Northeast IT & Security Leaders Forum 2025

As the digital economy continues to expand, institutions must adapt to remain competitive and relevant. This session will explore the key trends shaping the future of the digital economy and how institutions can effectively enable their digital transformation. Topics will include advancements in digital infrastructure, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the importance of data analytics, and the shift towards digital-first business models. Experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by these trends, providing practical insights on how institutions can leverage technology to enhance efficiency, innovation, and customer engagement. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategic steps necessary to thrive in the digital economy.

Speakers:

• Eugene Kogan, Global Director of IT, Head of IT & Security, Population Council 
• Nate Lee, Sr. Dir, Data Management and Governance, Hovnanian Enterprises
• Shravan Duvvuri, VP Technical Product Manager, State Street Financial Corporation

For years the security focus of the enterprise was to build a hardened perimeter at the edge of the network, an impenetrable shell that kept the bad out and the good in. Over the last few years, this model has fallen by the wayside. Technologies such as Cloud and Mobility have pushed the enterprise beyond its traditional perimeter while increased levels of partnership have created inroads through that shell. As a result, infrastructure-based security is no longer sufficient or appropriate and enterprises everywhere are having to make the shift to a new security paradigm, one that is centered on the data itself, not on the infrastructure that houses it.

Key takeaways:

• Learn the principles of data-centric security
• Understand the role encryption plays and how it should be integrated
• Determine when and where data monitoring tools make sense

Check back for updates on this session.

Speaker: Carlos Cuellar, Solutions Engineer, Perforce

Presented by: Perforce

The relentless growth of cyber threats and the increasing complexity of modern IT environments have stretched security teams to their breaking point. Autonomous solutions promise much-needed relief, but CISOs are rightly cautious. This session cuts through the hype, providing a pragmatic roadmap for incorporating autonomous capabilities into your security operations.

We’ll explore the spectrum of autonomy, from basic automation (Level 4) to true AI-driven decision-making (Level 5), clarifying what’s possible today and what lies on the horizon. Discover the compelling reasons driving the need for autonomous alert triage and response and understand the critical role of the “virtual analyst” in this evolution.

This session will equip you with the knowledge to:

• Demystify ” autonomous” and its varying levels.
• Grasp the urgency for autonomous solutions in modern security operations.
• Conceptualize the “virtual analyst” and its potential impact.
• Learn key criteria for evaluating virtual analyst solutions.
• Understand the challenges in building and deploying virtual analysts.
• Define the evolving role of human analysts in an autonomous future.

Join us to explore a realistic path toward autonomous security operations and prepare your organization for a more secure tomorrow.

Speaker: Stephen Morrow, Chief Solution Officer, AirMDR

Presented by: AirMDR

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We understand that there is a need for a new approach that transforms how IT and Security teams identify and execute changes safely – at scale, with confidence, and in real-time.

In this session you’ll learn how Tanium’s Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM) platform can help streamline and secure your IT operations. Tanium’s next evolution of converged endpoint management platform leverages real-time AI derived recommendations to drive faster, better decision making that will improve an organizations security posture and accelerates risk mitigation by proactively managing vulnerabilities and incidents.

Join us as we dig deeper into the next evolution of endpoint management and security solutions. Learn how organizations can:

• Take advantage of Confidence Scores to predict the impact of endpoint changes in real time.
• Scale and extend the value of precious expertise by capturing and designing dynamic, reusable automations that span IT and security operations use cases.
• Minimize disruptions by rolling out endpoint changes in a way that matches the rhythm of the business.

Speaker: Patrick Hilley, Director, Solutions Engineering, Tanium

Presented by: Tanium

Join us as we explore how intentional AI strategies are transforming enterprise capabilities by 2025. We will discuss how to:

• Gain productivity and shorten time to market through organizational enablement on AI-driven SDLC
  grow business and reshape customer experiences using proactive intelligence
• Gain efficiencies though Agentic AI-based back office process automation
• Ensure robust fraud detection, proactive risk mitigation and continuous compliance via targeted real-time AI applications

Gain actionable insights on how to strategically deploy AI and shift to outcome-based business models that enhance organizational effectiveness across all four focus areas.

