2019 Keynote Speakers
Weston Hecker
Senior Application Security Engineer, MDU Resources
Weston Hecker has been pen-testing for 13 years and has 15 years of experience doing security research and programming. Weston has recently spoken at Defcon 22, 23, 24 and 25 Blackhat 2016 Enterprise Connect 2016, ISC2-Security Congress, SC-Congress Toronto, BSIDESBoston, HOPE 11 and at over 50 other speaking engagements from telecom regional events to Universities on security subject matter. Weston works with a major university's research project with Department of Homeland Security on 911 emergency systems and attack mitigation. He attended school in Minneapolis and studied Computer Science and Geophysics. Weston found several vulnerabilities in very popular software and firmware, including Microsoft, Qualcomm, Samsung, HTC, Verizon.
David Kennedy
Founder TrustedSec, Binary Defense
https://www.trustedsec.com
David Kennedy is founder of TrustedSec and Binary Defense Systems. Both organizations focus on the betterment of the security industry from both an offense and defense perspective. David also serves on the board of directors for the ISC2 organization. David was previously CSO for a Diebold Incorporated where he ran the entire INFOSEC program. He is a co-author of the book "Metasploit: The Penetration Testers Guide", the creator of the Social-Engineer Toolkit (SET), Artillery, and several popular open source tools. David has been interviewed by several news organizations including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Katie Couric, and BBC World News. He is also the co-host of the social-engineer podcast and on several additional podcasts. David has testified in front of Congress on two occasions on the security around government websites. He is one of the founding authors of the Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES); a framework designed to fix the penetration testing industry. David is the co-founder of DerbyCon, a large-scale conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to the private sector, David worked for the United States Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq twice for intelligence related missions.
Jill Baird
Information Technology Specialist
EduTech
Jill Baird, a former English teacher, has a passion for exploring the ND technology communities and finding ways to bring it to the classroom. She has been with EduTech for about 8 years. While she has been with EduTech, she has trained teachers on the use of different technologies for the classroom, effective use of technology integrated into curriculum, and the risk and rewards technology can bring to education. The NICERC Curriculum has become a passion for Jill and she became a NICERC certified trainer in June 2018. Prior to working for EduTech, Jill taught high school and middle school English, where she brought her passion for technology into the classroom on a daily basis.
Toby Barber
Security Architect
University of California San Francisco
Toby Barber leads the Information Security Architecture team at University of California San Francisco (UCSF), serving both the campus and medical center environments. He has 22 years of healthcare IT and security experience, 19 years of which have been with UCSF. Toby's current focus is threat prevention, threat detection, incident response, forensics and the architectural design of both on-premise and cloud-based infrastructure. His security domain experience extends into the areas of enterprise risk management, security defense architecture, cloud security, security program development, vulnerability management, HIPAA/ NIST compliance, security policy, breach response and information privacy.
Approaching cyber security and information privacy with an attacker's mentality, Toby has lead the modernization of UCSF's security program; supporting UCSF as the top hospital in California and among the top 10 hospitals nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2018-2019 Best Hospitals survey. He recently lead UCSF’s Managed Response RFP which resulted in architecture and services deployed across all 17 University of California (UC) campuses. This project was recognized as a key achievement with UC’s 2018 CSO Top 50 Award, protecting 238,000 students and more than 190,000 faculty and staff.
Craig Bowman
Cyber Security Industry Expert
Formerly Verizon
Craig Bowman was Vice President, Verizon’s Advanced Solutions Division; providing strategy and engineering support for cybersecurity initiatives in the Public Sector. Craig speaks internationally on the subject of cyber security and has briefed the White House, congressional offices, Olympic Committees and international defense leaders. Verizon is currently considered the most knowledgeable source of cyber-security incidents worldwide through the publishing of the internationally recognized DBIR (Data Breach Investigations Report).
Prior to Verizon, Craig led the Defense and International Security Division of Adobe Systems, a Fortune 500 software and cloud software provider. In that capacity, Craig helped to engineer secure content delivery systems for the most rugged security environments.
In his earlier years, Craig was a software cyber security engineer for the Defense and National Security Industry where he penetrated, tested, built and deployed secure software applications, remotely managed secure IT environments, and deployed and managed secure telecommunication solutions.
Leaving Verizon in January 2019, Craig now serves on numerous Boards of Directors and continues to advise government officials on cyber related matters."
Zachary Fink
Senior Cyber Intelligence Analyst
UPS
Senior Cyber Intelligence AnalystUPSZack is a native of Fargo, ND and currently works as a Senior Cyber Intelligence Analyst with UPS. In this role, his duties include threat hunting, incident response, and analyzing threat intelligence. Prior to joining the world of information security, he spent seven years in the US military. Outside of information security, his hobbies include reading, hunting, and spending time outdoors. He holds a variety of certifications including SANS Security Essentials, Incident Handling, Penetration Testing, and Advanced Threat Hunting and Incident Response. His longest held IT position is for his parents, troubleshooting anything with a plug.
