Dhani Abey is an AI and cybersecurity executive currently working at Microsoft, where she engages with organizations to demystify "Security for AI and AI for Security". With nearly 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, Dhani is a pioneering member of the Security Information and Event Management industry, who helped shape that solution space in its early days. Dhani has held various leadership roles at startup and Multi-national organizations and as of Fall 2023, she has started teaching Cybersecurity as an adjunct professor at City University of New York at BMCC. In addition to teaching, Dhani also serves as an Academic Board Advisor at BMCC for their cybersecurity certification program. Dhani holds a Master of Science from Columbia University and an MBA from City University of New York Baruch College.

Indiana Office of Technology, Chief Information Officer Tracy Barnes was appointed by Gov. Eric J. Holcomb in March 2020. In this role, Tracy oversees the Indiana Office of Technology and provides strategic oversight of the State’s technology portfolio, as well as leadership on technology and cybersecurity policy.
Tracy brings significant business leadership and information technology experience to his role, having previously served as Chief of Staff for the Lieutenant Governor, Deputy Auditor and IT Director for the Indiana Auditor of State. Additionally, he was president and chief executive officer for ENTAP, Inc. which designed and delivered effective enterprise focused information technology solutions to organizations in various industries across the globe.
Tracy has been recognized as Inc. Magazine's 9th Fastest Growing Black Entrepreneur and has received accolades from Top 50 Indiana Companies to Watch, the TechPoint MIRA awards and the IBE Governor's Award for Achievement in Technology.
Tracy holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Butler University, a certificate from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a M.S. in Cybersecurity Law from University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Jamie Bennett serves as the deputy chief security officer with DTMB’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Division at the State of Michigan. Jamie has worked for the State of Michigan for over 24 years, utilizing her collaborative leadership style and expertise in service management, emergency management, and strategic planning. Through her time at the state, she has served many positions focusing on data center security, operations, continuous improvement, enterprise monitoring, and disaster recovery.  Jamie is a passionate, inclusive leader that strives to provide the most innovative and secure technologies for the State of Michigan.

He is responsible for leading the Public Safety Threat Alliance intelligence team. Tyler has been with Motorola Solutions for 6 years and leads his team to identify and inform on the threat actors and their associated tradecraft used to target emergency services around the world. Tyler has 10 years of intelligence experience previously working for private cybersecurity firms and serving as a U.S Army Intelligence Officer.

Craig Brown is the Chief Innovation Officer for the City of Westland. As head of the City’s Department of Innovation and Technology, he is responsible for all aspects of Information Technology services for the City of Westland. As he would say, “If it touches electricity, then we are responsible for it.” During the past 9+ years with the City of Westland, Craig has capitalized on over 25 years in various customer service driven industries to help facilitate and grow all aspects of technology service to the City’s 85,000 residents and staff from a service-oriented point of view and delivery. Every decision made by his department is geared to maximizing the ability of City staff to work efficiently in delivery of their products to the residents and to provide the forward thinking, sustainable solutions residents need now and in the future. He is always looking for new opportunities in technology to provide better, smarter, more cost effective ways to serve the City.
Currently, Craig holds multiple degrees and industry certifications, including a Bachelor’s in Technology Management. He is the chairperson for the William D. Ford Career-Technical Center cybersecurity program advisory panel and a member of the Center’s advisory panel for the game design and programming program. He facilitated the City of Westland’s win of the Citywork’s Exemplary User Award for Excellence in Online Practice in 2018, Mi-GMIS 2023 Organizational Project of the Year award, and the 2023 Mi-GMIS Citizen Impact Project of the Year award. He has presented or moderated at various events including the Cityworks National Conference, Cityworks Michigan Chapter Roundtables, Michigan Digital Government Summit, and Michigan IT Leadership Forum. Craig believes that connecting people within the IT space is vital for everyone's continued success within this career path and strives to help promote that philosophy whenever possible.

Capt. Bolger holds a Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.  He began his career as a police officer for the City of Mackinac Island and the City of Jonesville before enlisting in the Michigan State Police (MSP) in 1995.  He has worked as a trooper at the Paw Paw Post; a sergeant in the Executive Resource Section where he was the Governmental Affairs Officer (lobbyist) for the department; a first lieutenant in the Director’s Office serving as in-house legal counsel and later he was the post commander for the Flint Post; as inspector, he served as the Assistant Division Commander for the Special Operations Division and Intelligence Operations Division, and he served as the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer and labor relations manager for all enlisted personnel in the MSP.  He currently is the commander of the Information Technology Division.

