Security and Risk Trends – Recap of 2023 with a Look ahead to 2024

2023 Unlocked, 2024 Unleashed

Presenter: Sushila Nair (Capgemini)

In a world where cybersecurity threats are evolving rapidly, understanding the landscape of the past and anticipating future challenges is crucial for organizational resilience. “2023 Unlocked, 2024 Unleashed: Navigating the Future of Security and Risk” is a comprehensive presentation that delves into the significant security trends in 2023, evaluates effective strategies for security budget allocation, and forecasts the security and risk management landscape for 2024.

This presentation will recapitulate critical security incidents and technological advancements of 2023, highlighting how they have reshaped the security domain. It will also delve into strategies for effective budget allocation in security spending, providing insights into optimizing resources for maximum protection. The presentation will offer predictions for 2024, focusing on anticipated threats, emerging technologies, and financial planning strategies. Attendees will leave with a holistic understanding of the security field and actionable strategies for the upcoming year.

This presentation aims to equip attendees with a thorough understanding of the current security environment and provide them with the tools and knowledge needed to prepare for the future effectively.

Securing Tomorrow’s Future in Education

Presenter: VJ Rao (Fairfax County Public Schools)

“Securing Tomorrow’s Future in Education” is a crucial exploration into the cybersecurity challenges and strategies within the K-12 education sector, emphasizing the experiences of Fairfax County Public Schools. This presentation navigates the intricate digital ecosystem of today’s educational environment, unraveling the complexities of maintaining a secure and resilient cyber infrastructure in a large and diverse school system.

The talk will discuss the state of K-12 cybersecurity and spotlight the recent trends and unique threats that schools face, from protecting sensitive student data to ensuring safe digital learning spaces. It will also delve into the risks and vulnerabilities inherent in the educational sector’s technology use, discussing how to safeguard effectively against breaches and cyber threats while prioritizing student privacy and safety.

The Digital Trust Gap: How Cyber Pros Break Silos to Advance Digital Trust

Presenter: Pam Nigro (Medecision)

Digital trust is sometimes misunderstood as a cybersecurity function; it’s really a part of an ecosystem that harnesses privacy, quality, assurance, risk, and governance to strengthen your enterprise and consumer trust. Learn how cyber professionals can communicate and collaborate with other IT functions in the digital trust ecosystem, and gain access to a new digital trust ecosystem framework.

Panel Discussion: Navigating the Shifting Cybersecurity Landscape: Insights from Top CISOs

Moderator: Ruchi Shewaramani

Panelists: Lakshmi Hanspal, Anne Saunders (Capgemini), and Zac Warren (TANIUM)

Cybersecurity is a critical pillar of organizational resilience and operational integrity in a rapidly evolving digital world. The panel discussion “Navigating the Shifting Cybersecurity Landscape: Insights from Top CISOs,” part of the “Security and Risk Trends – Recap of 2023 with a Look Ahead to 2024” conference, promises to offer unparalleled insights into the world of cybersecurity as seen through the eyes of experienced Chief Information Security Officers.

This 50-minute session will bring together a panel of distinguished CISOs and former CISOs from various industries to discuss and dissect the significant cybersecurity events and trends 2023. The panelists will share their firsthand experiences, challenges, and successful strategies implemented in their organizations. This retrospective look will provide valuable lessons learned and insights into the evolving nature of cyber threats and defense mechanisms.

Sushila Nair
Vice President – North American Cybersecurity Practice @ Capgemini 
CISSP, GIAC GSTRT, CISA, CISM, CRISC, CDPSE, CCSK, CCAK

Sushila Nair is Capgemini’s Vice President, North American Cybersecurity practice. Capgemini is a global leader in providing secure digital transformation for our clients. Sushila has most recently served as the Vice President for cybersecurity offers at NTT Data Services and has held the role of a CISO for 10 years. Sushila has over 30 years of experience in computing infrastructure, business and security risk analysis, preventing credit card fraud, and served as a legal expert witness. Sushila has been featured in global technical events including RSA, Segurinfo and ISACA’s global conferences, co-authored books and is regularly quoted in the press. She plays an active role in supporting best practices and skills development within the cybersecurity community through her work with ISACA and CSA.

Sushila is part of the ISACA global emerging trends working group. Sushila Nair was named by IT Security Guru as one of the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber 2022! Sushila is also the current Vice President of the ISACA Greater Washington D.C. Chapter.

VJ Rao
Director of Cybersecurity @ Fairfax County Public Schools

VJ Rao currently oversees information security for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). He is a widely respected cyber-security leader who joins the school division with over 20 years of experience. He also served as the Chief Information Security Officer for the 2016 and 2020 Presidential and Vice-Presidential Debates.

