We have been calling AI a coworker, a teammate, a copilot — even a friend. That language is not just imprecise. It is a security failure. When you frame AI as a colleague, you issue it credentials like a colleague, extend it trust like a colleague, and audit it like furniture instead of governing it like the non-human identity it actually is. In this high-energy, provocative keynote, Noelle maps the contractor lifecycle directly to the three autonomy levels of responsible AI: Human in the Loop, Human on the Loop, and the governance trap most organizations fall into when they try to go fully autonomous. She introduces the concept of the Sponsor field as the accountability mechanism that never disappears, no matter how much autonomy an agent earns. Audiences leave with a five-step Agent Onboarding checklist, a maturity ladder they can place their organization immediately, and one insight that reframes everything: you can increase the autonomy. You cannot outsource responsibility. 

As cyber threats continue to evolve and IT environments become increasingly complex, government agencies must strengthen visibility, improve control, and build resilient security program s that can adapt to an AI-driven threat landscape. Join public-sector cybersecurity leaders as they discuss practical strategies for improving enterprise-wide visibility, securing identities, modernizing security operations, and leveraging AI to enhance detection, accelerate response, and strengthen governance and compliance.

Cyber threats are becoming faster, more sophisticated, and increasingly difficult to detect using traditional security approaches. Rather than waiting for alerts, leading government organizations are adopting proactive threat hunting strategies to uncover hidden threats, validate defenses, and stop attacks before they escalate. In this session, we'll examine how government agencies are shifting from reactive security to proactive threat hunting by leveraging AI, behavioral analytics, and threat intelligence to proactively identify hidden threats, validate defenses, and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated adversaries.

Please proceed to the general session.

A strong cybersecurity program begins with knowing exactly what exists across the enterprise. Yet many government organizations continue to struggle with incomplete asset inventories, unmanaged devices, software sprawl, and expanding attack surfaces that increase operational risk. In this session, we'll explore how public-sector organizations are improving cyber resilience through greater asset intelligence, continuous visibility, exposure management, and proactive cyber hygiene. Learn how agencies are identifying unknown assets, prioritizing vulnerabilities, strengthening endpoint management, and reducing cyber risk through better visibility and continuous exposure management.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape at an unprecedented pace. While government agencies are leveraging AI to strengthen cyber defenses, improve decision-making, and increase operational efficiency, adversaries are using the same technologies to launch faster, more sophisticated attacks—from AI-generated phishing and deepfakes to automated malware and autonomous reconnaissance. Join this conversation as government cybersecurity leaders discuss how agencies can responsibly harness the power of AI while balancing innovation with governance, security, and public trust.

A cyberattack can unfold in minutes, forcing leaders to make critical decisions under pressure with limited information. How prepared is your organization? Join this interactive closing session as public-sector cybersecurity leaders guide attendees through a realistic ransomware attack affecting a New Jersey government organization. As the scenario unfolds, panelists will discuss the decisions they would make, the tradeoffs they would consider, and the lessons they've learned from responding to real-world cyber incidents. Audience members will participate through live polling and scenario-based decision points, exploring how to contain the attack, coordinate response efforts, communicate with stakeholders, and restore critical services.

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.