Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Bill Brinkley, Chief Information Security Officer and Director, Division of Enterprise Technology Bureau of Security, Department of Administration, State of Wisconsin

Keynote - Strengthening the Shield: Insights from the Trenches of National Security

Public-sector leaders are under pressure to defend against AI-enabled threats while modernizing critical services. Drawing on years of leading cyber operations at the NSA and protecting global financial systems, Rachel Wilson connects national security-grade lessons to state, local, and education environments. She explores how AI amplifies risks like ransomware, credential theft, and insider threats—and what CIOs, CISOs, and frontline technologists can do now to strengthen hygiene, resilience, and cross-sector collaboration. Attendees leave with concrete priorities to better protect critical assets in the age of AI.

Rachel Wilson, Managing Director and Chief Data Officer, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management; Former NSA Senior Executive

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Sessions

First 24 Hours: RealWorld Incident Response in Wisconsin

When an incident hits, sequence matters. This session walks through real scenarios from Wisconsin and peer states to answer: who do you call first, second, and third; what decisions must be made in hour one; and which mistakes cause the most pain. Speakers unpack actual playbook steps—from containment to communications—and highlight how CRT, vendors, and law enforcement plug in. You’ll see redacted timelines, sample decision logs, and notification templates you can adapt for your own incident response plan.

Moderator: Greg Vanevenhoven, Vendor Management, Department of Administration, Division of Enterprise Technology, State of Wisconsin

Paul Neff, Principal IT Security Officer and Chief Information Security Officer, Bureau of Informational Technology Services, Department of Public Instruction, State of Wisconsin

Justin Schoenthal, Practice Leader, Strategic Services, SLED, Mandiant

Jay Schaefer, Cyber Security Architect, Winnebago County Information Technology

Fraud, Scams, and Cyber-Enabled Crime: What Security Teams Need to Know

Not every cyber incident starts or ends in IT. Many of today’s most damaging events are fraud-driven, pulling in finance, HR, program teams, and executive leadership. This session brings together law enforcement and fraud investigators to explain how modern cyber-enabled crime operates, from overseas fraud rings to business email compromise and payment diversion. Through real case studies, attendees will learn common patterns, early red flags, and why some of the most effective controls live in business processes, not security tools. The session emphasizes coordinated response and leaves participants with practical checklists and awareness messages they can share with non-technical colleagues.

Moderator: Conner Simon, Information Technology Director, Vernon County

Aidan Raney, Vice Chair of Governor's Juvenile Justice Commission

Nate Schneemann, SLED Central Account Executive Director, Socure

Drew Schoeneck, Special Agent, Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Cyber Crimes Unit, Statewide Intelligence Center, State of Wisconsin

Hackathon Lab – Student and EarlyCareer Track (On Going)

This hands-on lab kicks off a guided hackathon experience tailored for high school, college, and early career participants. Facilitators introduce the environment, basic rules of engagement, and safety expectations. Attendees form teams, receive starter challenges, and learn how to think like an attacker while maintaining an ethical mindset. The lab remains open throughout the afternoon for continued play, mentoring, and informal coaching from volunteers, state practitioners, and vendor security engineers.

Lunch

General Session - What’s Really Hitting the Public Sector Now

Cyber threats are not slowing down, and they are not evenly distributed. Drawing on current incident data and front-line investigations, this vendor-neutral briefing examines who is actively targeting state, local, and education organizations, how attackers are getting in, and what happens once they do. From ransomware and business email compromise to fraud and attacks on cloud and OT environments, this session focuses on patterns that matter most right now. Special attention is given to trends affecting smaller jurisdictions and K–12 across Wisconsin, translating global threat intelligence into practical, defensible priorities. Attendees will leave with a short, focused list of “must-fix” gaps to review back home.

Aaron Swift, Incident Response Engagement Manager, Arctic Wolf

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

Concurrent Sessions

OT and Critical Infrastructure: Protecting the Systems You Can’t Just Patch

Many of the systems that keep communities running, water, transportation, facilities, and public safety, rely on legacy operational technology, where downtime is not an option and cyber protection is limited. So how do you reduce risk without disrupting operations? This session brings together federal and non-federal experts to walk through practical first steps to improve visibility, segmentation, and monitoring in OT environments. Using real-world case studies, attendees will learn how jurisdictions are inventorying OT assets, separating IT and OT risk, and navigating vendor-owned systems. The focus is on practical, achievable actions that meaningfully reduce risk while keeping critical services online across Wisconsin.

