializing in artificial intelligence and robotics.
Julie is the District Director of SBA’s San Francisco District Office (SFDO) where she oversees delivery of SBA’s programs and services within 14 counties in Northern California.
Prior to joining the SFDO she was the Deputy District Director of SBA’s Washington Metropolitan Area District Office overseeing the largest 8(a) portfolio in the country with approximately 1,000 firms receiving $4-6 billion in contracts annually. Prior to joining the district office she was the chief marketing and outreach attorney with the SBA’s Office of General Counsel handling issues impacting SBA’s outreach efforts including external agency partnerships, technology and use of social media.
Julie began her SBA career as the Public Affairs Specialist for the Michigan District Office. Prior to joining SBA she spent three years with the Michigan Small Business Development Center as an International Trade Specialist where she co-authored “Trade Secrets: The Export Answer Book.” Julie is a graduate of the Excellence in Government Fellowship program and President’s Management Council Fellowship program and has a BA in International Studies from Bradley University, Peoria, IL and an MBA and JD from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Julie also volunteers for many colon cancer advocacy initiatives and helped establish the Scope It Out 5K Run/Walk for colon cancer awareness in Washington DC and currently is a Board member of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.
Ask Me Anything & Lightning Round of Resources
10:20 AM - 11:20 AM PDT
Moderator: Jillian Fortin, Hello Alice
Jillian Fortin is an experienced digital project management, interactive marketing and online communications professional with a passion for web accessibility and digital inclusion. She has more than a decade of experience in building digital products for businesses and nonprofits and increasing awareness of their brands online by promoting them via search engines, social networks, email, and events. She has traveled all over the country as a speaker on topics such as marketing through social networks, online brand management, universal design, and how people with disabilities use the internet.
Jillian Fortin is a hard-worker who is always looking for ways to make a process more successful. Jillian has a colorful background which includes experience in a number of industries. Jillian has worked in upper management as well as the arts; she has worked with nonprofits and youth leadership councils. Her clients have ranged from the ages of four years old to eighty-four years old. She firmly believes in self-education and as a student of life, she plans on educating herself for as long as she can.
Julian Perez was appointed Director of Economic Development for the City of Coral Gables in December 2019. In this capacity he leads the City’s business retention, expansion, and attraction initiatives. He is responsible for the pursuit of strategic investments and joint ventures that enhance the City’s economic competitiveness and quality of life.
Prior to joining Coral Gables, Perez held leadership roles in the City of Doral, Town of Cutler Bay, Village of Palmetto Bay, and the City of South Miami. Perez believes in helping existing businesses be sustainable and resilient in order for them to successfully compete in a highly competitive market. In 2020, he spearheaded Coral Gables’ COVID-19 Business Reopening Strategic Plan, Small Business Recovery and Technology grants program, Business Recovery Task Force, and participated in the development of the City’s regulatory relief programs to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. Mr. Perez is currently working in the integration of technology into the City’s economic development initiatives through the “Smart City Program.”
He holds a Master of Science in Planning (Urban and Regional Planning), Master of Arts in International Affairs and Economic Development as well as a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Policy Science from Florida State University. Perez is also a certified planner and floodplain manager in good standing with the American Institute of Certified Planners, and the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
Kate Giovambattista, Founder, Beyond Main
Kate Giovambattista is the Founder of Beyond Main, a platform that brings convenience to searching, discovering, shopping, and supporting local businesses.
Before launching Beyond Main, Kate worked as a consultant, focused on driving growth and brand value for companies in the retail, fashion, gift, accessory, and CPG sectors such as Vera Bradley Designs and The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. It was during her time at these organizations where she uncovered a big problem brewing on Main Streets everywhere and decided she wanted to develop a more fair, equitable, and sustainable system. An entrepreneur at heart, she graduated with a BS from Ball State University in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management and BS in Exercise Science.
Kate believes passionately in the cooperative business model and the solidarity economy and is on a mission to empower small businesses and communities through a platform that is designed to create economic opportunities for the people and places we live and love.
John Zeren, Director of Engineering, Hello Alice
John Zeren is the Director of Engineering at Hello Alice. He has a concentrated background in, and passion for, web application development. His experience covers nearly two decades in the software industry following the evolution of web technologies, methodologies, as well as security and coding standards. As a technical people and thought leader, he has worked with fortune 500 brands to modernize their MarTech implementations across their web applications, content management, and ecommerce systems.
In the fast moving world of internet marketing and ecommerce, technology needs to be constantly evaluated and updated to ensure applications and environments meet the latest compliance standards for privacy, security, and accessibility. At Hello Alice, John works with engineering, business, marketing, and executive leadership to ensure that the small business owners the company serves have clean and secure user experiences.