Orletta Caldwell, Ph.D. is an exceptionally qualified educator and nonprofit management specialist.  With over 30 years of professional administrative and leadership experience, Dr. Caldwell is an efficiency expert and highly skilled in maximizing under-utilized resources.  Her distinguished career includes Executive Director of Camp Baber, Assistant Professor, Athletic Director at Grand Rapids Community College, and Program Manager for Tech Soup.  In April 2023 Dr. Caldwell joined the Michigan Council of Women In Technology as their Executive Director.
With a wealth of professional and volunteer experience, Dr. Caldwell has used her development skills to leverage potential donations into real assets for several organizations.  She served on the board of directors for the Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD), Metro Detroit Council of Christian Churches, the Urban Renewal Commission for the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, and Southfield Downtown Development Authority for Southfield, Michigan.  Currently, Dr. Caldwell serves on the board of directors for National Association of Women Business Owners-Greater Detroit Chapter and is the Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Existing Enterprises  
Dr. Caldwell earned a Bachelor of Public Affairs from Wayne State University, a Master of Science in Management from Cardinal Stritch, and Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Policy & Administration specializing in Nonprofit Management from Walden University.
Dr. Caldwell is the mother of one adult daughter and serves as an elder for Greenfield Presbyterian Church.  An avid explorer she has travelled extensively throughout the United States, Mexico and the Eastern and Western Caribbean.  

Fred Chagnon is a Principal Research Director for Info-Tech Research Group. His background is largely rooted in IT infrastructure and operations, coming from a fifteen-year career in data center networks and server infrastructure.
In his time with Info-Tech Research Group, the focus of Fred's research and advisory work has been around core infrastructure topics such as enterprise storage and networking and their shift to the software-defined solutions. He has also worked with countless organizations on developing their strategy for adopting Office 365 and preparing to move other workloads to the cloud. More recently Fred's focus has shifted to building research products and conducting advisory engagements for IT service providers, managed service providers, and consulting practices.
Fred holds multiple computer science certificates from Ryerson University and is currently pursuing a business degree from Athabasca University. He has also been previously certified in various technical disciplines by Cisco, Oracle, and the SANS Institute.

Merri Lynn Colligan is currently the Director for the Michigan Statewide Educational Network (MISEN) with over 25 years overseeing Instructional Technology and Systems Operations at both the local district and ISD levels. Merri Lynn has served in roles from teacher to Executive Director of Instructional Technology and Data Systems and most recently as the Chief Information Officer for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. Merri Lynn serves on several committees and task forces for State level organizations including  Michigan Association for Educational Data Systems (MAEDS),  Michigan Education Technology Leaders (METL), and State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP).

Brad is a principal security and compliance specialist for Amazon Web Services supporting customers globally in the worldwide public sector group. Brad works as subject matter expert in the AWS security group and specializes in security and compliance-based workloads.

Aaron is a 13-year U.S. Army veteran who joined the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB) in January 2020, where he initially served as Deputy Director for the Office of Infrastructure Protection. He currently serves as the Director of the Michigan Security Operations Center (MiSOC), responsible for securing the state’s 55,000 employees and more than 10 million residents. Before his role at DTMB, Aaron was the Senior Civilian for a Department of the Army Military Police Brigade, overseeing 31 units across 13 states. With over 15 years of security expertise and two decades of leadership experience, Aaron has consistently driven initiatives to enhance security and operational resilience.

Shawn Ewing serves as the Exercise Program Coordinator for the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB), with over ten years of experience in emergency management and cybersecurity. In 2019, Shawn led a functional exercise to test Michigan’s Cyber Disruption Response Plan, ensuring that agencies were prepared to respond to cyber threats effectively. Following the plan's update in 2024, Shawn is now working on a comprehensive exercise series designed to test the latest version of the plan, focusing on strengthening cross-agency coordination and response capabilities. His work emphasizes practical, hands-on preparation for cyber disruptions, fostering collaboration between local, state, and federal partners to mitigate cyber risks.