Moderator: Lieutenant Colonel Paul Cusick, Chief Information Officer, Wisconsin National Guard

Richard V. Doty Jr., Enterprise Architect, Information and Security Section, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Shane Guyette, Major Account Manager, Fortinet

Sravani Kataru, Governance Risk and Compliance Analyst, Department of Administration, State of Wisconsin

Cyber Risk and Funding: Grants, CostSharing, and Making the Business Case

Many agencies struggle to translate cyber risk into dollars and funding opportunities. This session explains the current state and federal grant options, common cost-sharing models (such as 80/20), and which cyber services or tools are eligible for grant funding. Presenters share examples of successful applications and how vendors can support projects without driving the agenda. You’ll learn how to frame cyber investments in terms of risk reduction, resilience, and service continuity so finance, boards, and councils understand why it matters now.

Moderator: Barry West, IT Director, Waushara County

Jason Downey, Chief Information Security Officer, WiscNet

Dr. Ricki Koinig, Chief Information Officer, Department of Natural Resources, State of Wisconsin

Katie Sommers, Director, Bureau of Policy and Grants, Department of Military Affairs, State of Wisconsin

Hackathon Lab – Student and EarlyCareer Track (On Going)

This hands-on lab kicks off a guided hackathon experience tailored for high school, college, and earlycareer participants. Facilitators introduce the environment, basic rules of engagement, and safety expectations. Attendees form teams, receive starter challenges, and learn how to think like an attacker while maintaining an ethical mindset. The lab remains open throughout the afternoon for continued play, mentoring, and informal coaching from volunteers, state practitioners, and vendor security engineers.

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

General Session – Women Leading Cyber – Visibility, Allies, and Real Change

Rather than isolating women into a separate day, this session centers women’s experiences while inviting everyone into the conversation. A panel of women cyber leaders from state, local, and military roles discuss navigating career paths, leading through crisis, and building teams where diverse voices are heard. Panelists and allies share concrete actions male and female leaders can take to sponsor talent, structure fair opportunities, and address subtle barriers. Attendees leave with practical ideas for mentoring, hiring, and culture change.

Moderator: Jessica Byerly, Senior National Conference Director, Government Technology

Jennifer Mueller, Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Health Services, State of Wisconsin

Amy Jaeckel, Executive Director of Technology and Information, Green Bay Area Public Schools

Colonial Jeannie M. Jeanetta, Chief of Staff, Wisconsin National Guard

Liping Zhang, Information Security Manager, Bureau of Information Technology Services, Department of Workforce Development, State of Wisconsin

Networking Social in the Exhibit Area

Day 1 wraps with a relaxed social designed to blend learning, connection, and a little fun. Hackathon teams briefly share early progress, favorite challenges, or creative approaches, while volunteer mentors circulate to talk careers, certifications, and skill-building. Informal “Ask Me Anything” corners, featuring roles such as CISO, SOC analyst, and student, create space for candid questions and real-world insights. Light refreshments and a short cyber trivia segment keep the energy high without feeling forced. Prizes recognize standout student efforts and memorable team names, but the real objective is building relationships across Wisconsin that carry into Day 2 and beyond.

End of Day One

Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Welcome and Opening Remarks – Recap of Day 1

Trina Zanow, Chief Information Officer and Division Administrator, Division of Enterprise Technology, Department of Administration, State of Wisconsin

General Session - Local Government Offerings: Services, Volunteers, and CRT

Cybersecurity support is available to local governments, but knowing how to access it, and when, can make all the difference. Designed for counties, municipalities, school districts, and small agencies, this session brings together voices from CRT, volunteer cyber organizations, and local government to explain how assistance works in practice. What happens when a small jurisdiction calls for help? Which services are proactive versus reactive? And how do agencies get on the radar before an incident occurs? Through real stories and practical guidance, this session highlights simple entry points, clear expectations, and effective collaboration models already working across Wisconsin.

