SecureWorld Atlanta 2026

Ahanu is a cyber risk analyst with Cyber Risk Opportunities who brings years of hands-on information security experience to the enterprise AI challenge. They lead cyber risk management initiatives for organizations of all sizes, translating complex security concepts into actionable strategies that business leaders can implement.

Since the emergence of generative AI, Ahanu has been at the forefront of enterprise AI security helping organizations safely integrate LLMs into their operations without sacrificing productivity or innovation. Their specialty lies in building secure AI workflows that actually work in practice, bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and real-world business needs.

Ahanu’s approach centers on a core belief: effective security enables innovation rather than blocking it.

Richard E. Steele, Jr., widely known as “Ricky,” is the Chief Development Officer at TekStream Solutions. TekStream provides IT staff augmentation and consulting services and was recently named one of Atlanta’s “Best Places to Work.” Steele has spent 20 years in the staffing industry successfully increasing revenue, elevating the company’s brand awareness, and expanding the customer base to include numerous Fortune 500 clients and start-ups. Steele’s prior work experience includes serving as a Client Partner at Korn Ferry, Director of Emerging Growth Technology Practice at PwC, and President of Cox Innovative Media. Steele is a ten-time entrepreneur and was honored as the “Georgia Small Businessperson of the Year” by the Small Business Administration in 1986.

Steele is a published author of three books, the most recent being "The Heart of Networking" (Third Edition). The principles from his book revolve around networking through “Servant Leadership and living the Golden Rule.” He has received numerous accolades for his authentic and heartfelt style as he has shared his in-depth knowledge in speaking engagements for companies, not-for-profits, faith-based organizations, and universities.

Steele has had a passion for serving the needs of his community and was recently honored by being inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel Board of Sponsors, which recognizes individuals drawn from civic life, business, philanthropy, and organizational leadership who support the Chapel’s mission and the values Dr. King embodied. Steele was also awarded a “Lifetime Achievement” award by the “Aurora Day Camp,” which provides services for children with cancer, and the “Ann Cramer Volunteer of the Year” award from TechBridge for his service to the organization since its inception 25 years ago.

Steele was Co-Founder and the first Chairman for both Atlanta’s Table and Hospitality Helping Hands. He currently serves on The Carter Center Board of Councilors. He has also served on the Board of Trustees for Leadership Atlanta and The Ron Clark Academy. Mr. Steele is an Alumnus of Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia, and Outstanding Atlanta. Steele's latest not-for-profit effort is Technology Cares/Technology Shares where over the past nine years, 1.4 million individual meals have been distributed to hungry Atlanta neighbors through The Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Steele is a native of Atlanta, and has been married to his wife, Beth, for 46 years. He is a proud father of three children and is a committed “Papa” to six cherished grandchildren.

Tamika Bass is an Information Security professional with more than 17 years’ experience in information security, including information security governance and risk management. Tamika is passionate about improving communication and understanding of information security in the industry. Tamika is an active speaker, college professor and enjoys spending her time educating technical staff on the importance of communicating effectively in the Information Technology space. Tamika holds the following certifications: CISA,CRISC, HCISPP, CBCP.

Jeremy Koppen is Chief Information Security Officer of Equifax, charged with continuing the company’s leadership in security, a core component of the Equifax EFX2027 Strategic Priorities.

Prior to joining Equifax, Jeremy served as Managing Director of Mandiant, part of Google Cloud, where he led hundreds of cyber engagements for Fortune 100 and 500 companies with a focus on mitigating emerging threats, scaling security operations through automation and AI, and enhancing cyber resilience. Jeremy has provided strategic counsel to government leaders, corporate boards, and C-Suite executives, and has played a key role in responding to some of the most advanced cybersecurity threats across industries.

Jeremy holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Digital Forensics from the University of Rhode Island.

Olivia Rose is an award-winning cybersecurity executive whose 25-year career has centered on security leadership, governance and organizational transformation. She has held CISO roles at Mailchimp and Amplitude, where she built and led security programs through periods of rapid growth and change.

