SecureWorld Chicago 2026

Rodney Beard, CISSP, is a cybersecurity consultant with Cyber Risk Opportunities LLC, bringing more than 20 years of experience protecting organizations across defense, government, and financial services sectors.

Most recently, Rodney served as Information Security Officer at Rivermark Community Credit Union, a $2B institution in Oregon, where he built and led the enterprise security program for seven years. His responsibilities included penetration testing, security architecture, incident response, vendor risk management, and developing security awareness training for employees.

Prior to financial services, Rodney spent eight years as an IT Specialist with the U.S. Army at White Sands Missile Range, where he served as Information Management Officer responsible for IT security across 22 regional locations and 250 employees. He implemented security policies aligned with NIST, Federal, and DoD standards while managing a program portfolio valued at $2.5 million.

Rodney has also taught technology courses as an Adjunct Instructor at Vista College, preparing students for CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications.

He holds the CISSP certification, CompTIA Security+, Network+, and A+, along with multiple Microsoft certifications. Rodney is based in Casper, Wyoming, and works remotely with clients nationwide.

Lisa Plaggemier is Executive Director at the National Cybersecurity Alliance. She is a recognized thought leader in security awareness and education with a track record of engaging and empowering people to protect themselves, their families, and their organizations. Lisa is a University of Michigan graduate (Go Blue!) and while she wasn’t born in Austin, Texas, she got there as fast as she could.

Cliff Steinhauer is a passionate information security and privacy professional. Currently based in Seattle, he has over a decade of experience in sales, marketing, and project management. With the National Cybersecurity Alliance, Cliff works to direct community engagement through live events, educates through thought leadership, and runs the Cybersecurity program for NCA. Cliff enjoys sharing the message of securing your digital life, protecting information systems and the people that run them, and mentoring young folks to promote interest in the field.​

Dr. Fred Kwong has been in the information security and technology field for the past 20 years in working in education, financial, telecommunication, healthcare, and insurance sectors. He is an award-winning thought leader in security and currently works at DeVry University where he currently serves as the VP and Chief Information Security Officer. He is a member of several advisory boards and is a frequent speaker at national security forums on cyber security and information technology and is often asked to consult on matters of security and leadership

Fred also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Roosevelt and Benedictine Universities. He received his Bachelor of Arts in psychology and professional communications, Master of Business Administration in management information systems from Roosevelt University, and holds his Doctorate in organization development from Benedictine University. Fred has earned several certifications including the CISSP, CISA, CISM, CDPE, PCIP, PMP and ITILv3f.

Ricardo Lafosse is responsible for IT risk governance, software and product security, incident management, technical disaster recovery, and determining enterprise-wide security policies and procedures. Lafosse regularly presents on security topics at global conferences, including Defcon, MirCon, and ISACA CACS. Lafosse has more than 15 years of experience in information security for the government, finance, legal, and healthcare. Lafosse holds a Master’s in Information Assurance from the Iowa State University. He also holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) designations.

A cybersecurity and compliance executive with a passion for building resilient organizations through strategic risk management, governance, and security leadership. I lead enterprise security and compliance programs that protect critical assets, ensure regulatory alignment, and enable business resilience. With over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, I specialize in translating complex risk landscapes into actionable strategies that drive trust and performance. My focus is on building strong security cultures, aligning governance with business goals, and mentoring the next generation of security leaders.

Bruce Coffing is an information security professional with over twenty-five years industry experience in information technology and cybersecurity. He is currently the Chief Information Security Officer for the City of Chicago. Prior to joining the City of Chicago, Mr. Coffing held Senior Vice President information security positions at Bank of America and was a Senior Manager at consulting firm Accenture. Mr. Coffing holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.

Head of Cybersecurity, 20+ years in InfoSec/Cyber. MBA, Masters in Cyber, CISSP, CISM.

Technology executive with 25+ years of experience leading AI-enabled, secure, and resilient digital transformation across enterprise IT, cloud platforms, and digital-physical critical infrastructure. Proven ability to align innovation with governance, risk, and operational continuity in highly regulated and high-impact environments.

Troy’s career reflects a full-spectrum technology leadership journey, progressing from hands-on engineering, architecture, and cyber forensics roles to senior executive positions including Board Member, Director, Vice President, and 4 times as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). This end-to-end perspective enables him to translate complex technical realities into executive-level strategy, board-ready risk decisions, and measurable business outcomes.