Katrina Flory is an accomplished IT professional with extensive experience in State government. As the state chief information officer (CIO) and assistant director of DAS, she oversees the DAS Office of Information Technology and sets the IT direction for the State of Ohio.
State CIO Flory is instrumental in the leadership of two transformational Ohio IT initiatives, the now completed IT Optimization effort and the ongoing IT Innovation initiative. IT Optimization provided the standardization necessary to drive economies of scale through infrastructure consolidation (server, storage, mainframe, and network). The next step, IT innovation, streamlines and modernizes State IT through a focus on digital experience, cyber security, enterprise shared services, and collaboration.
In her role as State CIO, Flory is committed to delivering IT services and solutions that support state agencies, boards and commissions in their efforts to provide vital services to Ohioans. The use of state technology assets is vital to increase the well-being of Ohioans and their health, property, security, livelihood, and prosperity is essential.
Prior to becoming State CIO, Katrina Flory served in the deputy state CIO role for approximately 10 years. She led efforts to establish DAS OIT strategic direction and oversaw enterprise shared service operations such as the Ohio Administrative Knowledge System (OAKS), InnovateOhio Platform, Ohio Business Gateway (OBG), and the eLicense system.
Since joining DAS in 2000, she has been directly involved in driving the technology agendas of four Governors and seven State CIOs.
State CIO Flory has a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Major Rick Frantz is the Chief of Weapons and Tactics at the 272d Cyber Operations Squadron for the Michigan Air National Guard. In this role, he researches, tests, trains, and implements new methods of detecting advanced persistent threats on Department of Defense and Michigan networks. Rick also manages Innovative Readiness Training program outreach, seeking out opportunities to build training partnerships with Michigan’s governmental and non-profit organizations. Rick has deployed multiple times on active duty managing cyber threat hunting teams to protect military defense systems across the globe.
Rick completed undergraduate studies at Virginia Military Institute and holds two graduate degrees from American Military University and George Mason University. He has 14 years of full-time military service in multiple career fields, including aircraft maintenance management, teaching collegiate leadership studies, and cybersecurity. Rick is a Michigander by birth, has Texas roots, and will never stop saying “y’all.”

With over 25 years of unwavering commitment to the realm of Information Technology, all within the dynamic landscape of the State of Michigan, I have forged a path marked by innovation, advocacy, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
My journey began as a Field Services technician, traversing the length and breadth of Michigan to ensure the smooth functioning of crucial DNR field offices. This hands-on experience laid the foundation for my deep understanding of the technological landscape and the power it holds to transform operations.
My tenure as one of the founding architects behind the creation of the standardized office environment, M1ADOPT, marked a turning point. This endeavor allowed me to cultivate a vision for seamless, cohesive technological solutions that transcend silos and enhance productivity across diverse domains.
In my subsequent role as a leader within Design and Delivery services, I embraced the opportunity to shape strategies and guide teams toward optimal outcomes. My focus on questioning the 'why' behind decisions has been a driving force, fostering a culture of critical thinking and a relentless pursuit of excellence within my teams.
Today, I stand as the Director of Cloud and Infrastructure Delivery—a role that encapsulates my passion for building the very foundation upon which the state government's technological infrastructure rests. My responsibilities encompass not only maintaining this vital framework but also crafting strategies that will propel our state's technological landscape into the future.
Central to my philosophy is the belief that technology should never be a barrier; it should be an empowering tool. I am dedicated to making technology accessible, understandable, and user-friendly for all. Whether through automation, comprehensive training, meticulous documentation, effective communication, or the integration of cutting-edge technologies, my goal is to enable efficiency and effectiveness at every turn.
I am driven by the conviction that progress is built on the pillars of innovation, collaboration, and a genuine commitment to understanding the needs of both individuals and organizations. I am excited to share my experiences, insights, and vision to inspire others to harness the power of technology in their own pursuits.
Join me on a journey to demystify technology and harness its potential to not only revolutionize operations but also to enhance the lives of those it touches.

Kyle Gililland is a seasoned attorney and cybersecurity professional with over two decades of experience in the IT and security sectors. Currently serving as the Vice President of Security Services at Trace3, he leads initiatives focused on incident response, governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), and business continuity. Kyle has extensive experience working with organizations in regulated industries such as finance, fintech, and healthcare, where he helps clients navigate complex security challenges. His diverse background includes roles in enterprise risk management, security intelligence, and IT operations. As an attorney in California, a CISSP, and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), Kyle brings a unique blend of legal and technical expertise to the field of cybersecurity generally and incident response more specifically.