Her work has increasingly focused on helping organizations navigate the intersection of AI adoption, cybersecurity and business risk. That focus now forms the foundation of Williams Rose AI Cyber Advisory, the firm she co-founded with fellow former CISO Kayla Williams. Together, they help C-suite leaders treat AI as an accelerator for the strategy they already have, not a strategy unto itself.

Beyond the CISO seat, Olivia has become a well-known voice within the cybersecurity community through executive leadership, mentoring and public speaking. Olivia holds CISSP, CISM and CDPSE certifications and serves as an IANS Faculty Member. She was named Cybersecurity Woman Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her contributions to the field, and she remains a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events.

Jennifer Bolling is a Regional Cyber Director for the Executive & Professional Risk Solutions (EPS) Practice within the Midsouth Region and is based out of the Atlanta, GA office. Jennifer specializes in consulting and broking services for Cyber and Professional Liability and her responsibilities include assessment of exposures, coverage and program structure, strategic action planning, market negotiation and program placement. Jennifer’s 21+ years of insurance industry experience enables her to take an enterprise view of risk across all professional risk lines.
 
Before joining USI in 2021, she was with Arthur J Gallagher & Co. for nearly 17 years as a Senior Resource Specialist focusing on Management and Cyber Liability. Jennifer has placed management and professional liability coverages and related lines for a variety of organizations, including large publicly traded, privately held and not-for-profit entities in various industries. Prior to Gallagher, Jennifer’s work included marketing and business development for software companies.

Jennifer earned a BBA degree from Mercer University – Stetson School of Economics, Macon, GA and was also a Tift College Scholar. She earned her Cyber COPE® Insurance Certification℠ (CCIC) which is an eight-month program developed and delivered by Chubb and Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Policy & Information Systems. 

She is a member of Professional Liability Underwriting Society and Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), and a winner for Risk & Insurance 2021 Power Broker (Cyber category). 

Jennifer grew up in Buford, GA, and currently resides in Birmingham, AL.

Strategic security executive with over two decades of transformational leadership across the world's most demanding technology and enterprise environments. Proven track record driving enterprise-wide security strategies that align with business objectives while managing complex, global teams and regulatory compliance frameworks. Recognized expert in designing and implementing comprehensive security architectures that enable digital transformation while maintaining the highest standards of protection across application security, infrastructure security, cloud security, identity and access management, third-party risk, and enterprise threat detection.

In her current role as SVP, Global Chief Security Officer at Blue Yonder, a leading provider of end-to-end supply chain software and solutions for global enterprises, Dr. Voss sets strategic direction and drives execution across all facets of the organization's security program. Leading a high-performing team of security engineers, architects, and security operations experts, she establishes security policies, procedures, and practices that protect enterprise assets while enabling business velocity and innovation. Her responsibilities encompass application security, infrastructure security, access control and identity management, third-party risk management, threat detection and response, and regulatory compliance for complex global supply chains.

Drawing on her extensive tenure at industry-leading organizations including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Public Cloud, Salesforce, and Capital One, Dr. Voss has consistently delivered transformational security programs that reduce risk, enhance operational resilience, and support scalable growth. Her expertise spans foundational security architecture, fraud detection and prevention, identity management, and enterprise cloud security practices.

Professional Background:
Keith Deininger’s career spans more than 35 years across technology, engineering, cybersecurity, and third-party risk management. He began his career after earning a degree in Computer Science and Information Systems, developing mainframe financial applications. Driven by a desire for new challenges, he later returned to university to earn a degree in Electrical Engineering Technologies and went on to design controllers for several of Japan’s largest electronics manufacturers. As cybersecurity emerged as a critical discipline, Keith expanded his expertise by earning degrees in Cybersecurity Assurance and Risk Management. He now helps to lead the Third-Party Risk Management program at Truist.

Speaking and Thought Leadership:
For the past 12 years, Keith has been an active presenter at nationally recognized cybersecurity conferences. His presentations have covered a broad range of topics, including Agentic AI Risks and Rewards, Developing Effective Third-Party Risk Management Programs, Data Governance and Cybersecurity Risk, Cybersecurity Trends in 2026, Preventing Social Engineering, Developing Zero-Trust Networks, and Cybersecurity Threats to National Infrastructure.

