Atlanta Technology Summit by Machaon Agenda

More Info Coming Soon

Synopsis

More Info Coming Soon

Matthew is a dynamic, accomplished sales engineering, account management, and project management professional with over 11 years of success building effective and value-driven customer relationships. Results-oriented and goal-minded with a track record of exceeding target objectives and ensuring 100% customer satisfaction. Seasoned technical resource and IT administrator with a strong understanding of the modern IT landscape. Practiced communicator in both internal and external environments possessing advanced oral and written skills. Effective organizer, analyst, and strategist with a keen ability to operate across all organizational levels. Motivating leader with the capacity to instruct and inspire others to improved performance. Highly adaptable with an ability to appropriately prioritize and navigate heavy work flow. Proactive problem solver demonstrating consistency, credibility, and integrity.

Synopsis

2024 is around the corner and the threat of ransomware continues to loom large with a staggering 51% increase year over year in attacks. How confident are you in your current ransomware prevention and protection solutions? From stretched resources and budgets, to BYOD cultures and large groups of unsophisticated users, today’s hybrid workforce is an ideal target for phishing, malware and ransomware attacks.

Combating the threat of ransomware requires a multifaceted approach, with backup and disaster recovery serving as the last line of defense. In response to these rampant threats, Unitrends is more focused on securing your backup infrastructure and helping organizations recover than ever before. In this session, we will explore:
• The latest trends in AI-enabled attacks
• How to protect your data and ensure recovery with Unitrends 5 pillars of defense
• Best practices and real-world learnings from our customers

As a skilled cybersecurity specialist with over 15 years of experience, I have honed my expertise in privileged access, identity security, and Endpoint Security Solutions. My background spans various industry-leading companies, including BeyondTrust, FireEye, and CrowdStrike. As a subject matter expert and advisor, I have contributed to the development of security solutions and offered best practices guidance for prominent global clients. My diverse experience encompasses network engineering, vulnerability assessments , and working as a Senior Engineer with an MSSP, equipping me with a comprehensive understanding of the cyber threat landscape.

Synopsis

In its tenth iteration, the 2024 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report examines how adversaries’ behavior poses an ever-expanding risk to the security of organizations’ data and infrastructure. Armed with this critical information, organizations are better equipped to face evolving threats. Join CrowdStrike as they discuss trends and findings in this year’s report and how to break down the tradecraft of adversaries. Our session will explore:
• Third-Party relationship exploitation
• Generative AI use is poised to grow
• Potential to disrupt global elections

Scott Shafer – Technical Evangelist for Varonis supports a wide range of security and technology initiatives by helping Varonis’ customers and partners get the most out of the company’s products. In his 20+ year career Scott has served as an IT engineer, Operations Manager, and various leadership roles within Governance Risk and Compliance for FinTech software companies serving the financial services, treasury management and payments market space. Scott is an Information security professional with recent focus on security risk and compliance management including identification of risk impact with cost aware mitigation strategies related to regulatory and cybersecurity requirements. He holds a CISSP certification and leverages his background to fuel his passion for enabling organizations to pragmatically manage risk around their most valuable asset, company data. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science and Network Security from DePaul University in Chicago.

Synopsis

In this presentation we will provide insights around the inherent risks related to using Generative AI, self-trained LLMs and AI workloads within the Healthcare enterprise. With data at the heart of any AI usage, we will cover efficient methodologies for identifying and mitigating your own risk to safely enable AI, making your workforce more productive and driving toward the innovation AI promises. Specifically the topic will engage the audience to consider how understanding the data set, its sensitivity, the access to it from internal employees to third parties, and how data will be used and created. Protecting data wherever it goes and ensuring compliance through the AI journey. Learning Objectives: In this presentation the audience will learn about the inherent risks surrounding AI and therefore data within the healthcare enterprise. Marrying key objectives around cloud security, governance risk and compliance, Risk management and threat detection/prevention through the AI lifecycle

Jason is a transformational and award-winning CIO with over 20+ years IT Leadership experience and 15+ years of experience in managing global IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and operations across diverse industries. Extensive experience in both private equity-backed organizations and publicly traded companies. Extensive IT leadership in SaaS, digital transformation, mergers and acquisitions, security, infrastructure management, disaster recovery, cloud computing, and partner relations. Frequent industry speaker and contributor to IT thought leader podcasts and publications such as Forbes, WSJ, CIO.com, IDG, and The Enterprisers Project.