Kelley Goldblatt is the Supervisory Cybersecurity Advisor for Michigan and Ohio with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). In this role, Ms. Goldblatt supports the mission of strengthening the cyber resilience and security of the nation’s critical infrastructure. Prior to joining CISA, Ms. Goldblatt worked for the State of Michigan as a member of the Michigan Cyber Command Center (MC3). Ms. Goldblatt has also worked for Washtenaw County. In both positions, Ms. Goldblatt focused on helping Michigan organizations and residents become more cyber secure. Ms. Goldblatt is originally from Michigan and is proud to call Michigan home.

John is the head of Cybersecurity Services at Motorola Solutions where he leads development of customer facing solutions that combat cyber threats and allow innovation in public safety.  This includes a Managed Security Service with a global security operations team as well as a services team that assesses risk and develops response plans. He also spearheads the Public Safety Threat Alliance, launched in 2022 to facilitate rapid cybersecurity information sharing across public safety.  John joined Motorola Solutions through the acquisition of Delta Risk, where he developed the ActiveEye security cloud and brought innovative managed security services to mid-market and enterprise organizations. 

Detective Lieutenant (D/Lt.) Jeff Hoffman is an enlisted member of the Michigan State Police (MSP). D/Lt. Hoffman joined the State Police in July 1999. He served at the Lakeview Post and Sixth District Fugitive Team.  In 2011, D/Lt. Hoffman was assigned to the Computer Crimes Unit, Grand Rapids office.  In 2017, he transferred to the Michigan Cyber Command Center (MC3) as a detective trooper specialist.  The MC3 is responsible for cyber security coordination of cyber-related incidents, criminal investigations, and outreach to better secure networks within our state.  In 2018, he was promoted to detective sergeant as the team leader for the MC3. In 2021, he promoted to D/Lt. and is currently an assistant commander of MSPs Cyber Section, overseeing the MC3.

Stephanie serves as the Business Services Manager for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection (CIP) at the Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB). With a rich background in healthcare administration and state government, she has excelled in various support, project management, and leadership roles. During her tenure at the state, Stephanie has been instrumental in project management, financial and budget analysis, and contract portfolio management for CIP.
Recently, Stephanie has taken on a leadership role in the newly established Business Services work area within CIP. She oversees financial management and analysis, staff onboarding and offboarding coordination, asset management, data analytics, external engagements, communications, project support, and purchasing coordination. Stephanie and her team are dedicated to providing internal partners with high-quality service, focusing on consistency, efficiency, and eliminating pain points.

Jay Kaine serves as a Director of Threat Intelligence for Motorola Solutions’ Cybersecurity Services organization which includes the Public Safety Threat Alliance (PSTA) information sharing and analysis organization (ISAO).  He is responsible for the plans and operations of the PSTA, which informs and protects public safety organizations globally against cybersecurity threats.  Jay’s background and experience include over 25 years in private and public sector roles supporting U.S. national security, including service as a U.S. Army Cyber Officer.

Michelle McClish is the State Assistant Administrator -External Engagements Lead in the Michigan Cybersecurity division. With focus on supporting local government and K-12 entries she plays a crucial role in managing and reducing system cyber risk across the state.
As part of her responsibilities, Michelle is responsible for the State Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and working with the Michigan Cybersecurity Planning Committee to help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments improve their cybersecurity postures and provide SLCGP grant funding opportunities.
The Michigan Cyber Partners work together to improve the cyber security posture of K-12 Education and governments across the State of Michigan using best practices and innovative ways to work across sectors.
Michelle previously worked as Director of Information Technologies for Jackson County Michigan and has extensive information technology experience in public-sector, private-sector, Healthcare, and government.
Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in Applied Organizational Technology and a Master of Business Administration in Executive Management from The University to Toledo

Leah McGrath serves as Executive Director for StateRAMP, a national non-profit advancing cyber security for State & Local Government. McGrath dedicated more than 1,000 hours in 2020 working alongside Steering Committee members to develop StateRAMP’s governance and policy framework. Ms. McGrath was recognized for her work with StateRAMP in 2023, when she was named a Government Technology Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers. Prior to her work with StateRAMP, McGrath held leadership positions in both the public and private sector, including serving as the first deputy mayor of the City of Fishers, Indiana from 2015 - 2019. During her tenure, the City of Fishers transformed from a town into a smart, vibrant, entrepreneurial city and was named in 2017 the #1 Best Place to Live in America by Money Magazine. In her role, she helped lead modernization efforts and spearheaded city-wide efforts to develop its first long-range comprehensive plan. McGrath’s 20+-year career has been focused on working to improve government outcomes at the state and local level, helping shepherd government into the digital age, securely and effectively, for the citizens it serves. McGrath is a graduate of Purdue University and resides in Fishers, Indiana with her husband and three sons.

