Lee Ayers, originally from Charleston, West Virginia, has spent nearly two decades working in the realm of cybersecurity. As the Director of Technology, he has been tasked with the important responsibility of guiding cybersecurity measures for the Attorney General's office over the past ten years. Lee's expertise in penetration testing is underscored by relevant certifications, including one as an Ethical Hacker. Grounded in his approach and dedicated to his craft, Lee remains committed to enhancing cybersecurity practices in West Virginia through collaboration and ongoing education.

Ericke S. Cage is the 13th president of West Virginia State University. He was unanimously selected for the position on March 31, 2022, by the WVSU Board of Governors, having served the university previously since September 2021 as interim president.
A native of Halifax County, Virginia, Cage joined the university in July 2021 as vice president and chief of staff and was subsequently appointed by the Board as the university’s chief operating officer on July 30, 2021 with responsibility for managing the day-to-day operations of the university. Since assuming the leadership of West Virginia State University, Cage has prioritized institutional stabilization and operational optimization, renewal of the “state spirit,” the development and expansion of high demand academic programs, and the cultivation of a diverse range of internal and external relationships to support WVSU’s forward momentum and growth.
Prior to joining WVSU, Cage most recently served as executive advisor to the president and Board of Visitors at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia – where as a member of the university’s executive management team he served as principal advisor to the university president and board of visitors on matters related to institutional policy making, governance, government relations, and university ombudsman. Cage also served as speechwriter for Norfolk State’s presidents and board chairs.
While at Norfolk State University, Cage led the university’s 2019-2025 strategic plan committee, served as the chief architect of the university’s 2019-2020 self-assessment, and modernized the university’s policymaking process to improve decision making and compliance. As a former education lobbyist, Cage was instrumental in expanding Norfolk State’s presence and impact on Capitol Hill and before the Virginia General Assembly. He directly supported outreach efforts that helped Norfolk State secure the largest state appropriation in the history of the university. While at Norfolk State, Cage also authored a successful $2.7 million grant proposal to support student access, retention, and completion. As the principal advisor and speechwriter to Norfolk State’s presidents and governing board chairs, Cage played a pivotal role in developing the institution’s strategic priorities and crafting the narratives that helped to move these priorities forward. As university ombudsman, he advanced a culture of care and inclusion at Norfolk State by serving as a confidential resource for employees as they worked through issues of conflict and challenge.
Prior to joining Norfolk State University, Cage served as director of government affairs for Teach for America, and also served as state policy and research director for the Obama-Biden 2012 reelection campaign. Cage served as legislative counsel for U.S. Congressman Tom Perriello, where he managed a legislative portfolio that included federal education, healthcare, defense, and veterans affairs policy. Cage also served as a law clerk for the U.S. Department of Defense, and a legislative fellow for the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He also served as a congressional fellow in the office of U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison. During law school, he completed summer legal placements in the New York City Law Department’s Special Litigation Unit and at Prudential Financial Corporation. Cage began his professional career as a high school government teacher in his hometown of Halifax County, Virginia, where he was recognized as teacher of the year by the senior class in 2004.
Cage is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in leadership studies. He holds a juris doctorate from the Rutgers University Law School, where he served as an Associate Editor of the Women’s Rights Law Reporter, Associate Editor of the Rutgers Business Law Journal, Member of the Rutgers Moot Court Board, and Third Circuit Governor of the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division. Cage holds a masters of law degree in litigation and dispute resolution from the George Washington University Law School. He is also a graduate of the United States Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College and the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.
Cage currently serves on the boards of the Mountain East Conference, the West Virginia State University Research and Development Corporation, and the West Virginia State University Foundation. He is a past board member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Alumni Association and the U.S. Selective Service System (local board). Cage is an active member of the Rotary Club of Charleston, West Virginia.

Danielle Cox is the Chief Information Security Officer with West Virginia’s Office of Technology, where she manages the State’s Security Operations Center, directs the Risk management and vulnerability program, and identifies other risks to State data, personnel, applications, and systems. Additionally, she trains, plans, and implements cyber security education throughout the State’s enterprise. She has been a member of the Cybersecurity Team for 9 years.
Ms. Cox has an additional 12 years’ experience as a Training Coordinator in the legal industry, helping end users take full advantage of available resources. She holds a BA with honors in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems from the University of Charleston, and a Masters in Technology Management and Information Security from Marshall University. Ms. Cox holds certifications as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), a GIAC Systems and Network Auditor Specialist (GSNA), and a Global Information Assurance Critical Controls Certification (GCCC). She is active in her community, volunteers regularly, and participates in raising service dogs for veterans.