Committed to empowering others and giving back to the profession, Troy volunteered for several years with internationally recognized experts to author, review, and refine global certification exam content for ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) programs. This work required maintaining technology, cultural, and regulatory neutrality for a worldwide audience. He has also served as a mentor for SANS 504: Hacking Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling, supporting the development of advanced incident response practitioners.

Troy currently serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Akron, teaching graduate-level (454 & 554) courses in cybersecurity and information systems auditing within the university’s STEM-accredited program, helping prepare the next generation of technology and risk leaders.

His professional credentials reflect executive-level breadth across AI, cloud, privacy, cyber-physical systems, governance, and incident response, including advanced training in ICS / SCADA cybersecurity from Idaho National Laboratory and defensible security architecture and engineering.

• ICS / SCADA Cybersecurity – DoD, Idaho National Laboratory (2024)
• SEC530: Defensible Security Architecture & Engineering
• Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
• Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)
• Insider Threat Program Manager (ITPM) Certified via CMU – SEI
• GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) SANS 504

Lynn Dohm brings more than 25 years of organizational and leadership experience to the WiCyS team as the Executive Director. She has long been committed to cybersecurity education and for the last 14 years held active roles in grant-funded programs and nonprofits that assist in providing educational solutions for the cybersecurity workforce. She is passionate about the need for diverse mindsets, skill sets and perspectives to solve problems that never previously existed and aims to facilitate learning opportunities and discussions on leading with inclusion, equity and allyship. In addition to Lynn being awarded Top 100 Women in Cybersecurity by Cyber Defense Magazine, she accepted the Nonprofit of the Year Award for WiCyS in 2020 and 2021, is on numerous cybersecurity judging panels, advisory boards, and is an inaugural member of (ISC)2’s DEI Task Force. She has been interviewed on TV and radio throughout the nation and is a keynote presenter, panelist and moderator for multiple international conferences, events and organizations.

Cliff Steinhauer is a passionate information security and privacy professional. Currently based in Seattle, he has over a decade of experience in sales, marketing, and project management. With the National Cybersecurity Alliance, Cliff works to direct community engagement through live events, educates through thought leadership, and runs the Cybersecurity program for NCA. Cliff enjoys sharing the message of securing your digital life, protecting information systems and the people that run them, and mentoring young folks to promote interest in the field.​

Sean has over three decades of experience in the Information Technology field, with a focus on information security best practices and compliance. He currently serves as the Head of Information Security and Compliance at KinderCare, one of the nation’s largest accredited early learning education systems, implementing and maintaining the company’s security and compliance Prior to KinderCare, Sean Served as the Chief Information Security Officer, at Atmosera, providing security and compliance expert advisory to Atmosera’s clientele. He brings extensive experience in lean team management within infrastructure and security business units, providing a reliable and secure environment across a wide range of regulatory and legal frameworks. Sean has held progressively more senior roles with ESCO one the world’s largest steel manufacturer of ground engagement equipment, Gogo Air, providing security advisory and design for all the commercial wireless services, DDB/Omnicom, a worldwide marketing communications firm, as well as financial institutions, and national retail chains.

Sarah Buerger serves as the Business Information Security Officer for The Kraft Heinz Company.

Ed is the Business Information Security Officer for Gallagher Bassett and Global Head of Third Party Risk Management for Gallagher. He is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of experience in information security and IT GRC. He has built cybersecurity programs with emphasis on IT risk management, vulnerability management, third party risk , and IT governance. Ed has worked primarily in financial services, retail, and health care for multiple global companies.

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.

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.

Nousheen Begum, MS, CISSP, is a Cybersecurity Engineer with nine years of experience in security architecture and regional leadership. She holds a Master’s in Cybersecurity and serves as the Vice President for WiCyS Wisconsin, Membership Chair for ISC2 Wisconsin, and a board member for ISACA Milwaukee. A passionate advocate for mentorship and cognitive diversity, Nousheen leverages her background in competitive Capture The Flag (CTF) to help organizations build resilient, threat-aware cultures. She is dedicated to advancing the Wisconsin cyber ecosystem through technical expertise and community advocacy.

I am a high-performing, globally-experienced executive with extensive information security, product security, enterprise risk management and information technology leadership experiences. I believe my unique blend of leadership positions across these disciplines has given me a well-rounded and results-oriented approach.

