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26 confirmed
Chief Innovation Officer · Mirai Security
Over the past two decades, Alex has worked within three mission-critical security operation centres (SOC), including the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics SOC, has established Vancouver’s cyber security community and in 2017 co-founded one of Western Canada’s leading cyber security consultancies. Alex is a community builder. In 2013 he established Vancouver’s cyber security community through the founding of the BSides Vancouver cybersecurity conference. In 2017, frustrated with how broken cyber security consulting had become, forged Mirai Security from within the community. Mirai Security has quickly become the centre for cyber security excellence in Western Canada by attracting cyber security professionals who want to do cyber security better. Alex is an innovator. Over the years, he has focused on balancing risk by pragmatically improving situational awareness and incident response capabilities through business-enabling security architectures. Today, Alex is the Chief Innovation Officer at Mirai Security. Mirai, Japanese for the future, focuses on the “future of cyber risk” by helping enterprises securely digitally transform through innovative governance, secure AI adoption and maturing software development practices. Alex is a thought leader. With a passion for knowledge and giving back to the community, Alex loves public speaking, teaching, contributing to cyber security books, advising higher-education, facilitating immersive tabletop experiences and now documents his experiments and learnings on Substack and Youtube.
Chair · Operation Defend the North
Ali has over 15 years of experience in developing and leading teams at various stages of the IT development lifecycle. He spearheaded the growth of Durham College’s Cybersecurity Innovation Center along with their AI and Cybersecurity labs – he led the deployment of applications and infrastructure in line with ISO 27001 and NIST frameworks and prepared processes for SOC 2 level clearances. Ali held senior roles at the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network ( ORION ) in projects related to remote connectivity, the implementation of technical training, enhancing access to critical applications and more. Leading teams of up to 65 staff members, Ali has demonstrated leadership in the cyber domain and has established a reputation province wide for his expertise and initiative. Ali is the host of various tech shows including Power Hour, a panelist for numerous forums including the CISO Forum Canada and a highly acknowledged lecturer at many institutions across Canada. As well as being a seasoned member of the Cyber community, Ali has led the deployment of tabletop exercises for the province of Ontario and is consistently invited to deliver cyber training programs across various sectors. Most recently, Ali was retained to lead the cyber training division of the Youth Employment Services and lead programming to train and enhance skillsets of learners in cyber. Along with pursuing his PhD, Ali enjoys lecturing at related courses at Seneca College, Georgian College, Toronto School of Management, University of Fredericton, and Algoma University to name a few.
Director, Cybersecurity Strategic Priorities · Government of British Columbia
Amy Kirtay serves as the Director, Cybersecurity Strategic Priorities for the Government of British Columbia. In this role, she leads CyberBC, a provincial initiative designed to collaborate with broader public sector organizations to enhance their cybersecurity posture. CyberBC provides resources to help create cybersecurity strategies, assess weaknesses and potential threats, and minimize risks to safeguard partners against cyber threats. With over 18 years of public service experience, Amy has a strong background in digital transformation within the social services, finance, and information technology sectors. She holds a BA in Professional Communications from Royal Roads University and an MA in Communications and Technology from the University of Alberta. Additionally, she has completed the Digital Transformation in Government Executive Education program through the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Amy is passionate about promoting an insights-driven approach to organizational challenges and fostering the development of digital champions within the public service. Her leadership continues to advance the cybersecurity landscape of British Columbia, ensuring the protection of government information systems and the broader public sector.
