Speakers

Wayne Rodgers is the Zero Trust Lead for the Department of Education. Wayne is assigned to the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) in the Information Assurance Services (IAS) Directorate where he is leading the implementation and testing of new Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) capabilities, starting with Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Security Orchestration Automation & Response (SOAR). Wayne developed all technical requirements, leading multiple acquisition efforts to obtain these new ZTA capabilities and to develop a ZTA Program Management Office (PMO). Wayne also serves as a Contracting Office Representative (COR) over multiple contracts supporting ZTA and other cybersecurity efforts.

Wayne had 10+ years of experience in the Department of Defense (DoD) where he started as a network engineer before advancing as a Technical Lead and Program Manager in Perimeter Defense. Wayne led the transition of DoD’s web-based zero day detection and mitigation capability from the National Security Agency (NSA) to the Defense Information System Agency (DISA) in accordance with a Congressional mandate. Wayne led the migration of 1.5 million DoD Internet users to DISA’s Cloud Based Internet Isolation (CBII) program, resulting in significant cost savings while preventing millions of cyberattacks per month. Wayne also led the implementation of DISA’s Enterprise SOAR capability. He developed technical requirements for DISA’s initial ZTA prototype and led all pre-development activities. Wayne served as a COR for several contracts while being the Technical Lead and Program Manager over each program.

Wayne earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Networks & Cybersecurity from University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). He has obtained several industry certifications including CISSP, Forrester Adopting Zero Trust, ITIL v4 Foundations, CCNP R&S, CCNA R&S, Security+ CE and Network+ CE.

Tim Williams is Program Director at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). As leader of the Portfolio of Integrated Value-Oriented Technologies – Integration (PIVOT-I) program, his team supports the delivery of mission critical enterprise IT services and solutions for the Department of Education Office of the Chief Information Office (OCIO). Tim has more than 20 years’ experience leading enterprise IT services programs supporting the Department of Defense and Federal Agencies. Prior to GDIT, Tim served as a communications officer in the U.S. Army and then worked in the commercial telecom industry. Tim earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University.

Mike Hurt joined Palo Alto Networks in March of 2021 as the Vice President of Federal where he is responsible for managing all sales, support and services delivered into the Federal government.  

Prior to joining Palo Alto Networks, Mike held several leadership roles at Microsoft over his 12-year tenure including Chief Operation Officer of the State & Local Business, America Services Sales Lead, Sales Unit Lead for the Federal Health & Benefits team and account leader for several DOD agencies including DISA, Joint Staff and Office of the Secretary of Defense.    

Prior to his role at Microsoft, Mike worked for Dell Computer Corporation where he held various sales and technology positions from 1996-2008 including software developer, partner manager, global alliance manager and account executive.  During his time at Dell he managed Systems Integrators, Federal Civilian agencies, DOD and Fortune 500 customers. 

Mike also owned a successful small business for 7 years that employed 80 people in the Gaithersburg, MD area before selling the business in 2010.  

Mike graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology in May of 1996.  He is active within his community and serves as a head coach for several different youth sports teams.  Mike is happily married with three children.

George Jackson is VP of events at GovExec – the largest and most-influential media company in the public sector marketplace. He joined the company in 2020 to enhance the scale of their events and audience experiences. In 2021, George launched GovExec TV (streaming video content) and received the company’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, part of their first-annual Icon Awards.

George graduated from The Ohio State University in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in English. In 2006, he earned his master’s in broadcast journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park.

George spent the first five years of his journalism career at WJHL-TV in Johnson City Tenn. – beginning as an overnight producer for the station’s 6 a.m. broadcast. He advanced to lead on-air reporter for WJHL’s 11 p.m. newscast.

As a reporter, George examined the earnings of two non-profit hospital systems, felony charges filed against a local sheriff, predatory paving companies, a health benefits backlog for local veterans, and a series of cold-case murder investigations. He received an honorable mention for Best TV Reporter in the 2011 Tennessee AP Broadcast awards and won a Best Investigative Reporting award from Media General in 2010.

George joined DC’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV in 2012 to produce Capital Insider, which won him an Emmy award. One year later, he developed and recorded the pilot episode of Government Matters – a program about the business of government. It debuted as a weekly show on Sunday, August 4th of 2013. George led Government Matters through September of 2020, expanded its reach to a daily worldwide audience, and produced its first feature-length documentary The Dawn of Generation AI.

George is from Toledo, Ohio. He lives with his wife, twin daughters, and a pair of rescue dogs in Northern Virginia.