Benjamin Dumke, Network and Systems Manager, Lawrence University

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

General Session - Cyber Hygiene 101 for Small and Rural Governments

Designed for towns, small cities, school districts, and resource-constrained agencies, this discussion focuses on the small set of cybersecurity controls that deliver the greatest impact. It outlines clear, cost-effective steps to strengthen internet filtering, account security, backups, and device hardening. Attendees will review real-world examples of simple policies, communication templates, and checklists that can be reused immediately. The conversation avoids jargon and complex frameworks, emphasizing straightforward, “do this next week” guidance grounded in the realities of local government and education environments.

Moderator: Lance Spranger, Chief Information Officer, Waukesha County

Nicholas Corozza, IT Security and Compliance Coordinator, Waukesha County

Benjamin Dumke, Network and Systems Manager, Lawrence University

Jeff Marshall, Director of Technology, VJS Construction Services Inc

General Session - Designing a Bigger and Better Data Protection Program (without Bigger and Better Resources!)

How can you make small programmatic changes for big data protection impact? What about changes that users may not even notice? The strongest data protection process can often be made even better with minimal impact to users and budget. UW-Madison will share our story about how we adjusted an existing security process to include data privacy with limited budget and resources. What did it take to adjust this process so that cybersecurity, data management and privacy came together to offer a more thorough risk review of data use with services/vendors/tools? This session focuses on designing a security and privacy program with end users and system owners in mind. The presentation also highlights the importance of change management: Big change is hard; so, if there is a process already in place that can be adjusted, the familiarity of that process can be maintained when only small changes are made.

Patti Havlicek, UW-Madison Office of Cybersecurity, Associate Director, Risk Management and Compliance, University of Wisconsin- Madison

Claire Dalle Molle, JD Assistant Director of Data Privacy and Transparency, Office of Compliance, University of Wisconsin- Madison

Lunch

General Session - Building Wisconsin’s Cyber Workforce Pipeline

Cybersecurity talent does not appear overnight, it is built through sustained, coordinated investment across education and workforce systems. This session reframes cyber as a long-term pipeline rather than a collection of one-off programs. Leaders from K–12, higher education, and workforce initiatives will share how they are introducing cyber concepts early, expanding dual-credit and certificate pathways, and connecting students to real-world experience. Attendees will also hear examples from other jurisdictions and explore what it would take to adapt or scale similar models in Wisconsin. The focus is on practical partnerships, funding opportunities, and local actions that can strengthen the next generation of cyber defenders.

Dr. L. Roger Yin, Department of Information Technology and Supply Chain Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Dr. Balaji Sankaranarayanan, Director of the Cybersecurity Center for Business, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

General Session - Human Risk Management: Moving Beyond Annual Training

Traditional once-a-year awareness training is no longer sufficient. Discuss practical ways to treat people as a managed cyber risk rather than a compliance checkbox. It explores how to build effective programs using simulated phishing, role-based microlearning, leadership messaging, and positive reinforcement. Attendees will review behavior-focused metrics, strategies for gaining business leader buy-in, and techniques that work even when user attention is limited. Discover real-world lessons and proven approaches over generic slides or theoretical models.

Jay Fernandez, Manager of IS Governance, Risk and Compliance, Department of Corrections, State of Wisconsin

General Session – Where Wisconsin Cyber Goes Next

The summit closes with a forward-looking conversation that brings together leaders from state and local government, higher education, and federal and vendor partners. Panelists will reflect on key themes from the past two days and outline near-term priorities across AI, operational technology, local government support, funding, and workforce development. Audience questions collected throughout the summit will help shape the discussion, keeping it grounded in real needs. The session emphasizes practical next steps, highlighting actions agencies can take over the next three to six months, and reinforces a shared responsibility for strengthening cyber resilience across Wisconsin.

Moderator: Phil Bertolini, Chief Delivery Officer, e.Republic, Government Technology

Bill Brinkley, Chief Information Security Officer and Director, Division of Enterprise Technology Bureau of Security, Department of Administration, State of Wisconsin

Holly Yuan, Ph.D., Professor and Program Director, University of Wisconsin-Stout

Reception in the Exhibit Area

End of Conference

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