Think Tank
The Future of Cybersecurity & IT

CIO & CISO Think Tank

Date

June 27, 2024

Location

Chicago, IL

Community

CIO / CISO
Your Vision is our mission

Agenda

June 27, 2024
All times Central Time
8:30 AM-9:00 AM
Registration
9:00 AM-9:30 AM
Morning Networking
9:30 AM-9:40 AM
Opening Remarks
9:40 AM-10:05 AM
Keynote
Cybersecurity Resiliency Through Data Driven Operations

In today's rapidly changing cyber landscape, mere protection of your environment is insufficient. To achieve true cybersecurity resiliency, ingesting data at scale to eliminate blind spots while leveraging analytics and machine learning to identify potential threats and issues is crucial. Cybersecurity teams must shift from reactive to proactive, they must shift to dedicating more than 90% of their efforts to preventing incidents before they occur rather than responding post-incident, they must shift from the practices of traditional EDR and SIEM operations. Embracing Adaptive MDR (Managed Detection and Response) is the key to this proactive approach, ensuring robust and resilient cybersecurity.

Together with:

Netenrich, Inc
10:10 AM-10:55 AM
Keynote Panel
Elevating Agility: The Strategic Imperative for CIOs in Prioritizing Cloud Engineering

In this session, we delve into the imperative for CIOs to prioritize cloud engineering in the contemporary digital landscape. As organizations increasingly rely on cloud computing for operational efficiency and innovation, CIOs play a central role in shaping robust strategies. The session emphasizes the strategic importance of cloud engineering in optimizing infrastructure, ensuring scalability, and fostering agile application development. Attendees will explore practical approaches to resource management, automation, and aligning cloud initiatives with overarching business goals. The discussion navigates the evolving realm of cloud technologies, highlighting how CIOs can strategically prioritize cloud engineering to drive competitiveness and resilience in the dynamic digital ecosystem.

10:55 AM-11:15 AM
Coffee Break
11:15 AM-11:50 AM
Fireside Chat
CISO Mastery: The Nexus of Seamless Business-Technology Harmony

In 2024, CISOs and CIOs take center stage in fostering harmony between business and technology, balancing discipline and ownership. This session emphasizes their pivotal role, introducing 'Gen AI' as a crucial topic. Gen AI explores securing AI-driven technologies responsibly and ethically. Recognizing technology as a key enabler, CISOs navigate the evolving landscape, ensuring the integrity of data, driving innovation, and challenging traditional business models. Join us to explore the multifaceted responsibilities of CISOs, shaping a secure, agile, and ethically-driven future for organizations in the dynamic landscape of 2024.

Navigating the evolving landscape between business and technology demands a strategic blend of discipline and equilibrium. Recognizing that, for many organizations, technology is the business itself, this session underscores the imperative of understanding technology as a critical enabler across all facets of the organization. From the front lines to the back office, technology serves as a potent tool for creating value by processing data, driving innovation, and challenging traditional business models.

Chair
Panelists
Ebenezer Arumai Oldcastle Building Envelope
Ebenezer Arumai

Chief Information Security Director

Oldcastle Building Envelope

Katherine Mowen-Matz Guaranteed Rate
Katherine Mowen

SVP Information Security

Guaranteed Rate

11:55 AM-12:10 PM
Vision Voices
Navigating the Upcoming CCPA Cybersecurity Audit Regulations: Key Requirements and Best Practices for Compliance
On November 8, 2023, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) published a proposed draft of its cybersecurity audit regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Covered businesses in California must undergo a cybersecurity audit annually and submit a compliance notice to the Agency. These audit regulations are still in draft, but it is anticipated that a formal announcement can come soon as Q2 of 2024.
 
Is your organization impacted?
What are the CCPA Cybersecurity audit requirements?
Best practices to approach CCPA Cybersecurity audit requirements?
12:15 PM-12:30 PM
Disruptor
Java for the Modern Enterprise

Java has maintained its status as one of the top programming languages even after three decades. Java is everywhere today in how we live, work, and play from streaming services to online retail shopping to trading platforms and more.  Learn how a highly optimized version of OpenJDK can deliver superior performance, carrying capacity, and user experience for your key business applications. With changing licensing models, choosing the right OpenJDK distribution is key to secure, stable, and cost-effective builds of OpenJDK. Finally, we’ll provide insight into how to identify vulnerable code and unused code to boost productivity while increasing the overall security across the enterprise.

Panelists
Donna Walker Azul Systems
Donna Walker

Director, Midwest Enterprise Sales

Azul Systems

Together with:

Azul Systems
12:30 PM-1:30 PM
Lunch & Networking
1:30 PM-1:45 PM
Disruptor
Bridging the Cybersecurity Skills Gap: Cultivating a Talent Pipeline that Reduces Risk and Prevents Attacks

Demand for technology workers is exploding. Tech occupation employment over the next 10 years is expected to grow at about twice the rate of overall employment across the economy in the U.S. Organizations are adopting a skills-based approach to fill their needs through hiring and upskilling. This is especially important in cybersecurity, where the preparedness and expertise of employees are paramount in preventing, identifying, and resolving cyber risks and attacks. However, 38% of C-suite leaders report cybersecurity as the area with which they have the greatest difficulty hiring. We’ll explore the value of upskilling, reskilling, and certifications in bridging the IT and cybersecurity skills gap and discuss how leaders can cultivate a strong talent pipeline.