Matt McMahon has spent more than 30 years in Michigan education, most recently as the Associate Superintendent for Technology at Gratiot-Isabella RESD.  During that time he established their technology department supporting schools in Gratiot and Isabella counties.  He was also the director for the MMNet fiber-optic network which connected districts, libraries and municipalities throughout Central Michigan.  His leadership and advocacy for cybersecurity led to his chairing of MiSecure, which is a task force of METL (Michigan Educational Technology Leaders).  Today, Matt serves as the Director of the MiSecure Operations Center which was established in the 23-24 State of Michigan budget to address the cybersecurity needs of all Michigan K12 schools.

Kyle Nelson is the Information Security Officer and IT Operations Manager at the Michigan Department of Transportation where he leads Governance, Risk, and Compliance efforts. With a background in Security, Geographic Information Systems, and IT, Kyle specializes in securing technology across a widely distributed network. His career began as a Transportation Planner, where he quickly transitioned to Information Governance and Information Security. Kyle now focuses on protecting critical infrastructure, improving processes, and ensuring seamless integration between OT and traditional IT systems.

Ryan is a Managing Director at Accenture Security, based in Detroit, Michigan, bringing over 20 years of global experience in digital transformation, technology integrations, and cybersecurity across the Financial Services sector. His expertise covers cyber strategy consulting, digital identity, cloud and application security, cyber defense, and managed security services.
Ryan has successfully led security practices, demonstrating a strong track record in organizational leadership and technology change management. He is recognized as a cybersecurity leader, currently overseeing a team responsible for next-generation digital transformation services, including Cyber Security, Identity Solutions, and Application Security for North America.
With deep knowledge of CloudOps, DevSecOps, and integrated security requirements, Ryan blends technical proficiency with leadership acumen. His two decades of experience in technology transformation and digital innovation position him as a technically-savvy, results-driven leader, adept at managing complex solutions and implementations at scale.

Brian Pillar is a General Manager for the State of Michigan, Department of Technology, Management and Budget with his teams providing support to the Michigan Department of Corrections, the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Brian’s core values are: the strength of the teams; customer service; Innovation; Security; and Business Value.
Brian is an alumnus of Michigan State University and began his professional career working for one of the university’s IT departments where he drove a major network operating system modernization project. He then pursued opportunities at a small, but global, software development company where he led the IT Operations teams in their journey to the public cloud. In 2018, Brian joined the Department of Technology, Management and Budget, accepting his present role in 2021. Since joining the State of Michigan, Brian has been passionate about driving modernization towards cloud friendly platforms and services.

Bryan Schneider is a Director in the Fortinet Capture Team.  His expertise includes 20+ years of experience in Public Sector advanced solutions business development for a range of Wireless carriers, including leading strategic initiatives such as Mobile Security, Endpoint protection, Digital Transformation, Mobile Forms, LBS, Interoperability, IOT and OT, covering SLED, K12 and Federal Agencies.  Bryan also brings domain expertise into Public Safety, Next Generation 911, FirstNet, Telco/ISP,  CJIS, Remote WFH solutions, and Federal ZTA initiatives. 

Smruti Shah is the Director of Risk, Compliance and Delivery Division, for the State of Michigan's Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB). Shah implemented the Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC) platform for the state of Michigan and manages risk and compliance for all 20 departments, through the GRC tool. 
Ms. Shah brings extensive experience in privacy and security and risk management, within both private and public sectors. Prior to joining DTMB, Smruti served for 14 years, as the Privacy and Security Officer for Michigan Department of Treasury and established the security program within the Department of Treasury.  Further, Shah interacted with the IRS, Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Customs and other federal and local units of the government. 
Shah holds a bachelor’s in business administration and has certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). 