Richard Frovarp
Senior Software Engineer
North Dakota State University, ECI
Richard Frovarp is a Senior Software Engineer with North Dakota State University in the Enterprise Computing and Infrastructure department. At NDSU he develops and maintains systems that create and manage accounts across a wide variety of systems, making sure that system that weren’t designed to work together do. He is also responsible for the federated authentication systems at NDSU, including the InCommon.
William Galvin
Solution Architect
Giga-Green Technologies
Will is a mid to senior level IT Technologist with strong understanding of cloud technologies and the Microsoft stack. He is always looking for the next technology that needs to be understood, deployed, and continuously managed.
Kateri Gill
Elections Program Manager
Center for Internet Security (CIS)
Kateri Gill is the Program Manager for the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), a program area of the Center for Internet Security (CIS). She graduated from the State University of New York with degrees in Geology and Physics, and worked in the field of Semiconductor Engineering prior to joining the ISAC team in 2016.
Kateri began her career at CIS by working with representatives from across our nation’s State, Local, Territorial, and Tribal governments spreading awareness of the ISAC’s cybersecurity resources and services, and also co-chairing the Business Resiliency Workgroup.
In 2018, Kateri shifted her focus and became an integral player in the initial pilot and launch of the EI-ISAC. She now champions ensuring that elections organizations have access to the resources they need to improve their comprehensive cybersecurity posture.
Rick Griencewic
Senior Security Adviser
HP Inc.
Rick Griencewic is senior PC security adviser at HP Inc. Based in Houston, Texas, Rick travels the country consulting businesses and channel partners about modern cybersecurity threats in the today’s evolving mobile workplace and how HP's innovative, hardware-enforced, security solutions protect data, device and identity while saving on IT support costs.
Throughout his 25-year career, Rick has committed himself to delivering impactful products and solutions. He most recently served as product planning lead for HP’s award-winning EliteBook 800/700 series commercial laptop product line. Rick's experience spans computer hardware, software and service roles, including 14 years at Gateway, Inc. as director of product marketing.
Although not an engineer by trade, Rick holds six United States patents. He’s also has been twice recognized as an HP "Leading the Way” award winner in 2016 and 2018. Rick holds a B.A. degree in communications and minor in writing and linguistics from Briar Cliff University.
Tim Jensen
Senior Penetration Tester
AppSec Consulting
Tim Jensen is a Senior Penetration Tester with AppSec Consulting, based out of San Jose California. Tim lives in Fargo, ND and greatly enjoys Network, Physical, and Wireless testing. Tim spends time playing with Software Defined Radios, lockpicks, and whatever the shiny new tool of the week is. When not obsessing over hacking Tim enjoys hiking, camping, and adventuring.
Ryan Knutson
Assistant Vice President for Technology
South Dakota State University
Ryan Knutson is an Assistant Vice President for Technology at South Dakota State University. In his role he helps to guide the technology processes of the university. He has been in the technology field since 1997 at both a Research II university as well as a smaller liberal arts college with. His career has spanned many areas of technology such as programming and security.
He holds a master’s degree in information systems from Dakota State University and is finishing his doctorate of Education at the University of South Dakota. His current role includes building and running the central Security Operations Center (SOC) for the South Dakota Board of Regents. He currently resides in Sioux Falls South Dakota with his wife and two children.
Allen Lepke
Senior Security Engineer
High Point Networks
Allen has over 11 years of experience in Network Administration and has spoken at many national conventions on Cybersecurity. On a day-to day basis, he focuses his time on Security assessments and Cybersecurity as a whole. Allen brought with him great knowledge when he joined High Point Networks in 2017.
CERTIFICATIONS: Tenable.io Certified, Nessus Certified, CSSA from 20/20 Secure, Sophos Certified Engineer, VMTSP from Veeam, AVG Technical Elite Professional from Avast
Brad Nigh
Director of Consulting Services
FRSecure
Brad has several years of experience working in highly regulated industries that are required to comply with PCI-DSS, HIPAA, HITECH, Sarbanes-Oxley, OCC, and various state regulatory requirements. At FRSecure Brad leads the Consulting Services practice serving businesses of all sizes, in all industries by cooperatively solving the complex issues surrounding information security.
Sean Reagan
Security Consulting Systems Engineer
Cisco
Sean is an experienced IT professional with over 20 years of industry experience. From his first job learning networking via a stack of Novell manuals, to installing wireless in chicken barns and a slurry of other inhospitable places, to more civilized pursuits involving enterprise data center and LAN/WAN design, he’s had some adventures. Sean has spent the last 5 years immersed in the cybersecurity industry, learning from and guiding his customers in their quest for more effective and efficient security. His practical approach to improving security is refreshing and realistic.