Certifications and Industry Contributions:
Keith holds active certifications from ISACA and ISC2. He has also been recognized by ISC2 as a Global Subject Matter Expert and Certified Exam Writer for the CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, and CGRC certifications for more than a decade. In addition, Keith serves on a number of cybersecurity advisory boards and leadership councils, helping to shape cybersecurity initiatives and advance the profession.

Personal Philosophy:
Keith often shares a guiding belief: we are all teachers, and we are all students of one another. His philosophy is simple and enduring, never stop learning and never stop sharing knowledge with others.

Lucas brings more than a decade of cybersecurity expertise to the C1 team, specializing in creating outcome-based security roadmaps for complex enterprise environments. With a background spanning systems engineering at Cisco and cloud architecture, he excels at bridging the gap between technical defense and business risk. Lucas is dedicated to helping clients navigate the evolving threat landscape through strategic design, zero-trust frameworks, and a relentless focus on long-term security resilience.

IT and managed security sales specialist with over fifteen years of experience. Proficient at gathering business requirements, analyzing business needs, and presenting technology strategies and solutions that align with business objectives. My main goal is to help the enterprise increase user productivity, decrease risk and control costs.

Specialties: Cybersecurity, EDR, MDR and XDR services, Managed aiSIEM, Penetration Testing & Vulnerability Assessment, Managed IT Services, Virtualization, Data Storage and Protection, Data Center Solutions, Disaster Recovery Expertise and Network Infrastructure Solutions.

Joseph supports security and risk (S&R) leaders, helping clients develop security strategies and make informed cybersecurity decisions. As a research director, he leads the analyst team researching security leadership, the role of the CISO, detection and response, and Forrester’s Zero Trust model. His research focuses on insider risk management, security operations, and security management. His over 20 years of security experience includes roles at Solutionary, McAfee, Vigilar, and IBM (ISS), where he focused on managed security and consulting services, email security, network security, and compliance. Joseph holds an MBA from Kennesaw State University and a BA from Auburn University.

For more than four 4 decades, Wes has been building a successful career in Information Security. He is an award-winning professional and sought-after speaker. Wes was recruited by IBM in 1979 and based in Atlanta, where he spent many years with the Fortune 50 legend. In 1996, Wes began his entrepreneurial journey by providing consulting and training services to Network Security clientele.

Wes was given an outstanding opportunity to work with Georgia’s Department of Revenue (DOR) in 2008. Throughout his tenure, he has fulfilled many roles. Before his retirement in 2020, Wes was the Chief Information Security Officer and managed the DOR Office of Information Security. Following his retirement from the State, Wes accepted a position as CISO and Vice President for Government Accounts at Needling Worldwide, LLC. There, he manages and conducts CMMC and NIST-based audits and assessments, as well as vCISO services.

Steve Hodges is the State Chief Information Security Officer for the State of Georgia, where he leads enterprise cybersecurity strategy, governance, operations, and modernization across a large and complex public-sector environment.

Steve has spent more than 30 years working across technology, operations, and cybersecurity. His career began close to the technology—with programming, databases, networks, infrastructure, and operations—and later evolved through enterprise architecture, business continuity, disaster recovery, governance, risk, and cybersecurity leadership. That experience has shaped how he thinks about security today.

Steve understands what happens when a security decision reaches the operational environment. His work increasingly focuses on the organizational challenges that determine whether an enterprise can act when time matters: trust, decision rights, relationships across organizational boundaries, and the ability to move from information to decision to action.

He speaks and writes about cybersecurity leadership, enterprise resilience, decision velocity, trust, governance, organizational transformation, and emerging technology. His recent work explores Continuous Incident Response and the need to build the trust, authority, and alignment required to act before an incident begins—not try to assemble them after an attacker is already moving.

Steve is a frequent speaker at cybersecurity, technology, and executive leadership events, including SecureWorld, Info-Tech LIVE, AWS Public Sector Innovation Day, StateScoop’s Cybersecurity Modernization Summit, the Georgia Digital Government Summit, and other industry and government forums.