Mr. Appleby, a senior leader in the Federal team at Mandiant/Google Cloud, leads cyber security programs focused in the Federal, State, Local and Global Government. Prior to joining Mandiant, Tim was the Global Information Assurance Head at Citigroup where he managed the corporation's global data protection infrastructure including Anti-malware, Data Leakage Protection, Endpoint Protection and Vulnerability and Threat Management Infrastructure. Prior to joining Citigroup, Tim was the Chief Scientist in the Integrated Security and Systems Solutions Business Unit at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and an Adjunct Professor at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. During that time, Mr. Appleby was a Technical Director for Managed Security Services at Global Integrity (an SAIC Company) where he participated in the development, design and technical implementation of the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) in support of PDD63 during the Clinton Administration, and Directed the Federal Government FED_CIRC Incident Response Center prior to 9/11. Preceeding his work at Global Integrity, Mr. Appleby held numerous Intelligence and Law Enforcement jobs in the US Government. Additionally, he designed, patented, and implemented a global incident response, Intrusion Detection and Tracking System for Motorola's Iridium LLC to support its global operational network and satellites. Tim has worked in the field of information security for over 20 years.

Phil Bertolini is a senior vice president for Government Technology, the premiere event and thought leadership content provider for state and local government technology professionals. Previously, he served as deputy county executive and CIO for Oakland County, Michigan. During his 31-year tenure, Phil built a world-class IT organization in the second-largest county in Michigan, just north of Detroit. As Oakland County CIO, he oversaw more than 150 employees serving over 1.2 million residents. In 2005, he was also promoted to deputy county executive, holding dual positions until his retirement. Phil’s efforts earned the county national attention, winning numerous awards for technology innovation and excellence. He was named Governing Magazine’s Public Official of the Year and Government Technology Magazine’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers. He was also honored by the President Obama White House as a Champion of Change.

Tony Collings is the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Region 5 Cybersecurity State Coordinator (CSC) for Illinois.
CISA protects the Nation’s critical infrastructure from cyber and physical threats by working with partners to defend against today’s threats and collaborating to build more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future.
Tony brings 39 years of information technology experience to the CSC position including seven years of cybersecurity experience. Prior to joining CISA, Tony served the State of Illinois as a Deputy Chief Information Security Officer at the Department of Innovation and Technology (DOIT), where he played a key role in the development and maturation of the state’s cybersecurity program. Tony has worked for state government for much of his career, including positions at Central Management Services, Illinois State Police, Illinois Department of Corrections, and the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts. Tony has also worked in the energy sector of critical infrastructure.
Tony earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Illinois University, majoring in Computer Management. A lifetime learner, he has obtained several certifications in Cybersecurity, Cloud Security, Privacy, and Project Management.
Tony resides in Springfield, Illinois.

Bill Downing is relatively new to the State of Illinois, arriving in early 2023 as the Group Chief Information officer for the Department of Innovation and Technology’s Natural and Cultural Sector. Bill recently assumed the role of Chief of Enterprise Architecture and is leveraging his extensive professional experience to build out the Enterprise Architecture team for the State.
A proud graduate of Northern Illinois University with a bachelors in Applied Data Processing, Bill first entered the consulting world with CSC Consulting where he started as a DBA. As a Principal with CSC he functioned as a technical architect on ERP implementations and system architect on a complete redesign of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund’s Pension systems. Bill founded and ran 2 startups, one focused on ERP systems and the second on providing network and server support for mid-sized businesses, spent 7 years as Director of Corporate Systems for CVS/Caremark, oversaw the design and implementation of all technology associated with Central DuPage Hospital’s 300 bed pavilion and the implementation of their new datacenter and their HR integration with Northwest Memorial. Bill is now very proud to be part of the DoIT team and to give back to the state he has always called home.

