Stacy Cahill serves as the Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), a position she assumed in April 2024. With over two decades of experience in information technology, Stacy has dedicated the last 14 years specifically to the field of cybersecurity. Before joining UMBC, she held the role of Chief Information Security Officer at the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Stacy possesses a strong background in IT modernization, with a keen focus on how architectural design can effectively reduce risk. Her varied experience encompasses software development, middleware administration, enterprise architecture, and identity and access management.

Brian Cohen is the vice president of the Center for Digital Government and Center for Digital Education, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government and education. Prior to joining the Center, Brian was vice chancellor and University CIO for the City University of New York (CUNY).
As the vice chancellor and University CIO at CUNY, Brian directed the Office of Computing and Information Services (CIS), developed and managed the enterprise IT vision, strategy and day-to-day technology operations of the University. His areas of focus included academic and business systems, cloud strategies, IT policies and procedures, cybersecurity, project management, IT resiliency and disaster recovery and network and telecommunications.
Brian also served in leadership roles with the City of New York. Among his many accomplishments, Brian developed the City of New York’s e-Government strategy, implemented the City’s award-winning nyc.gov website and managed the City’s effort to address the Y2K technology challenge.

Jeff joined the University of Maryland in 2004 after spending 12 years with GE Information Systems.  In his career at UMD, he has focused on IT Operations leading efforts to consolidate operations within the A. James Clark School of Engineering to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Ashish Patel serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), where he leads the university’s technology strategy and oversees the teams responsible for delivering secure, reliable, and innovative digital services to learners worldwide. He guides enterprise architecture, infrastructure, learning technologies, data and analytics, and cybersecurity to ensure UMGC’s digital ecosystem supports its global mission.
Patel brings more than two decades of experience in IT leadership, digital transformation, and consulting. Prior to joining UMGC, he served as Portfolio President and Chief Information Officer for AccelerEd and Chief Executive Officer for UMGC Ventures, where he led modernization efforts that strengthened enterprise technology operations, expanded scalable digital services, and improved performance and the learner experience for UMGC and partner institutions. 

Dr. Jennifer Potter serves as the Associate Director at the Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation at the University System of Maryland, where she leads strategic initiatives in digital accessibility, Generative AI pedagogy, and alternative credentialing. A passionate advocate for inclusive design and equitable access, Jennifer champions accessibility as a foundational element of educational innovation, working with faculty and administrators across the USM to ensure learning materials are accessible to all learners. Her commitment to accessibility is evident throughout her career, including her leadership of the USM Digital Accessibility Work Group, creation of a Digital Accessibility Hub with monthly resources, and development of the Accessibility in Action newsletter and comprehensive toolkits for provosts, academic leaders, faculty, staff, and students. Prior to joining the USM, Jennifer spent more than 16 years at Towson University as Chair and Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Faculty Mentoring Fellow in FACET, where she integrated accessibility into her teaching and mentoring practices. Jennifer is a frequent speaker on digital accessibility, AI pedagogy , and inclusive instructional design.

Mr. Jack Suess is VP of IT & CIO for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and has led IT at UMBC since 1997. He is a first-generation college student and cares deeply about student success and works tirelessly to leverage technology and data to advance student success in higher education. Mr. Suess serves on the executive leadership team of the university and reports to the President, Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby. During his tenure as CIO, UMBC has received awards and recognition for its work in advanced networking, cybersecurity, identity management, data analytics, cloud services, and learning analytics. Through those efforts Mr. Suess is a frequent presenter at national conferences and has served on the Boards of Internet2, EDUCAUSE, InCommon, and 1EdTech.

Jonathan Torian is a Consulting Solutions Architect at Fortinet, where he designs and implements advanced cybersecurity and networking architectures that help organizations achieve their strategic and operational goals. With nearly two decades of experience in the cybersecurity industry, he specializes in aligning technology solutions with institutional missions, particularly within higher education.
At Fortinet, Jonathan has architected secure environments for R1 universities and other higher education institutions, bridging the gap between network and security teams to consolidate their use cases on the Fortinet platform. His designs span from border firewall protection at large research universities to comprehensive deployments integrating firewalls, switches, access points, and SIEM solutions for public sector organizations.
Jonathan’s expertise is deeply rooted in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, where he helps institutions map Fortinet’s capabilities to governance and risk management objectives. He frequently advises higher education leaders on mitigating security risks associated with artificial intelligence and large language models, guiding them in adopting tools and architectures that balance innovation with data protection and compliance.

Jerry Waldron is a long time Chief Information Officer and technology leader with more than 35 years guiding digital transformation in higher education. Most recently he served as Interim Executive Director of the Maryland Research and Education Network (MDREN), advancing statewide high‑performance networking, research connectivity, and cybersecurity services for Maryland’s colleges and universities. He has focused on shared services in higher education IT including high performance computing infrastructure, AI Gateway management, and campus AI strategy development.
Jerry previously has held multiple CIO roles, leading enterprise systems modernization, network upgrades, information security, and data governance initiatives. He is known for aligning technology strategy with academic and research priorities, securing major grants, and building collaborative, service‑focused IT organizations that support innovation across diverse institutions.