Mohammed Abuhamad is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Loyola University Chicago. He holds dual Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2020, Computer Science from the University of Central Florida and Electrical and Computer Engineering from INHA University. His research centers on the intersection of artificial intelligence and security, including deep learning for threat detection, software and mobile/IoT security, and adversarial machine learning. Across these areas, he aims to develop robust, deployable methods that improve the reliability and security of modern computing systems. His work bridges theory and practice, with a focus on measurable impact in real-world settings.

As the City of Seattle's Chief Privacy Officer, Ginger is Seattle Information Technology's Director of the Data Privacy, Accountability, and Compliance division, with responsibility for five citywide programs including the Privacy & Surveillance Compliance Program, the Citywide Public Records Act Program, the Open Data Program, the Compliance & Policy Program, and Responsible Artificial Intelligence Program. Prior to this role, she worked for Microsoft on an international team of privacy specialists to resolve issues associated with multi-million-dollar marketing initiatives. She spent the first 20 years of her career working in sales and marketing for Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Johnson & Johnson, and several medical technology startup companies.

Kushal Badal is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at North Carolina A&T State University, specializing in vision-language models and Large Language Models for security applications. His research focuses on developing multimodal AI systems that combine visual and linguistic reasoning for real-world safety challenges, including violence detection, concealed weapon identification, and intrusion detection in UAVs. He works on privacy-preserving federated learning frameworks and edge deployment of deep learning systems. With 6+ publications in venues including IEEE Access and top conferences, he has been recognized with the Outstanding Thesis Award 2025 at the university level and Best Paper Award at ISBRA 2024. His research interests span LLMs, computer vision, security, and computational biology.

Dr. Dustin Bessette is an educator, researcher, author, and tenure-track CIS cybersecurity instructor with strong expertise in quality management, online learning, and academic career development. Academically, Bessette has co‑authored more than 40 publications, contributing to edited volumes and conference proceedings between 2013 and 2019. His work spans topics such as cybersecurity and hyperconnectivity ("Battlefield Cyberspace"), blended learning and MOOCs, digital literacy and educational technology, cost–benefit analysis of e‑learning, mentoring programs for adult learners, and performance measurement tools in higher education. Professionally, he has held leadership roles in education, academic program design, teaching business process improvement, and training. Concurrent with his doctoral studies, he served as Regional Water Safety Coordinator for New York State Parks and has worked in academic research and internships, including a role in the U.S. Senate.

Today, Dustin is recognized as an author, speaker, solutions architect, and instructor, integrating his years of experience in pedagogy, quality systems, and online learning into his research and teaching practice. In short, Dustin Bessette’s career bridges higher education administration, instructional design, and research in quality and technology-enhanced learning, with a special emphasis on supporting non‑traditional students and designing sustainable STEM frameworks for academic and professional development.

Lastly, Dr. Bessette manages a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant that is focused on Scholarships, Strategic Course Sequencing, and Comprehensive Student Support to Increase Undergraduate Degree Completion in Computing and Cybersecurity. His focal work continues to align with current cyber industry standards and practices on artificial intelligence (AI).

Jane Blanken-Webb, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership program at Wilkes University. A specialist in John Dewey’s philosophy, she bridges her expertise in philosophy of education with a focus on cybersecurity. Jane developed a doctoral-level course, Cybersecurity for Educational Leaders, which has inspired several interdisciplinary dissertation projects exploring the critical intersection of education and cybersecurity. Her work, supported by cybersecurity experts, contributes to preparing leaders for the digital age. Prior to Wilkes, she held postdoctoral positions, including at the Information Trust Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Mike Bottorff has more than 15 years of education and information technology (IT) experience, primarily leading technology teams in public school corporations. Mr. Bottorff currently serves as Vice President of the School of Information Technology at Ivy Tech Community College. He previously held leadership roles for Earlham College, MSD of Lawrence Township, NHJ United School Corporation, and Hamilton Southeastern Schools. An Indiana native, Mr. Bottorff earned his Bachelor of Arts in English Secondary Teaching with a computer endorsement from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in finance in 2007 from the University of Washington.

Dr. William (Bill) Butler is the Vice President of Cyber Science Outreach and Partnerships at Capitol Technology University. Beginning in 2021, he served as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and previously, as Cybersecurity Chair for 8 years at Capitol Tech. Earlier in his career, he worked in the networking and IT industries as a network engineer and consultant for over 20 years. Dr. Butler also served as a joint qualified communications information systems officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired as a Colonel with 30 years of service (active and reserve). He is very active in various working groups such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cloud Computing Security Forum Working Group (NIST CCSFWG), Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Big Data and Mobile Computing Working Group, and the National CyberWatch Center Curriculum Taskforce and the National Cybersecurity Student Association Advisory Board. Dr. Butler holds degrees from Brenau University, Marine Corps University, U.S. Army War College, National Defense University, University of Maryland and Capitol Technology University. He earned his DSc in Cybersecurity at Capitol in 2016 researching consumer countermeasures to illegal cellphone intercept.

Dr. Brian Callahan is a Specialist Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Monmouth University. He is the Director of the Cybersecurity Research Center at Monmouth, where his research interests include business and social cases for cybersecurity, the intersection of Generative AI and cybersecurity, the intersection of Quantum computing and cybersecurity, and improving security knowledge for everyday people. He teaches a variety of cybersecurity courses ranging from red teaming to cloud security, and has coached nationally top-ranked CTF teams. He can be found online at https://briancallahan.net.