Synopsis

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

Michael Ferguson is the Global Director for Security Transformation at Netskope. He is a highly customer-focused security professional, having worked in the cyber security industry for over 15 years across the Asia Pacific Region. Michael has been CISSP certified for over 7 years, speaking at various industry events (e.g. Gartner, AusCert, and AISA) on Data Loss Prevention, Zero Trust and Cloud Security Initiatives. Michael has extensive web, data and cloud security experience, specializing in running DLP, Zero Trust and Insider Threat programs.

Synopsis

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence (AI) to drive growth and innovation. However, integrating AI into existing systems while maintaining optimal security poses significant challenges. This talk will explore the concept of Security Service Edge (SSE) and its role in safely enabling the use of AI to accelerate business growth without compromising performance or security. We will discuss how SSE acts as a critical security layer at the edge of the network, providing advanced threat protection, data privacy, and secure access controls. Join us to discover practical strategies for leveraging AI while ensuring robust security measures, enabling organizations to harness the power of AI to drive business success.

BJ Deonarain is a globally focused quantum and cybersecurity executive responsible for driving cyber security, cyber resiliency strategy and quantum awareness at Hitachi. With a career spanning technical innovation, client solutions, and cross-functional leadership, BJ combines deep technical expertise with a client-centric approach to mitigate risk and elevate organizational security postures.
Prior to rejoining Hitachi Vantara in 2024, BJ spearheaded RSA’s Canadian cybersecurity pillar, overseeing technical operations, sales, and presales across all verticals. His leadership advanced threat detection capabilities through AI/UEBA modeling, detection rule development, and ecosystem optimization—significantly enhancing risk mitigation and client satisfaction nationwide.
Academically, BJ holds a Master of Mathematics (Fractal and Chaos Theory) and a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) from the University of Western Ontario, complemented by a BA in Qualitative Management from the University of the West Indies.
A Certified Architect Expert (SNIA/Hitachi Data Systems), he has received multiple awards for excellence in technical innovation, sales leadership, and solution delivery at Hitachi Vantara and RSA. Born in Guyana and now based in Pickering, Ontario Canada, BJ champions open communication and client-driven problem-solving. Outside work, he enjoys golf, cricket, open-wheel racing, and building custom woodworking projects. He lives with his wife Renee, daughter Sonam.

Synopsis

When a cyber event becomes a business crisis, the difference between collapse and continuity is not your firewall—it’s your framework.

This session dismantles the outdated concept of “prevention-only” security. We introduce a Three-Lane Response Framework that weaves classical cybersecurity, quantum-safe cryptography, and operational resilience into a single, design-driven strategy. Leave with a blueprint for surviving the next decade’s threats—from ransomware to Shor’s algorithm—without sacrificing business velocity.

With over a decade of experience in troubleshooting and enabling solutions within IT, I thrive on challenges and excel in fostering productive environments. As a Solutions Engineer at Cloudflare, I specialize in communication, team building, and creative problem-solving for our customers. My proven track record for efficiency and self-growth enables me to uplift others, fostering heightened efficiency and morale among peers. Let's innovate together.

Synopsis

In this session we will focus on the shift from a traditional perimeter-based security to a more granular and adaptive approach. By implementing robust authentication/authorization mechanisms and dynamic access controls, organizations can fortify their defenses against evolving cyber threats and safeguard sensitive data effectively. Join us to learn more.

Mark Benson is a tenured system engineering manager with over twelve years of running large national programs including healthcare at NetApp, Federal Sales at EMC and currently state, local and education at Nutanix. Prior to his sales career Mark was on the customer side for fifteen years at locations such as Florida State University, Florida Dept. of Health and John Deere.

