Archives: Seminar

[1 CPE] Safeguarding Kansas: A Strategic Update on Cybersecurity and Resilience

  Presented by John Godfrey • Chief Information Security Officer, State of Kansas

Join Kansas State CISO, John Godfrey, for an in-depth look at Kansas’ cybersecurity landscape, key threats, and ongoing initiatives to strengthen cyber resilience. This session will highlight recent advancements in security frameworks, interagency collaboration, and strategies to combat emerging risks, such as deepfakes and social engineering. Attendees will gain insights into policy updates, incident response improvements, and future priorities aimed at safeguarding Kansas’ digital infrastructure.

A seasoned cybersecurity executive and entrepreneurial dynamo with 18 years of rich experience, John Godfrey excels in delivering cutting-edge technology and information security strategies. Godfrey has a knack for transforming organizations through modern digital solutions, spurring business enablement, and fostering talent elevation. His unique blend of action-oriented leadership and influential communication has consistently steered executives and boards through periods of organizational metamorphosis.

Demystifying complex technology and making it comprehensible is one of his key strengths. Known for my fervor and transformative leadership, he has spoken at numerous local and national conferences, moderated sessions, featured as a podcast guest, and contributed articles to various magazines and publications.

Presently, he holds pivotal roles as a board member and advisor to boards of directors. Godfrey is actively engaged with the information security community, holding memberships in premier organizations like ISC2, ISSA, ISACA, InfraGard, and more. His academic arsenal includes several industry certifications and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Cybersecurity with a focus on executive leadership.

[1 CPE] Has Security Awareness Been Forgotten? An Interactive Panel Discussion

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

“Just automate that process! The firewall is fine—we’ve got an AI tool watching it.”

Sound familiar? Despite significant investments in cybersecurity and advanced tools, the human element remains one of the greatest vulnerabilities in any organization. This isn’t a new problem—ransomware attacks continue to thrive due to human error.

Insider threats, whether intentional or accidental, are often at the root of security breaches. So, what proactive steps are you taking to mitigate these risks?

Join the INTERFACE Kansas City Advisory Council for an engaging discussion on defending against internal threats. Local IT leaders will share their strategies, lessons learned, and practical tips for minimizing human error in cybersecurity. Bring your questions and join the conversation as we explore what’s working, what’s not, and what more needs to be done to protect our networks from within.

Moderator: Holly Giammanco, Director of Information Security, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation

Panelists:

  • Amy Botts, Manager, Information Security Risk, Hallmark Cards, Inc.
  • Bill Kim, Chief Information Security Officer, Security Bank of Kansas City
  • Chris Smalley, Director, Information Technology, Hoefer Welker
  • Melissa Spicer, Director, Cybersecurity, Evergy

[1 CPE] Zero Trust Segmentation: It’s Easier Than You Think

  Presented by Sumi Gorla, Director of Systems Engineering • Illumio

Regardless of how sophisticated a ransomware attack may be, the objective remains the same: exploit a vulnerability and move laterally across your network. In this session, we’ll peel back the layers and walk through simple steps to get started with Zero Trust Segmentation, including:

  • Gaining deep, real-time visibility into where your environment is most exposed
  • Identifying and closing risky ports to reduce your attack surface
  • Making the most of tools already in place—without adding operational complexity

Sumi Gorla is Director of Systems Engineering at Illumio, driving product strategy, field enablement, and customer success across US Central and LATAM. With leadership experience at EMC, Brocade, Citrix, and BigSwitch, she leads high-performing teams to solve business problems and deliver impactful solutions. Sumi bridges technical depth with clear, outcome-driven communication.

[1 CPE] What the Hack is Going On?

  Presented by Tim Medin, Chief Executive Officer • Red Siege

A comprehensive overview of modern cybersecurity threats and how breaches occur. We will highlight the various methods used by cybercriminals, including phishing, social engineering, and ransomware attacks, and emphasize the importance of identifying and addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. There are a lot of vulnerabilities in the wild, and IT administrators and security professionals often focus on the wrong issues because they are easier to monitor or measure. By the end of the presentation, you will have gained valuable insights into the latest cybersecurity threats and how to protect against them.