Speaker: Milkha Singh, Vice President, Business Enablement, mobileLIVE

Presented by: mobileLIVE

What are the opportunities to proactively improve your cybersecurity posture? In this session, explore the impact of real-time attack surface risk management to optimize operational strategies and address modern cyber risks. Learn how critical components of exposure management, from initial attack surface discovery to the deployment of virtual patching and the pivotal role of next-gen endpoint protection can work together to shrink your attack surface, preemptively strengthen defenses and reduce the likelihood of a breach. Supported by a real-world inspired scenario-based workflow, you will walk away with actionable insights and strategies to elevate your security posture and readiness.

Speaker: Greg Young, Vice President Cybersecurity and CorpDe, Trend Micro

Presented by: Trend Micro

Join an intimate group of industry peers to experience a simulated cyber-attack, taking on a leadership role in a fictional company during a ransomware negotiation. Engage in a dynamic agenda with a realistic storyline inspired by recent high-profile breaches, confronting challenges and making critical decisions along the way.

Topics discussed:

Security Assurance, Identity and Access Management, Social Engineering, Threat Detection, Cyber Incident Response, Ransomware, Governance and Reporting Regulation in USA.

Guided by Commvault Security expert, attendees will navigate the ransomware journey and leave this session with an actionable toolkit and recommendations to evaluate their own company’s disaster recovery plan.

Our goal is for attendees to experience a realistic simulation of a complex cyber-attack scenario, enabling them to navigate demands and determine the next steps to protect their company’s data and restore business operations 

Speaker: Chris Bevil, Director, Commvault Enablement, Commvault

Presented by: Commvault

Open seating, Buffet-style lunch. Serving food for all tastes, palates, and preferences. Vegan, vegetarian, halal options available

Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) is transforming how organizations understand, monitor, and protect sensitive data across complex hybrid and cloud environments. This session will explore how DSPM enables continuous visibility into data flows, identifies risk exposure, and prioritizes remediation based on context and business impact. Attendees will gain insights into practical strategies for implementing DSPM to strengthen data governance, reduce risk, and support compliance efforts.

With the growing reliance on SaaS applications, misconfigurations and emerging threats pose significant risks to your cloud environment. This session will dive into how SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) can provide advanced detection and response strategies to identify vulnerabilities, secure configurations, and respond to threats in real-time. Join us to gain actionable insights into strengthening your SaaS security posture and protecting your organization’s critical data.

In today’s dynamic business environment, companies face the imperative of delivering instant answers and assistance to customers engaging with digital channels. This informative discussion addresses the vital elements needed to produce tangible results to meet this demand. While AI tools and smart agents can minimize human intervention, professionals across sales, marketing, and customer service must navigate customer interactions and team collaboration in new ways. In this chat we will address the challenges to be aware of in the strategic deployment of these technologies and steps to take to ensure they deliver expected value.

Presented by: RingCentral

Join us at the Northeast IT & Security Leaders Forum in Philadelphia for an insightful session on “Digital Cloud Transformation – Bimbo Bakeries Story.” Discover how Bimbo Bakeries, the world’s largest bakery operating in 35 countries, leveraged cloud solutions, data platforms, and IoT analytics to drive innovation, enhance operational efficiency, and empower its workforce. This session will explore how strategic alignment between IT and business can maximize the impact of digital transformation, ensuring scalable, data-driven success in modern manufacturing.

Speaker: Leo Rajapakse, Global Head of Platform Infrastructure & Advanced Technology, Bimbo Bakeries USA

While the pool of talented cybersecurity professionals is increasing daily, there is still a shortage of cybersecurity professionals to go around. This sessions will dicuss how your organization can stand out from the crowd and attract the best. The session will cover the following topics: – How being an active CISO and Thought Leader is the best marketing for new talent – Creative ways to compete and assets that are important outside of salary – Increase training and access to non-cybersecurity experts that are already excelling at your company and how to determine that talent you already have in house.