Throughout both phases of Marks career successful project outcome has always been a driving factor. With wide knowledge across the data center stack as well as cloud services, Mark continues to drive innovation into the world of IT through the balance of successful technologies and efficient usage of funds.

Synopsis

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

Josh Karnes is a seasoned technologist and identity security expert serving as Principal Identity Architect at One Identity since 2021, where he specializes in identity governance and administration. With over 30 years in technology, Josh is a versatile engineer and inventor, holding eight patents in fields ranging from mechanical engineering to precision time synchronization. Beyond his professional achievements, he is an accomplished musician, an aspiring novelist, and a devoted grandfather, balancing his innovative career with a rich

Synopsis

As organizations expand their application portfolios across SaaS, on premises, and legacy systems, governing access consistently and effectively has become a major challenge. Many identity programs struggle not because of a lack of tools, but because a single tool—whether IGA or access management—is expected to solve every governance, automation, and compliance problem.

This session explores a more practical approach to identity governance based on using multiple identity technologies together as an integrated identity fabric. Rather than forcing uniform governance everywhere, attendees will learn how to apply the appropriate level of control based on application risk, cost of non governance, and technical constraints. The talk highlights how overlapping capabilities between IGA and access management can be an advantage when used intentionally, extending governance coverage without increasing complexity or user fatigue.

Participants will leave with a clear framework for prioritizing applications, selecting provisioning strategies, and improving security and auditability across the entire IT estate—by using the right tool for each job.

Matt’s passion is the application of data analytics to drive value in the Communications and Media domains. With more than two decades of experience leveraging data analytics, Matt has served in various capacities, developing, and supporting a wide variety of network-delivered services. Matt holds an MS in computer science from George Mason University and a BS from UC Berkeley. He currently resides with his family, on Bainbridge Island, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where he takes every opportunity to get on the water, or up a mountain, or, via SeaTac, to various points around the globe.

Speaker's Bio

Craig Hyde is Field CTO at Splunk. Prior to this role, Craig served as the VP of Market Strategies and Sr Director of Product Management. He joined Splunk in 2020 through the acquisition of Rigor, where he was the Founder and CEO. Craig has 19 years experience securing and managing networks and applications for large enterprises and government agencies.
Craig pays it forward by way of serving as a Board of Trustees Member of Georgia Tech Alumni Association, an Executive Board Member of Inspiredu, and an Advisory Council Member of Endeavor.org. He has a BS in Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and resides in Atlanta with his wife and three sons.

Synopsis

Sustaining resilient systems, exceptional customer experiences and continuous innovation is increasingly difficult amid rising cyber threats, technical complexity and accelerating change. So how can organizations stay ahead? This session explores how leading organizations take a transformative approach to integrating Observability and Security to enhance resiliency, efficiency, and innovation. Learn from industry peers, discover emerging trends and gain best practices to navigate this evolving landscape. Join us for insights on building a more adaptive and secure digital future.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.
Wasik has been with Insight Global since 2008. Before taking on his current role, he held several leadership positions in sales, including Regional Manager, Director of Operations, and Sales Manager for Insight Global.
Wasik is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Synopsis

AI is revolutionizing companies daily, but is it something we should embrace or fear? AI is enhancing productivity and creating new opportunities for innovation, however, it also poses risks such as job displacement and ethical concerns. So how do we determine the best places for AI to live in our organizations? Join us for a conversation on integrating AI thoughtfully while fostering adaptability and trust in your teams.

Andrew is a seasoned enterprise architect with over 15 years of experience guiding organizations through API modernization and digital platform strategy. At Kong, he partners with business and technology leaders to establish API management programs that are scalable, secure, and aligned with business outcomes. His current focus lies at the intersection of APIs and AI, helping enterprises unlock the value of Large Language Models (LLMs) by integrating them into real-world applications through governed, high-performance API platforms. Andrew translates complex technical landscapes into actionable strategies that accelerate innovation and reduce risk.

Speaker's Bio

Vince is a solutions Engineer at Kong; Vince has 15 years of experience developing and architecting software solutions across various technologies and industries.