Jon Cutler is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and reports to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Marshall University in Huntington, WV. He received a Master of Science degree in Technology Management from Marshall University in 2003 and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Earlier positions at Marshall include Director of Systems Administration (2000-2009), Manager IT Service Desk (1999-2000), and Sr. Applications Systems Analyst Programmer (1997-1999). Prior to joining Marshall, Cutler served in various lead technology roles in Manufacturing and Graphic Arts. In his CISO role, he is responsible for the campus IT Information Security Program, participates in a variety of campus technology projects, and serves as a member of several campus committees. As an adjunct faculty member, he has taught cybersecurity classes in the College of Information Technology and Engineering. His professional interests and experience include network security, vulnerability assessment, identity and access management, endpoint security and device management, virtualization, and IT project management.

Shonte Eldridge is an award-winning strategy and organizational change expert who spent 23 years in State and Local Government leadership. She served in senior positions for a Governor, two States’s Attorneys, and two Mayors, and ended her public sector career as the Deputy Chief of Operations for the City of Baltimore. Shonte is currently focused on helping government leaders simplify cumbersome business operations and navigate an ever-evolving technology landscape.
Shonte was named one of the 25 women to watch by the Baltimore Sun newspaper and magazine in 2020 and is most known in the industry for her energetic approach to solving complex government challenges and developing process improvement and digital transformation strategies that get results.

Hussein Elkhansa is the West Virginia Department of Transportation Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Elkhansa worked West Virginia Department of Transportation for 35 years starting as an Engineer Trainee and had worked in almost every Division of the Deplanement. Elkhansa holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West Virginia Tech in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from Marshall University Graduate College. In 2021, Mr. Elkhansa was appointed by the Secretary of the WVDOT to serve as CTO for WVDOT, to bring more efficiency and effectiveness through coordination by using the latest technology and promotion of best practices. In 2019, Mr. Elkhansa was appointed by the Secretary of the WVDOT to serve as Chief Data Officer. In 2004, Mr. Elkhansa was appointed by the Governor to serve as a board member of the WV Addressing and Mapping Board. Also in 2004, Hussein Elkhansa was appointed to develop the new GTI Section as the Geographic Information System (GIS) Committee Chairman. He led the GTI Section in developing web-based applications to spatially enable the WVDOT’s data by combining spatial information with existing data from multiple agencies within the WVDOT and FHWA. The GTI Section continues to pursue partnerships with various federal and state agencies in developing the section.

Elliot is a technical leader behind Tyler Technologies' initiatives on behalf of high-profile government organizations to help them manage, share, and explain their data more effectively. Elliot is an expert on cross-organizational data sharing, data analytics and visualization, and data standards. He also brings deep experience using data visualizations to help non-data savvy users understand data, and he trains government employees, developers and data scientists on how to use APIs and web visualization frameworks together.

Kermit Graham leads System Engineering in State, Local Government, and Education for the Eastern United States. His organization is responsible for the design and deployment of Fortinet solutions built on integrated security architectures that help solve the business challenges of customers.
After serving 13 years in the United States Marine Corps., Kermit entered the private sector via the Arrowpoint startup. After being acquired by Cisco, Mr. Graham held various leadership roles across Federal and SLED businesses, both domestically and internationally. With over 30 years of IT experience, he brings extensive knowledge of the Public Sector business.
Kermit and his wife Deonna reside in Austin, TX and are the proud parents of two sons.

Cody is an IT professional with 6 years of experience at Marshall University, where his interest in leveraging technology for higher education was sparked as an IT student worker for the college of science. He later acquired a Master’s degree in Cyber Forensics and Security, providing him with a strong foundation for his current role as an IT Systems Integration Specialist & Project Manager for Salesforce initiatives university-wide. Although they are in the planning stages for AI implementations like Salesforce’s Einstein Chatbot, Cody has been actively involved in laying the groundwork through his participation in Marshall’s AI Task Force.
When it comes to AI, Cody advocates for a balanced, ethical approach, especially in higher education settings. He is excited to delve into this topic further during our panel discussion on “The Balancing Act for AI: Responsibility and Ethics.”
On a lighter note, when Cody is not immersed in the world of tech, he loves spending time outdoors. He also has an 8-pound Chihuahua who firmly believes he’s a bulldog—clearly, a sense of scale is not his strong suit!

