Speakers

Colonel Juliet Calvin is a native of Nyack, New York. In 1992 she enlisted in the US Marine Corps and served as a Utilities Mechanic throughout her enlisted career. In 2002 she was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant through the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program. She obtained her Bachelors of Arts degree in English through Florida State University.

As a company grade officer, she served with I Marine Expeditionary Force, 3D Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, and Marine Air Ground Training Command. She deployed with Marine Wing Communications 38 to Iraq in 2004, serving as a Communications Detachment Commander on the Syrian border. In addition to her assignments in the Communications Squadron, she also served as a Company Operations Officer, Company Executive Officer, and served as a special staff officer to the 3D Marine Aircraft Wing Commanding General. Following her assignments in the aviation element, she was assigned to the Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, California until she was transferred to the G-3 in Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Twentynine Palms, Ca. Aboard Twentynine Palms, she served as the Exercise Communications Officer, planning and developing training and scenarios for the Marine Corps and Large Scale Exercises in Marine Air Ground Task Force formations.

As a field grade officer, she was assigned to command Bravo Company, also known as Marine Corps Communications Enlisted Training Company, responsible for the oversight and training continuum of all Enlisted training for the 06xx occupational field, including a student population of over 1600 students trained yearly, and over 200 personnel in the Instructor and support cadre. Upon completion of her Company Command at MCCES, She was assigned to III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Logistics Regiment in Okinawa, Japan. Her first year in Okinawa she commanded Communications Company for 3D Marine Logistics Regiment, providing crucial Command and Control support to the logistics element of 3D MLG. After her Company Command tour, she was subsequently assigned as the 3D Marine Logistics Group G-6, first serving as the Deputy G-6, until being appointed the MLG G-6. Following her Okinawa assignment, she attended the Army Command and General Staff Course aboard Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Upon completion of resident Professional Military Education, she was assigned to serve as the Communications Planner for I Marine Expeditionary Force. She specialized in the Indo Pacific region, responsible for operational planning for I and III MEF contingency operations. After a year serving as the Plans Officer, she was assigned as the I MEF, G-6 Operations Officer. During her time as the I MEF G-6 Operations Officer, she lead two major planning efforts with I and III MEF Communications elements to ensure that proper technical and operational planning was conducted with integration of modern formations.

In 2019, she commanded the First Network Battalion, the Marine Corps first geographically unified Network Battalion, serving all network operations for the Marine Corps, and aligned under Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command. She completed her command tour in 2022 and was assigned to attend Top Level School. Throughout her Battalion Command tour, she served on the Commandants Initial Planning Team for Future Network Operations and Design.

Upon her successful command completion, Colonel Calvin was assigned to College of Information and Cyberspace, National Defense University, where she earned her Masters of Science Degree. She was then assigned to the Joint Staff, J-6 in 2022. In 2022, Col Calvin served within the Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control Division, responsible for authoring CJADC2 Campaign Plans for the Joint Force, with an emphasis on the time epochs of 2027-2035. She was also responsible for providing critical input to the regular convening of CJADC2 Cross-Functional Teams, which is comprised of members from across the Joint Force. After 6 months on the Joint Staff, Col Calvin was hand selected to serve as the Chief of Staff for a Generative Artificial Intelligence Task Force, Task Force 37-78. Upon completion of the 90-day Task Force, she was selected to serve as the Chief of Staff for the Joint Staff Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer. Her role included operational and strategic planning and execution of integrating Digital and AI capabilities to the Joint Staff and with the Joint Force.

​In addition to her technical career in Communications, she has served in numerous additional duties aligned to leadership initiatives among the Officer ranks. She was chosen to serve as a Key Leader, engaged in INDOPACOM for the Women’s Peace and Security initiative. Colonel Calvin is married to another Marine Officer, Colonel Carin Calvin, and they have 6 sons, ranging in ages from 29 - 9 years old. She is also an avid equestrian and a Certified Yoga Instructor.

Mark Canter is the Chief Information Security Officer at GAO. In his capacity, he oversees the compliance, governance, and security operations. Previously he severed as Assistant Director in the Information Technology and Cybersecurity (ITC) team at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). His portfolio at GAO includes a diverse list of engagements on such topics of financial and information systems internal control auditing, cybersecurity, emerging technologies such as blockchains, AI, and safeguarding/privacy of information. In addition, he has authored several compliance tools and published several common vulnerabilities and exploits.