Synopsis

We will delve into the growing integration of AI workloads within modern technology stacks, highlighting both the opportunities and risks associated with adopting this transformative technology. Our discussion will cover the onboarding of large language model (LLM) workloads, followed by strategies to secure and govern these systems effectively. This ensures maximum value extraction while mitigating the risks posed by unregulated AI. Kong’s AI Gateway offers comprehensive tools and processes to facilitate the safe and successful implementation of LLMs.

Marcus is a security sales overlay with TPx, providing technical expertise on our cybersecurity products and Security Advisory Services offerings. Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Central Florida. Network+ Certification.

Synopsis

TPx explores Defense in Depth, a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy designed to protect businesses from evolving threats. Attendees will learn how combining multiple security controls—spanning network, endpoint, data, and access protection—creates a resilient defense against cyberattacks. The session will highlight key principles, real-world applications, and best practices to strengthen security posture and ensure business continuity.

More Info Coming Soon

Synopsis

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

More Info Coming Soon

Synopsis

Don’t become a ransomware headline! Secure backup is your best line of defense. Learn how Veeam provides radical resilience by helping you recover your data faster: any data, anywhere you need it, recovered safely and reliably. Flexible recovery options are key to fast recovery from any cyber attack. Access to clean, reliable backups gets you back to business without paying the ransom.

Andrew Moore has a history of building great operational systems. He has worked in the IT arena for over 17 years and has been instrumental in the successful building of several businesses into multi-million dollar companies.

Synopsis

Businesses need to be aware of the changing threat to their organizations posed by cyber security criminals. This presentation walks business executives through the current issues facing companies, approaches on how to solve these issues and real world tactics employers can utilize for a safer network.

Alicia Leone is a cybersecurity professional with more than 16 years of experience helping organizations strengthen security posture and improve threat detection and response. She has held security roles at Cisco, Radware, and TierPoint, where she works with enterprise organizations to assess risk, identify visibility gaps, and shape practical security operations strategies. Alicia’s expertise includes telemetry visibility, threat detection, and response readiness across hybrid and cloud environments. She is particularly focused on how security teams must adapt as attackers increasingly use automation and artificial intelligence.

Synopsis

AI adoption is accelerating across every industry — and with it, a growing number of entry points that most security programs weren't designed to protect. Every new AI tool, integration, and workflow your organization deploys expands your attack surface in ways that traditional security controls often can't see, let alone defend.

In this session, Alicia Leone, Security Sales Specialist at TierPoint, cuts through the AI enthusiasm to ask the question every IT leader needs to answer: as your AI strategy grows, is your security posture keeping pace?

Attendees will walk away with a practical framework for evaluating the security implications of their AI investments, understanding where the blind spots typically live, and knowing what a future-ready security program actually looks like in practice regardless of where they are on the maturity curve today.

Cyber Risk Quantification

Monika's Topic

Leadership & Mentorship

Synopsis

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

Navigating the Intersection of AI and Cybersecurity: Real-Time Problem Solving for Resilient Organizations

As organizations increasingly rely on artificial intelligence to fortify their cybersecurity defenses, the intersection of these fields introduces both transformative opportunities and unforeseen challenges. In this executive roundtable, Jennifer Raiford, renowned for her expertise and visionary leadership, will guide a dynamic discussion on real-time problem-solving strategies to build resilient organizations. Topics will include leveraging AI for proactive threat detection, balancing innovation with ethical considerations, and harmonizing human leadership with AI-driven solutions during crisis scenarios. Attendees will gain actionable insights and strategies to navigate the evolving landscape, ensuring that theJennifer Raiford, known as the "Olivia Pope of Cyber and AI," is a powerhouse in cybersecurity and AI strategy

Darryl's Topic

Cyber Resilience - Check & Validate Your BCP/DR Strategies

Jamie's Topic

Executive Insights for Valuable Vendor Relationships

Synopsis

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

Christer Swartz is Director of Industry Solutions for Illumio. He has spent many years in the Networking industry, beginning with a small startup called Cisco. Cybersecurity has traditionally focused on prevention, but the reality is that no prevention is 100% perfect, and a cyber breach is inevitable. No one is too small of a target, which means that surviving that inevitable breach, without disrupting your infrastructure, needs to be as strong of a focus as prevention. Surviving a breach requires application-centric visibility across your entire infrastructure, across Data Centers, Clouds, and Endpoints, all of which are tempting entry targets for breaches. A consistent approach to securing lateral access between all resources, at any scale, is required in order to prevent that initial breach from spreading into a crisis. Christer will help explain how.