Jamison Mitchell began with the West Virginia Office of Technology in June of 2018. He was appointed as the Chief Digital Officer in September of 2022, while still serving as the Director of Enterprise Solution Services. Since his time at the WVOT, he has begun re-identifying the State’s Program Management Office and working with agency business leaders to understand government services and operation requirements in order to translate them into digital products and services that enable new government service models and drive strategic outcomes.

Brian M. Morgan currently serves as the Vice President for Institutional Research and Planning and the Chief Data Officer for Marshall University. Brian is an accomplished academic leader and technology expert with a diverse background in higher education administration. With a strong foundation in technology management and computer science, Brian has made significant contributions to the field of data analytics and business intelligence through his development of MU BERT, a business intelligence tool that has been used at the university since 2004 as the primary source of real-time data for students, staff, faculty, and administration. His expertise in these areas has enabled him to contribute valuable insights and solutions to the ever-evolving higher education landscape. His career has spanned various administrative roles, including Interim Dean, Associate Dean, Department Chair, faculty, and Director over a 23 year span at Marshall. Brian’s educational journey includes a Master of Science in Technology Management from Marshall University, where he focused on software engineering. His master’s dissertation, titled “Is Distance Learning Worth It? Helping to Determine the Costs of Online Courses,” delved into the financial aspects of online education. Prior to his master’s degree, Brian earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Marshall University with a minor in Mathematics.
In his administrative roles, Brian has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic thinking. As Interim Dean of the College of Science at Marshall University, he successfully spearheaded the reorganization of the college’s administrative structure, optimized the budget distribution, helped secure over $8 million in external funding, and established essential committees and policies. Prior to his interim deanship, Brian served as the Associate Dean of the College of Science where he initiated the electronic P&T (promotion and tenure) process which is now used by the entire university, facilitated the transition towards a paperless office environment, and secured funding for rural student recruitment.
With a wealth of experience and expertise in data analytics and academic administration, Brian is a valuable asset in driving data, innovation, enhancing educational programs, and contributing to the growth and success of Marshall University.

Jody W. Ogle serves as the Cybersecurity Advisor and Sate Coordinator for West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania as part of CISA’s Integrated Operations Division staff within Region 3. As a Cybersecurity Advisor he primarily focuses on pre-incident cybersecurity preparedness offering strategic consultation and a wide range of no-cost services to build resilience across state and local government as well as the private owners and operators of the Nation and State’s most critical infrastructure. As the WV State Cyber Coordinator, he serves as the lead federal advisor for matters of cybersecurity and cyber incident response coordination to leaders across West Virginia State Government as well as leaders within counties, cities and private industry. He is a lifelong resident of West Virginia and a graduate of Marshall University.
He is a twenty-five-year veteran of the United States Air Force and West Virginia Air National Guard where he is currently a Cyber Operations Officer, the Senior Cyber Policy Advisor, and the Air Staff Communications Director. Beginning his career at the lowest level of the enlisted ranks, he currently holds the rank of Colonel and is fully joint qualified. Prior to transitioning to CISA fulltime, he served as the Chief Information Officer for the West Virginia National Guard where he provided full scope strategic informational and technical oversight for more than 6,000 Soldiers and Airmen. He completed two combat support deployments as well as tour at USCYBERCOM where helped author the concept of operations on the use of National Guard forces for domestic cyber response.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in software engineering and a Master’s Degree in Information Technology Management. He is a graduate of the National Defense University, the Air War College, and the Air Command and Staff College. Among several he holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professional Certification.
Across more than twenty years of experience as a technology professional, he has worked in the private sector and for multiple agencies within the West Virginia State and Federal governments.
Finally, he is an adjunct professor of cybersecurity and computer science at Marshall University.

Mr. O’Quinn is a native of WV and spent several decades out of state in public and private sector IT positions. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management of Information Technology and has 30 years of experience in the IT industry, with the last 16 in public service in Alaska, Texas, and now West Virginia. Over the decades, he has served in multiple IT roles responsible for application development, infrastructure, operations, project management, and cybersecurity in small, intermediate, and large IT organizations.