Panelists
Hanna Johnson COMP TIA CompTIA
Hannah Johnson

SVP, Strategy & Market Development

CompTIA

Together with:

CompTIA
1:50 PM-2:35 PM
Panel
Strategic Shifts: Reimagining Engineering Talent Deployment and Management in the Age of AI (GenAI)

Unlock insights into the evolving landscape of talent deployment and retention as board expectations drive CIOs and CISOs to rethink traditional IT talent models. Explore the impact of GenAI on coding processes and the software engineering lifecycle, and discover strategies for optimizing talent allocation and headcounts. Gain actionable insights into defining new roles, cultivating essential skills, and charting GenAI-centric career paths to align with organizational goals and stay ahead in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Panelists
Lonnie Washington City Colleges of Chicago

Speaker

Lonnie Washington

Executive Director Enterprise Systems

City Colleges of Chicago

Responsible for managing infrastructure services for City Colleges of Chicago. City Colleges of Chicago, officially known as Community College District 508, is one of the nation's largest community college districts and the largest in Illinois. About 5,000 thousand faculty and staff help prepare 80,000 students each year to enter the workforce, pursue higher education and advance their careers. The District serves students on seven campuses and five satellite sites. It also oversees two restaurants and five child care centers.
George Wang Peterson Technology Partners

Speaker

George Wang

CMO

Peterson Technology Partners

George Wang is a multi-faceted Chief Marketing Officer at Peterson Technology Partners, recognized as a "Super Connector" in the Chicago tech ecosystem. A 2020 Chicago CIO of the Year nominee, George brings over 30 years of rare, balanced experience across CIO, COO, and CMO roles. From launching Motorola’s first digital cellular handset to architecting the State of Illinois’ 45-year technical modernization, his career is defined by "industry firsts." George has successfully led teams of up to 175, fostering a culture of trust and accountability across seven different verticals, including Healthcare, Finance, and Government. An expert in Agile DevOps, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity risk quantification, he leverages his deep technical roots and Lean Six Sigma expertise to help leaders execute with elite talent. A dedicated mentor and "pay-it-forward" advocate, George excels at bridging the gap between business innovation and technical excellence.
Kate Smith Lactation Network
Katherine Smith

Chief Product & Technology Officer

Lactation Network

Sid Chakravarty Synchrony

Speaker

Sid Chakravarty

VP Performance Insights (Analytics)

Synchrony

Sid Chakravarty is a VP of Performance Insights at Synchrony and a Kellogg MBA / Georgia Tech MS (AI) graduate who bridges the gap between sophisticated engineering and enterprise economics. With 25 years of experience, Sid specializes in deploying pragmatic, ROI-driven AI—from Agentic AI and LLM frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph, MCP) to large-scale MLOps pipelines on AWS. A hands-on technologist and Adjunct Professor, Sid approaches AI through a unique "dual mindset," aligning technical fine-tuning with market structures and behavioral insights. He has a proven track record of transforming healthcare and financial services through intelligent automation, including developing language models for customer intent and multivariate time-series forecasting. Known for his focus on Responsible AI, Sid thrives on turning complex emerging capabilities into ethical, scalable strategies that move the needle for global organizations.
2:40 PM-2:55 PM
Vision Voices
Guarding the Cloud: Navigating the Rising Tide of Cloud Vulnerabilities and Cyber Threats in 2024

Cloud computing services have become a cornerstone of modern business operations, providing organizations with the agility and scalability needed to thrive in the digital age. However, in 2024, the threat of cloud vulnerabilities will continue to grow as more companies adopt cloud services. Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure, which can result in data breaches, unauthorized access, and financial losses. To mitigate the risks of cloud-related security incidents, businesses must prioritize implementing robust security measures such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, and regular penetration testing. Additionally, businesses must develop comprehensive incident response plans that take into account the unique challenges of cloud-based attacks. By taking these steps, businesses can protect themselves and their customers from the growing threat of cloud vulnerabilities in the digital age.

2:55 PM-3:15 PM
Networking Break
3:15 PM-3:30 PM
Vision Voices
Building a Cyber Resilient Culture

The ability of an organization to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber threats. A cyber-resilient organization can adapt to known and unknown crises, threats, adversities, and challenges.

In today's dynamic digital landscape, fostering a cyber-resilient culture is paramount. It involves not only fortifying defenses against current threats but also anticipating and preparing for tomorrow's uncertainties. To achieve this, organizations must prioritize both technical measures and cultivate a workforce that is informed, vigilant, and adept at responding effectively. This holistic approach extends beyond individual organizations, requiring collaborative efforts, information sharing, and awareness of emerging threat landscapes to create a network of resilience in the face of evolving cyber challenges.

Panelists
Brent Deterding Afni, Inc.
Brent Deterding

CISO

Afni, Inc.

3:35 PM-4:20 PM
Panel
Ransomware and Cyber Readiness

Ransomware attacks are in the headlines, affecting businesses and individuals in all sectors. Through 2024, these attacks have continued to grow, resulting in significant financial losses, data theft, and reputational damage. Even businesses that have achieved a level of cybersecurity compliance remain at risk unless they have understood what impact a ransomware attack really means in the context of their business.

The good news? When you have identified how to protect your business from a ransomware attack you have already defined what needs to be done to reduce your total cyber risk exposure across all levels of attack. Ransomware might be the most reported attack, but is nowhere near the most expensive or damaging cyber attack you might face.

4:20 PM-4:30 PM
Closing Remarks & Raffle Giveaway
4:30 PM-5:30 PM
Cocktail Networking
Don't take our word for it

Together With

Don’t take our word for it

Heard In The Room