CISO & Advisory Board Member

How CISOs accelerate security at scale is no longer theoretical — it’s a practical, daily requirement for modern security leaders. Merritt's career focuses on helping organizations build programs that move at business speed while maintaining the rigor, clarity, and operational discipline the role demands. In Friday’s keynote, she’ll unpack what it actually takes to scale security in real environments and how leaders can adapt their operating models for the years ahead. 

Field CISO | Zafran Security

Steve Cobb joins an expert panel to examine how AI‑accelerated discovery, exploit generation, and automation are reshaping the VM lifecycle. The session breaks down what a modern, defensible program actually looks like when threat velocity is measured in hours—not weeks—and explores the operational, governance, and tooling shifts CISOs must make to stay ahead. 

CEO | SideChannel

The CISO role in 2026 has changed significantly from what it was five years ago, and it will continue to evolve as expectations broaden across the business. Brian has lived that shift firsthand.  At the Boston Summit, he’ll break down what boards and C-Suite now expect from security leaders and how to intentionally shape your own career for the years ahead. 

Global CISO | KPMG

Scaling security inside a global enterprise requires more than strong controls, it requires alignment, prioritization, and the ability to move with the business without losing discipline. As Global CISO at KPMG, John brings firsthand experience in designing programs that operate at scale and still meet the expectations of executive leadership. 

Director, Cyber Testing | NY Cyber Command

Will brings a practitioner’s lens to how vulnerability management must evolve as frontier‑scale AI collapses the gap between discovery and exploitation. The discussion focuses on real‑world program design, automation that works, and the organizational changes required to defend at machine speed, without adding unnecessary complexity. 

Host & Founder | CISO Masterminds

Jason will take us on an interactive conversation on how security leaders are using AI to meaningfully scale their teams and their own effectiveness. This session invites members to share their biggest AI opportunities, the hardest challenges they’re facing this year, and the practical strategies that are actually working. It’s a chance to compare notes on where AI is delivering real defensive value, and how CISOs can harness it to amplify impact without adding complexity.