
Atlanta CISO Community
Executive Summit
November 19, 2024 | Westin Atlanta Perimeter North
November 19, 2024
Westin Atlanta Perimeter North
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Atlanta's top CISOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CISOs today:
Maximizing organizational security and efficiency with proven strategies for cyber executives
Balancing the dangers and benefits of AI innovation in an ethical way
Facilitating secure decision-making with outcome-driven metrics
Atlanta CISO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CISOs, For CISOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Derek Benz
The Coca-Cola Company
Chief Information Security Officer

Tim Callahan
Aflac
SVP, Global CISO

John Dickson
Colonial Pipeline
VP, Chief Information Security Officer

Meredith Harper
Synchrony Financial
Senior Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer

Stacy Hughes
ABM
CISO

Bob Varnadoe
NCR
Global CISO
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Telling Your Data Story
Hosted by Axonius

Scott Taylor
Author, Telling Your Data Story
Guest Speaker
The way we talk about data—and its security—is holding the industry back, so it’s time to rework your “data speak.” Are you struggling with leadership support, craving stakeholder engagement, and begging for proper funding? Even though you may create Gen AI wonders with your data, it won’t matter unless you explain the value in practical business terms.
Join The Data Whisperer’s rollicking and riotous review of current buzzwords, with added insights on the role that cloud security, user access, and risk management play in your data narrative. Learn practical tips to secure sponsorship and align your efforts with business goals, including:
- Differentiating between a data management narrative and other data storytelling and data literacy efforts
- Developing strategies to secure sponsorship and funding while ensuring data security
- Executing a simple storytelling approach that integrates security and risk management into your data story
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Hybrid Enterprise— Hybrid Attackers
Hosted by Vectra

Mark Wojtasiak
VP of Strategy and Research
Vectra AI
Hybrid attackers are making traditional threat detection and response methods ineffective, damaging SOC confidence. To defend against hybrid attacks, we need to change our approach and focus on building SOC confidence and competence.
Join this session to explore:
- Rethinking threat detection
- Improving SOC resilience
- Resiliency through organization security
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Governing Generative AI in your Organization
Hosted by Elastic

Anthony Scarfe
Deputy CISO
Elastic

Jason Maddox
Director of Information Technology & Chief Information Security Officer
Roark Capital Group

Brian Powers
VP, Information Technology and Security
Cumulus Media

Kemper Seay
VP Infrastructure & Chief Information Security Officer
Carter's
Generative AI is being utilized by companies and employees alike–sometimes without permission. The normalization of this emerging technology has expanded the attack surface and left many security leaders feeling anxious and uncertain. Is generative AI worth the risk, and how should it be governed in an organization?
Join this interactive roundtable to explore:
- What to expect from the threat landscape as generative AI becomes increasingly normalized
- What adopting generative AI does to your attack surface, and if you should even allow it
- How to implement governance rules that your organization will follow
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Rethinking the Relationship Between Cybersecurity Teams and the People They Protect
Hosted by Proofpoint

Brian Reed
Senior Director, Cybersecurity Strategy
Proofpoint

Brian Phillips
VP, Information Security
Macy's

Ray Griffin
CISO and Head of Cyber Security
Cox Media Group
You’ve heard it all before: the DBIR tells you people are your biggest risk, phishing simulations tell you your users fall for social engineering, and simple security measures you deploy are sometimes met with howls of protest. But what if it didn’t have to be that way?
Join this session for a fresh perspective on:
- Moving security alerts from the SOC to where users work
- Protecting end users perception of security controls
- Transforming security teams’ interactions with end users
10:25am - 11:05am Networking Break
10:30am - 10:55am Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:05am - 11:50am Breakout Session
Balancing Innovation & Governance in AI Initiatives

Klint Walker
Senior Cyber Security Advisor
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Keyaan Williams
Board Member & Adjunct Professor
CISOs are exploring how innovative AI tools can transform internal processes, delight users and impact the bottom line. The challenge is in ensuring each initiative follows a right-sized governance framework, is aligned to the company’s mission and impacts organizational goals. How are leaders driving this process vigor around AI?
Join this session to learn:
- How AI tools can enhance employee support and streamline tasks
- Strategies for balancing innovation and governance
- AI’s impact on business performance and ROI
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
Patch Perfect -- Mastering Vulnerability Management for a Safer Cyber World

Patrick Long
Sr Principal Analyst
Gartner

Darryl Defendorf
Chief Information Security Officer
Marshall Health Network

Pete Statia
Director, Information Security & Compliance
Saia
Gartner Research emphasizes that effective vulnerability management is critical to reducing the attack surface and improving cybersecurity resilience. By leveraging automation, real-time threat intelligence, and a risk-based approach, organizations can prioritize and address vulnerabilities more efficiently.
Join this Gartner Info Series for:
- Automation and intelligence solutions to prioritize and address vulnerabilities based on risk
- Continuous scanning and remediation processes to maintain a strong security posture
- Integration with risk management to optimize resources and improve overall resilience
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
The Dark Side of Gen AI

James Baird
VP Information Security & CISO
GoToFoods

Leo Howell
VP, Technology & CIO
Georgia Tech

Trey Tunnell
CISO
Floor & Decor

Monique Hart
CISO, VP of Information Security
Piedmont Healthcare
Generative AI is changing the way software is developed and is already a part of every developer's life. However, there is a dark side to using GenAI when it comes to security. What are the upcoming risks of using GenAI solutions and what has been done about them?
Join this session to discuss:
- Your security exposure and risks based on your GenAI use
- New types of manufacturing attacks
- Prompt-injection attacks and how to minimize your risk
11:50am - 12:30pm Networking
Breaking Barriers in Cybersecurity

Stacy Hughes
CISO
ABM
Female, non-binary and allied cyber leaders are invited to eat lunch in our reserved networking space. Hosted by Stacy Hughes, SVP & CISO at ABM, those in attendance can freely discuss best practices, key challenges, and mission-critical priorities before heading over to the midday keynote.
11:50am - 12:35pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Atlanta CISO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Westin Atlanta Perimeter NorthParking Information
Hotel does not offer valet parking. Self- Park only in the Concourse lot directly across from The Westin at a discounted rate of $5/day.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 770.395.3900. Please mention Evanta CISO Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $199 USD (plus tax) is October 28, 2024.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.