SC Awards Meet the Judges 2025

Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah is Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer. In this role she leads the Emerging Corporate Security Solutions team and is responsible for protecting Mastercard’s information assets as well as driving the future of security.

Dr. Jay joined Mastercard in 2019 after serving as the chief information security officer of Xerox where she established and led a corporate-wide information risk management program. She also served as the deputy chief information officer of the White House where she helped modernize the Executive Office of the President’s IT systems with cloud services and virtualization.

She currently hosts Cybercrime Magazine’s Mastering Cyber podcast and is a cybersecurity lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Information. Dr. Jay is also a former member of Smartsheet’s Board of Directors.

Dr. Jay holds a PhD in Information Technology Management from Capella University, a master’s degree in Telecommunications and Computer Networks from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Savannah State University.

Roota Almeida is the global CISO at Kyowa Kirin, leading the company’s global cybersecurity strategy, aligning security initiatives with business goals and driving innovation. With more than 15 years of cybersecurity leadership experience, her expertise spans security engineering, cyber defense, risk management, governance and compliance across multiple sectors. Passionate about advancing diversity in cybersecurity leadership, Almeida mentors emerging leaders, serves on advisory boards and lectures at Columbia University.

With a career spanning Fortune 25 enterprises and mid-cap organizations, I am a seasoned technology executive passionate about leading transformative initiatives that drive measurable business outcomes. My expertise lies in leveraging innovative technologies—cloud computing, AI, and enterprise architecture—to align IT strategy with organizational objectives, delivering exceptional ROI, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Miki Calero has been named one of the Most Influential People in Security by Security Magazine, and a Top 100 City Innovator Worldwide by United Business Media (UBM) Future Cities, for advancing enterprise risk management through unified physical and cybersecurity. As Chief Security Officer, he established an Enterprise Security Risk Management program that received CSO Magazine’s CSO40 award for groundbreaking business value and innovative application of risk and security concepts at the 15th largest city in the US, Columbus, Ohio. Miki’s career spans the private and public sectors, including startup companies, Fortune 500 enterprises, and federal, state, and local government. His responsibilities have included protection of information systems, physical assets, and critical infrastructure in strategic, tactical, and operational capacities. He consults and advises on security strategies for comprehensive asset protection, and promotes enterprise security and public private partnerships as keynote speaker at national and international events, and writer in various media outlets.

With over 30 years in the information technology and cybersecurity fields in commercial and government arenas, Ed was most recently both the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and the Head of Cyber Risk Engineering at Bowhead Specialty Underwriters (BSU), a provider of cyber risk insurance. In addition to his professional work, Ed is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Information Systems at California State University – Los Angeles (CSULA) as well as a published author and regular speaker at cybersecurity events and forums. He is also on the President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles ISC2 chapter and an active member of other cyber-focused organizations in southern California. Finally, he is a veteran of the US Navy. He holds a Masters degree in Information Technology Management, specializing in organizational leadership and change management from Colorado State University. He received his undergraduate degree in cybersecurity from the University of Maryland. He holds a number of industry certifications including the CISSP and ISSAP from ISC2 the, CISM and CRISC from ISACA, the Qualified Technology Executive (QTE) from the Digital Directors Network, among others.

Adam Ennamli is the global head of operational risk at Deel, where he is building and overseeing resiliency, ecosystem and product risk capabilities. Previously, as chief risk officer at General Bank of Canada, he unified the bank’s trust functions by consolidating risk, compliance and security into a high-performing, efficient organization. He is recognized for enabling companies to build durable competitive advantages through world-class capabilities.

Michael Fey is Island’s co-founder and CEO. Fey was President and COO at Symantec. Prior to Symantec, he was President and COO of Blue Coat. Prior to that, Mike was EVP & GM for enterprise products at McAfee and CTO of Intel Security playing a pivotal role in Intel’s acquisition of McAfee for $7.7 billion in 2010.
Fey holds a degree in Engineering Physics and Mathematics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and was co-author of Security Battleground: An Executive Field Manual, providing a playbook for security obligated executives coping with the new realities of cyber security responsibilities to the board.

