SecureWorld Charlotte 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.

Mike Brannon is an experienced IT professional and long-term employee at National Gypsum Company (NGC). His IT career began in 1977, and he joined NGC in 1985. Mike leads the teams that provide infrastructure and security: "We Keep National Gypsum Running."

Justin Cary is Program Director for the Human-Centered AI concentration in the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies at UNC Charlotte, where he leads initiatives that combine humanities-based durable skills with foundational AI frameworks, ethics, and real-world application. He is also a Senior Lecturer in Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Studies (WRDS) and an AI Faculty Fellow with the Center for Teaching and Learning, contributing to campus-wide efforts, including the AI Accelerator team and other AI-focused teaching initiatives. His work centers on advancing responsible AI literacy, integrating ethical and critical AI practices into writing education, and preparing students to lead and solve complex problems in an AI-accelerated world.

Eli Edelkind is a seasoned technology and cybersecurity leader with more than 20 years of experience building high-performing teams, delivering resilient technology solutions, mitigating risk, and ensuring dependable operations. He currently serves as Chief Information Security Officer and leader for Infrastructure & Technology Operations at CAVA. In this role, he leads efforts to protect the CAVA brand from cyber threats, strengthen and scale restaurant technology infrastructure, and run day-to-day technology operations—helping the company stay focused on its mission of bringing heart, health, and humanity to food.

Before joining CAVA, Eli spent nine years in cybersecurity roles across multiple organizations, including Lowe’s, where he held positions of increasing responsibility. He also served 12 years in the U.S. Marine Corps in active and reserve capacities, gaining extensive experience in leadership and national security.

Eli’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and National Security Affairs from the U.S. Naval Academy, an MBA from Keller School of Management, and a certificate in Space Systems Operations from the Naval Postgraduate School. He contributes to the broader security community as a member of the Retail & Hospitality ISAC Board of Directors and has been recognized by peers with the RH-ISAC CISO of the Year award in two consecutive years. He also serves on multiple advisory boards, providing strategic guidance in his areas of expertise.

Kara is a cybersecurity executive with 20+ years of experience leading security, risk, and operations in large, highly regulated financial institutions. She’s built and scaled global teams, managed $100M+ portfolios, and led complex IAM and GRC programs that reduced risk and strengthened regulatory posture. Recently stepping into the role of CISO at Discovery Education, Kara is known for translating complex cyber challenges into practical business decisions and leading security through a human lens. Her team leadership style builds trust, strengthens culture, and helps organizations move forward securely.

Rick Scot is a seasoned Information Technology leader with over 30 years of experience. He currently serves as the Global Chief Information Officer and Global Chief Information Security Officer at Elevate Textiles, following senior roles at Bank of New York and Bank of America. Throughout his career, he has led strategic security initiatives, managed international teams, collaborated with law enforcement agencies, and played a key role in global cyber exercises. He also managed 4 major data transformations that created more control and safer data practices. Rick holds 33 patents in machine learning and blockchain, contributes to academic and industry advisory boards, including UNC Charlotte and NYU, and continues to drive innovation and resilience.

Marcus is a strategic leader with over a decade of experience driving digital transformation and operational excellence across HR, Legal, and IT organizations. Passionate about creating inclusive environments and leveraging technology to improve business outcomes, he blends innovation with a people-first mindset. Beyond the office, Marcus is involved in mentoring youth in STEM and entrepreneurship to expand access for underrepresented communities.Marcus is a strategic leader with over a decade of experience driving digital transformation and operational excellence across HR, Legal, and IT organizations. Passionate about creating inclusive environments and leveraging technology to improve business outcomes, he blends innovation with a people-first mindset. Beyond the office, Marcus is involved in mentoring youth in STEM and entrepreneurship to expand access for underrepresented communities.

Dr. Eric Cole, DPS is a cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur, public figure, and best-selling author. Dr. Cole has built a solid reputation in the cybersecurity industry over the last three decades. His career has advanced from starting as a professional hacker for the CIA to becoming the 44th President's com-missioner on cyber security to currently advising companies and teaching professionals on how to implement security measures that serve as a business enabler. His accomplishments have earned him an in-duction into the Information Security Hall of Fame and have awarded him as a Cyber Wingman from the US Air Force. His recognition has caught the interest of current clients, who include international banking institutions, Fortune 500 organizations, Bill Gates, and Saudi Aramco. His entrepreneurial accomplishments include three successful exits building eight-, nine-, and ten-figure organizations. Se-cure Anchor Consulting is his fourth cyber security business venture. Aside from his seasoned technical expertise, Dr. Cole is a well-known public figure and author of various publications. He recently released his eighth book, Cyber Crisis, which debuted at #1 on the Wall Street Journal's bestseller list. Dr. Cole is currently focusing on fulfilling his purpose of being on this planet to end suffering in cyber-space and his mission to secure cyberspace, by making cyberspace a safe place to live, work and raise a family.