Doug Start is an experienced IT leader with a passion for technology and empowering people to reach their full potential. Beginning his career as an educator teaching technology topics like hardware repair, computer programming and web design, Doug has sought opportunities to increase his exposure to all facets of the IT landscape eventually moving into the role as the Director of Instructional Technology for Grand Haven Area Public Schools. There he spearheaded a sustainable 1:1 initiative that sought to increase student and teacher engagement and level the playing field for all learners.
Now as the Director of Technology for the City of Grand Rapids, Doug has turned this user driven focus to driving a sustainable, reliable and best practice aligned IT program to support and empower 30 diverse lines of business. Over the past several years Doug has spent time modernizing the City’s IT security infrastructure, expanding frameworks to support resiliency, and positioning the IT department as an organizational strategic partner by rebranding the department as the department of “Yes If...”.
Doug has a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in Business from Western Michigan University, a Master of Arts in Educational Technology with a focus on Leadership from Western Michigan University and is a Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO) through the University of North Carolina School of Government.
In his spare time Doug enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, and cooking.

Teri Takai is Senior Vice President of the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. She worked for Ford Motor Company for 30 years in global application development and information technology strategic planning. From Ford, she moved to EDS in support of General Motors. A long-time interest in public service led her to the government sector, first as CIO of the State of Michigan, then as CIO of the State of California and, subsequently, the CIO of the U.S. Department of Defense, the first woman appointed to this role. She then served as the CIO for Meridian Health Plan.
Teri is a member of several industry advisory boards. She has won numerous awards including Governing magazine’s Public Official of the Year, CIO Magazine’s CIO Hall of Fame, Government Technology magazine’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers, the Women in Defense Excellence in Leadership Award and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

Sarah Tennant is the Senior Sector Development Director & Cyber Advisor at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Serving as the State's program expert and advisor to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Sarah collaborates with other government agencies, academia and industry on raising awareness and promoting the growth of the cyber ecosystem within the State of Michigan. Sarah’s focus is on cultivating cybersecurity talent through statewide education, with an emphasis on the emerging embedded systems security space while promoting a collaborative statewide approach to cybersecurity. Sarah also heads up the MEDC’ s broadband efforts with a focus on access, affordability and adoption, and a commitment to enabling equitable economic opportunities for all Michiganders.
Previous to joining the MEDC Sarah was the DOD OEA Grant coordinator for the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board where she oversaw a $6.7 million dollar Southeast Michigan Defense Industry Adjustment grant, supporting 15 projects intended to identify and diversify Michigan’s defense portfolio, expand educational and workforce training for emerging markets including the cyber range hub expansion in Michigan, and provide opportunities for Michigan companies engaged in the defense economy.
Additionally, Sarah also serves on several non-profit boards and advisory committees and most recently served as Advisor to the Board of Directors for the Women in Defense Michigan Chapter.
A Michigan transplant, Sarah is a proud graduate of the University of Windsor holding a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Art Thompson is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Detroit, Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT). Prior to this appointment, Art served as the Director of Public Safety and Cyber Security for DoIT. Art is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Supply Chain Management. He has over fifteen (15) years of technical experience with the public safety environment and managing both union and non-union employees across multiple areas.

Andrey Verevko is a DTMB General Manager with the Office of the CTO, responsible for Public and Private Cloud Infrastructure and Platform delivery and Enterprise Architecture.
Andrey has over 20 years with the State of Michigan and DTMB, serving in various technology and leadership roles and supporting multiple state agencies and DTMB areas.
Prior to joining the CTO organization, he was overseeing all aspects of IT delivery for the Departments of Treasury, Lottery and Gaming, as an Agency Services General Manager.
From 2014 to 2019 he was working at the DTMB Center for Shared Solutions, establishing and overseeing development and adoption of the State of Michigan Enterprise Identity and Access Management solution called MILogin.

​Chris Weggeman is a Managing Director in Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory. He leads in the Government and Public Services (GPS) sector within our Cyber & Strategic Risk (C&SR) Offering Portfolio as Executive Advisor for the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Mega Account and Strategic Advisor to the C&SR Offering Portfolio Leader. Chris is a highly experienced and decorated multi-domain warfighting Commander and strategist. His eminence spans leading and Commanding across the Defense, Air Power & Cyber Operations enterprises. He logged his first 25 years as a combat-proven F-16 fighter pilot with 4 combat tours, and then served 9 years as a General Officer leading and commanding cyber forces and missions as the US Cyber Command Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy J5 and the Air Forces’s senior operational cyber leader culminating in his tours as the Commander, Air Forces Cyber and Deputy Commander, Air Combat Command. He is skilled in U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Staff, Air Force, Space Force, Enterprise Training, Strategy, Policy and Leadership. Chris has master’s degrees in Military Strategic Studies from USAF Air War College and Military Arts and Sciences from Army Command and General Staff College.

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.