Todd is a Senior Manager in EY’s Cybersecurity Consulting, specializing in Threat & Vulnerability Management, Purple Teaming, and technology controls. He is based in New York and has 19 years of cybersecurity technical product and program management experience delivering cyber solutions and developing thought leadership across multiple verticals, with focus on threat detection, threat exposure management, response/remediation, and protection.

Dheeraj Gurugubelli is a director in EY’s Strategy & Transactions Group. He is a cybersecurity and M&A professional, focusing predominantly within financial services, life sciences, health care and retail industries. He advises both private equity and corporates on cybersecurity strategy, risk and transformation across the capital agenda. He has led cybersecurity diligence and/or security program transformation efforts in over 250 M&A deals across multiple industries globally.

Renee Guttmann-Stark is an accomplished global information security and privacy executive with a career spanning 30 years. She was the first CISO at Coca-Cola, Royal Caribbean and Time Warner Inc. An early adopter of cybersecurity technologies, she has received awards for leadership and support of Women in Cybersecurity, published a white paper on the risks and benefits of early adoption, and served as one of the first judges of RSA Conference’s Innovation Sandbox.

Dr. Ed Harris holds a doctorate in information assurance and cybersecurity and has more than 35 years of network and security experience. A CISSP-certified professional, he spent 12 years teaching computer security at the University of North Carolina. He is a founding member of the Retail Cyber Information Sharing Center, a former member of the National Security Council for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and serves on ISC2’s cybersecurity scholarship review board. An active FBI InfraGard member, Harris is a longtime security evangelist, author and international speaker.

Col. (ret.) Hartman recently retired from a 30-year Army career, most recently serving as chief technology officer for Army Forces Command and as director of defensive cyber operations on the ARCYBER staff. He previously commanded the 359th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade and held roles with JECC and JSOC. A 2020 Army War College graduate, Dr. Hartman now researches AI decision manipulation and advises on cybersecurity engineering, organizational change and process improvement. He has served on many cyber security engineering advisory boards and presents at national and international conferences.

Dr. John D. Johnson is CEO/Founder of Aligned Security, providing vCISO advisory services and working with tech startups. John started his career as a physicist and security manager at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and has served in executive security roles for John Deere, Campbell Soup Co., Deloitte and with startups. John founded Docent Institute, a nonprofit focused on technology and cybersecurity education, outreach and inclusion. John is an educator, volunteer and serves on several industry boards. John’s focus areas are cybersecurity and advancing technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, IoT, OT, blockchain, and quantum computing.

Corey is a highly accomplished and strategic leader with extensive experience and demonstrated success in managing a broad range of risk oversight activities, including risk identification, control design and evaluation, and completion of risk and control self-assessments. He possesses specialist expertise in network security architecture, network access and monitoring, data governance and monitoring, identity and access management, and employee education and awareness. Corey is highly experienced in developing and building comprehensive information security programs to proactively ensure the confidentiality, integrity, availability, safety, and privacy of the organization’s intellectual property and information technology assets. Currently leading the charge in strengthening Valvoline’s security posture. In this role, he provides executive leadership across key areas, including Security Operations, Engineering and Architecture, Identity Management, GRC, and Enterprise Security Architecture. Managing a large budget, he drives resource management, tool implementations, and strategic investments that support long-term security objectives.

Ashutosh Kapse is a recognized expert in security risk management, serving as a fractional CISO for multiple organizations across Australia and Southeast Asia. Previously, he served as a CISO and security adviser for large Australian companies, including in financial services, federal and state government, infrastructure and utilities. He is an accredited trainer for courses leading to CISM, CISA and CRISC certifications. He is an adjunct professor at Deakin University, Victorian Institute of Technology in Australia, and Mahavir College in India.