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As organizations adapt to technological advancements, remote collaboration tools, and changing workforce dynamics, the CIO emerges as a key strategist, orchestrating digital transformation initiatives and ensuring seamless integration of technology into the fabric of the modern workplace. This Panel will discuss how CIOs can drive innovation, enhance cybersecurity measures, and foster a flexible and inclusive work environment to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by the future of work.

Panelists:

Steve Demeritt, Chief Operations Officer, Farm Credit Financial Partners

Ted Bredikin, CIO, UnitedHealthcare

Montae Brockett, Deputy CIO/CISO, DC Department of Healthcare Finance

Change is inevitable, but successfully navigating it requires more than just a plan—it requires understanding the people behind the process. In this session, we’ll dive into the core principles of effective change management, with a focus on addressing the often-overlooked emotional and psychological impacts on individuals. From minimizing resistance to identifying unintended consequences, you’ll gain practical strategies for aligning your team, ensuring buy-in, and measuring success. Whether you’re leading a large-scale transformation or managing smaller shifts, this session will equip you with the tools to drive sustainable change that sticks. Expect to leave with actionable insights on how to communicate, engage, and support your team through the entire change journey

Speaker: Jacque Rowden, Assistant Director, Innovation & Performance, City of Pittsburgh

Today, the primary CEO priority is growth, with technology as a key enabler. However, vendor policies pose major roadblocks to innovation, growth and competitive advantage by forcing you to spend limited budget, resources and time on projects that may not drive your business. ​Learn how you can take control of your IT roadmap by choosing a Business-Driven Roadmap designed around your business objectives and not the vendor’s. Leverage vendor software, but do it on your terms, on your timetable and with the flexibility, funding and freedom to focus on initiatives that support growth and competitive advantage.

Aggressive attacks on Enterprise computer networks are continuing with increased frequency and threatening economic and national security. Actions like vulnerability reduction and passive defenses on their own simply are not cutting it and there needs to be a functional shift in the way we mitigate this substantial threat. Companies can seek to protect their most sensitive data by implementing an environment of actionable intelligence and detection to bring the fight to the adversaries and ensure a proactive approach to securing data. This session will discuss best practices in managing the constant evolution in the security environment.

Speakers: 

Jon Garza, CISO/Global Director of IT Security & Compliance, PSA BDP

Everyone’s journey to being data-driven is unique. It’s like making an apple pie. It’s easy to get the ingredients, but you need to know how to put together the right recipe for a great apple pie. In this interactive discussion I will share insights and lessons learned in leading data modernization initiatives and in sharing the journey with customers. Data literacy, culture, governance, quality, technology stack modernization and architecture are all ingredients in driving towards the right data driven recipe. The discussion will include tips and tricks for reducing friction points and how to build the right recipe for your organization.

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The result of digital transformation: It’s easier to do business with your customers and partners. But with new architectures, web apps and APIs now deployed from on-prem servers to the cloud, it is harder than ever to get a holistic view of all of these potentially vulnerable assets – never mind defend them.

What are your biggest challenges today in defending these diverse assets? What are the known gaps in your current defenses? What are you seeking in the future to defend your apps and APIs?

Topics covered will include:

• How are adversaries preying upon unprotected web apps and APIs?
• How are traditional web application firewalls deployed, and what are they missing?
• What does the future look like with unified web app and API security solutions?

To meet the speed and agility demands of digital business, CIOs are transforming their IT departments and shifting a growing share of IT work from projects to products. At the same time, growth in business-led IT has expanded the span of employees across the enterprise who are responsible for technology initiatives.
This session will explore a cost management model and discuss how evolving IT cost management efforts to focus on value over pure cost will reduce (and even eliminate) reactive calls to cut IT costs. This session will provide a model and tactics to elevate the maturity of IT to focus on value over costs, while still meeting the business directives.