I have demonstrated proficiency in driving transformational change through leadership vision, collaboration and execution. Recruited to Zebra Technologies as Chief Security Officer (CSO), I am providing strategic leadership for Zebra's information security, product security, business continuity, and corporate security programs across the global enterprise. Previously, as Caterpillar’s first CISO, I rallied support from numerous stakeholders, created a shared vision, and built a new program with measurable improvements. Recruited from Caterpillar to be Ecolab’s first CISO, I successfully realigned security priorities with business objectives, obtained executive support, achieved quick-wins, restructured the team and recruited talent.

My proven ability to interact and communicate well with all levels of large organizations, including executive management and the Board of Directors, is a crucial skill. A large part of any risk management position is effective, courageous and measured communications.

Key skills and attributes include: Leadership Vision | Execution | Communication | Executive presence with Board of Directors of Fortune 50-500 companies | Teamwork | Courage | 20+ years of Information Security, Cyber Security , Product Security, Information Technology, Corporate Security, and Enterprise Risk Management leadership experience | International experience

I am a global CIO and technology executive with 25 years of experience leading digital transformation across multinational organizations. I have worked in both family-owned and public companies with worldwide presence, building and leading multicultural, geographically distributed teams. Throughout my career, I have focused on creating opportunities for people while aligning technology, security, and data to business strategy. Today, as Vice President of Technology at Power Construction, I drive scalable growth and lasting technology impact.

George is a business technology leader with over 30 years’ experience in startup, mid-sized and Fortune 500 firms. As the Chief Marketing Officer at PTP, George is responsible for strategic growth, client relationships, and new business development. George was also a former CIO and COO with industry experiences in seven different verticals.

George has a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a MS in Engineering Management from National Technological University. In addition to his work with PTP, George also serves on the board of SIM Chicago and volunteers for various non-profits, including I.C. Stars, Northeastern Illinois University Advisory Board, and Teen Innovators Board.

With more than 15 years of leadership experience, Ravi brings deep technical expertise in IT, security, and cloud transformation, aligning technology initiatives with business strategy, operational resilience, and risk management.

Ravi’s industry experience spans private equity, venture capital, manufacturing, and Fortune 500 organizations. He is known for applying technology thoughtfully to drive measurable business value while strengthening cybersecurity posture and enterprise governance. His cross-industry perspective allows him to bridge the gap between technical execution and board-level oversight of risk and innovation.

Ravi was named a 2025 Chicago CISO of the Year Nominee in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the cybersecurity community. He also serves in board and advisory roles with Rockford University, the Global Cybersecurity Initiative, and Techlink Africa, supporting education, industry collaboration, and global cyber advancement.

Sankar Chockalingam is a seasoned Cybersecurity Architect with more than 20 years of extensive experience designing and implementing cutting-edge security solutions across diverse technologies. His career spans roles in enterprise security architecture, threat management, and regulatory compliance, where he has consistently led initiatives to fortify digital infrastructures and reduce organizational risk.

Currently, he is expanding his expertise into Generative AI and Agentic AI, exploring their transformative potential in enterprise environments.

Rick Halm guides clients in preparing for, responding to, recovering, and learning from cybersecurity and privacy incidents. Rick's breadth of experience within the incident response landscape—from leading incident response at the cyber insurance level, to experience at one of the nation’s largest health insurers, to his time in private practice—all blend together to allow him to approach cybersecurity and privacy incidents from a unique vantage point. As a U.S. Army veteran, he blends this vantage point with an ability to bring order and calm to complex and high-stress incidents.

Dan Flaningan leads the Transformation Office at Old National Bank, architecting enterprise-wide innovation capabilities including the AI Development Lifecycle (DLC) model utilizing spec-driven development methodology, and shaping agentic AI systems for enterprise-grade deployments. His work establishes standardized frameworks and governance structures that accelerate AI solution delivery while ensuring enterprise-grade quality and compliance through specification-first design approaches. Previously, Dan served as Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Bremer Financial Corporation. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from Youngstown State University.

Meredith Winegar leads enterprise AI transformation at Old National Bank, one of the top 25 U.S. banking companies with approximately $71 billion in assets. As Transformation Office Director, she established the bank's AI Center of Excellence in 2025, building comprehensive AI capability through a five-pillar framework: Vision, Governance, Culture, Capabilities, and Enablement.

With over two decades of distinguished leadership in banking, Meredith Winegar offers a comprehensive and unique 360-degree perspective on organizational change. Her expertise spans transformation, strategy, and diverse business lines, including Mortgage, Trust, Insurance, and Wealth Management. This extensive experience is coupled with a profound understanding of regulatory and compliance requirements, technological advancements, operational insights, and leadership in enterprise transformation. She previously led digital banking transformation at Bremer Bank, driving platform modernization and fraud reduction strategies.

