Houston CISO Community
Executive Summit
December 1, 2026 | Hyatt Regency Houston West
December 1, 2026
Hyatt Regency Houston West
Join fellow CISOs for a day of peer connections, peer perspectives and Gartner insights
The Gartner Houston CISO Community Executive Summit is the community’s signature event, bringing together CISOs for a full day of immersive, peer-driven discussions and curated networking. Connect with peers who share similar priorities, exchange real-world experiences and gain data-driven insights from Gartner analysts. Walk away with practical solutions, validated strategies and valuable connections, giving you greater confidence to lead through change.
Participate in discussions on the most critical issues impacting CISOs today:
Positioning AI Governance as a Model for Trusted Innovation
Redefining Security Leadership for the Resilience Era
Converging IT, OT, and AI Security
Houston 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

Erica Connor
Sempra Infrastructure
CISO

Mike Coogan
Brinks Home
VP, IT Services & CISO

Doug Rinehart
Marigold
CISO

Anthony Souza
Corteva Inc
VP & CISO

Genady Vishnevetsky
Stewart Title
CISO

Joy Wangdi
LyondellBasell
Cybersecurity Trust Officer
What to Expect at an Executive Summit
Agenda
8:00am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Gartner Keynote
Building Cyber Resilience Through Human Leadership
Jérôme Mackowiak
Director Analyst, Business & Technology Insights, Human Resources Practice
Gartner
Keith Turpin
CISO
The Friedkin Group Inc
Erica Connor
CISO
Sempra Infrastructure
Today's CISOs are being asked to do far more than manage cyber risk. They are expected to build resilient organizations, influence business strategy, navigate constant disruption, and lead teams through unprecedented levels of pressure and change. In this environment, technical expertise alone is no longer enough.
Drawing on Gartner’s latest research and insights, this thought-provoking fireside chat explores the connection between human leadership and cyber resilience, challenging the notion that culture is a "soft" discipline separate from security strategy. Instead, we'll examine:
- How human leadership shapes culture,
- How culture drives behavior, and
- How behavior ultimately determines security outcomes across the enterprise
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Managing Risk Across Human and AI Identities
Hosted by Mimecast
Beth Miller
Global Field CISO
Mimecast
AI agents are becoming workforce participants, gaining access to systems, data, and business processes without security awareness training. For CISOs, that raises a new question: how do you measure risk when part of your workforce isn't human? Few organizations consistently assess agent-driven exposure, leading to an incomplete view of enterprise resilience — just as boards demand greater accountability for AI risk.
In this session, we'll explore how to:
- Establish a common measurement approach for human and AI-driven risk
- Identify and prioritize exposure based on residual risk
- Communicate meaningful workforce risk metrics to executives and boards
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Securing the Foundation for Trusted AI
Hosted by Concentric AI
Uday Srinivasan
Chief Technology Officer
Concentric AI
Linda Marcone
CISO & VP, Information Security
Crate & Barrel
As organizations accelerate AI adoption, security leaders are being asked to support innovation while maintaining control over sensitive data. Many AI initiatives are revealing longstanding challenges around data visibility, access governance, oversharing, and policy enforcement. The organizations that successfully scale AI will be those that establish trust in the data, controls, and governance frameworks that underpin it.
Join this roundtable to discuss:
Assessing confidence in AI data visibility and identifying barriers to secure adoption
Bridging the gap between AI policy and employee behavior, including shadow AI
Enabling AI innovation while maintaining security without being restrictive
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
What Does 'Right-Sized' Security Investment Look Like?
As economic pressure, AI investment, regulatory demands, and evolving threats compete for the same finite dollars, CISOs are being asked to do more than defend the business—they're being asked to justify every investment. The most effective leaders are rethinking how security budgets are built, shifting focus from technology acquisition to measurable outcomes, business priorities, and risk reduction. As planning cycles move toward 2027 and beyond, the question is no longer how much to spend, but where spending creates the greatest impact.
Join this session to discuss:
- Where security investments are increasing—and where they are being cut
- Aligning security spending to business and risk outcomes
- Defending investment priorities in an era of competing demands
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
Explore AI Threat Readiness with Wiz
Hosted by Wiz
Join this session to explore one of the community's top priorities this year: AI threat readiness. Gain insights into key challenges, emerging approaches, and practical applications to help you navigate what's next.
11:10am - 11:55am Executive Boardroom
Beyond Generative AI - Preparing for Agentic AI Revolution
Hosted by Cyera
Rick Holland
Data & AI Security Officer
Cyera
Jenu Jose
Senior Manager, Enterprise Security
Transocean
The next evolution of artificial intelligence is not simply generating content. It is enabling autonomous systems that can reason, interact with enterprise applications, and execute business processes on behalf of employees and customers. This shift introduces a new category of enterprise risk. AI agents require access to data, applications, systems, and credentials, creating challenges that traditional cybersecurity, identity, and governance models were never designed to address.
This keynote explores:
- Preparing for the Agentic AI era by building a unified approach to data protection, identity security, and AI governance
- Emerging requirements for governing non-human identities, managing AI agent access, protecting sensitive data, and maintaining continuous compliance
- Balancing innovation and risk with a practical framework for visibility
11:10am - 11:55am Executive Boardroom
Managing the AI Roadmap in Real Time
The challenge for CISOs is no longer whether AI will be adopted, but how to guide adoption in a way that balances business value, risk, and accountability. With new tools emerging daily and ownership often spread across the enterprise, many leaders are building the roadmap while simultaneously executing it.
Join this session to discuss:
- Strategies for developing and adapting AI roadmaps as priorities, technologies, and risks continue to evolve
- Leveraging usage, ROI, and risk data to inform decisions and justify investments
- Creating visibility into AI activity across the organization to support effective governance and risk management
11:55am - 12:30pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Each application is carefully vetted to ensure members meet established criteria, preserving the quality of the network and enabling meaningful, peer‑level discussions among leaders from the world’s leading organizations.
Once you submit your application, a Community Program Manager will schedule a conversation to understand your priorities and interests and complete onboarding, including access to year‑round community events.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Hyatt Regency Houston WestComplimentary self-parking on all sides of the building
Valet $12 per vehicle per day
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hyatt Regency Houston West at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 1 (888) 591-1234. Please mention G-CIOC to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $159 USD (plus tax) is November 9, 2026.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.