Heather Doxon is a Regional Engagement Manager (REM) with the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center (MS-ISAC®). As part of the MS-ISAC’s Stakeholder Engagement team, she works with our nation’s State, Local, Territorial, and Tribal (SLTT) governments and public education institutions to provide free cybersecurity resources and services through partnerships and collaborations. Heather manages partnerships with the hundreds of MS-ISAC® members throughout CISA Region 5, supporting their overall cybersecurity posture. She also holds a GISF certification.
Heather joined the Center for Internet Security (CIS) as an Account Manager with the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing & Analysis Center (EI-ISAC®). Prior to that, Ms. Doxon worked in the Elections field for almost 15 years, most recently as a Training & Implementation Specialist for the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Elections Division and worked closely with the counties of the state on Elections security and best practices.
Heather holds a Certified Elections Registration Vendor (CERV) from The Election Center and is a graduate of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She also is part of Women in Cybersecurity and volunteers in her community with various civic and animal welfare organizations.

Edobor Efam has twenty years of experience as a dynamic leader in Information Technology. He has spent much of his career providing solutions in the fields of health care and education. In 2019, he obtained a Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University. In 2021 Edobor joined the public service sector at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, ultimately serving as their Deputy Chief Technology Officer. In November of 2023, Edobor joined the Illinois State Board of Education in the newly minted role of Chief Information Officer. He is dedicated to ensuring that the students of the more than 800 school districts throughout the state, and the educators and staff who support them, have access to the best possible technologies for success.

Fadi is a seasoned IT executive with 20+ years track record of digital transformation, business strategy, and partnership building in K12 education. Fadi served as the CIO of the CIO of Minneapolis Public Schools as well as the City of Minneapolis, and Director of St. Paul School IT Services. He also served as the Lead Technology Architect and Liaison between the US Army and the new Iraqi government in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom II 2003-2005. Fadi offers a unique combination of strategic vision and wealth of knowledge and experience in cybersecurity, and IT operations. Today, Fadi is the Director of Public Sector Field Strategy for Palo Alto Networks empowering organizations and governments to effectively protect our digital way of life.

Terance Henry currently serves as the IT Director for the City of Marion.  He has been credited with suppling the City of Marion will the technology advancement that they have today.  Developing, planning, along with protecting the integrity of the network for all the different City Owned departments which includes Police, Fire and public library is just one of his many assignments.
Before becoming the first IT Director for the City of Marion, Terance was an entrepreneur for more than 13 yrs. Along his journey he also was an instructor for the Continuing education department at John A Logan and Siu where he taught computers and ecommerce classes for 12 years.
Terance currently serves on several different boards which includes, Police and Fire Pension board, Board Chair of Southern Illinois Workforce development district 25, Past President of John A Logan Foundation Board, Membership Committee for GMIS of Illinois, State of Illinois and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program Task Force, Illinois Digital Summit advisory board, Washington University STL Thinktank committee, Class of 2023 DLI (DRA) Delta Leadership Institute
Terance has won numerous awards which includes The Southern Business Journal 2010 Leaders Among Us, ACEC 2015 Engineering excellence award, 2018 GMIS International Government to Citizens award. 2016 NAGW Pinnacle Finalist, Marion Main Street Downtown Business Award, 2022 Mairon Chamber of Commerce Transformational Leadership Apogee Award, and countless others.  In his spare time, he loves mentoring to young adults on how to start their own business while encouraging them to be productive citizens.

Sanford Hess is the IT Director of the City of Urbana, overseeing all technology purchased and used by its Departments. Before that he spent 20 years working for a software company on ERP projects for State & Local government. Sanford’s CJIS chops come from his responsibility for Urbana’s home-grown Police RMS system, which was in use from 1988 until it was replaced in 2023.

Troy Horton serves as the Chief Information Officer for the Health and Human Services Group at the State of Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology. With an impressive tenure spanning three decades, Troy has cultivated a rich background that bridges various sectors, from agriculture and the military to academia, commercial world & state government.
Guided by a passion for both mentorship and learning, Troy is a visionary in Information Technology. His hands-on approach to system design and development has paved the way for building reliable, scalable applications. Additionally, his adeptness at managing complex projects, even under tight deadlines, is testament to his commitment to excellence. Throughout his career, he has effectively led diverse teams, comprising systems analysts, database architects, technical analysts, test analysts, and end-user support specialists.
At the heart of his expertise is Troy's unique ability to blend technology with human-centric insights. His deep-seated interest in operations, combined with his understanding of its interplay with technology, forms the bedrock of his educational journey. Yet, it's his profound appreciation for the human elements in business and their intrinsic tie to technology that truly fuels his enthusiasm.
In his pivotal role as the CIO, Troy wears many hats. He engages directly with agency partners and clients, striving to comprehend their technological aspirations. This, in turn, enables him to craft, coordinate, and deliver integrated tech solutions that resonate. Troy proudly identifies as an innovator, and his flexibility, adaptability, and results-driven approach are evident throughout his illustrious career. Above all, he embodies passion and dedication, attributes clearly mirrored in his professional journey.
With a remarkable thirty-year career spanning diverse sectors such as agriculture, the military, academia, commercial enterprises, and state government, Troy has established himself as a visionary in Information Technology & his commitment to excellence is evident. His unique ability to blend technology with human-centric insights sets him apart, reflecting his profound appreciation for the intersection of operations and technology. As an innovator, his flexibility, adaptability, and results-driven approach define his illustrious career, embodying passion and dedication throughout his professional journey.