Mike Saunders
Principal Consultant
Red Siege
Mike Saunders has over 25 years of experience in IT and security and has worked in the ISP, financial, insurance, and agribusiness industries. He has held a variety of roles in his career including system and network administration, development, and security architect. Mike been performing penetration tests for nearly a decade. Mike is an experienced speaker and has spoken at DerbyCon V and VII, BSides MSP, BSides Winnipeg, and the NDSU Cyber Security Conference. He has participated multiple times as a member of NCCCDC Red Team. Mike holds the GCIH, GPEN, GWAPT, GMOB, CISSP, and OSCP certifications.
Megan Stoner
Program Manager
Otter Tail Power Company
Megan Stoner is a PMP Certified Portfolio Manager with Specialization in Enterprise and Cyber Security Programs and IT Project Management. Megan has held a variety of positions throughout the PMO structure with experience in many different business industries. These opportunities have given her a wide variety of project scenarios and best practices across all platforms that have allowed her to grow in her Portfolio and Program Management knowledge within IT and Cyber Security Programs. She is now managing a wide variety of IT Programs as well Otter Tail Corporations Information Cyber Security Program which includes Energy industry government regulations and responsibilities.
Jeremy Straub
Associate Director
NDSU Institute for Cybersecurity Education and Research
Jeremy Straub is the associate director of the NDSU Institute for Cyber Security Education and Research and an assistant professor in the North Dakota State University's Department of Computer Science.
Straub holds a Ph.D. in Scientific Computing, an M.S. and an M.B.A. and two B.S degrees. His research spans the gauntlet between technology development, technology policy and commercialization. It has recently focused on cyber-physical system security, robotic command and control, aerospace command and 3D printing quality assurance."
Major Terry Traylor
Major, USMC
Fargo Military Entrance Procession Station
Major Terry O. Traylor Jr. is the commander of the Fargo Military Entrance Processing Station. He has served with the Army National Guard, US Navy, and is currently a Marine Corps Communications Officer with cyber and information warfare experience. His assignments include squadron communication officer, communication platoon commander, company executive officer, ground electronic warfare officer, and company commander, with Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Camp Pendleton, California, deploying to Afghanistan as an information operations officer, special technical operations chief, and cyberspace electronic warfare coordination cell officer-in-charge, in the Force Effects Coordination Cell with the II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; deploying to Morocco in support of Exercise African Lion; deploying for Exercises Bold Alligators 12, 13, and 14 aboard the USS Wasp and USS Tarawa, in Norfolk, Virginia; deploying in support of Operation Oaken Lotus with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune; and finally serving as the assistant battalion operations officer, battalion operations officer, company executive officer, delta company operations officer, Exercise Cylon Reach officer-in-charge, Exercise Talon Reach support exercise planner, and Project Desert Oasis plans and project officer with the Communication Training Battalion at Twenty-Nine Palms, California.
Brent Van Aartsen
Director of Technical Operations & Development, ISO
Dakota State University
Brent Van Aartsen currently serves as the Director of Technical Operations & Development, ISO for Dakota State University (DSU) located in Madison, South Dakota and has served in this role since May 2016. Previous to this position, Van Aartsen served 3 years as the Director of Web Services at Dakota State University. In the years prior, he held multiple positions responsible for software development and server administration. At present Van Aartsen holds a Master of Science in Applied Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and is currently pursuing a PhD in Information Systems. Van Aartsen has also presented at Educause, a premier technology conference for Higher Education, on Dakota State University’s IALab, a locally hosted computer and cyber security cloud platform that allows students and faculty to teach, learn, and perform research in a safe and secure manner.
Dr. Greg Wettstein
Principal Engineer/Worker
IDfusion, LLC
Dr. Greg Wettstein has worn many hats in his tenure in information technology. In the field of information security, he directs engineering for IDfusion LLC, a North Dakota based technology company that applies identity theory to the challenges associated with the implementation of autonomously self-defensive computing platforms. His work in Autonomous Introspection, (the other AI), derives from translational research in quantum field theory and multi-scale modeling. AI based platforms have the important security predicates of knowing what their intended behavior should be, an understanding of whether or not they are operating in accordance with that behavior and are capable of taking very granular remediation's if the platform determines it is acting in an extra-dimensional domain. Dr. Wettstein has been an invited presenter on IDfusion's security innovations by IBM, DARPA, DHS, the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) and others who would prefer to remain undisclosed. He is regarded as one of the industry experts in hardware based trusted execution environments. Whatever free time he has gets spent with his Golden Retriever Izzy, on the north shore of Big Chippewa Lake in the glacial moraine country of West-Central Minnesota, where they reflect on how to save the world as we know it.
