SecureWorld recently wrapped up its fourth annual regional cybersecurity conference in New York City, returning to the Big Apple for the first time since prior to the pandemic.
The Exhibitor Hall was filled with some amazing vendors and attendees looking to share their knowledge and experiences, while the lineup of speakers was stacked with some big names from prominent companies.
The event kicked off with an opening keynote moderated by BlackRock's Global Head of Cyber Resilience & Data Protection, Taylor Milligan Crotty, who was joined by Nicole Dove, Head of Security in the Games Division at Riot Games, Tomás Maldonado, CISO for the NFL, and Timothy Rohrbaugh, CISO for JetBlue Airways.
Left to right: Dove, Rohrbaugh, Maldonado, Milligan Crotty
The talk was titled "Re:Make the Pathway to Cybersecurity Success," something many attendees were eager to listen to. One of the first things discussed in this session was the role that mentorship plays in one's career, both as a mentor and when you are looking for one.
Maldonado shared his thoughts when it comes to building a relationship with your mentor(s):
"I will say that I have a lot of important mentors. Because I'm not calling them to say 'Hey, can you be my mentor?' Right? I'm asking them for advice. I'm talking, I'm having a conversation. You're sharing and trying to add value back too, as well as added value for me. And I've used those sorts of informal conversations....
So, as you're looking to get something out of that mentor/mentee relationship, ensure that yours is a give and take. With such a long history, it can become a one way street. And at some point in time, mentors will say, 'Well, it's really nothing in it for me....'
Is there a value that you can provide back to me? That's a healthy relationship. That's a less formal, more healthy friendship, which is essential when you're trying to build over all the different friends and different industries in different roles that can help you continue to progress."
Milligan Crotty also shared, saying that she likes to think of mentorship as kind of having your own personal board of advisors; basically, a close community that you build throughout your career and continue to lean on as you climb your career ladder.
Moving on through the discussion, everyone talked about different challenges they face in their workplace, and though they all have similar roles, their jobs can look very different.
For Rohrbaugh, with JetBlue, the cybersecurity aspect is critical for the organization. If something goes wrong with cyber, then that threatens the very real physical security of passengers on a plane. In contrast, the NFL is so concerned about physical security of players and fans at games that cybersecurity can be an afterthought, something Maldonado has learned to deal with and prepare for.
With Dove at Riot Games, she pointed out how her main concern is to make sure their users have a flawless entertainment experience, which includes things like creating a safe environment for gamers to engage in. And then how do you accomplish that at an organizational level?
Something she touched on that we all deal with is how to approach cybersecurity issues with people who are not well-versed in what cybersecurity is. Get those people engaged with the security team and teach them that cybersecurity is not a checkbox.
The entire discussion between the four speakers was really fascinating to hear and something that attendees of SecureWorld New York really appreciated.
But it wasn't just the opening keynote that got people excited. Throughout the day, there were talks given by Scott Matsumoto, CISO for Robinhood, Michael Roytman, Chief Data Scientist for Cisco/Kenna Security, a panel discussion led by senior leaders from Coinbase, the U.S. Secret Service, and the New York District Attorney's Office, and so much more.
As enjoyable as it is to listen to these incredible speakers, SecureWorld also likes to spice things up a bit and make sure attendees enjoy the end of the long day. In the Exhibitor Hall, we hosted a happy hour and casino night, giving everyone a reason to stick around, continue to network, and have some more fun.
Blackjack table
Craps table
Cybercrime Magazine was onsite and covering all the action. Watch their video recap and interviews here: https://youtu.be/V_TdQFs-9Ns
SecureWorld has two more in-person conferences remaining in 2022, Dallas and Seattle, so if you are in the area, we would love to have you attend. Register for our regional cybersecurity conferences here!