Hareign Casaclang is currently pursuing a B.S. degree in Computer Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He is a National Science Foundation Scholarship for Service (SFS) recipient and an intern at the UNLV Cyber Clinic, where he assists small businesses in the Las Vegas area with cybersecurity assessments to improve their security posture. His research interests include applied cybersecurity, digital forensics, and security awareness education. He seeks to contribute to the development of effective, practical cybersecurity solutions that address the evolving challenges faced by small organizations and the public sector.

Simon Castle-Green is a Senior Technical Specialist working in the University of Nottingham’ Cobot Maker Space and the School of Computer Science. Within his role, he works alongside academics supporting Robotic related teaching and research activities. Research interests include utilising smart-sensing devices for rehabilitation, robotic teleoperation, and mobile robotics.

Dr. Eric Chan-Tin is currently a Professor in the Department of Computer Science, the Founding Director of the Loyola Center for Cybersecurity, and the PI for the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense at Loyola University Chicago. He received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota and his B.A. from Macalester College. His research areas are in network security, distributed systems, privacy, anonymity, and at the intersection of cybersecurity and social sciences. He has received over $6 million in external funding for his research. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers, including publications at top conferences and journals such as ACM CCS, NDSS, ACM TISSEC, and IEEE TIFS. In 2020, he was recognized as a Master Researcher in the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago. He is the faculty advisor for the Loyola Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) student chapter, the Don't Panic! Computer Science club, and the cybersecurity competitions 7968 club; and coaches students to participate in cybersecurity competitions.

Quinn Colognato is a sophomore at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majoring in Information Technology & Web Science and Computer Science with a focus track in Information Security. She serves on leadership for the Rensselaer Cybersecurity Collaboratory and the RPI Association for Computing Machinery Women's Chapter. She also conducts research in the Rensselaer Cybersecurity Collaboratory on the intersection between Quantum Computing and Generative AI and mentors her peers in computer science.

I offer value with a growth mindset and strong ability to develop and apply solutions that improve decisions under risk and uncertainty. My professional intent is to apply behavioral insights with a solution-focused approach to influence the organizational change necessary to adopt innovative ways of managing risk.

Timothy Crisp is a PhD student in Cyber Studies at The University of Tulsa. He began his career as a K-12 teacher and currently remains in the classroom as an instructor at a high school teaching Cybersecurity and Computer Science. By focusing on the integration of the NICE Framework into K-12 curricula through The University of Tulsa's Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute, Timothy is helping to create a more secure digital future for the next generation. The Institute was established to cultivate Oklahoma's technology and cyber ecosystem, through research, innovation, education, and collaboration with industry, workforce, government, and academic partners. By fostering a culture of cyber awareness in his workshops, Timothy empowers educators and administrators with knowledge and reassurance to take cybersecurity topics back to their schools and integrate them into the classrooms.

Arunima Chaudhary is a Teacher at Cardiff University, where she has taught for the past three years and conduct research on the safe integration of Generative AI in Cybersecurity Education. Their work examines key challenges in transparency, accuracy, and security, with the aim of developing responsible, student-centered approaches to using GenAI as a digital learning assistant.

This research is strongly informed by Arunima’s international educational initiative, 'One World, One Technology', which she founded to connect secondary schools around the globe. Through this project, students engage with emerging technologies including cybersecurity, game development, app creation, and web design, while gaining early exposure to rapid pedagogical and technological change. The experiences and insights gathered from working with diverse classrooms worldwide directly inspired Arunima’s research focus, highlighting the need for safe, supportive AI tools that empower rather than disadvantage young learners.

Deeply committed to expanding Cybersecurity awareness among youth, Arunima aims to help bridge the future workforce gap by encouraging students to pursue careers in cybersecurity and related fields. Through both research and outreach, they strive to ensure that generative AI becomes an ethical, transparent, and effective resource for learners across the world.

Amorita A. Christian is an experienced IT professional currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cyber Studies at the University of Tulsa, where her research focuses on the nuanced cyber-physical security of critical infrastructure systems. Her doctoral journey includes previous internships with the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, The University of Tulsa's Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute, and the Idaho National Laboratory.

Amorita has earned multiple professional certifications and undergraduate and graduate degrees in business and technology, and she has more than two decades of industry and consulting experience in multiple areas of business and information technology. She is a former participant in the CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service program and now serves as a Fellow in the Cyber Fellows Program and Scholar in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program.

Outside of her professional and academic work, Amorita is passionately committed to community involvement through volunteering with various social causes and serving as a current and former board member of several nonprofit organizations. In her “spare” time, she enjoys traveling, running, cycling, and baking.

Marc J. Dupuis, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor within the Computing and Software Systems Division at the University of Washington Bothell where he also serves as the Graduate Program Coordinator. Dr. Dupuis earned a Ph.D. in Information Science at the University of Washington with an emphasis on cybersecurity. Prior to this, he earned an M.S. in Information Science and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Washington, as well as an M.A. in Political Science at Western Washington University

His research area is cybersecurity with an emphasis on the human factors of cybersecurity. The primary focus of his research involves the examination of psychological traits and their relationship to the cybersecurity and privacy behavior of individuals. This has included an examination of antecedents and related behaviors, as well as usable security and privacy. His goal is to both understand behavior as it relates to cybersecurity and privacy, and discover what may be done to improve that behavior.

More recently, Dr. Dupuis and his collaborators have been exploring the use of fear appeals, shame, regret, forgiveness, and grace in cybersecurity, including issues related to their efficacy and the ethics of using such techniques to engender behavioral change. He has a strong track record of multi-disciplinary research and loves involving his students in his research. Security and privacy education and outreach are key components of his work.

