
Denver CISO Community
Executive Summit
May 22, 2024 | Sheraton Denver Downtown
May 22, 2024
Sheraton Denver Downtown
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Denver'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:
Mitigating risks and improving efficiencies with cybersecurity strategies
Making data-driven decisions to improve business outcomes
Improving communication to better align business goals with IT and security priorities
Denver 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

Chris Ard
Newmont Corporation
CISO

Ken Athanasiou
VF Corp
CISO

Sam Masiello
The Anschutz Corporation
Chief Information Security Officer

Chris McLaughlin
Johns Manville
CISO

Lucia Milica Stacy
Stanley Black & Decker
CISO

Alex Wood
Uplight
CISO
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Remarkable Resilience — Tools for Combating Toxic Stress & Burnout
Hosted by CyberArk

Sheila Hamilton
Mental Health Thought Leader and Author of "All the Things We Never Knew"
Guest Speaker
Today’s CIOs & CISOs face daunting challenges. As the business leader in charge of adding value to the company, finding the right talent and inspiring technology innovation, there’s an incredible amount of pressure. It’s no surprise that CIOs & CISOs are experiencing burnout at unprecedented rates. While taking care of employees is important, how can CIOs & CISOs make sure they are taking care of themselves to help make their careers sustainable while maintaining a sense of well-being?
Join this keynote to explore:
- Evidence-based strategies that can help alleviate burnout
- How to recognize the signs and symptoms of toxic stress and burnout
- How to remain engaged, energized, and focused during turbulent times
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
The CIO Tech Stack — Embracing Cloud, Security, and Innovation
Hosted by ChromeOS

Drew Jennings
Head of West GTM, ChromeOS
IT leaders are being asked to do more with less, like adopting innovative tech like GenAI, reducing risks of cyber threats, lowering costs all while spending significant time just on IT maintenance. Balancing the maintenance of existing tech while finding time to invest in innovative work is a foundational priority for all CIOs, but what are best practices to navigate the complexities of an evolving tech landscape? This session empowers CIOs by exploring strategies for cloud-based transformation to achieve superior security, streamlined management, and user-centric, modern experiences.
Join this session and breakout-style conversation with your peers to discuss:
- Practical solutions for enhancing productivity
- How to adopt AI-driven tools for a competitive edge
- Cybersecurity considerations with modernization
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Doubling Down on Critical Third-Party Risk Vulnerabilities
Hosted by RiskRecon, a Mastercard Company

Kelly White
Co-Founder & CEO
RiskRecon - A MasterCard Company

Steven Lovaas
CISO
Colorado State University

Chris McLaughlin
CISO
Johns Manville
The complete entanglement of cyber risk with business risk is becoming increasingly more visible. CISOs now have an opportunity to better pinpoint third parties that present a threat to the organization. Yet the increasing complexities of third party, and even fourth party, risk management, prompted by a wide range of evolving threats, demands heightened attention. How can CISOs ensure they have a clear understanding of their vulnerabilities across ecosystems and supply chains?
Join this session to discuss:
- Identification of vulnerabilities across your vendor landscape to prioritize response efforts
- Third-party risk management strategies to safeguard your digital ecosystem
- Overcoming resource challenges to prioritize extended supply chain risk
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Proactive Leadership in the Form of Innovation

Michael Bush
Senior Director, Information Systems
Colorado Rockies

Scott Munson
Associate VP & CIO
University of Colorado System
As an IT leader, you can no longer wait around for what’s next for your business - you have to create it. Innovation not only can be a priority to the business for improving business outcomes, IT and digital leaders need to reintroduce stakeholders to a future they want their organizations to thrive in. As always, however, this is easier said than done.
In this session, you’ll discuss:
- Outside-of-the-box methods of influencing innovation across the business
- Communicating how innovation will create tangible results in achieving key business objectives
- Accomplishing more with less as head and tailwinds of a recession pick up
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
Building an AI-Powered and Secure Unstructured Data Strategy
Hosted by Box

Jon Herstein
Chief Customer Officer
Box

Matt Schwartz
CTO
Sage Hospitality
Your unstructured data holds immense value in the files that define your business. To maximize the potential of this data, it's crucial to establish a comprehensive unstructured data strategy that prioritizes both security and AI integration.
Join this session to learn about:
- Identifying your valuable unstructured data sources and tools
- Developing robust security measures for internal and external data use
- Balancing AI with stringent security and compliance protocols to increase utility
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
The Business of Security — Bridging the Gap Between Cyber Initiatives and Business Impact
Hosted by Expel

Tyler Zito
Senior Solutions Architect
Expel

Ashley Bolton
Chief Data & Information Security Officer
City and County of Denver, CO

Craig Buesing
CISO
Gates Corporation
Economic trends have tightened purse strings everywhere, leaving CISOs and security leaders to demonstrate ROI and defend their budgets. But ROI is notoriously tough to quantify when the primary return for security investment is reduction in risk. As a result, bridging the gap between security investments and actual business impact can be easier said than done, particularly if your cybersecurity spend doesn’t clearly map to organizational goals.
Join this session to discuss:
- Identifying the right metrics for quantifying security ROI and business impact
- Positioning security as a business enabler, rather than a cost center
- Aligning security investments to organizational goals
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
Driving Growth — IT's Role in M&A

Jennifer Gunias
Technology VP of Application Delivery and Operations
Samaritan Health Services

Neil Morris
CIO Space & Mission Systems
BAE Systems INC.
Mergers and acquisitions continue to increase throughout the year and into 2024, as companies look for new avenues of growth. The CIO’s role during the process can be integral to ensuring the organization gains the most value from the opportunity.
Join this session as your peers discuss:
- Maximizing IT’s voice during strategic M&A decisions
- Planning for integration and execution early and fast
- Influencing decisions that will impact technology-driven time to value
11:50am - 12:35pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Denver 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
Sheraton Denver DowntownParking
On-Site Parking: $49.00
Valet: $59.00
Directions to Majestic Ballroom
Located in Tower Building on the Majestic Level
FROM PLAZA BUILDING (HOTEL LOBBY)
Take the Plaza Guest Elevators elevator to level 2, exit and go across the skybridge
Take the Tower Guest Elevators to level S, exit and head toward the stairs
There is a ramp on the left, follow the signage and continue down the hallway
Take the elevator down to Majestic
Majestic Ballroom is on the immediate left
FROM TOWER BUILDING
Take the Tower Guest Elevators to level S, exit and head toward the stairs
There is a ramp on the left, follow the signage and continue down the hallway
Take the elevator to the down to Majestic
Majestic Ballroom is on the immediate left
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Sheraton Denver Downtown at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 303-893-3333.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $324 USD (plus tax) is April 29, 2024.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.