Ryan is the Digital Identity Program Lead for the Applied Cybersecurity Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In this role he coordinates digital identity projects, initiatives, and efforts to advance NIST’s standards & guidance and drive foundational research to promote innovation in digital identity. He has contributed to multiple NIST Special Publications including NIST SP 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines. Prior to joining NIST, Ryan was a Specialist Leader at Deloitte & Touche where he spent over 10 years providing cybersecurity and identity management subject-matter insights to multiple federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the General Services Administration (GSA), and NIST.

James Johnson was selected as the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) on March 24, 2024. As the PEO, he is responsible for the management and oversight of DLA's Major Automated Information Systems programs. He is the corporate provider of acquisition management services and provides overall direction and guidance for the development, acquisition, testing, systems integration, product improvement, and fielding for assigned DLA programs. DLA’s portfolio also includes acquisition projects and programs, which Mr. Johnson manages on behalf of DOD wide sponsors.

Before being assigned as the PEO, Mr. Johnson’s most recent assignment was as the Director, Strategic Capabilities and Processes Office, responsible for leading the PEO’s strategic direction in achieving the DLA Digital-Business Transformation as well as managing the agency’s Business Capability Management process.  In addition, Mr. Johnson was responsible for the review of the health of all programs within the PEO.  Prior to his tenure as the Director of Strategic Capabilities and Processes Office, Mr. Johnson held a variety of increasingly responsible positions at DLA, including Portfolio Manager, Financial Management and Human Resources, responsible for the oversight, acquisition expertise and lifecycle sustainment of multiple programs and agency applications.  Mr. Johnson has also held numerous Program Management positions, where he was responsible for the acquisition, development and lifecycle management of both DoD and DLA programs.

Mr. Johnson retired from the Marine Corps after serving for 22 years, where he held a variety of IT leadership billets. Mr. Johnson’s final tour was as the Protocol Officer, Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.  Upon his separation from the Marine Corps, Mr. Johnson worked as a Technical Integrator at SAIC in support of Marine Corps Systems Command.  He entered federal civilian service in May 2009 as a procurement team lead with the Marine Corps System Command, where he was responsible for managing internet technology procurements for all operational Marine Corps units. Mr. Johnson was promoted in April 2010 as the Project Lead for the entire Marine Corps IT Procurement Process. In this role, he managed the Marine Corps Commercial Off-the-Shelf IT procurement process used by over 50 programs of record, and all stations, posts, and bases within the Marine Corps enterprise.

Mr. Johnson holds a Masters of Science degree in Information Systems Management from Colorado Technical University, a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Computer Information Systems from Campbell University, and is DAU certified at level three in Program Management. 

At U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Dr. Edward J. Mays currently holds the Senior Executive Service position of Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC), Infrastructure and Support Services (ISS), Chief Enterprise Infrastructure Officer (CEIO), and Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) for the Office of Information and Technology. 

Dr. Mays has over 30 years of experience in delivering IT business systems, applications, and infrastructure in the Marine Corps, industry, and the federal government. Dr. Mays (Colonel USMC, Ret.) served many years working with Information Technology (IT) and Software Development for logistics and intelligence programs supporting the U.S. Marine Corps operational forces. He created a major Marine Corps logistics system used in the Marine Corps for over 25 years and is a veteran of numerous combat actions across the globe. In 2008, Dr. Mays became the Director, Effects Based Operational Assessment for Multinational Forces, Al Anbar, Iraq, where he played a substantive role in the return of Anbar Province to the government of Iraq. He also served in the U.S. Operations in Afghanistan, delivering IT capability, and supporting the Afghan National Acquisition Agency.

Dr. Mays earned a Bachelor of Science from University of Florida and a Master’s Degree in Information Technology from the University of Southern California. Additionally, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School and earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science with a focus on artificial intelligence and robotics. He also obtained a Doctor of Information Technology from Capella University in 2020.

In 2016, Dr. Mays was selected as the Executive Director for the Enterprise Data Management and Engineering Division in OIT. In this role, he engineered cost effective, secure, and reliable IT solutions, and built the framework for Cloud computing at CBP.  

In March 2022, Dr. Mays was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for OIT’s Infrastructure and Support Services organization which combined three infrastructure organizations under his purview. The organizations have an enterprise focus: Field Support  Directorate (FSD), Enterprise Infrastructure Operations Directorate (EIOD), and Enterprise Cloud Services Division (ECSD). The new organizational structure created internal efficiencies executed the new ECSD to complete CBP’s migration to the Cloud more affordably, effectively, and securely. Ultimately providing a modern, reliable IT infrastructure (Cloud, Networks, Mobility, etc.) and 24/7 year-round support services serve as the backbone for technology solutions that deliver critical capabilities at the speed of mission.