Amy Kelly serves as the Cyber Navigator Program Manager for the Illinois State Board of Elections. Amy has 14 years of experience in the field of elections. She previously served as Deputy Director of Election Operations and Election Specialist in Election Training and Resource Development and Voting and Registration Systems for the state. Prior to her work with the Board, Amy was the Deputy of Elections in Menard County, Illinois. As the Cyber Navigator Program Manager, she is responsible for coordinating and implementing the Cyber Navigator Program in partnership with the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology and the Illinois State Police-Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center.

Waseem is the Chief Information Officer at the City of Rolling Meadows. With his 25 years plus experience in Information Technology, he oversees all aspects of  the City’s Systems and Technology including the city website, municipal communications, e-government applications, information technology projects, information technology standards and guidelines, and information technology training on a citywide basis. He received his Master’s degree from Keller Graduate School specializing in IT Management and Information Security. Over the years, Waseem’s skillset and knowledge have garnered him a lot of recognition, which is how he was able to be elected as the Vice President of Memberships for GMIS-Illinois.

Daaron Kimmel serves as a Senior Legal Counsel at the State of Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology. As an attorney for the State for the last twelve years, he initially focused his practice on criminal law as an Assistant Appellate Defender, where he represented clients before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Illinois Supreme Court. After transitioning to an in-house role as a DoIT Legal Counsel, Daaron quickly became trusted to handle complex, high-level negotiations of State contracts for technology products and services. He has worked closely with the Security team to review and update policies and procedures, advise from a legal perspective on various cybersecurity issues including planning for and responding to threat events and data breaches, and ensure that State technology contracts across the enterprise include appropriate language to address data privacy concerns and security requirements. After clerking for the Honorable Justice Lisa Holder White on the Illinois Supreme Court, Daaron returned to DoIT in his current role, where he supervises attorneys while leading negotiations on the State’s largest and most complicated technology contracts.

With over two decades of experience, Ryan Magaw is a cybersecurity leader specializing in the strategic planning and execution of robust defense programs. He currently leads the Incident Response team at Google, where he oversees the detection, analysis, and mitigation of advanced cyber threats for State, Local, and Education entities. Ryan is deeply committed to proactive defense strategies and staying ahead of the evolving threat landscape. His expertise encompasses training, solution development, and proactive defense against Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). Prior to Google, Ryan was in the US Air Force leading incident response efforts for breaches impacting large US government agencies, the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), and international networks.

