Archives: Seminar

[1 CPE] SCARE to CARES: Delivering Digital Transformation without Chaos

  Presented by Saby Waraich • Chief Information Officer, Clackamas Community College

In the dynamic world of organizational leadership, the ability to navigate and lead through complex transformations is critical. Saby Waraich, a seasoned leader with extensive experience in technology and change management, offers an insightful session designed to empower leaders to evolve from a mindset of fear and control (“SCARE”) to one grounded in empathy, trust, and collaboration (“CARES”).

This session delves into the essential qualities and strategies required to lead successful transformations in today’s fast-paced and often unpredictable environment. Participants will explore how leaders can shift their approach from being overly cautious and risk-averse to fostering a culture of care, where team members feel supported, valued, and motivated to contribute their best.

Recognized by Thinkers360 as a Global Thought Leader and Influencer in the Top 10 for Project Management and Business Strategy, and in the Top 50 for Leadership, Saby Waraich is not just a speaker—he’s a practitioner in the trenches every single day. Delivering keynotes and workshops that are as inspiring as they are practical, Saby marries actionable insights with a captivating storytelling style. His mission is not just to inspire but to equip you with the strategies needed to excel personally and professionally.

A veteran in driving change and fostering innovation, Saby offers a unique perspective backed by real-world experience. Whether on stage or virtually, his energetic and engaging approach provides the tools you need to stand out as a leader, build trust, and ultimately drive better results. Don’t just listen to a speech; gain a professional edge from someone who’s living it.

[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] Implementing AI: A Panel Discussion on the Steps You Need to Take Now

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

Your success as an IT professional has always depended on your ability to adapt. With the rapid expansion of AI capabilities, how are you evaluating and applying these tools today? What changes have you made to drive value—and where are you encountering obstacles?

Join this peer-led panel discussion to build a practical, prioritized “to-do list” of what you need to know. Our Advisory Council will share firsthand experiences implementing AI across a range of use cases while maintaining strong security controls. Panelists will outline concrete steps for developing an effective AI policy and offer guidance on engaging stakeholders to create organizational alignment. You will also explore the critical role of data governance and security in responsible AI adoption.

The discussion will address additional considerations, including collaboration with legal and HR teams, to help you prepare for enterprise-wide implementation. Bring your questions and leave with actionable insights you can apply immediately to implement AI with confidence.

Panelists:

  • Michael Bray, Chief Information Security Officer, The Vancouver Clinic
  • Brandon Gatke, AVP, Information Technology and Security, Portland Community College
  • Steve Hankel, Vice President, Information Technology, Johanson Transportation Service
  • Jaya Srinivasan, AVP Cybersecurity, CISO, M Financial Group

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 & Discussion Leaders:

  • Cybersecurity Approach for Non-Profits Rick Hamell, IT Director, Rose Villa Senior Living
  • Get More Out of Your IT Spending Bill Hopkins, IT Manager, City of Keizer
  • IT Staffing: Onboarding for Success Dan Kutch, IT Manager, Gunderson Marine & Iron
  • Security Awareness: What Methods Work to “Secure the Human” Ian Raloff, Sr Applications Systems Engineer, Moda Health
  • AI Usage in Your Office, What You Need to do First Nathan Struk, IT Manager, Business Valuation Resources
  • Security Awareness: What Methods Work to “Secure the Human” Frank Taylor, Systems Security Engineer, Corpay

[1 CPE] Bridging Zero Trust and SASE: A Unified Approach to Modern Cybersecurity

  Presented by Fortinet

This will be a panel discussion on how organizations can effectively bridge Zero Trust and SASE to create a unified, adaptive cybersecurity architecture that meets the demands of today’s hybrid workforce and threat landscape.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understand the core principles of Zero Trust and SASE, and how they complement each other.
  • Learn practical strategies for implementing a unified approach without adding complexity or disrupting operations.
  • Gain insights into real-world use cases and lessons learned from organizations successfully integrating these frameworks.