Dr. Mays also serves as the OIT Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE), aligning IT investments (digital services) across the overall IT Portfolio. He has served at levels allowing him to excel as 

The Chief Enterprise Infrastructure Officer (CEIO), bringing IT Service Management, IT Operations Management, IT Service Delivery (automation focused – digital services delivery), Technology Business Management, and the Agile Methodology together in a synergistic manner to meet the complex CBP mission.

In January 2024, Dr. Mays was presented with the 2023 Federal 100 award, a prestigious honor awarded to leaders in the federal IT community to those who have made the greatest impact. He was selected from a panel of government and industry senior executives resulting from the difference he’s made in the way IT is used to advance vital government missions.

Manuel "Manny" Medrano has over 20 years of experience, 13 years with Department of State. He has contributed to many technology modernization efforts in the Secretary of State’s office. He now leads State’s Office of Cyber Monitoring and Operations. Manny has served in this role since 2022, defending State’s networks and systems against advanced and persistent cyber threats. His duties include overseeing cyber monitoring, incident response, penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and designing, engineering, and operating State's cybersecurity defense systems. Previously, as Deputy Division Chief for Cyber Threat Intelligence, Manny was integral to the pursuit of actionable, outcome-based intelligence and partnering with private industry.

Kanuj Behl is an experienced IT Chief Technologist with 30 years of expertise in delivering tailored IT solutions. Known for bridging the gap between technology and business, he excels in helping companies modernize infrastructure, adopt emerging technologies, and drive growth. With a deep understanding of cloud computing, cybersecurity, cloud native, AI, and enterprise software, Kanuj is a trusted advisor to clients, offering clear, actionable insights that lead to lasting results.

Kelvin Brewer is a senior-level information security leader with over twenty years of experience in Information Technology and Cybersecurity. He is recognized as a subject matter expert in Identity, Access, and Privilege Management. He leads a team of United States Public Sector focused Sales Engineers and works directly with customers to deliver briefings and workshops for the Ping Identity Platform.

Expertise

• US Identity Policies and Standards
• Identity Fraud Reduction
• Identity Governance in the Public Sector
• Zero Trust

Education

• University of Phoenix, Bachelor, Information Technology ISC2, CISSP

Kevin Dorsey is a cybersecurity leader at Optiv + ClearShark, where he serves as Director of Federal Managed Services, driving the strategy, development, and delivery of mission-critical security solutions for federal agencies. With over a decade of experience spanning the Department of Defense, systems engineering, and Splunk-focused consulting, he brings deep technical expertise in data analytics, cloud-native architectures, and security operations. Kevin has successfully transitioned from hands-on engineering into leadership, building and scaling high-performing teams that deliver innovative, SaaS-based cybersecurity capabilities to the federal market. His work focuses on enabling secure, modernized environments that support national security and intelligence missions.

Brent Hansen is the VP of Federal Sales Engineering at Optiv + ClearShark.  He currently leads the direction and strategy for technical guidance to customers, partners, and Federal cyber executives. Brent brings over 25+ years of experience in security, data encryption, cloud native, Zero Trust, and API security strategies. Brent has previously held global leadership positions at Cequence Security, D2iQ, and was Federal CTO at Thales Trust Cyber Technologies.

Bart Larango is a seasoned technology and cybersecurity leader who has spent his 
career advancing national defense through the strategic application of digital 
capabilities. As Federal Government Industry Advisor at Splunk, he draws on more 
than 30 years of experience in military cyber operations and public sector 
transformation to inform and guide executive decision-making across government. 

A retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major, Bart led global cyber and IT 
operations, concluding his military service as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to Army 
Cyber Command. There, he partnered with senior defense leaders and the National 
Security Agency to shape joint cyberspace operations and safeguard critical 
infrastructure. 

At Splunk, Bart supports federal agencies in strengthening operational resilience, 
situational awareness, and cybersecurity posture. He helps leaders leverage data 
as a strategic asset—applying real-time analytics, threat detection, and 
observability to modernize systems, accelerate zero trust adoption, and improve 
mission assurance. 

Through executive engagement and strategic insight, Bart enables government 
organizations to navigate complexity and lead with confidence in an increasingly 
data-driven world.