David Parsons is a West Virginia native and serves as the WV Cyber State Coordinator for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within the Department of Homeland Security. He is responsible for assisting the owners and operators of critical infrastructure in enhancing cybersecurity resilience. Mr. Parsons has been working in the information technology and cybersecurity profession as a civilian and soldier since 2009. During his career, he has served as a subject matter expert on cybersecurity topics related to risk management, incident response, continuity of operations, and cyber policy. Prior to his position at CISA, Mr. Parsons worked at the West Virginia Army National Guard as the Cybersecurity Branch Chief and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

Terrence Ramon Stuart, an accomplished university administrator originally from Welch, WV, is a two-time graduate of the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering at West Virginia University, and he completed a doctorate from the Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education at Ohio University. He returned home to the Mountain State to become the campus president at West Virginia University Institute of Technology on January 1, 2023.
Stuart, a champion for students and of servant leadership, has led various campus initiatives to improve retention and provide support for students so they can be successful in college and beyond. He has led enrollment and retention initiatives, including mentorship and success coach programs, expanding tutoring services, among many others.
Stuart has broad knowledge and experience in student success and support, academics, fundraising, community collaboration and overall institutional growth. In his previous roles, he has led expansion of academic programs, including the addition of a cyber security program, engineering, nursing, supply chain and logistics programs, and collaborations with other institutions to best support area students, employers and communities.
In addition to his commitment to students and academics, Stuart is passionate about community engagement and partnerships. From collaborative multi-million-dollar projects with local hospitals and military bases to enhance opportunities in the community to working with other institutions to expand educational access, Stuart has strengthened collaboration among academic institutions, local organizations, and the surrounding communities.
Stuart has a strong background in successful donor cultivation. He has helped exceed fundraising goals and increased the number of donors during annual campaigns. Stuart has raised funds and obtained grants – often increasing or expanding previous benchmarks or goals – for a variety of initiatives throughout his career.
Stuart often shares his experiences of growing up in McDowell County and how much he has learned about life and the transformative impact of education. He is dedicated to helping others realize their dreams.
Prior to his arrival at WVU Tech, Stuart served as the president of Clayton State University in Morrow, GA. He previously served as the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, GA.
Before moving to Georgia, Stuart served in the provost’s office at West Virginia State University (WVSU) in a variety of roles including associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs. He also served as a faculty member teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at WVSU, West Virginia State Community and Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Stuart and his wife Jamilah, a graduate of Howard University with an MBA from the University of New Haven, are the proud parents of their daughter Kayleigh Grace Stuart.

Ashley Summitt is a native North Carolinian, who moved to West Virginia in 1995. She graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 2000 and returned to West Virginia, taking a position with the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Leaving the Court, she worked as an associate with the Charleston law firm Pauley, Curry, Sturgeon and Vanderford, PLLC. In 2009, Ashley came to work for the West Virginia Secretary of State as general counsel and stayed there until 2017 when she went to work for Governor Jim Justice as deputy general counsel. In 2019, Ashley came to the WV Board of Risk and Insurance Management as the state's Chief Privacy Officer.

2023 marks the 30th year in Dave’s information technology career. In his current role as CIO for the WV Secretary of State’s Office, he has overseen several process and application modernizations and aided in the transition of elections technology into the U.S. Critical Infrastructure.

Sheryl Webb was appointed as the Director of the Division of Personnel in 2017. Since her time at the DOP, she has worked to maximize customer relations, streamline processes, and be a resource for applicants and agencies that we serve. Prior to her time at the DOP, Sheryl was the Deputy Secretary of State/Chief of Staff with the Secretary of State’s Office. She also served in the Communications Department with the State Treasurer’s Office. Sheryl has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in communication studies with an emphasis in Organizational Communications from Marshall University.

Steven White currently serves as the Executive Director of West Virginia Network. He has over two decades of experience working in the IT industry. In 2012, he joined WVNET, offering his specialized skills in Windows Server administration. In 2013, the opportunity emerged for him to transition to the Systems Group Manager. In this role, he displayed a strong ability to maintain technical support functions while also expanding into the management of IT projects and personnel. He continued to enhance his technological proficiency and extend his support of additional areas, leading more groups at WVNET including the Banner and Helpdesk teams. In 2022, he transitioned to the role of Deputy Director, where he aimed to further broaden his responsibilities in security and management. Prior to his experience at WVNET, Steven worked for various federal contracting organizations providing technical support for multiple remote office but got his start working in a Capability Maturity Model Integration Level 5 software development organization. Steven is originally from Bruceton Mills, WV and has dual bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering from West Virginia University.