Dignitaries/Special Guests

 With over 33 years experience, Greg is a seasoned information security executive proficient in information security program and project management, information security risk assessment and mitigation, vendor risk management, policy and standards creation and implementation, and disaster recovery and business continuity. He is the founding principal of vCISO Services, LLC, an information security consulting firm providing small and midsized businesses with strategic information security expertise and has provided virtual CISO services for many small and midsized businesses in a variety of industries. Previous full-time CISO-level experience includes serving as the VP Information Security for FirstBank, the Chief Information Security Officer for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, and the AVP Network and IT Security at Middle Tennessee State University. 

Greg is active in the security, technology, and risk management communities. He hosts The Virtual CISO Moment podcast, weekly discussions with information security professionals with varied backgrounds and stories. He is the author of the book Information Security for Small and Midsized Businesses. He currently serves on the Middle Tennessee State University Information Systems and Analytics advisory board and board of directors for the Nashville Technology Council Veterans Peer Group as a veteran advisor (USAF, Operation Desert Storm). Previous security and risk management community leadership roles include FS-ISAC Community Council co-chair, Middle Tennessee ISSA chapter board member, Middle Tennessee Risk Management Association board member, and chair of the Tennessee CISO Roundtable. He holds a Master's degree in Information Systems Project Management from Middle Tennessee State University, a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University at Buffalo, maintains a current CISSP certification, is a CMMC Registered Practitioner, and is Open FAIR certified.  

Peter Gallinari, over 49 years of experience in Information Technology, with 27+ years as a professional leader in the field of Data Privacy, Cyber Security & Compliance. Industry expertise in Financial services, Health Care and Government Sectors. Have held positions as: Chief Data Privacy Officer for the State of Tennessee, Domain Information Security Officer for the State of Tennessee, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) at GE Capital and GE IT Director of Operations, Chief Security Officer (CSO) supporting 3 hospitals in New York, AVP (Assistant Vice President) Delivery Services for Merrill Lynch. Regulatory compliance leader for such regulatory controls; GLBA, SOX, HIPAA, FERPA, FTI, CJIS, SSA, EU Privacy Directive (GDPR), Commercial compliance for PCI. Keynote speaker for Data Privacy and Cyber Security conferences, both public and private sector audiences. 

Dustin Childs is a part of Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) and handles communications for the group. In this role, Mr. Childs creates, implements, and oversees communications programs, both internal and external, that promote the work of ZDI and its researchers. This includes editing and writing security analysis and supporting collateral from researchers associated with ZDI. The ZDI team augments Trend Micro’s enterprise security products with 0-day research through a network of over 3,000 independent researchers around the world. Mr. Childs also responsible for providing insight into the threat landscape and competitive intelligence to the research team. He has presented at numerous conferences including Black Hat USA and ThotCon.  Dustin began his infosec journey in the late 1990s at the Air Force Information Warfare Center, where he was a member of the Air Force CERT and a key player in Solar Sunrise and Moonlight Maze. He then transitioned from active duty to defense contractor, where he ran a multi-million dollar facility designed to test and verify network tools and architecture. Following this role, Mr. Childs worked in the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing group, where he served as a case manager in the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) with a focus on addressing vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system and in Microsoft’s developer tools. His cases included the original Conficker vulnerability and Stuxnet-related bugs. With over 20 years in information security roles, Mr. Childs approaches issues with an understanding of the different real-world implications for various IT roles.

Steve Mallard is a SME for government entities.  Mallard retired as the Master Teacher II of the Information Technology and Infrastructure Management program at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Shelbyville.   Mallard and the program were recognized by Computerworld, TechTarget, the Whitehouse, US Department of Education Office of Career Education (OCTAE) -“Recognized for excellence, dedication, and leadership in Career Technical Education” , SC Magazine as one of the top five Cyber Security Programs, the TN State Governor’s Office and the TN Department of Homeland Security just to name a few. 

He has provided testimony at the National Academies of Science-Engineering and Medicine – “Strengthening the Disaster Resilience of Academic Research Communities” , the TN Department of Education Advisory Committee for CTE and Information Technology,  ES-ISAC  “Partnership with Higher Education with the TN Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security”, DCEMA – Cyber Awareness at Georgetown University and testified for Broadband TN - TACIR – TNECD. 

Mallard created the first live student ran Security Operations Center in the nation and his institution received A RESOLUTION to recognize and commend the Middle Tennessee Education Center Security Operations Center at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Shelbyville. ~HJR(1382)