Archives: Seminar

[1 CPE] The New Media Stack: How AI is Rewriting Cybersecurity Journalism

  Presented by Karissa Breen • Founder & Head of Cybersecurity Journalism, KBI.Media
 Keynote presentation brought to you by Business Improvement Group

The way cybersecurity professionals consume information is undergoing a fundamental shift. For years, the industry relied on a traditional media pipeline, like vendor announcements, PR outreach, journalist coverage, and static articles. But the rise of large language models and AI-powered discovery tools is dismantling that model.

Instead of searching for articles or relying on outdated reports, professionals ask AI systems to synthesize information, explain threats and summarize events. In this new environment, AI effectively becomes the front page of the internet, determining which voices, sources and insights are surfaced.

In this keynote, Karissa Breen (KB) examines how AI is reshaping cybersecurity journalism, the rise of “reference media” that LLMs trust and cite and why credibility and original reporting matter more than ever in the algorithmically mediated game. Drawing on her experience building a modern cybersecurity media platform, Breen will explore what the next generation of cyber media looks like and how organizations can adapt to a future where AI curates the conversation and this means for staying on top of cyber content and the retention of the knowledge.

Karissa Breen, more commonly known as KB, is crowned a LinkedIn ‘Top Voice in Technology’ and widely recognized across the global cybersecurity industry. A serial entrepreneur, she is the co-founder of the TMFE Group, a portfolio of cybersecurity-focused businesses spanning an industry-leading media platform, a specialist marketing agency, a content production studio, and the executive headhunting firm, MercSec. Now based in the United States, KB oversees US editorial operations and leads the expansion of the group’s media footprint across North America, while maintaining a strong presence in Australia, and the broader global market. She is the former Producer and Host of the streaming show 2Fa.tv, and currently sits at the helm of journalism for the group’s flagship arm, KBI.Media, the independent cybersecurity media company. As a cybersecurity investigative journalist, KB hosts her globally-renowned podcast, KBKast, where she interviews leading cybersecurity practitioners, CISOs, government officials including heads-of-state, and industry pioneers from around the world. The podcast has been downloaded in over 65 countries with more than 400,000 global downloads, influencing billions of dollars in cybersecurity budgets. KB is known for asking the hard questions and extracting real, commercially relevant insights. Her approach provides an uncolored, strategic lens on the evolving cybersecurity landscape, demystifying complex security issues and translating them into practical intelligence for executives navigating risk, regulation, and rapid technological change.

[1 CPE] From Cyber Risk to Resilience: Turning Insight Into Action

  Presented by Chad Alessi, Managing Director, Cybersecurity • CTG

Many organizations generate cybersecurity assessments and compliance reports, but struggle to translate them into actions that meaningfully reduce operational risk. This session explores practical strategies for turning cybersecurity insights into decision frameworks that support operational continuity and executive risk management. Drawing on experiences from critical infrastructure and healthcare environments, the talk highlights how organizations can move from compliance-driven security to true cyber resilience.

[1 CPE] Leading Through Crisis: IT Lessons from Alaska’s Emergency Response

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

In October 2025, Typhoon Halong caused widespread disruption across Western Alaska, testing the resilience of infrastructure, communications, and response teams. The event offered a powerful case study in organizational resilience. While many had disaster recovery plans in place, the ability to execute under pressure—while maintaining clear, reliable communication—proved to be the defining factor.

IT teams were at the center of response efforts, from restoring systems to enabling critical lines of communication for employees, partners, and communities. The experience revealed that resilience isn’t just technical—it’s operational.

In this interactive panel, regional leaders share hard-earned lessons from the field. Discover how to strengthen your response plans, run effective drills, and ensure your organization is ready when it matters most. Audience Q&A will provide an opportunity to explore challenges specific to your environment.

Panelists:

  • Paul Fussey, Operations Manager, Alaska Land Mobile Radio
  • Aaron Mute, Director, Information Technology, Association of Village Council Presidents
  • Brian Noonan, Systems Engineer, Alaska Railroad Corp.
  • Dave Reilly, Planning Program Manager, AK Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Advisory Council Roundtables

Join us during the lunch hour for Advisory Council Roundtables, an interactive opportunity to connect with council members and peers on a variety of timely industry topics. Move freely between tables, share your perspective, and gather practical insights you can take back to your organization. These conversations are informal, high-value, and designed to spark ideas and connection.