Chris Lambrou brings 26 years of MLS management experience as an award-winning software architect and data science practitioner. He serves as CIO of Metro MLS in Milwaukee, leading technology strategy, business alignment and governance. An active industry and community leader, he chairs RESO’s Internet Tracking Group, leads the IEEE Milwaukee Section, serves on the United Way IT Committee and frequently speaks at universities and national conferences.

Cedric Leighton is a CNN military analyst and retired U.S. Air Force colonel with 26 years of intelligence and operational leadership experience. A founding partner of CYFORIX and chairman of Cedric Leighton Associates, he advises on global strategic and cyber risk. A frequent media contributor and speaker, he previously served at U.S. Special Operations Command, the Pentagon and the National Security Agency. Leighton is a decorated officer and a magna cum laude graduate of Cornell University.

Lera Leonteva is the founder of Leo AI, an early pioneer in applying AI to video marketing and now a top-10 U.K. ad tech firm with $2 million in seed funding. A former ethical hacker and OSCP, she has led penetration testing and red-teaming projects for PwC and health care organizations. For the past decade, she has been an active tech community leader, speaking on security, AI and engineering at conferences including BSides, National DevOps, Cloud Security Expo and the Code First Girls Conference.

Daniel Lieber is a highly experienced technology leader with a strong focus on cybersecurity. For the past 30 years, he has worked with many organizations on collaboration, communication, cybersecurity, and organizational success. He brings about the ability to quickly identify the intersections of technology and people, reducing friction from systems and enhancing value. Mr. Lieber has particular fondness for supporting organizations that help people thrive, including nonprofits, education, and healthcare. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and serves on several boards.

Gary D. Long, CISA, CISSP, has 30 years of combined U.S. and global experience working in the public and private sectors in consulting, sales and management. He has served in leadership roles at Golder Associates and Cerner Corporation and as a principal at several information security consulting firms, and he has been an enterprise sales team member for Check Point and Cisco. Long is a senior member of the Information Systems Security Association and a platinum member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association.

Dr. Sean McElroy is chief risk officer at Lumin Digital, responsible for cybersecurity, risk management and privacy programs while tasked with securely scaling cloud-based digital banking across global data centers. He also co-founded Alkami Technology, where he served in roles ranging from CTO to CISO. He earned a doctorate in cyber defense from Dakota State University, a Master of Science in information security engineering from the SANS Technology Institute, and a BBA in management information systems from the University of Oklahoma. He holds CISSP, CISM and multiple GIAC certifications.

Julian Mihai is serving as the Chief Information Security Officer at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, a leading academic medical center based in Philadelphia, PA, where he is responsible for all aspects of the enterprise cybersecurity program across clinical, research, and education lines of business. Julian has an extensive leadership experience in enterprise cybersecurity across several industries, helping organizations transform lagging security functions into cutting-edge cybersecurity programs and positioning cybersecurity as a key enabler of the organization’s mission. He is passionate about collaboration within the healthcare security community to disrupt the status quo, advising innovative security technology companies, and being engaged in innovative co-development opportunities. Julian holds an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a M.S. and B.S. in Computer Science from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest.

Dr. Kelley Misata is a visionary leader in cybersecurity strategy, open-source innovation, and nonprofit security. As Founder of Sightline Security, she empowers nonprofits to build resilient cybersecurity. As President of OISF, she advances global network security through Suricata, a premier open-source technology. A recognized expert in translating complex cybersecurity challenges into actionable solutions, Dr. Misata channels her experience as a cyberstalking survivor into advocacy for security, privacy, and open-source practices. With a Ph.D. in Cyber and Information Security from Purdue University and an MBA from Bentley University, she blends technical expertise with strategic leadership to drive meaningful change in cybersecurity.