Pamela Doran serves as the Digital Accessibility and Machine Translation Coordinator at Empire State University. She is pursuing a doctorate in Leadership and Change, focusing on the intersection of technology, language justice, and inclusive pedagogy. Her research and practice seek to transform higher education through equitable design, ethical AI use, and the integration of multilingual accessibility as a foundation for belonging and academic success.

Kendra Evans is an educator, researcher, and curriculum designer with more than a decade of experience spanning K–12 classrooms, higher education, and industry-aligned learning platforms. She has led computer science programs in higher education, guided curriculum development, and designed innovative cybersecurity courses that integrate hands-on labs, cyber ranges, and real-world applications. Her work with Codio has advanced interactive, practice-based learning experiences, while her academic leadership as a Program Chair in Computer Science has shaped pathways for students entering technology and security fields.

Evans has collaborated with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to design national K–12 cybersecurity curriculum, ensuring that complex security concepts are accessible and seamlessly integrated into everyday instruction. Her scholarship includes a recently published article in the Journal of The Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (CISSE), where she examined the intersection of cybersecurity, pedagogy, and the workforce skills gap.

Drawing on over a decade of classroom teaching across multiple subjects and grade levels, including higher education, Evans brings a strong foundation in pedagogy and innovation to her work in cybersecurity education. She holds multiple degrees from Northwestern State University in Louisiana and is pursuing her doctorate at Arkansas State University, where her research explores equity, access, and skill development in cybersecurity pathways. She is also an active member of ISC², engaging with the global cybersecurity community to advance inclusive education and workforce development.

Her mission is to create equitable, inclusive pathways into cybersecurity, equipping educators and learners with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Prof. Steven Furnell is Professor of Cyber Security in the School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham. His research interests include security awareness and culture, usability of security and privacy, and technologies for user authentication. He has authored over 430 papers in refereed international journals and conference proceedings, as well as various books, book chapters, and industry reports. Amongst his various roles and responsibilities, Steve is the UK representative to Technical Committee 11 (security and privacy) within the International Federation for Information Processing, a board member of the Chartered Institute of Information Security, a member of the Steering Group for the Cyber Security Body of Knowledge (CyBOK), and the Deputy Editor of Computers & Security.

Zi Fan Tan is a Security Researcher at Google on the Android Red Team. He focuses on finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in the Android platform and its kernel. His work involves in-depth vulnerability research, where he looks for flaws like memory corruption or privilege escalation bugs that could harm users.

Zi Fan has a broad skill set in cybersecurity, from reverse engineering to developing custom exploits. His work is critical for proactively finding vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors, which helps secure Android for billions of users.

My doctoral research focuses on cybersecurity culture in higher education and AI-driven multi-agent frameworks for secure governance.

I bring over 15 years of leadership experience spanning cybersecurity, technology, and higher education. I've led identity and access management modernization and directed cross-institutional cybersecurity programs across federal research environments and universities. I also serve in the Washington Army National Guard, leading technology operations and teams in high-stakes environments.

In academia, I teach database technologies, operating systems, AI fundamentals, and quality assurance—emphasizing hands-on, applied learning that connects theory to real-world practice. My work bridges technical expertise with human-centered leadership. I believe cybersecurity professionals must be not only technically skilled but also effective communicators and decision-makers who can inspire trust under pressure. Beyond teaching and research, I'm active in cybersecurity competitions, leadership development, and mentoring the next generation of technology leaders.

Emily Goldman is a junior dual major in Computer Science and Information Technology & Web Science. She participates in CTF competitions and cybersecurity research in the Rensselaer Cybersecurity Collaboratory. She has conducted research on the behaviors of ROPchains on OpenBSD systems, condensed information on vulnerabilities and mitigation suggestions for modern healthcare systems, and worked on RPI's new quantum computer to crack pseudo-RSA using Shor's algorithm. When she is not burying herself in the latest TryHackMe room, she will typically be knitting or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Jason Gorski, Ph.D. is the President of MicroNova LLC, an embedded systems consulting firm he founded in 2012, where he specializes in FPGA-based embedded systems development across automotive, defense, aerospace, medical, and industrial sectors. Dr. Gorski holds a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from Oakland University. He has successfully commercialized open-source hardware through MicroNova's AmpliPi whole-house audio system. His technical expertise in FPGA development, custom IP cores, DSP/ML optimization, and high-speed interfaces has enabled applications ranging from expeditionary 3D printer control and ultrasonic pipeline inspection to vision-based error correction and mini-UAV autonomous monitoring.

Dr. John Hale is a Professor of Computer Science and holds the Tandy Endowed Chair in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at the University of Tulsa. His research has been funded by the US Air Force, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). These projects include research on neuroinformatics, cyber trust, information privacy, attack modeling, secure software development, and cyber-physical system security. He has testified before Congress on three separate occasions as a cyber security expert, and in 2004 was awarded a patent on technology he co-developed to thwart digital piracy on file sharing networks. In 2000, Professor Hale earned a prestigious NSF CAREER award for his educational and research contributions to the field of information assurance.

Dr. Vahid Heydari is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Morgan State University, specializing in the application of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, moving target defense, malware analysis, and industrial control system security. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering and an M.S. in Cybersecurity from The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Prior to joining Morgan State, he was an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research at Rowan University.