Synopsis

No Security Prevention architecture will ever be 100% effective. Eventually, even the best-planned barrier will be breached, either from the outside or internally. An “assume breach” Security mindset needs to exist in parallel with efforts to prevent one, and the architecture needs to be able to address breaches which were not detected, and to contain them. Zero Trust needs to plan for the unexpected.

Leading & Developing Leaders

Discussion Points:
- Personalized & Personal Engagement Methods
- Strategic Re-direction
- Team Building & Connecting
- Share Win Stories

Kevin's Topic

Getting Ahead of the Businesses Demand for AI

Synopsis

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

Jessica Lynn has held various roles in the cybersecurity industry for the past 9 years. Moving from distribution to channel development to enterprise sales – she has a pulse on the threat landscape that businesses face today in the age of digital. She thrives on helping partners and businesses solve their biggest problems. Today Jessi is Director of Partner Sales with UK based cybersecurity company Glasswall and loves her life at home with soon to be husband-to-be, her 13 yr old son, her 2 cats and a dog.

Speaker's Bio

For the last 5 and a half years Greg Rhein has been one of Glasswall’s Solutions Architects and is currently based out of our Reston VA office. Prior to this he was Security products Sales Manager and Technical Lead of an Arizona based Distributor. Previously to this he has held positions as an Enterprise Product Manager at HP/Compaq and Contract Product Support lead at Apple Computer. He has also worked as a Technical lead while consulting for MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Fox Studios, SunAmerica (AIG) as well as a number of Bi-Coastal Law firms.

Speaker's Bio

Pete Newman is US Sales Director for Glasswall based in the NYC area and has a background in financial and regulatory technology, software and market data. As a Sales Executive, Product Manager and software entrepreneur, Pete has helped large investment banks, wealth management firms and leading online brokers solve business problems with best of breed technology solutions. His company Gotham Software, a provider of compliance solutions for the fixed income market was acquired by Ipreo (IHS Markit) in 2004.

Synopsis

Real time prevention strategy is key to staying ahead of cyber criminals and to keep up with digital transformation and globalization trends. Come learn about an emerging technology – Content Disarm and Reconstruct (CDR) – which aims to restore trust to digital collaboration and give your security and business operations teams a fighting chance to operate in today’s climate. CDR is the next defacto standard to prevention based cybersecurity strategy by shifting from looking for potential bad to what a known good file content looks like. Trust your files again.

More Details Coming Soon

Synopsis

More info coming soon | this session will include audience Q&A.

Jacob Foster Davis is co-founder and COO of BreachBits, the world's most accurate cyber risk platform and continuous PTaaS service. He is certified as a Chief Information Security Officer through the EC Council. Foster is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy where he studied information technology and astronautical engineering. He also holds a Master of Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School where he studied artificial intelligence. He served for 15 years as an active-duty Naval Officer conducting humanitarian, maritime, and counter- piracy operations. At the National Security Agency, he led worldwide 24/7 satellite intelligence operations. He built and led the U.S. Navy's premier offensive-security cyber resiliency exercise and served on a task force for the Secretary of the Navy’s Cybersecurity Readiness Review. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, and various personal and unit decorations. In recent years, he’s worked with Wall Street risk management initiatives and as an Adjunct Professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. Foster is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. He currently resides in Little Rock with his wife Laura and four children and is active in statewide cybersecurity initiatives and the Boy Scouts of America.

Synopsis

You hate the false positives in your risk and vulnerability assessments - and so do attackers. Learn how experienced hackers approach victims and eliminate false positives along the way. This dynamic session will help you see from the eyes of the enemy, and use that knowledge to improve your own processes.