Speaker Biographies
CLOUD SECURITY STRATEGIES – SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES – June 25,2026
Mitchell Christian, Head, Global InfoSec & Infrastructure, Silverdoor
I was born and raised on a small farm in Wisconsin. I owned my own business at the age of 19. In the early 90’s I went to work for Kimberly Clark as an Electrical Engineering Tech building out Diaper Machines and switched profession into IT starting out as a PC maintenance tech at Kimberly Clark working my way to overseeing the NOC for the corporation. I moved to a position with Grant Thornton starting out as a local IT manager and worked my way to National Director of IT.
In 2008 I started my own company doing Cyber Security Consulting for small businesses and landed John Deere and Jimmy Johns as major clients doing compliance work and hardening systems. In 2016 I started for American Hotel Register as Global IT Security Lead and built out a global security program from scratch. In 2019 I went to work for Kivu Consulting as Director of Cyber Investigations leading more than 100 investigations and remediations of Ransomware incidents and litigation cases.
I assist churches and schools with both physical and Cyber Security as well as assisting them in finding grants. I also have 14 years of experience doing personal protection for large events. My degrees are in Automated Manufacturing and Business Technical Management. I currently hold a CISSP and CISM. My family and I reside in Wisconsin and I am an active member of Infragard.
Jeff Deakins, Vice President, Cybersecurity, James Hardie
Jeff Deakins is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for James Hardie, where he leads global cybersecurity, infrastructure, and data visualization strategy for one of the world’s largest building materials manufacturers. In this role, Jeff is responsible for protecting critical manufacturing and enterprise systems while enabling secure digital transformation across the business.
With more than two decades of leadership experience spanning cybersecurity, IT, operations, and finance, Jeff is known for building pragmatic, risk‑based security programs that align closely with business objectives. He has served as CISO or CIO in multiple complex, regulated environments, including global manufacturing and publicly traded companies, and has led large‑scale security transformations from the ground up.
Victor Hsiang, CISO, GATX
Victor Hsiang is an accomplished Information Security, Risk and IT Professional with over 19 years of experience working within the Financial Services and Healthcare sectors. He has an established track record of delivering successful IT and Information Security solutions that manages risk while supporting business requirements. His experience includes implementation of technology, security audits, risk assessments, information records management, privacy concerns, compliance and legal issues related to security, forensics, security practices and policy development. He currently leads the Information Security program at GATX Corporation.
Justin Nordeste, Sr Product Manager, Data Protection, 11:11 Systems
Justin Nordeste is a Senior Product Manager at 11:11 Systems, specializing in launching innovative products and enhancing solutions in the data protection space. With nearly 20 years in technology, Justin has held roles in consulting, service delivery, support, and sales engineering prior to transitioning into product leadership roles at both early-stage startups and established Fortune 500 companies. Justin holds a Bachelor’s in Management Information Systems from the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth, along with multiple technical and product management certifications.
Eugene Reznik, Cloud Security Evangelist, Native Security
Bio to come!
Trent Ridgway, Head of IT, Infrastructure and Cloud, CISO, Anson Industries
Trenton Ridgway is a seasoned Manager of Security and Infrastructure with over 20 years of experience spanning high finance, private equity, and the last decade in the construction industry. A CISSP-certified leader, always working towards aligning security and infrastructure strategies with business goals to drive innovation, resilience, and operational excellence.
He has led transformative initiatives such as migrating enterprise infrastructure to Azure IaaS and DaaS, implementing a comprehensive incident response program, and delivering measurable cost savings through strategic vendor partnerships. Strategies in reporting to teams, management, and executive leadership, providing cybersecurity KPIs, strategic insights, and actionable solutions that support business acceleration without compromising security.
With a philosophy rooted in incremental, enterprise-wide improvements, it helps achieve enterprise security that is executed seamlessly, empowering you, your coworkers, and your organization. I am passionate about sharing my vision and welcome opportunities to speak at conferences and collaborate with peers to help elevate themselves and, in the process, elevate their organizations.
Carl Stern, Vice President, Information Security, Age of Learning
Carl Stern is Vice President of Information Security at Age of Learning, the company behind ABCmouse, one of the world’s leading digital learning platforms for early childhood education. With 25 years in technology leadership and nearly a decade building and leading enterprise security programs, he has guided security through complex environments including a major healthcare technology merger, regulated multi-entity SaaS operations, and a global ed-tech platform serving millions of families. At Age of Learning, Carl oversees security strategy, governance, risk management, privacy, and compliance.
Rohit Vikash Sinha, Information Security Executive, Dover Corporation
In an era of borderless enterprises and sophisticated threats, cybersecurity is no longer a back-office function—it is the foundation of customer trust. I lead at the intersection of global technology infrastructure and high-stakes risk management, ensuring that “Brand Protection” isn’t just a goal, but a scalable reality. My philosophy centers on Enterprise Resilience. I don’t believe in security that slows down innovation. Instead, I build “Secure-by-Design” frameworks that allow global teams to move fast without compromising the integrity of the brand. Whether it’s streamlining IT operations or hardening a global security posture, my focus is on creating systems that are as agile as they are unbreakable.
Feras Tappuni, CEO and Founder, SecurityHQ
Feras Tappuni is the CEO and founder of SecurityHQ and is responsible for overseeing all the technical and financial aspects of the company. With over 25 years’ experience, he has dedicated his life to cyber security and is driven by the desire to offer his clients the highest degree of protection against today’s cyber threats.
Feras has delivered complex security and engineering projects to prestigious clients globally. From harnessing the right technology, processes, and people, he ensures that SecurityHQ delivers a truly enterprise grade experience.
Founded in 2003, SecurityHQ has evolved into a leading global cybersecurity business, headquartered in London with operations spanning Dubai, New York, Pune, Johannesburg, and Brisbane, supported by a team of over 480 full-time employees. Feras holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and continues to play an active role in shaping the global cybersecurity landscape, helping organisations navigate an increasingly complex digital world.