Jacob began his career in the field of intelligence in 2016, serving as a Department of Defense Criminal Intelligence Analyst with the Illinois National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. During his tenure with the task force, he rendered his services to the Illinois State Police at the State-Wide Terrorism and Intelligence Center and later went on to work for the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Agency (ATF). In 2017, the ATF assigned Jacob to work with the Peoria Police Department (PPD), where he provided assistance to the Target Offender Unit with NIBIN and gang correlation. Utilizing his expertise in ballistic intelligence, in 2018, Jacob successfully aided the ATF, PPD, and the United States Attorney’s Office in a Federal RICO case against a major crime group in the Peoria Area.
In February 2019, Jacob undertook the role of Management and Crime Analyst with the PPD. In this capacity, he holds many responsibilities, including preparing daily crime reports and undertaking large-scale planning for the City of Peoria by performing crime and hotspot analysis. Jacob also played a pivotal role in creating the PPD's first-ever transparency dashboard, which was successfully launched in November 2023. Jacob is also a member of the International Association of Crime Analysts, showing his dedication to the field and commitment to improving his skills and knowledge.
In addition to his experience in criminal intelligence, Jacob also serves as a Security Forces Master Sergeant in the Illinois Air National Guard. He has been deployed to Afghanistan twice, initially in 2014 as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom and subsequently in 2021 as a part of Operation Allies Refuge. Furthermore, Jacob is a member of a USAF-certified force that provides threat intelligence and protection for aircraft in high-threat or unknown-threat areas, known as the Phoenix Ravens. Over his 12 years of service, Jacob has been deployed to more than 40 countries, providing support to various Air Force missions.
Jacob's contributions while deployed have been highly commendable, and he has been awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal for his efforts in Afghanistan and the Air Force Commendation Medal in 2017 for his role in hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. Further, in 2018, the Peoria Police Department awarded him the Distinguished Service Civilian Personnel Award for his work in NIBIN analysis. In 2020, he was named the Civilian Employee of the Year for his outstanding contributions to the Peoria Police Department. Jacob was also awarded the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Directors award for his expertise in ballistics intelligence.
In 2023, Jacob got married at his family home in East Peoria, IL. His wife Monica also serves as a Technical Sergeant in the Illinois Air National Guard assigned to the 182nd Medical Group. Jacob and Monica live in Washington, IL, with their border collie Mia.

Michael Pegues was appointed by Mayor Richard C. Irvin as the first-ever Chief Information Officer for the City of Aurora, Illinois in June 2017.   Michael began his career working in various IT Support roles for AT&T and PepsiCo in the Greater Chicago Area. Michael has worked for the US Department of Defense as a civilian Automation Management Officer at the US Army Logistical Readiness Canter in Vicenza, Italy. In addition, Michael has held various senior IT positions in Hewlett-Packard France, Vodafone Hungary and Morgan Stanley in Budapest, Hungary and New York, New York.  Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from DeVry University and an Master of Business Administration (MBA) Global Executive Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management from Central European University Business School in Vienna and Budapest. Michael is a proud United States Army veteran.

David Pricer is a Sr. Security Engineer at Google Public Sector, where he assists state and local government organizations secure their environments against evolving threats. With almost 15 years at security industry leaders like Mandiant, FireEye and Verizon, he helps organizations transform their cyber security practices across both cloud and on-premise environments by providing agencies the ability test their people, process and technologies, understand how advanced attackers view their environments, and educate, enhance, and execute security strategies based on front-line intelligence and real world scenarios. And he is bringing Gen AI to the security playbook so customers can leverage AI to  learn and adapt from previous risks to their digital health, so systems become better equipped to protect against, anticipate, and predict future attacks. 

Jacqueline Rogers is a Chief Information Officer at the Office of the State Fire Marshal where she oversees the information technology products, services, and information systems. She is responsible for formulating implementing IT policies, procedures, and guidelines, as well as aligning the IT goals and objectives with the Department of Innovation and Technology’s enterprise priorities. She also serves as an advocate and trusted advisor on IT matters and operations for Prisoner Review Board, Department of Military Affairs and Criminal Justice Information Authority (CJIA).
Jacqueline has over 30 years in the IT field with a focus on Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC). She previously served as an IT Risk Manager, where she ensured IT security controls were in place to meet laws, regulations, policies, and standards in support of organizational cyber activities. She also planned and facilitated National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) based security risk assessments, directed, and oversaw the Security Division risk staff, and participated and responded to third-party audits. She has a proven track record of creating and delivering group presentations designed to promote risk awareness, and mentoring college interns to become professionals upon graduation.
Jacqueline also served as an Administrative Safeguard Manager, where she developed and implemented Information Security policies and procedures and ensured compliance with state laws and regulatory statutes requirements. She also worked as an Information Systems Analyst II for two different state agencies, where she provided technical assistance, diagnosed, and resolved technical issues, administered software, and distributed hardware needs.
Jacqueline holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus in Management Information Systems. She is a member of Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) and holds a certification as a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).

I am a 30+ year veteran IT Manager at the State of Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT). Currently my role as Chief of Enterprise Infrastructure finds me working to support administrative oversight of the State's enterprise IT infrastructure services both on premise and in the Cloud.  I have served in several technical and management roles throughout my career with the State have a very strong background in a variety of technology platforms and services.