Dr. Eric Cole, DPS is a cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur, public figure, and best-selling author. Dr. Cole has built a solid reputation in the cybersecurity industry over the last three decades. His career has advanced from starting as a professional hacker for the CIA to becoming the 44th President's com-missioner on cyber security to currently advising companies and teaching professionals on how to implement security measures that serve as a business enabler. His accomplishments have earned him an in-duction into the Information Security Hall of Fame and have awarded him as a Cyber Wingman from the US Air Force. His recognition has caught the interest of current clients, who include international banking institutions, Fortune 500 organizations, Bill Gates, and Saudi Aramco. His entrepreneurial accomplishments include three successful exits building eight-, nine-, and ten-figure organizations. Se-cure Anchor Consulting is his fourth cyber security business venture. Aside from his seasoned technical expertise, Dr. Cole is a well-known public figure and author of various publications. He recently released his eighth book, Cyber Crisis, which debuted at #1 on the Wall Street Journal's bestseller list. Dr. Cole is currently focusing on fulfilling his purpose of being on this planet to end suffering in cyber-space and his mission to secure cyberspace, by making cyberspace a safe place to live, work and raise a family.

Nia Luckey is a cybersecurity executive, author, and TEDx speaker focused on helping organizations rethink how trust actually works in security. With years of experience across military service, enterprise security, and executive advisory, she works with CIOs, CISOs, and boards to turn risk conversations into practical, defensible decisions. Nia’s work emphasizes the human side of cybersecurity, where leadership, culture, and accountability matter just as much as tools and controls. At SecureWorld, she brings real-world insight, candor, and a focus on what actually works.

Rashmi Palamadai has led strategic initiatives to strengthen security and compliance within Identity & Access Management. She is committed to advancing the organization’s security posture by driving continuous improvements in identity lifecycle management, access controls, data oversight, third-party risk management, and compliance validation—helping ensure resilience against evolving cyber threats. With deep expertise in IAM governance, Rashmi partners with cross-functional teams to implement secure solutions and ensure alignment with identity and access policies.

Rob Dalzell is a cybersecurity professional with over 30 years of Information Technology and Cybersecurity experience. He has thrived in the following cybersecurity based arenas: BISO, Third Party Defense, Vulnerability Management, Identity and Access Management, Responsible Vulnerability Disclosure, email encryption, and general security awareness. He is a member of the ISACA, serves on the Advisory Board for SecureWorld Charlotte, and enjoys connecting with others that work in Cybersecurity. Rob is an active supporter and advocate for those impacted by disabilities and is an advocate in the Women in Technology and Operations (WIT&O) organization. He is an ardent believer in life-long learning. In his spare time, he can be found playing or officiating soccer, generating sawdust or digging in the dirt around his house, and trying to keep a British sports car running.

Experienced Senior Director with a proven track record in the Security and Artificial Intelligence domains, particularly within the Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) space. Brings expertise in strategic planning, AI-driven analytics, cybersecurity frameworks, team leadership, and operational excellence.

Elvis is an award-winning senior executive in the field of information security and privacy risk management. He ranks among the top 5% of these risk management experts in the world, with 30 years’ experience plus elite level credentials including certifications from the National Security Agency, the ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), the Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (ISSEP), and the Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) from ISACA.

Elvis is a subject matter expert in cyber risk management and cybersecurity laws that impact the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He has coached mid-sized organizations, Fortune 500 companies, federal government agencies, and institutions of higher education to leverage industry standards while complying with complex legal mandates and regulatory requirements. He has been recognized and honored as a Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leader and a Distinguished Expert in Information Security Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance.

Jim has more than 10 years of experience in the data security space and has been an Sales Engineer at Varonis, StealthBits (Netwrix), Splunk, IBM, and Bionic AI. Before that, he served in network and systems engineering roles at MSPs in the upper Midwest. His broad experience in deploying and securing systems and data has translated into thought leadership about the practical challenges in the data security posture management space.