Aniya Hopson is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity on the Computer Science track at Hampton University. She is an SFS: CyberCorps Scholar with research interests in artificial intelligence, digital forensics, and penetration testing. Her current research focuses on training AI algorithms for real-time detection using IP cameras. Previously, under the guidance of Dr. Boonthum-Denecke, she analyzed hundreds of animal images to identify patterns that affect object detection performance.

Beyond her academic work, Aniya serves as the President of the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Chapter at Hampton University, where she organizes events, connects members with industry speakers, and exposes members to different aspects of cybersecurity outside of the classroom. Her dedication to AI and cybersecurity has been recognized through her achievement of second place at the ADMI 2025 research competition.

Outside of her technical pursuits, Aniya enjoys hiking and crocheting. She is passionate about exploring how AI algorithms can be leveraged to strengthen cybersecurity systems and improve real-time detection for practical, real-world applications.

Dr. Hurd is responsible for instruction and curriculum development in the MSIT and MS in Cybersecurity programs. Prior to joining Empire University, he worked at SUNY Albany, SNHU, Excelsior University and Hudson Valley CC. Dr. Hurd holds dual Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and Mathematics, a Master's in the Science of Teaching Mathematics, and a PhD in Information Sciences specialized in Information Assurance and Online Learning. He won the SUNY Chancellors award for Excellence in Teaching in 2012 while working at HVCC. Dr. Hurd's research focus is on Cybersecurity and Computer Science education. He strives to find ways to teach technology concepts more efficiently to the new generation of learners.

Bianca Ionescu earned her Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems from University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2024. She currently is a National Science Foundation CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service (SFS) scholar studying for her Master's degree in Cybersecurity, also from UNLV. She has spoken at other conferences such as the International Information Management Association in 2023, WiCyS 2025, and the Diana Initiative 2025. She has served in multiple leadership roles within student cybersecurity organizations such as President and founder of the WiCyS UNLV Student Chapter (October 2023 - present) and Vice President of the UNLV Cyber Clinic (2024 - 2025). In these organizations, she has promoted professional development and collaboration among peers. Her work explores how transferable skills from creative disciplines can enhance problem-solving and resilience in cybersecurity.

Dr. Amir Javed is a distinguished cybersecurity professional, academic, and co-founder of Kesintel, a cybersecurity intelligence venture. He currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University, where he leads pioneering research and teaching in areas such as malware behaviour analysis, cyber risk management, and the application of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity.

Holding a PhD in Cybersecurity, focused on understanding malware behaviour and predicting attacks through online social networks, and an MSc in Information Security and Privacy, Dr Javed is also a CISSP-certified expert. His research and practical insights are underpinned by collaborations with leading organisations including GCHQ, Airbus, Thales, and The Alan Turing Institute, aimed at countering cyber threats and strengthening digital resilience.

Beyond academia, Dr Javed serves as a Domain Knowledge Expert at the Wales Cyber Innovation Hub and as a mentor at T-Hub, Telangana, where he supports start-ups and SMEs in developing innovative cybersecurity solutions. As co-founder of Kesintel, he plays a pivotal role in transforming academic research into practical intelligence tools that enable organisations to anticipate and mitigate emerging cyber risks. His research encompasses critical areas such as IoT security, phishing detection, and AI-driven threat identification, contributing substantially to advancements in the field. With over 16 years of experience, Dr Javed brings a distinctive blend of technical expertise and commercial acumen to cybersecurity. He remains deeply committed to advancing the discipline through education, innovation, and mentorship.

Ju-Yeon Jo received the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA, in 2003. She is currently a Professor with the Department of Computer Science, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). At UNLV, she directs the UNLV Cyber Clinic and leads several major federally funded initiatives, including the NSF CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service program, the DOE/NNSA MSIPP project, and the NSA GenCyber programs. Her research interests include cybersecurity education, network and system security, applied cyber defense, and experiential learning models for cybersecurity workforce development.

Prof. Jo has authored numerous refereed publications and has served as principal investigator on multi-million-dollar projects supporting cybersecurity research, education, and outreach. She is the Point of Contact (POC) and lead for UNLV’s designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), building extensive partnerships with government, industry, and educational institutions to expand the cybersecurity talent pipeline.

She has served as a reviewer, program committee member and organizer for multiple conferences and journals in cybersecurity and computer science education.

Ralph Johnson is a veteran in information security and privacy, helping shape the landscape across various high-profile roles over his 28-year career. Currently serving as the State Chief Information Security Officer for Washington, he directs the Office of Cybersecurity and advises the executive branch and the Legislature on information security issues. He plays a central role in guiding state-wide security efforts, providing leadership and strategic planning.

In past positions as Chief Information Security Officer at Nant Media LLC and Los Angelas County he was recognized for developing robust security policies and achieving the PCI DSS certification, evidence of his skill in enhancing organizational security postures. His impact during his time with Los Angeles County was profound, where he developed the county's first strategic information security plan. Ralph's leadership style balances business needs with security imperatives, creating initiatives that involve collaboration across diverse departments to foster a unified approach to security and privacy.

Ralph's professional journey also includes initiating the development of King County's information security and privacy program where he spearheaded numerous initiatives, including the deployment of enterprise-wide security measures and the development of comprehensive training programs for over 3,500 staff members. His proactive strategies significantly reduced risks and safeguarded county information assets.

Beyond his executive roles, Ralph has made significant contributions to the academic field as an instructor at the University of Washington and ITT Technical Institute, where he taught Information Systems and Cybersecurity. His commitment to education is also evident as a sponsor and patron of the Holistic Information Security Practitioner Institute, where he has served as a board president and certified trainer, inspiring the next generation of security professionals.