Before FCPS, VJ worked at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and served as Deputy Chief Technology Officer at the National Democratic Institute. As an industry expert on cyber risk, VJ has conducted several security audits and risk assessments for organizations ranging from large banks to federal, local, and state governments. He regularly speaks on security matters, and his efforts have been profiled in several technology articles.

Pam Nigro
Vice President of Security and Security Officer @ Medecision
CRMA, CISA, CGEIT, CRISC, CDPSE

Pamela (Pam) Nigro, CRMA, CISA, CGEIT, CRISC, CDPSE, was recently named Security’s 2023 Top Cybersecurity Leaders by Security Magazine. Ms. Nigro serves on the Board of Directors for ISACA as Director, where she was the Chair from 2022 2023. Presently, Ms. Nigro is Vice President of Security at Medecision where she is responsible for all cyber security efforts that secure and protect information important to Medecision and its customers, while ensuring the overall cyber resiliency of the company. Ms. Nigro is also an Adjunct Professor at Lewis University in Illinois where she teaches in the MSIS and MBA programs. Ms. Nigro has achieved her MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology. She has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry and the information technology industry and holds numerous IT certifications.

Ruchi Shewaramani
Chief Information Security Officer at WA Health Benefit Exchange

Ruchi Shewaramani is a cyber security executive with 15+ years of experience in Information Technology Security, Identity and Access Management (IAM), Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) across Healthcare, Education and Financial institutions. She holds a Masters in Software Engineering from Seattle U. In the last decade, she has managed the security program for various Health and Human Services Agencies in the District of Columbia (DC) and Washington state and successfully cleared numerous federal audits. She specializes in leading HealthCare agencies to secure their data, be compliant with state/federal partners and provide digital trust to the citizens they serve. She is currently serving as the Chief Information Security Officer for WA Health Benefit Exchange and as a Board member for ISACA Greater Washington DC Chapter.

Lakshmi Hanspal

Lakshmi Hanspal is the former Chief Information Security Officer of Amazon Devices and Services, leading the Trust and Security team across multiple security and privacy domains, including Cyber, Customer, Product, Platform, Risk and Assurance, Compliance, Data Protection, and Finance. Lakshmi is a persuasive and recognized executive leader who provides transformational leadership for security strategies, emphasizing cloud security, risk, and privacy management. She has a strong ability to engage with customers and senior-level executives across the organization and influence buy-in and consensus on key initiatives. Lakshmi is passionate about securing digital transformation, IoT security, and supporting socially conscious connected commerce. She actively engages and promotes Women in technical leadership roles and develops early talent for diversity within teams. Lakshmi is a catalyst and harbinger of change within her professional and volunteering circles.

Before joining Amazon, Lakshmi was the Global CSO at Box, where she protected a large dynamic cloud content platform with more than 100k+ customers. Lakshmi has also held leadership roles at SAP, PayPal, and Bank of America. Her career spans across 26+ years in Information Security and risk management, with 16+ years in the financial and payment space.

Lakshmi is a graduate of Boston University with a Masters in Computer Science. She is an actively sought-after advisor and investor in Silicon Valley. She serves on the Advisory Boards and Board of Directors of innovative mission-based organizations and non-profits, ready for growth and scale. She lives in California’s Bay Area with her family and is an active volunteer within the community in youth sports.

Anne Saunders
Global Director, Cybersecurity Technology Partnerships @ Capgemini 

As a senior executive, Anne’s career encompasses more than 15 years of cybersecurity experience working in various capacities including leadership, solution design, sales engineering and business development. Anne has worked to bring cybersecurity solutions to a variety of verticals including retail, financial services, manufacturing and technology.

In her current role for Capgemini, (formerly Leidos Cyber), Saunders manages the global cybersecurity channel and technology portfolio. With a deep understanding of the entire cybersecurity life cycle, she actively assists in bringing the right mix of technology, value and solution design to help multimillion dollar enterprises with their cybersecurity roadmap and solution decision-making. Saunders also takes an active role in the cybersecurity community speaking at various conferences throughout the year, including the RSA conference and Blackhat.

Prior to, and during her current role, Saunders has sat on numerous advisory boards ranging from start-ups to regionally established security firms. Her knowledge of business operations and value-building, coupled with her engineering and security operations background give her a unique ability to understand the business landscape to execute the correct cybersecurity strategies.

Zac Warren
Chief Information Security Advisor EMEA @ TANIUM

Zac Warren, Chief Security Advisor in EMEA, is a seasoned cybersecurity professional with a rich background in IT. Beginning as a senior security analyst at a leading security company, Zac evolved into a cybersecurity architect and consultant for major system integrators. His career has been marked by transformative contributions, assisting government agencies and Fortune 100 companies in restructuring security frameworks. Currently spearheading Tanium’s cybersecurity endeavors in EMEA, Zac is dedicated to developing and supporting the company’s cybersecurity business as well as guiding organizations to stay ahead in the ever-evolving realm of cybersecurity.