Small Business Growing Online Safely
11:20 AM - 12:00 PM PDT
Track 1: Planning It: Planning Success Stories with Small Business Programs
Sneha Sunder, Cybertrust America
Highly-motivated marketing and communications professional with the drive to make a positive contribution through creative thinking, organizational skills, hard work and networking with eight years of experience in Marketing & Corporate Communications.
Donna Childs, Founder and CEO, Prisere LLC
When your community is declared a federal disaster area, your life is turned upside down. Parts of your life that were on auto-pilot, like commuting to work, require intense mental focus as all of your normal routines are disrupted. I dealt with major disasters around the world on a daily basis when I was a senior executive of the world’s largest reinsurance company.
But it wasn’t until my neighborhood was declared Ground Zero of one of the worst disasters in history, that I really came to appreciate what resilience really means and how my professional and personal experience give me the opportunity to be of service: to create a safer, more resilient world. And that is why I founded Prisere LLC.
Consider that most of the world lacks risk mapping and risk modeling tools essential to insure resilience. And in the developed countries where such tools exist, emerging risks and a changing climate are rendering them obsolete. Prisere LLC aims to fill that gap by building capacity for climate and disaster resilience with improved risk tools, including risk communications, risk mapping and software apps, technical training and consulting services.
My educational background includes a B.S. from Yale University, an M.A. in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University, an MBA from Columbia Business School and, most importantly of all, OPM - Owner President Management of Harvard Business School for the founders of fast-track entrepreneurial ventures. I began my career as a research associate at HBS where I developed educational materials on insurance and risk management, so it was a joy to return to the campus where it all started to re-tool for the challenges that Prisere aims to address.
In my personal time, I enjoy cooking (I completed four certificate programs at the French Culinary Institute), writing (I am the author of a book on - what else? - small business disaster resilience) and my two cocker spaniels, Coco and Henry.
Sequoyah Lindsey-Taylor, FDNP, ASE Wellness
As a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, I assist women to discover and decode their Genetic Genius; so that they can be happy, healthy and gain harmony. We do this via genetic and functional lab testing; so that you can stop guessing about your wellness and make your healthcare customized and individualized to YOU.
Most of my days are spent in the health & wellness realm; spending hours studying genetics, nutrition, and other areas of the human body. But, when there is a global pandemic that happens, and you then have to pivot to the online space to service your clients; you quickly learn that cybersecurity is an important aspect of your business. Finding ways to secure client's private information is important for safety, privacy and even trust reasons. Utilizing programs and software that can assist you with this task is vital and pivotal to have success in this area of your business. As a CEO/Founder of a business I have found that establishing partnerships and relationships that assist you in growing your business is also key in the process of planning your success story.
My background experiences include serving in the United States Army Reserves, as well as working for the US Army Corps of Engineers. I have also attended nursing school, functional medicine training, and currently pursuing a BS degree in Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine. In my spare time, I am a mother to two daughters and I enjoy creating healthy snacks and meals for them.
Track 2: Doing It: Small Business Success Stories
Lan Jenson, Founder and CEO, Cybertrust America
During COVID-19, many small businesses /nonprofits /local governmnets get to keep operational thanks to TechCARES, an initiative by a coalition of 19 nonprofits. As the driving force behind TechCARES, Ms. Lan Jenson is proud of the volunteers and interns and the many small businesses /nonprofits /local governments that have pivoted and learned to catch the "digital fish."
As the CEO of Adaptable Security Corp (ADA for short), Ms. Lan Jenson aims to change the landscape of cybersecurity and privacy by energizing the underserved majority of the society with innovative easy-to-adopt methodologies and professional volunteers. She has been a strong voice and leader in NIST and DHS-sponsored Smart Secure Cities and Communities Challenge (SC3), which serves 200+ participating cities worldwide. Ms. Jenson serves as the Co-Chair of SC3 Cybersecurity and Privacy Advisory Committee, which published a guidebook in July 2019 for all aspiring smart cities to build in cybersecurity and privacy by design.
ADA has served successfully governments, school districts, smaller businesses, and nonprofits with cyber risk assessments, multi-year risk-based planning, seminars and symposiums. ADA’s partners include cities/counties, state departments, federal agencies, professional and civic organizations such as ISC2/ ISACA/ ISSA chapters, InfraGard, OWASP, People Centered Internet, Global Cyber Alliance, NCSA, SCORE and Small Business Development Centers. Lan Jenson received her Master’s in Management of Information Systems from Boston University.
Natasha Johnson, Accountants On The Geaux, Shreveport, LA
Natasha earned her B.S. in Accounting & Finance from Alcorn State University and an Executive MBA from University of Alabama (Roll Tide).