Omar Sandoval is the Chief Information Officer for Government Technology, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. Prior to joining the Center, Omar was the Director of Information Technology for the Naperville Park District.
Omar has won numerous awards which include a Distinguished Services Award, by the Naperville Jaycees; Four Under 40 Achievement Award, presented by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce which recognizes young who demonstrate excellence based on leadership in the community, business leadership, and career and life balance. Government Technology magazine honored Omar with awards for Technology Innovations in the Park District Operations and Citizens categories; Top 25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers and a Leadership Innovation Award for his efforts in assisting his own organization and others to start eSports leagues during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Omar earned his Master of Science degree in Business Analytics with a concentration in Business Administration from Benedictine University. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the College of DuPage in the Computer and Information Technology department.  

Scott Scheppers leads a team focused on protecting customers against dynamic cyber threats. Scott oversees execution of our managed security offers via our cyber talent in security Operations centers around the globe.
Scott joined AT&T after serving 30 years in the US Air Force. In his last assignment, he was assigned to the National Security Agency where he was Chief Operating Officer of NSA’s Cybersecurity Operations Group. In that role, Scott led the civilian, military, and contractor workforce executing a national cyber defense mission. His team discovered and characterized cyber threats to the nation and responded to protect networks using countermeasures based on malware signature development.

Don is the manager of the enterprise storage group for State of Illinois, Department of Innovation and Technology. He manages storage and backup operations for agencies under DoIT’s umbrella of service. He has been with the State of Illinois for almost 25 years working in infrastructure, primary in servers, storage and backup hardware. He is also a six year Navy veteran.

Norman has spent his last 33 years in the Intelligence Community (IC) federal space working all things Computer / Network Security and Computer / Network Forensics. He has held positions as an information systems security manager at the Pentagon, as a senior computer forensics examiner at the FBI, information systems security engineer and network intrusion analyst at the NSA, and as chief insider threat architect for the National Insider Threat Task Force with the Director of National Intelligence. The last seven years Norman has been with Cisco covering IC customers as a Cybersecurity Specialist and is now the US Public Sector Security Product Marketing Manager.

Mark Taghap is the Chief Information Security Officer for the City of Aurora.  He brings 23 years of experience as a Network Engineer, Information Technology Manager, and Director of Information Technology for various private entities, more notably private equity firm, manufacturing, engineering, and consulting.  During his consulting years, he was an instrumental part on projects with IDOT, IL Tollway, and Cook County Office of Capital Planning. In the past 6 years, he’s added cybersecurity to his repertoire of skillsets, and focusing on risk assessment, mitigation, penetration testing, external address scanning, and vendor due diligence.  Being a more technical CISO, he also works closely with Infrastructure and Operations teams to continue evolving the City of Aurora’s infrastructure and cybersecurity posture.
Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management at Northern Illinois University in 1999.  He recently completed the Cybersecurity Professional Program at the University of Michigan in Spring 2022, and shortly after in Summer 2023 graduated in the Post Graduate Program in Cybersecurity at the University of Texas (Austin).

Jeff brings more than 30 years of hands-on cybersecurity intelligence and cybersecurity operations experience including engagements with the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), and NASA. More recently Jeff has served as CISO at Blue Team Alpha, where he educated customers on the current threat landscape and served as an advocate for the need of a strong cybersecurity practice.
Jeff serves as Lumu’s Field CTO where he helps the company raise awareness about the Continuous Compromise Assessment concept and advises organizations of all sizes on how to optimize their cybersecurity operations in today’s challenging cyberthreat landscape.

As National Conference Director for Government Technology magazine, Jackie produces, manages, and emcees government IT conferences throughout the country. With over 20 years in the SaaS and Tech arena, Jackie proudly brings strategy, project management, operational excellence, and production together to streamline the efforts of live national events. For 15 years Jackie has worked within the greater Chicago market, while also planning and producing events throughout the US, Canada and Europe. 
Jackie is a proud member of GMIS Illinois, active with Chicago Innovation (FKA Chicago Innovation Awards),  and is also known for dedicating countless hours volunteering and fundraising for non-profits including Surge for Water, Hephzibah Children's Association, SheSays Chicago, and Naperville Safety Town.