Ralph has earned degrees from Eastern Oregon University and the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science and has numerous professional certifications in IT and security. His contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the ISE West "People's Choice" Executive of the Year.

Yoohwan Kim received the B.A. degree in Economics from Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. He is currently a Professor with the Department of Computer Science, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where he is also the Founding Director of the UNLV Cyber Clinic. His research interests include network security, AI-powered cybersecurity, blockchain, and intrusion detection

Prof. Kim has authored and coauthored numerous refereed publications in journals and conferences and has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on multiple federally funded projects in cybersecurity, including programs supported by the NSF, DOE/NNSA, and NSA. He has been instrumental in advancing UNLV’s designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and in building experiential learning opportunities for students through the Cyber Clinic.

Dr. Gloria Joanne Kramer-Gordon is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of TESOL and Bilingual Education for Graduate Studies in the College of Education at SUNY Empire University. Her work focuses on language acquisition, multicultural education, and literacy development for multilingual learners across K–12 and adult education contexts. Dr. Kramer’s current research explores the intersection of language, technology, and cybersecurity, specifically how cybersecurity vocabulary, machine translation, and language equity intersect. Working with her colleagues, Dr. Kramer investigates how mistranslations and linguistic gaps can compromise both institutional safeguards and learner confidence in multilingual digital environments. By integrating insights from linguistics and cybersecurity, her scholarship underscores the vital role of language in fostering secure, equitable, and culturally responsive communication in globalized digital spaces.

Dr. Yair Levy is a Professor of Information Systems and Cybersecurity at Nova Southeastern University's College of Computing, AI, and Cybersecurity. As the Director of the Center for Information Protection, Education, and Research (CIPhER), he spearheads initiatives in cybersecurity research and education. With over 10,000 citations, Dr. Levy's research focuses on cybersecurity threat prevention, cyber risk assessments, with a particular emphasis on human-factor aspects. Throughout his career, Dr. Levy has held various leadership roles, including President of the Association for Information Systems' Special Interest Group on Information Security and Privacy (SIGSEC). He is a senior member of IEEE and has also serving as a cybersecurity expert for federal agencies and local government groups, and as a member of the FBI's InfraGard South Florida Chapter. Dr. Levy has graduated over 60 Ph.D.s in Information Systems and Cybersecurity Management and has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Professor of the Year award and the NSU Provost's External Funding Recognitions. As a sought-after expert, Dr. Levy regularly provides keynote talks and media commentary on cybersecurity topics. Learn more about his work via https://sites.nova.edu/levyy and https://infosec.nova.edu/cylab/.

I am a graduate student in the School of Education at Monmouth University, pursuing a master's degree in student Affairs and College Counseling. With a strong interest in technology and education, I currently work as a Graduate Assistant supporting academic initiatives and student engagement projects. My recent research explores innovative approaches to cybersecurity awareness and AI literacy, including a gamified learning platform designed to help users recognize phishing and deepfake scams through interactive, personalized training. I am passionate about integrating advanced technology and higher education to promote digital resilience and student empowerment.

Joseph Lozada is a data scientist and technology leader with nearly 15 years of experience leading enterprise-level data, technology, and AI/machine learning initiatives with large-scale organizations. He currently serves as Director of Business Intelligence at Qualus, a consulting firm in the energy sector, where he leads a multidisciplinary practice of data scientists, analysts, and engineers delivering custom data solutions for utility clients. Joseph holds an MBA as well as an MS in Data Science and is pursuing a Doctor of Science in Cybersecurity, with research focused on AI-driven insider threat detection.

Ella Luedeke is a senior Computer Science student at the University of North Florida. With a minor in Leadership, she is involved with the Hicks Honors College, Honors in the Major, and Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honors Society. She is a Peer Assisted Student Success Leader, facilitator for the Honors Colloquium course, and President of the Women in Cybersecurity club. She is also a student editor of the Florida Undergraduate Research Journal and a Student Ambassador for UNF’s College of Computing, Engineering, and Construction. She participated in the NSF Research for Undergraduate Fellowship program at the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte under Dr. Meera Sridhar. Ella currently conducts research with Dr. Indika Kahanda on the application of large language models for automating student feedback. She hopes to pursue a PhD in Computer Science and further research in applicable AI systems.

Prashanthi Matam is a Senior Software Engineer specializing in AI and MLOps, with expertise in full-stack development, cloud infrastructure, data pipelines, DevOps, and AI/ML telemetry. She has extensive experience designing and deploying scalable systems on cloud platforms and integrating machine learning models into production environments. Her work includes building intelligent observability tools, predictive maintenance systems, and AI-powered assistants using modern frameworks such as TensorFlow, LangChain, and Kubernetes.

She earned her Master's degree in Computer Science from Northeastern University and is currently pursuing a second Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Texas at Austin. Prashanthi is passionate about advancing cloud-native AI solutions that bridge software engineering and data science.

Lauren Matthews is a recent graduate of Florida A&M University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Over the past three years, she has been deeply engaged in research focused on media authentication -- specifically, determining whether digital content has been created or altered by artificial intelligence. Her work explores the intersection of machine learning and digital forensics, a field she has grown passionate about through hands-on experimentation and academic inquiry.

Herb Mattord, Ph.D., CISM, CISSP completed 26 years of IT industry experience before joining the faculty at Kennesaw State University in 2002. He was the Manager of Corporate Information Technology Security at Georgia-Pacific Corporation, where much of his practical knowledge in information security was acquired. He is on the faculty at Kennesaw State University with the rank of Professor where he teaches Information Security and Cybersecurity. He serves as the Associate Director of the KSU Center for Cybersecurity Education. He is the co-author of several books published by Course Technology and an active researcher in information security management topics.