Tom Mahoney is Vice President of Marketing, where he brings more than 20 years of marketing experience for Fortune 100 companies, with over a decade of experience in sales and marketing in the U.S. public sector.

In his role at Optiv + ClearShark, Tom is responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies to support the company’s vendor community and growth goals. He is a customer-focused leader with a passion for delivering best-in-class cybersecurity solutions. With his extensive experience in marketing and the U.S. public sector, Tom is poised to help Optiv + ClearShark achieve its mission of managing cyber risk and providing innovative solutions to modernize and secure information technology within the government.

Tom is a recognized thought leader in the U.S. public sector marketing community, having won the GAIN Marketer of the Year Award and named one of the 2023 CRN Channel Chiefs. He has also been a guest on industry podcasts and radio shows, including Modern Marketing Today and Federal News Radio Market Chat.

Prior to joining Optiv + ClearShark, Tom served as vice president of marketing for TD SYNNEX Public Sector, where he created purpose-built marketing programs that increased brand awareness, drove demand and generated high-quality leads for some of the largest software companies in the U.S. public sector market. Tom joined TD SYNNEX from Navient, inc. where he held the position of managing director, business development operations for government.

Michael comes to Optiv + ClearShark with over 25 years of experience working in the Federal, Systems Integrator, and technical markets with tenures at Sun Microsystems, Agiliiance, FireMon, and Illusive. Most recently Michael served as Vice President Federal at BeyondTrust.

Experience:

James Turgal, specializes in Executive Advisor, Cyber Risk and Board Relations and Education. Provides cyber threat actor subject matter expertise and advice / recommendations / education to C-Suite executives, audit committees and boards of directors. He has significant C-Suite and Board level executive experience in advising / translating complex cyber / information technology concepts and building strategies to address cyber-attack influenced business risk, cyber crisis management resilience and response and other strategy efforts for the public and private sector.

Prior to joining Optiv, James spent three years in the cyber risk practice at Deloitte after retiring from a distinguished 22-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). During his FBI career, James served as a Special Agent, Attorney and Pilot in numerous FBI Field Offices. His cyber experience began in 2003 working cyber investigations and designing a Cyber Crime Taskforce in the Cincinnati Field Office. James served in executive roles as the Special Agent in Charge (CEO Role) of the Arizona Field Office where he was responsible for all critical infrastructure, including the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Station and other energy sector assets transiting Arizona. He went onto C-Level leadership roles as the Chief Human Capitol Officer (CHCO) and culminated his career as the Executive Assistant Director of Global Information Technology and the FBI’s Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Certifications and Education:

• Bachelors of Science (BS), Economics – Northern Arizona University
• Juris Doctorate (J.D.) Law Degree – Western Michigan University, Cooley School of Law
• Legal Master’s (LL.M.) Degree Corporations / Securities Regulation – Georgetown University

Zachary Vaughn is the Director of Federal Security Engineering and has been assisting US Federal Agencies adopt and implement transformative technologies for over 18 years. Most recently Zachary has participated in multiple working groups and prototypes of functional Zero Trust Architectures to support critical systems and infrastructure. Prior to joining Vectra AI, Zachary has helped architect and deploy systems and services used by millions of people globally leveraging technologies such as network and identity threat detection and response, access and identity management, network and application security and virtualization.

Daniel Wilbricht serves as president for Optiv + ClearShark, a cybersecurity and IT solutions provider focused exclusively on serving the U.S. federal government. He is also a member of Optiv’s executive leadership team focused on growing Optiv’s presence in the U.S. public sector.

Wilbricht’s leadership is rooted in the belief that innovation thrives when people are empowered, inspired, and united by a shared mission. With more than 25 years of experience in the public sector in various leadership roles across the channel ecosystem, including technology manufacturers, value-added resellers and distribution, Wilbricht has shaped the federal consulting industry by aligning advanced cybersecurity solutions with mission impact, advocating for technology adoption at scale, and setting new standards in compliance, services, and innovation.

Most recently, Wilbricht served as general manager, senior vice president of Devo, where he led a team responsible for creating strategic technology relationships within the federal, state, local government agencies and higher education institutions. Prior to that, Wilbricht was vice president of Ivanti Public Sector, where he was instrumental in their growth and acquisitions. He also led sales teams at LogRhythm, Dell and Red Hat.

Wilbricht is a founding member and on the board of the Software in Defense Coalition, which advances and advocates for the need for faster American emerging technology adoption and highlights the integral role software plays in driving the country’s global strategic edge. He also is an active member of several boards.