
PUBLIC SECTOR ZERO TRUST SUMMIT
March 6, 2025 | 7:30 AM – 2:15 PM ET
Carahsoft Conference and Collaboration Center, Reston, VA
**6 CPE Credits Available
7:30 AM
Registration | Breakfast
8:30 AM
Keynote Briefing

Timothy Amerson
Acting Chief Information Security Officer, Acting Associate Commissioner, Office of Information Security, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Social Security Administration (Fmr.)
8:50 AM
Zero Trust: Building a Culture of Security and Accountability
As federal agencies adopt Zero Trust principles, fostering a culture of security and accountability becomes essential. This session explores strategies for embedding Zero Trust into the organizational mindset, from leadership buy-in to workforce training. Federal leaders will share insights into aligning security goals with mission priorities, overcoming resistance to change, and ensuring that every team member understands their role in safeguarding systems and data.

David Voelker
Zero Trust Lead, Office of the Department of Navy Chief Information Officer, U.S. Navy

Tim Denman
Cybersecurity Learning Director, Defense Acquisition University, U.S. Department of Defense

Dr. Amy Hamilton
Faculty Chair, National Defense University, U.S. Department of Defense

Steve Pitcher
Senior Cyber Survivability Specialist, U.S. Department of Defense

Christopher Wild
Zero Trust SME

Kevin E. Greene
Chief Security Strategist, BeyondTrust

Moderator: Jason Miller
Executive Editor, Federal News Network
9:30 AM
Emerging Technology Talk
Securing an AI-First Future
Palo Alto Networks will provide a high-level overview of the essential considerations for safeguarding artificial intelligence technologies as they become increasingly central to government operations. As AI drives innovation and reshapes federal agencies processes, understanding the associated security challenges is crucial.
This session will highlight the key threats and vulnerabilities specific to AI applications, particularly focusing on the use of generative AI and enterprise AI applications by federal employees. We will discuss how these new technologies open up novel threat vectors, including data privacy issues, adversarial attacks, and potential misuse of AI-generated prompts.

Antoine Snow
Solutions Consulting Manager - Federal Civilian, Palo Alto Networks

9:40 AM
Emerging Technology Talk
The Convergence of Zero Trust and Observability
Zero Trust is a network security strategy that assumes no implicit trust in users or devices – only users and devices that are explicitly required to connect to IT systems should be allowed to do so. However, how do you know when a rogue device or user is on the network? In this session, we will talk about how agencies deploy Observability technologies to provide a complete picture into the enterprise network infrastructure, and how these technologies help the agency address Zero Trust policies and practices.

Justin Fessler
Vice President of Public Sector, LogicMonitor

9:50 AM
Break in the Emerging Technology Showcase
10:35 AM
Emerging Technology Talk
Enabling Zero Trust: Promoting Adoption by leveraging Hybrid Methodologies
Today’s modern workforce is highly distributed, with users working at home, in the office, and places in between and beyond. Protecting distributed employees who need to access resources in private and public data centers requires reliable and secure access plus deep visibility into how identities gain access. Most global enterprises struggle with this. Concerns about stronger security potentially impeding user productivity and increased IT complexity from security tool proliferation contribute to this struggle.
By taking an identity-first approach to SSE, organizations can ease the transition to zero trust. Deliver a consistent and frictionless user experience that boosts productivity, simplified administration that streamlines IT operations, and highly resilient security for all.
Key Takeaways:
- Uncover the challenges of Implementing Zero Trust frameworks in secure service architectures
- Understand the benefits of utilizing multiple protocols for application access
- Learn the advantages of decoupling security controls for Universal Zero Trust Access implementation

Ryan Shaffer
Technical Solutions Architect, Cisco

10:45 AM
Zero Trust Implementation: Lessons from the Federal Frontlines
What does it take to implement Zero Trust architecture efficiently in federal environments? This panel dives into real-world examples of Zero Trust deployment, focusing on successes, challenges, and unexpected lessons. Topics will include streamlined phased approaches, integrating with legacy systems without disrupting operations, and meeting compliance requirements while enhancing mission effectiveness. Hear from federal experts who have turned theory into practice, emphasizing how Zero Trust can boost security and operational efficiency across agencies.

Karen Uttecht
Technical Staff, Cyber Operations and Analysis Technology Group, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Manuel Medrano
Director, Office of Cyber Monitoring and Operations, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, US Department of State

Natalie Somersall
Principal Solutions Engineer, Public Sector, Chainguard

Moderator: Justin Doubleday
Reporter, Federal News Network
11:30 AM
Emerging Technology Talk
Enable a Zero Trust Journey with a Modern Data Management Strategy
Zero Trust demands continuous verification, least-privilege access, and full visibility across an organization’s data landscape, yet traditional data management strategies are fragmented, costly, and inefficient. Cribl enables a modern, open data strategy that breaks down silos, optimizes data flow, and provides real-time observability—empowering security teams to enforce Zero Trust principles while maintaining full control over their data. In this session, we’ll explore how organizations can unify their data management approach to enhance security, reduce costs, and gain deeper insights, ensuring a scalable and efficient Zero Trust journey.

Nick Murray
Director Federal Sales, Cribl

11:35 AM
Lunch in the Emerging Technology Showcase
12:40 PM
Zero Trust and AI: Enhancing Decision-Making and Threat Detection
AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape, offering new tools for implementing and advancing Zero Trust principles. This panel examines the intersection of Zero Trust and AI, highlighting how federal agencies are using AI to enhance access control, detect anomalies, and respond to threats in real time. Speakers will discuss the ethical and technical considerations of integrating AI into Zero Trust frameworks.

Rudolf Rojas
Information Technology Manager, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Landon Shaw
Senior Enterprise Architect, Enterprise Operations Center, Department of Technology Services, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Kelvin Brewer
Ping Identity, Director of Public Sector Sales Engineering and Industry Chair of ATARC Identity Management Working Group

Moderator: Tom Suder
CEO/Founder, ATARC
1:20 PM
The Workforce Challenge: Preparing Federal Teams for Zero Trust Success
Implementing Zero Trust isn’t just a technical endeavor—it’s a workforce transformation. This session addresses how federal agencies can upskill their workforce, manage talent gaps, and create a culture of continuous learning to support Zero Trust initiatives. Panelists will discuss the importance of collaboration across IT and mission teams, the role of leadership, and resources available to federal agencies for workforce development.

Sean Starnes
Chief Information Security Officer, IT Security Strategy, Risk Management & Systems Administration, Space CAMP, U.S. Space Force

Jeffrey Voivoda
CEA, Zero Trust Integration Services, Senior Data Architect, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Jaime Noble
Director, IT Security Division & Chief Information Security Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice

Hussein Johnson
Senior Cyber Security Analyst, Zero Trust Lead, Policy and Risk Governance, Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Army

Patrick Johnson
Workforce Innovation Director, U.S. Department of Defense (Pending Agency Approval)

Brian Dennis
Principal Technologist, Akamai

Moderator: Tom Suder
CEO/Founder, ATARC
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