Eric McCloy is the Chief Information Officer for Eastern University, a position he has held since 2016. He has over 35 years of experience in IT, more than twenty of which are in Higher Education.

Eric's early IT career was concentrated in programming, analysis, and database design but for the past decade has primarily been concerned with IT strategic planning and project management. As cyber security threats have grown significantly, Eric has contentrated on securing the university's infrastructure and training faculty, staff, and students to recognize and reject cyber attacks.

Eric is currently working on a in Doctorate in Information Technology in Cybersecurity from City University of Seattle. He graduated from Temple University, with a B.A. in Geography and Urban Studies. He has earned an M.Div. from Westminster Seminary and an M.B.A. in International Business from Arcadia University.

Aanya Mehta is a junior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, pursuing a dual major in Computer Science and Information Technology & Web Science with a focus track in Information Security. She has conducted research on the intersection of Generative AI and Quantum Computing, fine-tuning large language models with quantum techniques. Last summer, she interned at Google, developing a full-stack web application and building a data pipeline to aggregate and transform complex datasets. She is passionate about solving real-world challenges through innovative technology and looks forward to applying her skills to create impactful solutions.

My career blends institutional leadership with cybersecurity/IT operations leadership in industry, government, and academia. I'm the Program Director of the Online MS in Cybersecurity Leadership at Seattle University, engaging with partners, mentors, and industry to provide students with the opportunity to accelerate and focus their careers.

Research interests include:

• Any research leading to a resilient cyber-empowered global society
• Defensive cyber architectures using graph theory that work to address the asymmetrical problem
• Cyber psychology & sociology related to incident response, training, and other adversarial contexts
• Immersive & Collaborative Cyber education experiences in 3D virtual spaces and other empowering environments of high validity in relation to career experiences

In cyber operations, I've provided executive director-level leadership in government, transforming cybersecurity, regional IT infrastructure, education technologies, and fleet services. I've trained National Guard cyber units in multiple states (including red-teaming and scenario design) and I design virtual world avatar-based scenarios. Also, I've provided incident response analysis to the National Guard Bureau in Washington DC.

Mujtaba Nazari is a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at Loyola University Chicago, where he works as a research assistant in AISeC Research Lab. He completed his master’s degree in computer science at Loyola University Chicago as a Fulbright Scholar. His research focuses on improving the robustness of machine learning models, including both classification and generative AI model, by evaluating their vulnerabilities to adversarial attacks and developing defense strategies to strengthen security. Mujtaba also assists with the SecureAI – Cybersecurity Training for AI Workshop series as a lab assistant, helping train practitioners in addressing security and privacy challenges in AI systems.

Samuel Nimako-Mensah is a Software Development Manager based in Seattle, Washington, where he leads engineering teams building cloud services. He has over 15 years of experience in software engineering, including work on distributed systems and developer tools at Amazon Web Services. He was a founding engineer on AWS Amplify Console and holds an MS in Computer Science from the University of Michigan and a BS in Computer Science from Savitribai Phule Pune University.

Sateesh Nutulapati is Director of Hosting & DevOps at New Target, Inc., where he leads enterprise, government, and non-profit web application hosting and infrastructure security. With over two decades of experience in IT and cybersecurity operations, he manages secure environments requiring strict compliance with frameworks such as FedRAMP, HIPAA, and PCI, while architecting scalable and resilient hosting platforms. Alongside his technical leadership, Sateesh is an independent researcher exploring human factors in cybersecurity. Drawing on his master’s degrees in psychology and neuroscience from King’s College London, his work investigates how stress, fatigue, attention, and decision-making biases contribute to cybersecurity risks.

Dr. Olav Opedal is a data scientist and psychologist specializing in AI/ML applications, holding multiple patents including innovations in fraud prevention and patch management. With a unique interdisciplinary background combining a B.S. in Computer Science, M.A. in Clinical Psychology, and Ph.D. in General Psychology, he brings over 20 years of industry experience from Microsoft, T-Mobile, and PwC, where he has focused on implementing AI/ML solutions in information security since 2015. Dr. Opedal currently provides consulting services through his veteran-owned firm while teaching at Bellevue College and conducts academic research on the psychology of computer professionals, information security specialists, and hackers using mixed quantitative and qualitative methods. His work bridges the critical intersection of human behavior, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity—making him uniquely positioned to address the challenges and opportunities facing community college cybersecurity education in the age of AI.

Dr. Weihao Qu is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Monmouth University. His research focuses on program analysis for security, gamified cybersecurity education, and AI in computing education.

Before joining Monmouth, he worked at Meta on Zoncolan, a large-scale static analysis tool for detecting security vulnerabilities. His current work, supported by the NSF CRII Award (NSF 2451348), explores formal verification of relational quantitative properties in programs and its potential security application. Related work can be found: https://weihaoqu.com.

Dr. Ramaprasad is a Teaching Professor and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Student Success for the College of Computing and Informatics of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She holds a B.S. degree from Bangalore University, and M.S. and Ph.D. from North Carolina State University. Her research interests are primarily in computer science education, with recent work focusing on student learning and engagement in cybersecurity education.

