<p>One of the nation’s most prominent cybersecurity authorities, Theresa Payton shows audiences how to be future-ready and secure—especially as advancements in artificial intelligence are reshaping cybercrime as we know it.</p><p>An inventor and visionary in the digital world, a U.S. patent holder, and the first female White House CIO, a two-time company founder and CEO, Theresa Payton, was named one of the “Top 50 Women in Tech” by <em>Award Magazine</em> in 2021. She captivates audiences by drawing on her unmatched knowledge and expertise to help business, association and government audiences safely navigate a rapidly changing digital future.</p><p>In presentations that masterfully blend stories from the trenches with cutting-edge insights (and all the flare she was known for as co-star on the CBS hit series <em>Hunted</em>), Theresa helps audiences understand the current impact and future applications of AI, Quantum Computing, Blockchain, Web 3.0 / the Metaverse, the Internet of Things and Big Data for their business. A trusted advisor to companies and governments, Theresa helps organizations of every size balance the risks and the enormous promise of emerging technologies for business transformation and growth.</p><p>Before serving as White House CIO, Payton was a technology leader in the banking and finance sector. She went on to co-found Dark3, a company later acquired by Celerium. Today she is the founder and CEO at Fortalice Solutions, a world-class consulting firm recently named to the lists of “The Global Hot 150 Cybersecurity Companies,” by Cybersecurity Ventures, and “The Top 5 Most Innovative Cybersecurity Companies” in the Washington, D.C. area. Her work in the field of fighting crime earned her the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. Theresa is a member of the Cyber Defenders Council, a group of 50 preeminent leaders from the public and private sectors who promote cross-sector collaboration and proactive cyber deterrence, and she sits on several advisory boards for innovative global technology firms.</p><p>In 2020,<em> Business Insider</em> named her one of their “Top 50 Cybersecurity Leaders” and <em>Security Magazine</em> named her one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People in Security.” Past awards have included “One of the 100 Most Influential People in Cyber Security,” “Woman Cybersecurity Leader of the Year,” and “Cybersecurity Crusader of the Year.”</p><p>Payton is the author of three industry-leading books, including <em>Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth</em>, which <em>The Guardian</em> included on their list of the “Top 10 Books About Cybercrime.” She frequently appears in the international news and media, helping viewers understand the latest technology trends and how to protect their privacy in today’s digital world. </p>
First Female White House CIO, Technology Thought Leader, AI Strategist and Cybersecurity Expert
<ul><li><strong>How AI, Deepfakes, Voice Cloning and ChatGPT Are Transforming Cybercrime—And How to Future-Proof Yourself and Your Business Now</strong></li><li>With the ability to access potent AI algorithms, voice-cloning and other deepfake capabilities, and the widespread availability of ChatGPT, cybercriminals now possess formidable tools at their disposal. These AI advancements have fundamentally reshaped the landscape of criminal operations, offering novel challenges and prospects for the cybersecurity realm. But Theresa Payton shows that it’s possible to turn the tables on cybercriminals. In this keynote, she takes a deep dive into real-world cases along with live AI demonstrations that show how criminals attack you but more importantly, how to future-proof yourself and your company from their attacks. Attendees walk away empowered by clear strategies to future-proof their businesses and thrive in today’s digital landscape.</li><li><strong>Innovation and Technology Transformation</strong></li><li>Implementing cutting-edge technology and large change management to improve daily operations is something Theresa Payton knows best—she did this for the world’s largest banks. When the White House needed to modernize their operations, they entrusted the responsibility to her. In this keynote, Theresa draws from her substantial career to share essential lessons for implementing technology that improves human-user experiences. Covering topics like ChatGPT, AI, blockchain, quantum computing, and more Theresa provides demonstrations and an expert step-by-step roadmap to innovation that’s effective.</li><li><strong>How Criminals Hack You: Unmasking Cybercrime and Social Engineering Tactics</strong></li><li>In her hit CBS TV series,<em> Hunted</em>, Theresa Payton used social engineering to track and capture fugitives on the run. Now, using cases from the frontlines of protecting the world’s most important organizations and VIPs, Theresa shows how attackers can manipulate trust and gain access to anything they want. Using demonstrations, she shares actionable insights to make yourself “unhackable”—to safeguard your data, finances, security, and privacy against today's human hackers. This event uses (anonymized) real-world cases. Attendees walk away with clear, pragmatic steps for confidently protecting themselves and their businesses.</li></ul>