Ken Smith is the Director of Sales Engineering – Enterprise (Great Lakes) at Arctic Wolf, with 15 years of experience spanning offensive security, sales engineering, and education. A former SIGINT operator with 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ken went on to serve as a red team consultant and team lead in multiple roles. He also spent a decade developing and delivering university coursework in network and application security. Ken has presented at Thotcon, Hack Space Con, and other regional conferences, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for BSidesCLE.

Scott Thobe is an accomplished technical leader who excels in bridging the gap between complex technologies and tangible outcomes. He specializes in translating technical insights into actionable strategies that resonate with diverse audiences. His expertise lies in building high-performance teams and leading organizational process improvements across regions to achieve business goals.

Scott leads the Global Sales Engineering Hub and Partner Sales Engineering teams in the Americas at Ping Identity. He enjoys working with customers, partners, and cross-functional teams to balance business needs with technology, ensuring the best outcomes for customers. Additionally, he collaborates closely to shape the direction of the alliances and channel program in support of annual growth objectives.

His mission is to empower his team and customers with best-in-class IT security capabilities to protect critical enterprise and customer information. He is committed to driving business value through initiatives such as cloud transformation and cybersecurity best practices.

Charles Hartley is a lead information security analyst with TIAA. His focus is on researching and creating compelling AI/cybersecurity content. He has a master's degree in business administration and journalism, and he has 30-plus years in the high-tech industry.

Mike Terry is a member of LPL’ Advisor and Investor Cybersecurity Team who has been with LPL for 10+ years.   In his current role, Mike educates advisors and their investors about cybersecurity; offering them with best practices to stay safe, protect sensitive information, and avoid cyber-threats.  Before transitioning to this role, he supported advisors with a number of different initiates.  Prior to working at LPL, Mike worked in the financial services industry with companies like Capital One and Wells Fargo.  Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family

Tracey Hughes is a Vice President of Information Security specializing in Identity and Access Management and Security Governance, Risk and Compliance. With over 26 years of experience, she has led enterprise IAM programs across financial services, consulting, and global technology organizations, including IBM, Deloitte, and Kudelski Security. Tracey focuses on aligning identity strategy to business outcomes, regulatory requirements, and operational reality. She holds an MBA, a master’s degree in computer science, and multiple certifications including CISSP, CCISO, CISM, PCI ISA, and PMP. Known for her practical, business-focused approach, Tracey brings real-world insight to identity leadership challenges.

Sean Flynn is Director of Security Strategy and Technology for Akamai Technologies. Currently he works with companies to ensure Akamai’s Security Vision aligns with and fits industry and customer needs. He also acts as a trainer for web and enterprise security for internal groups. Sean has over 16 years of IT security experience working for networking and application security vendors. Sean joined Akamai in 2012, implementing Akamai security solutions for companies. He was hands-on, helping protect customers from active attacks by state-sponsored actors, hacktivists, and cyber criminals. He has consulted some of the largest customers in Finance, Commerce, and Healthcare on Akamai solutions, implementing application, network, and enterprise security, and security best practices.

A seasoned cybersecurity leader who helps organizations create and protect value through a unique perspective on cyber strategy, program development, and security technologies. With experience spanning both Risk Management and Information Technology roles, Brandon combines governance and policy expertise with deep technical knowledge across environments ranging from Fortune 500 companies to the U.S. Department of Defense. He builds and strengthens trust at all levels, from SOC analysts to executive leadership.

Affectionately known in the industry as Cyber Santa, Steve Cobb brings more than 30 years of leadership and consulting involving IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, incident response, and cyber threat intelligence. Prior to becoming the CISO for SecurityScorecard, Steve led Cybersecurity and IT Infrastructure teams at organizations like One Source, Verizon, Microsoft, RBC, PNC Bank, and Capital One. Steve serves on several CISO boards and frequently presents at conferences such as InfoSeCon, Cyber Defense Summit, Blackhat, and others. Steve attended UNC-CH but left early to start his own IT and Cyber Security consulting company, ultimately receiving his degree in Business from East Carolina University. Steve and his wife have two daughters and a son. Steve currently resides in the beautiful western mountains of North Carolina.

Colby has worked in the tech industry for the last decade as a Cyber Threat Analyst, Professional Services Engineer, Business Development Manager, and now as a Cybersecurity Specialist with Infoblox. Prior to working in the tech industry, Colby spent a decade as a machine gunner in the U.S. Marine Corps. Colby was born in the small town of Higginsville, Missouri, and now resides with his wife of 17 years and three kids outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. He enjoys spending his downtime playing Nintendo with his kids, cooking with his wife, and ripping around on motorcycles.