Michelle Ramim is an assistant professor if Health Informatics at Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University. She was the founding director of the Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics, and actively chairs both the Health Informatics Bachelor and Master curriculum committees. She mentors Medical and Doctor of Philosophy Students, as well as chairs the annual students research symposium. Dr. Ramim research focuses on investigating applied health informatics issues related to threats to wearable and implantable medical devices, remote patient monitoring and systems implementation, data privacy and ethics, risk assessment, as well as information security governance. Her research has been sponsored by the National Security Agency. Dr. Ramim published over 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings over the past 20 years with nearly 730 citations. Dr. Ramim completed various training programs provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and actively serves as a Board Member and Healthcare Sector Chief at the FBI/ InfraGard South Florida. Additionally, she serves as a board member and Student Education chair, Student Scholarship and Annual Innovation Award competition at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), as well as nationally on the Cybersecurity, Privacy and Security HIMSS committee. Dr. Ramim is also a frequent invited keynote speaker at national and international meetings, including the American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventative Medicine.

Albert Samigullin is a Ph.D. student in Information Technology at City University of Seattle. His research focuses on artificial intelligence and its applications in improving organizational decision-making. His current professional work aligns with his doctoral studies, allowing him to apply research insights to real-world technology projects.

Kenyatte Simuel has thirty years of experience in Information Technology, spanning industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, education, and technology. Over the course of his career, Kenyatte has led teams on various projects involving Technology Infrastructure, application development, and Compliance.

His duties have included:

• Leading Compliance efforts within organizations
• Managing large teams both locally and internationally
• Negotiating and selecting vendor contracts
• Creating balanced scorecards to track key performance indicators
• Encouraging continuous improvement and applying industry best practices
• Developing security policies
• Working with vendors to improve savings on operational and capital costs

Kenyatte holds degrees from Purdue University and Dakota State.

He currently serves as a Department Chair at Ivy Tech Community College, where he oversees Cybersecurity, Network Infrastructure, Cloud Technologies, and IT Support. He is the main contact for Ivy Tech's CAE-CD Center and chairs the college's Cybersecurity Curriculum Committee.

Dr. Meera Sridhar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Software and Information Systems at UNC Charlotte. Dr. Sridhar received her Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Texas at Dallas and her B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Sridhar has more than 20 years of experience in software and systems security, language-based security, formal methods, cyber-physical systems security, and cybersecurity education. Her research is funded by the National Science Foundation, the NC General Assembly, and NSA; her work has been published in top security and formal methods venues.

Dr. Meera Sridhar serves as the Director of the Center for Energy Security and Reliability (CESAR), a state-funded, collaborative initiative between UNC Charlotte, North Carolina State University, and North Carolina A&T University. In this role, she oversees research and education efforts focused on protecting critical energy infrastructure and developing resilient, sustainable power grids. Her leadership includes fostering partnerships with industry and government, securing research funding, and guiding workforce development to prepare future professionals in energy security.

As Director of the external-facing Smart Home IoT Lab, Dr. Sridhar not only advances research on IoT security for home and urban environments but also supports faculty and students in research, teaching, and outreach in IoT. The lab actively engages in outreach programs for K-12 schools, community colleges, and underrepresented groups, helping to broaden participation and awareness in IoT security and technology fields.

Dr. Ryan Straight is an Honors and Assistant Professor in Cyber Operations in the College of Information Science at the University of Arizona, where he directs the Mixed Augmented ViRtual eXtended Reality (MA{VR}X) Lab. He received his doctoral degree in Instructional Technology in 2015 from Ohio University and in 2023 graduated with an MS Cybersecurity degree from the University of Arizona. He teaches classes on data science, human-computer interaction, and cyber ethics, as well as his yearly Honors seminar, “Cyborgs and Transhumanism.” In his capacity as lab director, Ryan oversees or supports over a dozen ongoing research projects at any given time with student research assistants from across the university. His research focuses online learning, cybersecurity, posthuman inquiry, and applied postphenomenology.

Shalini Sudarsan is a DevOps Engineering Leader at Kindercare Learning Companies, designing reliable, secure, and cost-optimized data and AI platforms. A Forbes Technology Council Member and Fellow of IETE, she drives enterprise AI adoption with a governed operating model that speeds time-to-market while lowering risk and spend. Shalini’s expertise spans BI strategy, data platform architecture, MLOps, observability, and value realization. She is known for translating complex engineering into measurable business outcomes. Shalini brings deep technical rigor and business expertise in the areas of DevOps and Reliability Engineering.

Shoshana Sugerman is a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Web Science with a focus track in Information Security. She has hands-on experience in cybersecurity and quantum computing, serving as a lead researcher on projects involving augmented reality cybersecurity training, Grover's algorithm for threat detection, and ethical considerations of AI in security. Shoshana also competed in the National Cyber League, ranking in the top percentiles. Proficient in various programming languages and technologies, she actively contributes to advancing cybersecurity and AI-driven educational methodologies.

Dr. Sara Sutton is a faculty member at Grand Valley State University, specializing in cybersecurity, cyber-physical systems, IoT, autonomous technologies, and cyber deception. Her research focuses on leveraging AI, intelligent algorithms, and big data analytics to detect and respond to evolving cyber threats and enhance the security of critical technologies.

She is the principal investigator on several externally funded projects, including GenCyber Teacher Programs (NSA/NSF) and a NASA research grant. Dr. Sutton has published extensively, presented at national and international conferences. She also integrates her research into teaching, preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Terry Thibault is a Red Teamer with a decade of experience in offensive security. He is currently the President of the Red Team Association and leads an internal Red Team at a large US-based company.