Natasha has experience in the following sectors and industries: state and federal government, manufacturing, oil & gas, public accounting, corporate housing industry particularly tax credit program, and disaster case management.
One of Natasha’s most rewarding positions in her career include working as a Senior Financial Analyst in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. During this time period Natasha was tasked with providing federal funds to assist municipalities with operational needs in order to reopen communities.
Miranda Carter, Miracaza Real Estate
I spend most of my time devoted to something related to real estate/home ownership sometimes to the chagrin of my family: renovating older homes, tackling home projects, advancing knowledge of smart home technology, researching design trends, completing interior design certification, attending home shows, walking/driving by properties to learn about housing types/features or landscaping tips and gardening.
I started as a Real Estate Consultant, Auditor and Tax Preparer in the commercial real estate sector. One of the most important skills I learned was how to valuate commercial properties. This has come in very handy when working with investors and purchasing my own homes. My first home was a fixer upper and I became hooked on DIY and the beauty you can create when working on your own home. Later, when I joined a residential real estate brokerage, I was selected to join the management training program to learn how to effectively run a brokerage, train and mentor agents and how to increase customer satisfaction.
Before it was the norm, I instituted paperless transactions about 10 years ago. I love beauty, form, design and technology as it relates to real estate. I see my job as Broker as well as Settlement Coordinator is to make sure that all clients receive outstanding, awesome service in a transparent and efficient way. Our job is to eliminate surprises, ensure we’re always listening, save you money, and take of you from the beginning until after the move. I’m always looking for ways to improve our service. I know we’ve done our job well when you are an extended member of the Miracaza family.
Track 3: Getting Resources: Digital SafetyNet Resources
Swetha Kannan, Cybertrust America
Senior Cybersecurity professional with strong technical and interpersonal skills, and consulting experience for 6+ years. I am a CISSP in good standing and have worked on various aspects of Technology Risk Advisory Services such as
1.IT Risk Assessment and Compliance Audit with COBIT, NIST, ISO 27001, GSMA frameworks
2.Threat & Vulnerability Assessment, Infrastructure/Network Attack & Penetration Testing
3. Web &.Mobile Application Security Assessment
4.Advanced Persistence Threat design
5. Internal Adversary simulation and Red teaming.
6. Cyber Security Program Maturity assessment (CPM)
7.Review/Draft Information Security Policy for organizations
Rita Guess, Owner and Director, Academic Boot Camp Troopers (ABC Troopers)
My experience as a director/owner of ABC Troopers has been one of the most rewarding blessing in my life. School was not conducive for my learning style. I always knew I could learn anything if I could learn it the way I learn best.
I'm a strong advocate for teaching Multiple Intelligences and Different Learning Styles. I take great pride in supporting children who have been labeled ADD/ADHD and who may have a DLS. I help them hone in on ways that they learn best. My skill is in empowering children into becoming an Honor Roll student and having high expectations for themselves regardless of labels.
Gill Thomas, Director of Engagement, Capacity & Resilience Program, Global Cyber Alliance (GCA)
Gill joined GCA in June 2018 after spending her early career enjoying various roles within the
telecommunications industry – through technical, sales and business development. After spending time out with her young family, she returned to a very different landscape where upon she became increasingly fascinated by cybersecurity and the devastating impact cyber incidents have across global communities. She is now Director of Engagement for the Capacity & Resilience Program. As such, she engages partners around a similar mission: protecting vulnerable communities against those intent on using the Internet for malicious gain, drive change, address systemic cyber risk and enable a secure and trustworthy Internet for all.
Keynote: The Next Big Opportunity: Securing the US Backbone of Economy
12:50 PM - 1:30 PM PDT
Zarmeena Waseem is a passionate leader. She considers herself a global citizen and believes in intersectional advocacy. She sees cybersecurity as a tool to be able to do that and to empower people to protect themselves, their information, and their communities.
She took a leap into cybersecurity because there is a new challenge to learn about and teach about every day. Zarmeena has the heart of an educator, she started her journey by creating the Security Awareness and Education program for The George Washington University and moved on to be an Information Security Trainer at The New York Times before joining the National Cybersecurity Alliance.
Strategic Advisor || Cyber Security Evangelist || Keynote Speaker
Experienced cyber security strategic advisor and retired FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge.
International speaker on the topics of Leadership & Cybersecurity.