Phillip Ogle is a Senior Solutions Engineer on SpyCloud’s Investigations Team, where he helps organizations defend against identity-based threats including account takeover, ransomware, and fraud. He works closely with security teams to operationalize breach, malware, stolen session, and phishing data to uncover hidden risk across the darknet and beyond.

With more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, Phillip has held roles at Trend Micro, HP Enterprise Security, Intel, and McAfee. He brings a practitioner’s perspective and a passion for translating threat intelligence into real-world defensive action.

Scott Dickinson is passionate about Information Technology and Information Security and has more than 20 years in the fields of information security and information technology. He has worked with Federal and State governments to include FBI, DOD, Veteran Affairs, State of SC, and the private sector. He has been a CIO, a CISO, a virtual CISO, Cyber Security Division Director and a variety of positions leading up to those roles. He currently serves as the CISO at AnMed. He enjoys being exceptional as a security leader and is constantly looking for ways to improve the security posture of companies. He currently holds the CISSP and CCSP certifications.

Matthew Pour is a seasoned leader in Information Technology and Information Security, currently leading Island's North America Solutions Engineers. With decades of experience, he has successfully established ITIL practices and InfoSec programs for Fortune 500 companies and engineered solutions for complex business challenges at leading technology and cybersecurity firms. Previously, Matthew served as a Field CTO at Broadcom and held key technical leadership roles at Symantec, Blue Coat, and IBM, consistently demonstrating his strategic vision and expertise in navigating the evolving landscape of information security.

James (Jim) is a veteran in the information security and risk space. He previously served as partner at Ernst & Young, where he helped build the company’s cybersecurity practice during his 27-year tenure. Most recently, Jim worked as CISO and head of US operations at Panaseer. He has also held positions as CTRO at AIG, CSO and CTRO at Kaiser Permanente, and managing director at JP Morgan Chase, where he was global leader of Information Risk and Resiliency, Treasury and Security Services.

Jermaine Green, CISA, CISSP, and a 2025 Cisco Champion, is a seasoned Cybersecurity CIP Audit Manager at SERC Reliability Corporation. In his role, Jermaine leads the CIP Audit team to ensure that power companies across the Southeastern United States maintain reliable and secure operations in compliance with critical infrastructure protection standards. With a robust background in network engineering, wireless technologies, and firewall management, he brings a wealth of expertise to safeguarding the region’s power grid. His technical acumen and commitment to operational excellence make him a vital contributor to the cybersecurity and reliability of critical infrastructure.

Joseph Tromba brings almost five years of experience in the energy industry and seven years of experience as an attorney. As an Enforcement attorney, he has made significant contributions to many different projects and initiatives at SERC and the ERO Enterprise.

With a background in business management in college then primarily intellectual property law throughout law school, Joseph started his legal career as an Associate Attorney at Glynn, Mercep, and Purcell LLP (GMP) in East Setauket, New York. During his tenure at GMP, Joseph concentrated in many different types of civil litigation. His practice areas included, but were not limited to, real property litigation, commercial litigation, personal injury litigation, construction litigation, trust litigation, restrictive covenants, product liability, breach of contract, defamation, civil forfeiture, traffic violations, real estate transactions, and the drafting and execution of wills. As outside counsel, he aided and assisted in board meetings, disciplinary hearings, and depositions. Joseph received one of the Top 100 Personal Injury Settlements, which was also one of the Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements, in New York in the year 2019.

Since June 2021, Joseph has been involved in SERC’s Enforcement department where he has acted as the case manager for a number of noncompliances involving different entities and including various CIP and O&P NERC Reliability Standards. He has had several other responsibilities as well, such as handling Procurement at SERC Reliability Corporation and hosting the official SERC Podcast, “What’s the Bright Idea with SERC”. Before Joseph’s time at SERC and in the energy industry, he previously published an article that provides an analysis of the Fair Use Doctrine in copyright law.

Joseph is a staunch advocate for leaving a positive impact, believing strongly in leaving this world better than how you found it. By extension, he is dedicated to improving both SERC and the energy industry, aiming to leave a positive impact that will continue on.