Meredith addresses the critical industry challenge: while 60% of banking processes can be transformed by AI, the industry sees only 1% adoption. Her work focuses on operationalizing AI strategy, building AI fluency across organizations, and establishing governance frameworks that enable innovation while maintaining rigorous risk management.

A recognized speaker on AI transformation and embedded finance, Meredith has presented at a variety of events including most recently ChiBrrCon and Lend360 discussing the future of banking. She is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Al Zieba is a customer-oriented and security focus IT leader with over 20+ years of experience in IT leadership across multiple verticals. He has worked in Financial Services, Software Development, Manufacturing and most recently the Retail Food sector. He grew up in Chicago, and is a DePaul "Double Demon" holding both a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and a Masters Of Science in Telecommunications from DePaul University.

Shefali is a seasoned professional with expertise in information security, privacy, higher education, HIPAA, research, healthcare policy and strategy, promoting Interoperability (PI), and compliance. With 20+ years of cybersecurity, privacy, and higher education experience—including 30+ years of healthcare experience. She is acknowledged as a cybersecurity and privacy subject matter expert (SME) and highly sought after for thought leadership opportunities. Shefali also has a keen interest in the adoption of innovative technology and provides leadership, consultation, coordination, and integration of information processes with enterprise-wide information technology and information security and privacy strategies.

Pamela Nigro is a leading voice in cybersecurity and IT governance, recognized for her strategic vision and unwavering commitment to protecting critical information. Named one of Security Magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders, she currently serves as VP of Security and Security Officer at Medecision, where she oversees comprehensive cybersecurity operations, threat detection, and protocol development. With over 25 years of experience, Pamela brings a wealth of knowledge from diverse roles, including her tenure as Chair of the ISACA Board, where she shaped the global IT governance landscape.

Her experience spans diverse industries, from leading digital transformation and achieving HITRUST certification at Home Access Health Corporation (HAHC), to pioneering automated IT controls and integrating Agile/DevSecOps at Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC). Pamela's deep understanding of compliance frameworks, including HIPAA, HITRUST, SOC 1/2, and SOx (NAIC-MAR), is rooted in her early career at PwC. Beyond her corporate leadership, Pamela is dedicated to educating the next generation of security professionals as an Adjunct Professor at Lewis University, and through her active involvement in ISACA's SheLeadsTech. A sought-after speaker, author, and "Distinguished Toastmaster," Pamela shares her expertise at major industry conferences and in leading publications, continuously elevating the cybersecurity profession.

I am a high-performing, globally-experienced executive with extensive information security, product security, enterprise risk management and information technology leadership experiences. I believe my unique blend of leadership positions across these disciplines has given me a well-rounded and results-oriented approach.

I have demonstrated proficiency in driving transformational change through leadership vision, collaboration and execution. Recruited to Zebra Technologies as Chief Security Officer (CSO), I am providing strategic leadership for Zebra's information security, product security, business continuity, and corporate security programs across the global enterprise. Previously, as Caterpillar’s first CISO, I rallied support from numerous stakeholders, created a shared vision, and built a new program with measurable improvements. Recruited from Caterpillar to be Ecolab’s first CISO, I successfully realigned security priorities with business objectives, obtained executive support, achieved quick-wins, restructured the team and recruited talent.

My proven ability to interact and communicate well with all levels of large organizations, including executive management and the Board of Directors, is a crucial skill. A large part of any risk management position is effective, courageous and measured communications.

Key skills and attributes include: Leadership Vision | Execution | Communication | Executive presence with Board of Directors of Fortune 50-500 companies | Teamwork | Courage | 20+ years of Information Security, Cyber Security , Product Security, Information Technology, Corporate Security, and Enterprise Risk Management leadership experience | International experience

Erik Hart oversees global information security for Cushman & Wakefield, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate services firms. A recognized thought leader with more than 20 years of experience in providing information security services to various industries and organizations, he also serves in an advisory role for numerous companies and organizations in the information security field, including Mimecast, CrowdStrike, InfraGard Chicago Members Alliance and Western Illinois University.

Before joining Cushman & Wakefield in 2018, he served as CISO and Director of IT Risk Management for Zebra Technologies, a provider of mobile, logistics and point-of-sale technology and systems to retail, health care, transportation, manufacturing and other industries. Erik earned his Bachelors from Western Illinois University and Masters from Western Governors University.