Moderator: Michael Lippman, Regional Channel Systems Engineer, Fortinet

Panelists:

  • Tanner Harrison, Senior Sales Engineer, Fortinet
  • Greg Still, Chief Executive Officer, Xiologix
  • Mark Wernet, Major Account Manager, Fortinet

[1 CPE] Intelligent Data Infrastructure: Unifying Cloud, Cyber, AI, and Enterprise

  Presented by Ray Kalmbach, Global Head of Hybrid Workloads for Partners • NetApp

Organizations are simultaneously pursuing cloud transformation, cyber resilience, data infrastructure modernization, and artificial intelligence. In every case, data is at the heart of the transformation—but most existing infrastructure was not designed for this moment.

This session introduces the concept of Intelligent Data Infrastructure (IDI)—an operating model where a unified data platform, integrated control plane, and data management services can manage any data, for any application, anywhere it’s needed—optimized, secured, and protected by intelligence. Using a Problem → Alternatives → Solution framework, we will examine common pitfalls and successful patterns across key domains: cloud services, cyber resilience and data protection, enterprise applications and databases, virtualization and containers, and AI & data lakes.

Attendees will leave with a reference model and practical checklist to evaluate their environment and define concrete next steps toward a more intelligent, resilient, and AI‑ready data infrastructure—without reference to any specific vendor or product.

[1 CPE] Can Attackers Take Down Your Identity Provider?

  Presented by Sarah Cecchetti, Director of Product Management • Semperis

What would happen if an attacker came after your Active Directory, Okta, Ping, or Entra? Do you think that’s going to get easier or harder for the attacker if your company is AI-enabled? Do you have the right protections to keep them out? Do you know what to do if they get in and take down everyone’s ability to log in? Find out how the world’s top companies are securing their identity infrastructure in the age of AI. Make sure you have plans in place to recover quickly and be the hero if the worst happens.

Advisory Council Roundtables

  Presented by the INTERFACE Advisory Council

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 & Discussion Leaders:

  • Data Protection in the Age of AI Neha Srivastava, Vice President, Cybersecurity Products, JPMorganChase
  • Ensuring Security and Compliance with 3rd Parties Rajesh Nair, Staff Technical Program Manager, LinkedIn
  • IT Staffing: Onboarding for Success Shawn Cook, Technology Director, Prosser School District
  • Get More Out of Your IT Spending Evelyn Hernandez, Director, Information Technology, US Federal Courts
  • Managing Infosec for the Small/Medium Business John Forrister, Vice President, Information Security, Tgen
  • Security Approach in Public Sector Tim Crawford, Executive Director, ITS, Federal Way Public Schools
  • Security Awareness: What Methods Work to “Secure the Human”
    • Tad Doviak, Cybersecurity Administrator, Globe Machine
    • Sean Godfrey, Vice President, Information Technology, Chateau Retirement Communities LLC
    • Taylor Jolin, Manager, IT Operations, Nisqually Red Wind Casino
    • Lawrence Kane, Sr Director, IT Procurement, Transamerica
  • Zero Trust Strategy: Challenges & Lessons Learned Shannan Elzner, Manager, IT Operations, Sound Credit Union

[1 CPE] Maximizing Impact: A Guide to Scaling Red Team Operations

  Presented by Jake Gillen, Solutions Engineer • Pentera

As organizations face expanding attack surfaces, Red Teaming remains vital for uncovering true security gaps—but traditional methods can be difficult to scale. This session introduces Automated Security Validation and its role in strengthening and accelerating Red Team activities. We’ll define what Red Teaming is, outline how to plan an exercise, and walk through real examples that illustrate improved efficiency and coverage. Attendees will learn to complement manual Red Teaming by automating repetitive tasks, enabling teams to focus on high-value adversarial techniques and maximize overall impact.

[1 CPE] Shadow AI: Real Consequences, Real Benefits

  Presented by CompassMSP

Whether you have sanctioned it or not, your employees are using AI at work. While AI is great for boosting productivity and automating tasks, it also brings risks, including data leaks, deepfakes, and compliance challenges. In this session, we’ll connect the dots between compliance requirements and real-world practices, showing you how to navigate AI safely, reduce risk, and still move innovation forward. Walk away with a clear view of AI’s impact and simple actions you can take to reduce risk and protect your employees and data.