• Executive Leadership • Cyber Security & Strategy • Team Building • Governance • Risk Advisory• Compliance • Cyber Security Program Assessments • Cyber Program Development & Implementation • Critical Security Controls • Incident Response & Planning • Corporate Security • Executive Protection • Internal Investigations • Insider Threat Program Dev. & Implementation • National Security • Physical Security • Crisis Response & Planning • Disaster Response & Planning
During COVID-19, many small businesses /nonprofits /local governmnets get to keep operational thanks to TechCARES, an initiative by a coalition of 19 nonprofits. As the driving force behind TechCARES, Ms. Lan Jenson is proud of the volunteers and interns and the many small businesses /nonprofits /local governments that have pivoted and learned to catch the "digital fish."As the CEO of Adaptable Security Corp (ADA for short), Ms. Lan Jenson aims to change the landscape of cybersecurity and privacy by energizing the underserved majority of the society with innovative easy-to-adopt methodologies and professional volunteers. She has been a strong voice and leader in NIST and DHS-sponsored Smart Secure Cities and Communities Challenge (SC3), which serves 200+ participating cities worldwide.
Ms. Jenson serves as the Co-Chair of SC3 Cybersecurity and Privacy Advisory Committee, which published a guidebook in July 2019 for all aspiring smart cities to build in cybersecurity and privacy by design.ADA has served successfully governments, school districts, smaller businesses, and nonprofits with cyber risk assessments, multi-year risk-based planning, seminars and symposiums. ADA’s partners include cities/counties, state departments, federal agencies, professional and civic organizations such as ISC2/ ISACA/ ISSA chapters, InfraGard, OWASP, People Centered Internet, Global Cyber Alliance, NCSA, SCORE and Small Business Development Centers.
Closing Keynote: Call to Action and Cybertrust Award
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM PDT
Jimmy Sanders, Board of Directors, Information Systems Security Association (ISSA); Head of Information Security, Netflix DVD
Jimmy has spent the better part of two decades securing data and systems from cyber threats. In addition to his duties at DVD.com, Jimmy has served 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. Furthermore, he has been a speaker at BlackHat, SecureWorld, InfoSec World, as well as other notable events. Prior to DVD.com, Jimmy has also held senior security management 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-profit movements. 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.
Chair of the People Centered Internet. I am honored to take the baton from Vint Cerf, our founding chair, and feel a great sense of stewardship for the foundation he has laid. People must be at the heart of the Internet which can be an Internet of the People, by the People and for the People. I co-founded the People Centered Internet with Vint Cerf so that all can have access to the opportunities that are made possible when people are connected. I deeply believe that people can connect to thrive.
With a passionate founding team, we created the Impact Network in 2017 and work closely with the IEEE Industry Connections Social Impact Measurement which I chair. We are incorporating the voice of the people and the voice of the community which we believe is vital in any measurement of social impact in order that the outcomes be sustainable.
I joined the 200,000 member Health Occupation Students of America/Future Health Professionals as point person for Global Network Outreach. As co-founder of the California Health MRC - Medical Reserve Corps - I am pioneering youth engagement in assuring a healthy future for generations to come.
In my final role as Socio Technical Lead within a four-year project for the US Dept. of Defense to look at the Future of Health, I was the subject matter expert for Networked Improvement Communities and designed Roundtables for government and community leaders to come together to devise the Healthy Community Collaboratives of America, The leaders we convened work with budgets which represent over 50% of all spending in the US on Healthcare.
As a pioneer in Customer Relationship Management and the shift in the US from healthcare to health, by listening to the ideas and aspirations of the people and evolving communities into hubs of inspiration and motivation: action oriented learning-by-experience
As a nonprofit executive, Marsali Hancock has twenty years of experience working with leading national and international policy leaders, top-ranked Fortune 100 companies like Google, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Target, Intel, Microsoft, Facebook, and Dell, along with highly respected organizations, maximizing technology to improve the quality of life, education, and economic opportunities. She is recognized for her efforts to create safe and healthy digital learning environments. In 2017 Ms. Hancock was awarded IEEE Communication Quality and Reliability 2017 Chairman’s Award for her “lifelong service protecting children around the world in cyberspace; for defining and implementing her vision ensuring technology is properly used; and for her global leadership to bring technology solutions to a human problem.” She serves as a commissioner for the Global Information Infrastructure Commission, the oldest internet policy organization where she works with nation state leaders to build robust communication networks companioned with proactive online safety and security initiatives. While president and CEO of iKeepSafe, Marsali developed the first Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved COPPA safe harbor providing state and federal education law certifications.Ms. Hancock is deeply involved nationally and internationally in measuring and defining positive digital cultures, responsible regulatory frameworks, data privacy, data compliance, and effective education initiatives that both empower and protect consumers. She has conducted media events and participated in initiatives with the White House, the Office of the First Lady of the United States, the Executive Office of the President of the United States, Attorneys General, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to name a few. She has extensive experience developing multi-stakeholder initiatives and serves on consumer advisory boards with industry leaders such as Symantec, Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T.