Topics:

  • Data Protection in the Age of AI
  • Ensuring Security and Compliance with 3rd Parties
  • IT Staffing: Onboarding for Success
  • Get More Out of Your IT Spending
  • Managing Infosec for the Small/Medium Business
  • Security Approach in Public Sector
  • Security Awareness: What Methods Work to “Secure the Human”
  • Zero Trust Strategy: Challenges & Lessons Learned

[1 CPE] State of the Union: Annual Information Security Report

  Presented by Oscar Minks, President • FRSecure

The result of over 100 incident cases handled by the FRSecure response team in the last two years, President Oscar Minks will dive into the latest threats and response techniques you need to know—and what you can do to minimize the risk and impact of similar events. The breakdown will cover Business Email Compromise, Ransomware, and Internal Compromise. You can’t afford to miss it!

[1 CPE] Speaking the Language of Risk

  Presented by Tom Ruoff, Principal Consultant • ImageSource

Organizations face rapidly evolving cyber threats, yet many still view technology as a cost center rather than a strategic partner. This presentation reframes the conversation by translating technical risks into business and financial terms leaders understand. Attendees will learn how to identify Business Essential Functions (BEFs), quantify operational and financial impacts, and apply practical risk‑estimation methods. By establishing a common language of risk, leaders can align priorities, invest where it matters most, and meaningfully reduce enterprise exposure. The session equips both executives and IT teams with tools to build consensus and drive smarter, outcome‑based cybersecurity decisions.

Tom Ruoff serves as Principal Consultant for ImageSource, Inc. providing cybersecurity consulting services (risk assessments, threat hunting, pen testing, breach remediation, security architectures, policies, business impact assessment) to commercial clients including Native American Tribes and Tribal Casinos, he is also a founder and current CEO of Zorse Cyber. Tom retired from the Dept of Homeland Security (DHS), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in June 2023, as Chief, Methodology Branch, supervising vulnerability assessments for elections, power generation/distribution, and pipelines, and Federal Government IT systems. Before DHS, Tom was the Director of Systems Division at Northrop Grumman, developing cross domain solutions (CDS) for National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Air Force veteran with tours at NSA, CIA element of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Defense Intelligence Agency He is a Level III Federally Certified Program Manager, PMP, CISSP, CMMI Associate, MS/BS degrees in physics and electrical engineering.

[1 CPE] Why Layered Identity Defense Is the Best Offense

  Presented by Sean Deuby, Principal Technologist, Americas • Semperis

Cyberattackers are adept at finding ways through your defenses and into identity systems like Active Directory, Entra ID, and Okta, and endpoint defenses won’t stop them. From there, they can move laterally, escalate privileges, access sensitive data and resources, and inject malware or ransomware. Implementing a layered defense that includes identity threat detection and response (ITDR) and robust identity recovery is key to true cyber resilience.

Join Sean Deuby, Principal Technologist, Semperis, to learn:

  • How layered defense has changed over time
  • Why ITDR and identity recovery are essential to a robust layered defense strategy
  • How a layered defense can help you combat attacks that are designed to bypass traditional attack-detection methods
  • Which best practices lead to identity—and cyber—resilience

[1 CPE] Three Wins to Chase, Three Disasters to Dodge

  Presented by Amy McLaughlin • Chief Information Officer, University of Wyoming

Amy McLaughlin cuts through the noise surrounding artificial intelligence and focuses on what leaders should actually be doing today. Drawing on real-world experience, she will walk through three high-impact ways AI is already delivering value and three common missteps that are creating unnecessary risk, wasted effort, and loss of trust. Rather than chasing tools or trends, Amy will talk about how to make better decisions: where to lean in, where to slow down, and how to approach AI as a leadership and governance challenge, not just a technology one.

Amy McLaughlin is the Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at the University of Wyoming, the state’s flagship and only public university, where she leads the technology organization responsible for enabling teaching, learning, research, and statewide outreach.

A nationally recognized technology and cybersecurity leader with more than two decades of experience, Amy is known for driving practical innovation, modernizing complex environments, and building high-performing teams across higher education and government. Her career spans leadership roles in enterprise IT, cybersecurity, and network services, including senior positions at Oregon State University and the State of Oregon, where she led large-scale transformation efforts, strengthened infrastructure resilience, and advanced security programs. Amy brings a strategic, people-centered approach to technology leadership, grounded in deep operational experience and a strong commitment to mission-driven outcomes.

We’re finalizing an exciting lineup of sessions and speakers. Full session descriptions and agenda details will be available as we get closer to the event. In the meantime, we’re thrilled to announce our keynote speaker: Amy McLaughlin. Registration is officially open — reserve your place today and stay tuned for updates.

[1 CPE] Securing Critical Environments

  Presented by Dan Frechette, Sales Engineer • Keystrike

Security in Industrial Control Systems and other critical environments comes with unique challenges and desired outcomes when compared to traditional cybersecurity.