In-Person

Minneapolis CISO Community

Executive Summit

June 2, 2026 | Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

June 2, 2026
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Collaborate with your peers

Get together with Minneapolis'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 AI for strategic growth while empowering safe integration for users

Strengthening cybersecurity's position as a creator and driver of business value

Continuously Evaluating and Enhancing Security Solutions to Address Evolving Risks

Minneapolis 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

Vince Aimutis

Federated Insurance
VP, Director, Information Services & CISO

Michael Brewer

Securian Financial
CISO

Peter Christy

Patterson Companies
VP, CISO

Mary Faulkner

Thrivent
VP, CISO & IT Operations

Jeff Johnson

DigiKey
CISO, Director, IT Security and Privacy

Aimee Martin

Data Recognition Corporation
CISO

Mike Rogers

Hormel Foods
CISO & Director Information Security & Compliance

Param Vig

Solventum
SVP, CISO

What to Expect

Interactive Sessions

Hear from CISO practitioners and thought leaders on how they're solving critical challenges impacting your role today in Keynote sessions, and join smaller, interactive discussions with your peers in Breakout and Boardroom sessions.

Community Networking

Make new connections and catch up with old friends in casual conversations during dedicated time for networking designed to better acquaint you with your Minneapolis CISO community.

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a private, one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

Agenda

June 2, 2026

8:00am - 8:30am  Registration & Breakfast

8:30am - 9:15am  Keynote

Brain-Driven Resilience — Neuro-Optimizing for Executive Edge

Megs Gelfgot headshot

Megs Gelfgot

Two-time founder, TEDx, International and Fortune 500 speaker on neuroscience & resilience

Guest Speaker


In the high-stakes arena of billion-dollar enterprises, resilience isn't just an asset; it's a necessity. Learn how elite athletes, Navy SEALs, and top executives leverage cutting-edge neuroscience and cognitive training to elevate their relationship with adversity to yield more resilient outcomes. Cognitive training can help boost executive function and enhance decision making under pressure.

Join Megs Gelfgot, Tedx speaker and two-time founder, as she shares:

  • Hacks for gaining a competitive edge

  • Tactical resilience leadership strategies

  • Ways to mitigate symptoms of cognitive decline



9:15am - 9:40am  Networking Break

9:40am - 10:25am  Breakout Session

Securing the Rise of AI Identities

According to the International Data Corporation, the number of AI identities is expected to reach 1.3 billion in just two years. Yet many organizations don’t secure AI identities effectively, granting excessive access and relying on outdated, slow processes.

Join this session to learn how to:

  • Identify gaps in agent access visibility, ownership, and governance
  • Address the unique challenges of identity security in AI environments
  • Build scalable identity foundations to enable innovation and efficiency

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Executive Personal Risk – The Newest Addition to the CISO's Domain?

Brian Hill headshot

Brian Hill

Field CISO, Client Advisory

BlackCloak

As threat actors target executives’ personal lives, CISOs must expand their leadership to include personal cyber risk, bridging identity management and board-level communication. This evolution is critical to influencing culture and driving comprehensive protection strategies.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Optimizing identity and access management for executives
  • Communicating personal risk and value to boards
  • Expanding CISO influence beyond traditional boundaries

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Proving ROI — AI Risk Reduction Strategies

Scott Deluke headshot

Scott Deluke

Field Technical Director

Abnormal AI

CISOs have moved beyond AI experimentation. Now, executives ask: Are 2025’s investments actually reducing risk? The challenge is how to operationalize AI against evolving threats — and prove its value.
Join this session to discuss:
• Strategies for reducing high-risk incidents and fraud
• Embedding AI into core security operations to reduce risk
• Demonstrating risk reduction with actionable metrics

10:25am - 11:10am  Networking Break

10:35am - 11:00am  Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

11:10am - 11:55am  Breakout Session

Identity-Aware Resilience for Business Continuity

As identity compromise becomes the fastest path to operational disruption, CISOs must shift from blocking every attack to limiting its impact. Compromised users, machines, and services now dictate incident severity. Building identity aware resilience requires coordinated action across security, identity, IT operations, and recovery teams to contain incident spread, restore trusted state, and maintain continuity.

In this session to explore how to:

  • Detect and contain identity driven incidents
  • Prioritize accounts, systems, and data for rapid recovery
  • Strengthen cross functional collaboration with continuity metrics

11:10am - 11:55am  Executive Boardroom

Rethinking Governance for Rapid Tech Shifts

Rebecca Rogers headshot

Rebecca Rogers

Director, Information Security GRC

Cloudflare

AI’s rapid evolution has exposed gaps in traditional governance frameworks, challenging CISOs to embed adaptable, resilient structures that can withstand future technological disruptions. Proactive governance enables organizations to stay ahead of compliance and risk while maintaining operational agility.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Assessing and updating governance frameworks to address AI-driven changes
  • Aligning zero trust principles to ensure adaptive controls for continuous risk management
  • Preparing teams and processes for the next wave of disruptive technologies

11:10am - 11:55am  Executive Boardroom

Securing Tomorrow — Rethinking Data Recovery Strategies

CISOs are challenged by the growing sophistication of cyberattacks and the increasing complexity of IT environments, making traditional recovery approaches insufficient. Ensuring rapid, reliable recovery is now central to organizational resilience and trust, yet many security leaders struggle to integrate recovery into overall security strategy. Exploring new paradigms in cyber recovery can empower CISOs to proactively safeguard business continuity.

