
Chicago CISO Community
Executive Summit
May 13, 2025 | Convene at 233 South Wacker
May 13, 2025
Convene at 233 South Wacker
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Chicago's top CISOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CISOs today:
The relationships, regulations and responsibilities that accompany elevated data protection
Exhaustive risk management framework development and beyond-response resilience
Process and technology introductions that remain dedicated to the needs of human talent
Chicago CISO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CISOs, For CISOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

JJ Markee
Danaher
Global CISO

Paolo Vallotti
Henry Schein
Global CISO

Angela Williams
UL Solutions
SVP, Global Chief Information Security Officer
What to Expect
Agenda
8:00am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Leading Resilient Teams Through Unpredictable Adversity
Hosted by Netskope

Lisa Thompson
Author of "Finding Elevation: Fear and Courage on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain"
Guest Speaker
Lisa Thompson is a high-altitude mountaineer and former healthcare executive who beat cancer months before standing on the summit of Everest. Lisa later became the first all-American woman to summit K2, which is considered the deadliest mountain in the world. In her talks and book, “Finding Elevation,” Lisa shares the experience of climbing the toughest mountains in the world and the importance of teamwork, resilience and defining boundaries.
Join this keynote session to learn about the importance of:
- Embracing change and overcoming challenges
- Creating a supportive environment inside and outside the office
- Defining clear roles and goals to build a strong, communicative team
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Clarity in Concert — Trading Perspectives on Cyber Resilience
Hosted by Red Canary

Nitin Raina
Global CISO
Thoughtworks
When it comes to cyber resilience, you've got questions. In conversation with your peers, you'll see they have… well, more questions. Though nobody has it totally figured out, you may be able to fill in the gaps in this interactive collaboration exercise.
Join your fellow Chicago CISOs and:
- Collectively address your largest concerns regarding resilience
- Identify peer concerns into which you may have insight
- Benefit from the unique wisdom of those in your community
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Reducing Application Delivery Tech Debt from the Inside Out
Hosted by Island

Shawn Surber
VP Solutions Engineering
Island

Marcus Johnston
VP, CISO
Precisely
With high volumes of sensitive data now flowing through web browsers, three in five organizations say data leakage is likely given current IT and security infrastructures. Stop playing catch-up. Discover new approaches to enterprise operations to reduce risk while simplifying operations.
Join this roundtable to discover:
- How disparate IT and security solutions create technical debt
- What challenges impact internal and end user stakeholders
- How simplifying IT can strengthen security, and boost productivity
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Enhancing Security Through Strategic Collaboration
Hosted by Wiz

Alex Duarte
Field CTO
Wiz

Eric Schulz
CISO
Primient

Rizwan Mir
VP, Global CISO & IT Risk
Perrigo
In today's fast-paced threat landscape, security depends on collaboration between technology and business teams. Tool consolidation is crucial to reduce noise, optimize resources, and ensure robust security. This session explores strategies to bridge security and business gaps, focusing on practical approaches to engage developers and leverage tools, including AI, to proactively address risks before they escalate.
Join this session to:
- Explore collaboration methods to boost security
- Understand strategies for tool consolidation
- Align cyber efforts with business goals
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
CISO Role Evolution — How Are You Adapting?

Bill Podborny
CISO
Constellation Brands

Brian Palmer
Director, IT Security and Infrastructure
Ventas
Being a well-rounded CISO can’t be hacked. It takes consistent reflection and re-invention as the role evolves from a solely technology-focused position to a business-enabling one.
Join this peer-led boardroom to discuss:
- Embracing the evolving demands of the CISO role
- Building trust and influence amongst C-Suite peers and key stakeholders
- Demonstrating your value as a proven leader and business-enabler
10:25am - 11:10am Networking Break
10:35am - 11:00am Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:10am - 11:55am Breakout Session
Streamlining Compliance for Operational Excellence
Hosted by Akamai

Tony Lauro
Director of Security Strategy
Akamai Technologies
Navigating today’s complex regulatory environment is a challenge for even the most resourceful enterprises. From PCI DSS to DORA and HIPAA, businesses must adopt smarter strategies to meet evolving compliance requirements while maintaining operational efficiency.
Join this session to:
- Discover how to narrow compliance scope with micro segmentation
- Learn strategies to reduce the cost and complexity of audits
- Build a compliance program that supports operational excellence and trust
11:10am - 11:55am Breakout Session
Introducing the BISO 2.0 — The Latest in Leadership Development
Hosted by Rapid7

Daniel Manley
Managing Director & CISO
CME Group
Not just anyone could assume the CISO role tomorrow, though there are certainly a few who would like to. You know, however, the right person is more than technically skilled, certified, or even tenured, they're ready to go toe-to-toe with business leaders. The BISO 2.0, an invention of Daniel Manley, Managing Director & CISO at CME Group, is everything you need in a potential successor.
Appoint your BISO 2.0 now and you'll also receive:
- A morale generator for senior members of your team
- A personal source of security insights for ELT members
- A budget-friendly growth role, perfect for your CFO
11:10am - 11:55am Executive Boardroom
Identity Security in the Agentic AI Era
Hosted by Veza

Mike Towers
Chief Security & Trust Officer
Veza

David Fagan
Director of Cybersecurity
Ferrara

Fred Kwong
VP, CISO
DeVry University
The rise of Agentic AI is increasing risks and complexities for Non-Human Identities (NHIs) in cloud environments. AI agents need extensive NHI access, posing new challenges in identity governance and security.
Join this roundtable to discuss:
- Exponential NHI growth impacting security
- Management of AI access models and permissions
- Complex AI interactions affecting identity management
11:10am - 11:55am Executive Boardroom
True Defense Against API & Application Incidents
Hosted by Contrast Security

Larry Maccherone
Evangelist
Contrast Security

Matt Morton
AVP & CISO
University of Chicago

Anthony O'Neill
CISO & Chief Risk Officer
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Cybersecurity measures are adept at detecting and responding to incidents across various layers, but the application layer often remains vulnerable. Many organizations have a massive vulnerability backlog that demands timely and effective defense.
Join us to explore:
- Understanding the scale of the backlog and strategies to prevent exploitation
- The intricacies of application and API protection within the security operations ecosystem
- Benefits of having a comprehensive blueprint that reveals attack surfaces, defenses, dangers, and connections
11:55am - 12:30pm Lunch Service
11:55am - 12:30pm Networking
Women In Security Networking Lunch

Devin Rudnicki
CISO
Fitch Ratings
Female, non-binary, and allied cyber leaders are invited to eat lunch and connect in our reserved networking space. Those in attendance can freely discuss best practices, key challenges and mission-critical priorities before heading over to the midday keynote.
Attendees will pair up or form small groups to discuss:
What’s your best advice, tip or trick when it comes to forming peer relationships or finding executive mentorship? How have you used that this year?
What is the biggest problem you and your team are hoping to solve this year?
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Chicago CISO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Convene at 233 South WackerFor parking and directions, please click here.
Nearby Hotels:
151 W Adams St
Chicago, IL 60603
Distance from venue - 0.2 mile
Canopy By Hilton Chicago Central Loop
226 West Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60606
Distance from venue - 0.1 mile
172 W Adams St
Chicago, IL 60603
Distance from venue - 0.2 miles
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.