Dr. David Vosen, DCS (Doctorate in Computer Science, Cybersecurity & Information Assurance, Colorado Technical University), MA (Learning Technologies, University of St. Thomas), BA (Chemistry, Carleton College), is Professor and Co-Chair of IS/CS/Cybersecurity at Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC), an NSA CAE-CD program. Dr. D.Vo's career spans 25+ years of innovative curriculum design, instruction, and leadership in cybersecurity and information systems education. His recent focus centers on integrating NICE AI/ML knowledge units into SFCC's AAS/BAS courses and demonstrating practical applications through platforms like PISCES (Public Infrastructure Security Cyber Education System) for real-world threat analysis, cyber defense, ethical hacking, and social engineering. His doctoral research focused on cyberpsychology strategies to address unintentional insider threats. D.Vo is dedicated to developing resilient, ethically aware cybersecurity practitioners by blending technical rigor, human factors, and hands-on security experience.

Dr. Hsiao-an Wang is a cybersecurity educator and researcher with a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Marquette University. His work centers on offensive and system security, cybersecurity education, and the development of adaptable teaching tools and hands-on learning experiences. He designs custom Capture-the-Flag challenges to foster engagement and practical skill development, and his recent research explores integrating limited-context large language models (LLMs) into higher education to address challenges arising from students’ overreliance on AI technologies.

Dr. Xinli Wang is an associate professor, where he brings deep expertise in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, and cybersecurity education. His work focuses on advancing the use of AI in digital forensics and information assurance, helping students stay on the leading edge of this rapidly evolving field. Dr. Wang is dedicated to developing dynamic, hands-on learning experiences. He regularly is updating his course materials with the latest tools, technologies, and industry practices. Dr. Wang also serves as a mentor for graduate students on their capstone projects, fostering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Dr. Wang enjoys teaching courses in digital forensics and cybersecurity. Outside the classroom, he enjoys walking daily and finding balance through an active lifestyle.

Dr. Yuan is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Her research interests include AI and machine learning, anomaly detection, cyberbullying detection, software security, cyber identity, and cyber security education. Her research has been funded by the National Security Agency, the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C), the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, etc. She has served on the editorial board for several journals on cybersecurity.

Morgan Zantua is the Director of the Center for Cybersecurity Innovation at City University of Seattle, Program Manager for the Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, and Associate Professor at the School of Technology & Computing (STC). Morgan is the Principal Investigator (PI) on multiple grants to expand cybersecurity career pathways opportunities through teacher development and cybersecurity career exploration. STARTALK - Korean integrates culture, language, web design, Cybersecurity and Python programming for high school and college Korean language learners. She convenes teams to create innovative and integrated solutions to attract transitioning military and the Center actively involved in an SBA Cyber clinic and VICEROY. She is faculty advisor to the CityU WiCyS. Morgan's research interests include Evidencing Competencies through Competitions with Dr. Daniel Manson, psychometric profiling of cybersecurity work roles, and strategies for transitioning military into cyber roles. She holds a master's degree in Whole Systems Design and thirty years' experience in workforce development.

Xin Zhao is a Security Researcher on the Android RED Team at Google. He specializes in developing tools to automate bug discovery and improve the security of the Android platform. His work involves creating and fine-tuning fuzzers to find vulnerabilities in new code, as well as building static analyzers and QL queries to identify potential bugs before they are even released. By leveraging AI agents, he's at the forefront of using machine learning to detect and prevent security flaws. Xin's research helps Google's security teams find and fix weaknesses, ultimately making Android a safer and more secure platform for billions of users worldwide.

​​​​​​​​​My name is Zixuan Zou, but you can call me Ella. I'm a second-year Computer Science student at Northeastern University. With the internet taking decades to spread and AI achieving comparable impact in just a few years, I'm fascinated by how quickly technology evolves and I am excited to see how AI continues to reshape our world and industries.

Vaibhav Agrawal is a cybersecurity expert with over 12 years of experience specializing in Software, Mobile, and LLM Security. Currently a Security Engineer at Google, he leads key security projects for Fitbit and Google Home, focusing on protecting user data and privacy. Beyond his work at Google, Vaibhav is a senior member of the IEEE, a dedicated open-source contributor, and a speaker at security conferences such as BSides. He earned his master's degree from San Jose State University.

I am Adonnis Alexander from San Antonio, Texas. Currently, I serve as the Vice Chair of Franklin University's ACM chapter and the Vice Chair of the ACM's cybersecurity special-interest group (SIG). I am obtaining my degree in Cybersecurity with an interest in AI on the side.

Mohit is Codio's Data Science and AI specialist. From generating insightful learning analytics for CS Educators to prototyping novel product features and algorithms, he believes in bridging the gap between cutting-edge academic research and its application in the industry.

Artem Protsenko is a Ukrainian student and AI enthusiast who loves building tools that make life easier and more engaging. As the lead developer of AvaSec—an AI-powered chatbot for the CISSE community—he played a key role in bringing the project to life, using technologies like FastAPI, LangChain, and ChromaDB to help conference participants access real-time information. With experience in Python, C/C++, and web development, Artem enjoys turning ideas into working solutions and is always exploring new ways to make technology more accessible and impactful.

Service Desk Analyst at the University of Tampa with a strong foundation in technology and a passion for bridging art and innovation. My diverse background spans industries such as retail, logistics, healthcare, and case management, equipping me with a unique perspective on problem-solving and user-centered design. I've participated in immersive learning experiences through Bioinformatics and AI4ALL bootcamps and hold certifications in SQL and CompTIA A+. Excited to contribute to initiatives like the AI Chatbot project, I aim to help bring impactful ideas to life while fostering smarter, safer digital ecosystems.