Join this session to explore:

  • Integrating recovery into incident response plans
  • Assessing cyber resilience beyond prevention
  • Bridging gaps between security and IT operations

11:55am - 12:30pm  Lunch Service

12:30pm - 1:05pm  Keynote

Empowering Innovation While Strengthening Security and Control

Michael Leland headshot

Michael Leland

VP, Field CTO

Island

As browser-based and unapproved applications reshape the future of work, CISOs face growing security and compliance risks, including data leakage and policy gaps. Proactively addressing these threats with effective safeguards protects enterprise data, supports innovation, and ensures resilience in an evolving workplace.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Risks from unmanaged and shadow tools
  • Policies to safeguard sensitive data
  • Maintaining compliance and robust security controls

1:05pm - 1:30pm  Break

1:30pm - 2:15pm  Breakout Session

Winning the Room — Board Communication That Lands

Frank Ross headshot

Frank Ross

Director, Enterprise Information Security & Architecture

Andersen Corporation

Tony Taylor headshot

Tony Taylor

CISO

Land O'Lakes

Tim Dokken headshot

Tim Dokken

VP, Infrastructure & Information Security

Johnson Brothers

 

Communicating with the board isn’t just a skill — it’s a differentiator for today’s security leaders. In this interactive session, executives share real stories of communication wins, how they secured board buy‑in, and the metrics that made their messages resonate. 

Join this session to explore: 

  • Elevating board engagement through clear, compelling narratives
  • Securing leadership alignment on high‑impact initiatives
  • Defining the right metrics to influence decision‑makers


1:30pm - 2:15pm  Executive Boardroom

Sustaining Influence, Navigating Pressure

Sarah Engstrom headshot

Sarah Engstrom

CISO & VP IT Security, Productivity & Privacy

CHS

Brad Abbott headshot

Brad Abbott

CISO & Senior Director Information Security

Medica

 

CISOs and their teams are navigating unprecedented pressure — relentless threat velocity, shrinking resources and increasing visibility throughout the organization. How can today's CISOs sustain influence & support their teams without sacrificing well‑being?

Join this boardroom to discuss:

  • Managing stress drivers in high‑stakes security roles
  • Strengthening leadership resilience under pressure 
  • Helping teams minimize burnout risk and thrive sustainably


2:15pm - 3:00pm  Networking Break

2:25pm - 2:50pm  Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

Regulation Reset—The New Compliance Playbook

Jeff Johnson headshot

Jeff Johnson

CISO, Director, IT Security and Privacy

DigiKey

Adam McConnell headshot

Adam McConnell

Senior Director, Cyber-Security, Governance & Risk

Therma

 

With CMMC 2.0 entering full enforcement and NIST’s CSF 2.0 reshaping governance expectations, CISOs must interpret evolving requirements while enabling continuous compliance. This expert panel breaks down what’s new, what’s real, and what security leaders must prioritize in 2026.

Join this session to gain insights on:

  • Navigating CMMC 2.0’s three‑tier model and assessment requirements
  • Aligning programs with NIST CSF 2.0 governance expectations
  • Embedding governance structures that enable continuous, defensible compliance


3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Frictionless Security, Real‑World Impact

Ashok Kallam headshot

Ashok Kallam

CISO

Fairview Health Services

In a world where digital interactions must be both secure and effortless, organizations are rethinking how to embed cybersecurity into every layer of the business without slowing innovation or creating user friction.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Aligning cybersecurity with user experience, speed, and business agility
  • Reducing friction through automation, identity intelligence, and modern access models
  • Strengthening protection while enabling seamless digital workflows



3:45pm - 4:00pm  Networking Break

4:35pm - 4:45pm  Closing Comments and Prize Drawing

June 2, 2026

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming in-person gathering

Gartner cares about the health and safety of our community. If you are feeling unwell, please refrain from attending the conference. At this time, Gartner does not have any health-related requirements in place for attendance. Should this change, we will follow up with updated guidance.

Location

Venue & Accommodation

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
More Information

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 1-888-591-1234. Please mention Minneapolis Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.

Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $271 USD (plus tax) is May 11, 2026.

Your Community Sponsors

Global Thought Leaders

CISO Thought Leaders

Key Sponsors

Program Sponsors

Community Program Manager

For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.

Caroline Wharton

Community Program Manager

406.396.8789

caroline.wharton@gartner.com