The GovConnects program has been organizing and hosting a Cyber Conference for eight years now, and it has become a can’t-miss event for anyone working in cybersecurity or related fields in the region.

For 2018, the conference will focus on “Navigating the Security Pitfalls of a Connected World.” Cyber touches all aspects of our life, from the myriad devices we have brought into our homes to those we employ on the job to increase and improve our productivity. At the ninth annual Cyber Conference, participants can expect cutting-edge discussions from some of the leading experts in the community, surrounding topics ranging from health care to trust to employment of open source technologies.

There will be two separate tracks, ensuring relevant, engaging discussions for both technologists designing and implementing cyberproducts and management staff making financial and risk decisions regarding cybertech­-
nology. The conference sessions also will address the challenging topic of hiring, training and retaining a cyber workforce in this 0% unemployment environment.

Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger will open the conference, but there will be more than a dozen other panelists and speakers including the following.
• Matthew Johnson, Chief Technology Officer, Guardtime
• Daniel Yim, Principal, Noblis
• Shawn Wells, Chief Security Strategist, Red Hat
• Josh Lospinoso, Ph.D., Capt. U.S. Cyber Command
• Dr. Kate Hetherington, President, Howard Community College
• Diana Burley, Ph.D., Executive Director and Chair, Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection
• Col. Matthew Dunlop, U.S. Cyber Command
• Kelly Shultz, Secretary, Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation
• Jason Taule, FEI Systems
• Terry J. Dunap, Jr., Co-Founder & CEO, ReFirm Labs Inc.
• Dr. Merlynn Carson, Myriddian
• Henry Chao, Solutions Architect and Strategic Advisor
• Bryson Bort, Founder of Grimm, Scythe and ICS_Village