Chahak Mittal is a CISSP-certified security leader and manager of security engineering at The Learning Care Group. Passionate about knowledge sharing and community engagement, she has served as a judge for Major League Hacking events and as a cybersecurity instructor with Microsoft TEALS. She has participated in Women in Cybersecurity and the Michigan Council of Women in Technology, where she has championed gender diversity in the field.

Patrick J. O’Guinn Sr., JD, MPA, is a distinguished trial lawyer and principal of the O’Guinn Law Firm in Columbia, Maryland. Previously, O’Guinn served as cybersecurity program director at the University of Maryland Global Campus. With 29 years of experience, he mentors cybersecurity professionals and brings expertise in higher education, digital forensics and cyber investigation. He is also an author of experiential problem-solving books.

As the Deputy CISO and Senior Director of Information Security, Aunudrei oversees the security vision, strategy, and tech stack for Allianz Life, part of the 150K-employee Allianz SE enterprise. He partners with the internal service provider to orchestrate every facet of security—risk, governance, compliance,threat intelligence, incident response, and training—while pioneering a culture that empowers people and energizes the business.

Sakthi is a seasoned Product and Cybersecurity Leader with 19+ years of combined experience in Security Product management, Product Incident Response, Cloud Security, Data Privacy, Risk Management, Audit and Compliance. He currently leads the Product Security Incident Response at Pure Storage. Prior to Pure Storage, Sakthi has held various security leadership roles at VMware, Juniper, IBM and Deloitte. He has helped fortune 100 companies improve their overall cybersecurity posture and create product differentiation and competitive advantage through security. Sakthi currently serves as President at the San Jose Institute of Internal Auditors. He also served as Board of Director at ISACA Silicon Valley chapter from 2018-2022. He has written various security articles and publications including speaking engagements on various security topics. He holds security and privacy certifications including CISSP, CISM, CISA, CIA and CDPSE.

Marcus (Marc) Sachs is the Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer at the Center for Internet Security. He is a retired US Army Officer and was a White House appointee in the George W. Bush administration. His private sector experience includes serving as the Deputy Director of SRI International’s Computer Science laboratory, as the Vice President for National Security Policy at Verizon Communications, as the Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and as the Chief Security Officer of Pattern Computer. He most recently was the Deputy Director for Research at Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security.

Taha Sajid is a senior cybersecurity and telecom security architect with 15+ years experience securing mission-critical infrastructure across telecommunications, cloud and AI-driven systems. He serves as a principal security architect at a leading U.S. telecom and satellite communications provider, leading Zero Trust, 5G and O-RAN security, and AI-enabled security automation initiatives. An active contributor to 3GPP, O-RAN, AI-RAN and Cloud Security Alliance efforts, he is also a published author and frequent speaker. Sajid also founded Xecurity Pulse, a research and education platform focused on telecom, AI and critical infrastructure security.

Vandana Verma Sehgal is a security leader at Snyk and a global expert in application security, AI and LLM security, and supply chain risk. She has trained more than 90,000 learners and speaks widely at leading conferences. A former OWASP global chair, she contributes to the OWASP LLM and MCP Top 10 initiatives.

John Taylor has nearly 30 years of experience in technology, encompassing CIO, CTO and CISO positions across sectors including technology, energy, manufacturing, insurance, health care and government. He has extensive international experience working with top-five FTSE and top-20 ASX organizations. He is the field CTO for APAC at Mimecast, helping customers address the human risk element of cybersecurity.

Gregory Wilson is the global CISO at Whirlpool. Prior to joining Whirlpool, he served as CISO at Putnam Investments and Pioneer Natural Resources and as head of information security at 1st Global. He led IT compliance and security at TPG Capital and Lehigh Hanson. Wilson holds CISSP, CISM, CGEIT, CDPSE, PSM and PMP certifications, as well as Series 7 and 24 licenses. He also serves as an adviser for Menlo Ventures and the CNBC Technology Executive Council.