[1 CPE] Beyond Cybersecurity: Assembling Resiliency for the Inevitable Breach

  Presented by BJ Deonarain, Global Alliance Cybersecurity Solutions Director • Hitachi Vantara

The Imperative for Resiliency, 100% cyber security is unachievable; breaches are inevitable, where modern threats demand a shift from reactive defense to proactive resilience. Resilience requires mindset and culture change, not just new technology, while focus can sustain operations and limit damage when security fails.

Assembling the resiliency strategic pillars and actions:

  • Risk Assessment: continuous evaluation of assets and vulnerabilities
  • Incident Response: develop, test, and update comprehensive crisis plans
  • Employee Training: ongoing education to make staff the first line of defense
  • Systems Testing: regular audits, penetration tests, and vulnerability scans
  • Partnerships: collaborate with industry experts for knowledge sharing
  • Culture: embed resiliency throughout the organization at every level

BJ Deonarain is a globally focused cybersecurity executive responsible for driving cyber security and cyber resiliency strategy at Hitachi Vantara. 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.

[1 CPE] Building a Fortress: Why Allowlisting Traffic is Key to Secure Networks

  Presented by Charles Killmer, Sr Security Analyst and Solution Architect • FRSecure

In this presentation, we’ll explore the critical role of allowlisting in enhancing network security. By focusing on controlling both ingress and egress traffic, allowlisting ensures that only trusted traffic is permitted, reducing the attack surface and minimizing vulnerabilities. Learn how adopting a comprehensive allowlisting strategy can help build a secure, resilient network fortress, protecting your systems from malicious threats and unauthorized access. Whether you’re implementing it for the first time or refining your approach, this session will highlight best practices and common pitfalls.

[1 CPE] Don’t Build a Fire Department

  Presented by Gary Quinn, Sr Sales Engineer, Enterprise US • Arctic Wolf

Building and maintaining an internal SOC operation is hard. We’ll discuss why it’s imperative that organizations lean on 3rd party partners to provide 24×7 monitoring across your collective attack surfaces.

[1 CPE] Zero Trust in Motion: Securing East/West Traffic to Reduce Risk

  Presented by Stefanie Elle, Channel Sales Engineer • HPE Aruba Networking

Ransomware and targeted cyber security threats are on the rise. A proactive prevention strategy should use both tried and proven methodologies as well as new and emerging technologies. East West traffic identification and isolation is key in preventing malicious content from spreading, both in the Data Center and at the Campus Edge of the network. We will focus on innovative approaches to address the security compliance, performance, agility, and scalability demands of today’s highly distributed, hybrid, network environments.

[1 CPE] Empowering the Future: Unlocking the Potential of Microsoft Solutions

  Presented by High Point Networks

Join us for an engaging and informative breakout session exploring the latest in Microsoft products and solutions. We’ll dive into key topics like Exchange and Windows 11 End-of-Life, Entra ID best practices, and essential settings to enhance security and identity management. Discover how CoPilot and CoPilot+ PCs are revolutionizing productivity with AI, simplifying complex tasks, and empowering users to work smarter. Plus, learn how Microsoft Server ensures reliable operations in today’s fast-paced tech landscape. These groundbreaking innovations are transforming the way we work and live—don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve!

[1 CPE] How to Make AI a Reality in Your Organization

  Presented by Marni Carmichael, Vice President, Marketing • ImageSource

AI adoption is accelerating, yet many organizations struggle to transition AI projects from proof-of-concept to production. The AI Empowerment Blueprint is a structured framework that helps businesses overcome common AI adoption barriers, align AI initiatives with business goals, and implement a governance strategy that ensures ethical and effective AI deployment.

This session will guide attendees through a six-step methodology for AI success, covering key phases such as AI exploration, business value alignment, governance frameworks, and implementation best practices. Learn how to identify AI opportunities, mitigate risks, and build a scalable AI strategy that delivers real business value.

Whether you’re an executive, technologist, or entrepreneur, this presentation will equip you with actionable insights and a proven roadmap to maximize AI’s impact within your organization.