Stephen is an accomplished U.S. Secret Service investigator with 9-plus years of experience leading complex cybercrime, financial fraud, and international cybercrime investigations. He is recognized for pioneering the U.S. Secret Service’s Business Email Compromise Mission Desk, resulting in the recovery of nearly $500 million in victim funds. He was awarded two U.S. Secret Service Director’s Impact Awards, 2021 U.S. Secret Service Employee of the Year Award, and two DHS Secretary’s Gold Medals of Excellence for outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact. Stephen is an experienced public speaker and instructor, having delivered more than 50 global keynotes to executives, policymakers, and law enforcement on topics including cyber-enabled financial crime, digital forensics, and public-private collaboration. He is dedicated to bridging the gap between law enforcement, government, and the private sector to combat the world’s most sophisticated digital threats through intelligence-driven investigations, rapid response, and cross-border partnerships.

Daniel is the Strategy and Transformation leader at AccessIT Group, where he leads a high-performance team to advance clients' cybersecurity ambitions through strategic problem-solving and execution.

Professional Summary and Key Highlights:

• Daniel grew up and began his career in Australia, before moving to the US with Deloitte with whom he spent a decade of his professional life.
• Has served Fortune 500 through to mid market extensively - US and Global.
• Extensive experience cross market and cross culture, NAM, LATAM, APAC, EMEA.
• Experienced with addressing challenges involving cyber risk, geopolitical and geostrategic complexities.
• History of driving resource conscious organizations to capability target states.
• Currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

In addition, Daniel works extensively with KKR overseeing portfolio company cybersecurity risk.

Travis Moran is a retired law enforcement professional with over 30 years of enforcement, security, and intelligence experience with Interpol, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). He serves as the Senior State Government & Regulatory Affairs Advisor, for SERC Reliability Corporation. SERC is specifically responsible for the reliability and security of the electric grid across the southeastern and central regions of the United States.

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.

Michael is an Ex-Army Green Beret turned application security engineer. Currently, he serves as the senior enlisted Cyber Network Defender for the North Carolina National Guard. In his civilian career, he is the Director of Application Security and content team lead for Security Journey, a SaaS-based application security training platform. He leverages his security knowledge and experience as a developer to educate and challenge other developers to be a part of the security team.

Nathanael Dick, CISSP, MBA, is the Director of Cybersecurity and Governance at SteelFab, Inc. in Charlotte. He leads the company's cybersecurity initiatives and is passionate about leveraging compliance as a tool to enhance organizational cyber maturity. In his free time, Nathanael cohosts the Cybersecurity podcast, discussing cybersecurity topics in a frank open atmosphere.

Mike Muscatell is a seasoned IT veteran with more than 21 years in the Information Security field. He is a certified ethical hacker (CEH). Was honored as top 100 professionals in the Information Security field by Strathmore's for 2014. Member of a number of security organizations, including InfraGard and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Cyber Committee.

Jackson Harrower leads product marketing at Harmonic Security, the premier platform for enabling employees to safely leverage AI tools while protecting sensitive data. Previously, Jackson served as Chief of Staff at Riscosity, a data security provider for application-layer traffic between private clouds and data subprocessors.

Christopher Rodriguez is a Security Specialist at Splunk, a Cisco Company, advising Telecommunications, Media, and Cloud Service Providers throughout the Americas on modernizing security operations. His work focuses on SIEM transformation and advancing unified approaches to threat detection, investigation, and response.

He brings more than15 years of experience at a major telecommunications provider across mobility, network infrastructure, and cybersecurity. A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) since 2020, he contributes thought leadership on digital resilience and emerging cybersecurity challenges facing enterprise organizations.

Justyn Hornor is a seven-time founder, five-time patent holder, and Techstars NYC alum with deep roots in artificial intelligence and advanced product development. A serial deep-tech entrepreneur, he has built and scaled multiple ventures at the intersection of AI, infrastructure, and enterprise innovation.

As the Founder and CEO of I/ONX High Compute Processing (HPC), Justyn leads a global organization redefining how enterprises deploy and scale AI. I/ONX is a leader in flexible, heterogeneous, and secure AI infrastructure solutions—revolutionizing and accelerating high-performance computing environments while eliminating dependence on any single hardware or software provider and mitigating supply chain constraints. Under his leadership, I/ONX has pioneered a composable, hardware-agnostic ecosystem designed to unlock performance, resilience, and long-term strategic freedom for enterprise customers.

Justyn is the principal inventor behind I/ONX’s heterogeneous compute ecosystem and holds five patents spanning advanced infrastructure and AI technologies. Throughout his career, he has led high-performing product teams across multiple industries within some of the world’s largest enterprises. He is known for bridging complex customer challenges with state-of-the-art, scalable technology solutions—translating deep technical innovation into measurable business outcomes.

He holds a B.S. in Business Management and an M.S. in Computer Information Systems from the University of Phoenix.

John Scrimsher is a globally recognized cybersecurity leader with over three decades of experience shaping secure digital transformation across industries. As a seasoned Chief Information Security Officer and strategist, John has driven measurable improvements in security posture for multinational enterprises, blending deep technical insight with executive leadership to align business risk with robust cyber defenses. With a career spanning operational, strategic, and board-level roles, he has helped organizations navigate emerging threats, mature security programs, and foster resilient cultures of risk awareness.

A trusted voice in the cybersecurity community, John speaks and writes frequently on topics including governance, risk management, security technologies, and cyber resilience. His pragmatic approach bridges the gap between complex threat landscapes and actionable, business-focused solutions; empowering leaders and practitioners alike to make better decisions in an increasingly interconnected world.

Dr. Omondi John Opala is a seasoned executive with expertise in cybersecurity, IT governance, and leading technology teams, backed by over 20 years of experience. His professional career reflects a steadfast commitment to enhancing digital security, ethical responses to complex cybersecurity challenges, and advancing the application of AI and emerging technologies globally.

Currently serving as the Vice President of IT and Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Hanes Brands Inc., Dr. Opala leads efforts to strengthen the company’s cybersecurity posture against evolving threats. Prior to this role, he was Vice President of IT and Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at McCormick, where he transformed cybersecurity risk remediation and response strategies to enhance network security globally.

In addition to his corporate achievements, Dr. Opala is deeply engaged in academia. As an adjunct professor, he has taught a variety of cybersecurity and business risk-related courses, including certified ethical hacking, information security risk management, digital forensics, and business ethics. He is currently developing program curricula focused on responsive AI usage. His dedication to education is further exemplified by his numerous publications on topics such as cloud architecture, cybersecurity risk governance, and the impact of cyber warfare on enterprise networks. His work has been featured in respected journals like the International Journal of Computer Networks and Communications and presented at IEEE conferences, among others.
Dr. Opala earned a Ph.D. in Information Technology with a specialization in Information Security Assurance & Governance from Capella University. Continuously striving for excellence, he is currently pursuing further education in Business Management at Harvard University Extension School.
Driven by a passion for innovation and knowledge, Dr. Opala focuses his research on information security, cloud computing, enterprise architecture, data analytics, big data and now AI. His exploratory analyses on the influence of information security on cloud adoption and the governance of cybersecurity risks have garnered widespread recognition.

Through his leadership, scholarship, and teaching, Dr. Omondi John Opala has become a prominent figure in the fields of cybersecurity and information technology, inspiring both industry professionals and aspiring technologists.

Dr. Omondi John Opala is a seasoned executive with expertise in cybersecurity, IT governance, and leading technology teams, backed by over 20 years of experience. His professional career reflects a steadfast commitment to enhancing digital security, ethical responses to complex cybersecurity challenges, and advancing the application of AI and emerging technologies globally.

Currently serving as the Vice President of IT and Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Hanes Brands Inc., Dr. Opala leads efforts to strengthen the company’s cybersecurity posture against evolving threats. Prior to this role, he was Vice President of IT and Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at McCormick, where he transformed cybersecurity risk remediation and response strategies to enhance network security globally.

In addition to his corporate achievements, Dr. Opala is deeply engaged in academia. As an adjunct professor, he has taught a variety of cybersecurity and business risk-related courses, including certified ethical hacking, information security risk management, digital forensics, and business ethics. He is currently developing program curricula focused on responsive AI usage. His dedication to education is further exemplified by his numerous publications on topics such as cloud architecture, cybersecurity risk governance, and the impact of cyber warfare on enterprise networks. His work has been featured in respected journals like the International Journal of Computer Networks and Communications and presented at IEEE conferences, among others.
Dr. Opala earned a Ph.D. in Information Technology with a specialization in Information Security Assurance & Governance from Capella University. Continuously striving for excellence, he is currently pursuing further education in Business Management at Harvard University Extension School.
Driven by a passion for innovation and knowledge, Dr. Opala focuses his research on information security, cloud computing, enterprise architecture, data analytics, big data and now AI. His exploratory analyses on the influence of information security on cloud adoption and the governance of cybersecurity risks have garnered widespread recognition.

Through his leadership, scholarship, and teaching, Dr. Omondi John Opala has become a prominent figure in the fields of cybersecurity and information technology, inspiring both industry professionals and aspiring technologists.