VP, Cyber Assurance · Corpay
Anton Kaiser is VP, Cyber Assurance at Corpay, Inc., where he leads Security Assurance across a portfolio of 100+ subsidiaries. He builds and operates scalable assurance tooling and programs that strengthen security, compliance, and risk visibility across diverse business units and technology stacks. Previously, Anton served as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for PayByPhone Technologies Inc. (Vancouver), leading security, platform engineering, reliability, corporate IT, and data teams and helping drive the organization’s transition to a fully cloud-based infrastructure. Prior to that, he held senior security and compliance leadership roles at sunhill technologies GmbH (Volkswagen Financial Services AG), including Director of IT Security & Compliance and CISO, establishing secure hybrid-cloud architectures and EU-GDPR compliant operating environments. Anton holds an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Director Cybersecurity Services - CISO · BCNET
Antonio Brandao is Director of Cybersecurity Services at BCNET, where he supports cybersecurity resilience for British Columbia’s higher education and research community. With a background in IT security, network infrastructure, threat hunting, and risk mitigation, he brings broad experience in building and hardening secure environments across both commercial and government contexts. Prior to his current role, he held technical cybersecurity positions at BCNET and led workshops and presentations on topics such as red team operations, cybersecurity preparedness, and the risks and ethics of dark web technologies. A former Army Lieutenant Colonel, Antonio combines strategic leadership, operational discipline, and technical depth in his approach to cybersecurity. He is also an active member of the CIO Association of Canada’s CISO community and is passionate about helping organizations strengthen resilience in an evolving digital threat landscape.
VP Internal Audit / Chief Audit Executive · Coastal Community Credit Union
Audit professional with over 20 years of experience in assurance and advisory roles. A pragmatic and independent advisor to boards, audit committees, and senior leadership, and a trusted partner to management and lines of business, balancing challenge with collaboration. A proven contributor to strengthening governance, risk management, and internal control environments, and a people-focused leader with a strong commitment to talent development and mental health advocacy.
Director of Infrastructure and Information Security · Mountain Equipment Company
Dragana is a senior security leader with more than 15 years of experience shaping risk and security strategies in the financial and retail industries. Her expertise spans Cybersecurity, Loss Prevention, and Privacy, with a proven record of advancing innovation, resilience, and trust. As Director of Infrastructure and Information Security at Mountain Equipment Company (MEC), Dragana is committed to building secure, scalable solutions that empower staff to work efficiently while keeping security at the forefront of the organization’s culture.
CIO · Legal Aid BC
Gerry Akkerman CISM, is a senior technology and transformation leader with over 37 years of experience driving business change through innovative use of technology. He currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for Legal Aid British Columbia. He is a National Board Member of the CIO Association of Canada and the President of its Vancouver Chapter. Gerry has extensive experience navigating complex organizational challenges and has been called upon numerous times to support high-stakes crisis situations. Notably, he served as Incident Command Chief during the recovery from one of British Columbia’s most significant ransomware attacks. With a strong technical foundation and more than 25 years in leadership roles, Gerry is passionate about developing future leaders and fostering high-performing teams.
Director Cybersecurity Solutions · PrivacyWorks
James has over 25 years of cybersecurity expertise across both private and public sectors. As an executive leader, he specializes in helping organizations develop robust, defensible security programs. James has a proven track record advising senior executive teams and Boards of Directors and building high-performing enterprise security teams. His experience spans all domains of Information Security, including governance, threat and vulnerability management, cyber risk governance, security operations, and incident response.
Operational Strategy & Trust Leader · Thrive Health
Jonathan Friesen is an accomplished operations, compliance, and cybersecurity leader based in the Vancouver area. Since January 2016, he has helped scale Jane App, Canada’s premier healthcare platform, from under $1M to well over $100M in revenue. Today, Jonathan leads the privacy, security, and IT teams at Jane. Earlier in his career, Jonathan held a broad range of roles, contributing to acquisitions and rebranding efforts at Seagate Software, Crystal Decisions, Business Objects, and finally SAP, before joining BC Hydro for eight years. Across these positions, he honed his skills in data analytics, change management, recruitment, project management, and customer support. He holds both an MDiv in Cross-Cultural Leadership and a BBA with a Computer Science minor from Trinity Western University.
Director, Information Security and Data Stewardship · Fraser Health Authority
Lia is a cybersecurity leader with broad experience across public and private sector organizations, leading initiatives in incident response, identity and access management, governance and risk management, cloud security, and AI security. She is recognized for building practical, defensible security programs that strengthen organizational resilience and align security strategy with business priorities. At Fraser Health, Lia leads the organization’s security strategy, aligning technical controls with operational realities to enhance detection capabilities, response readiness, and enterprise-wide resilience. She brings a strategic yet operational lens to cybersecurity, ensuring that security decisions protect critical systems and sensitive data while supporting continuity of care.
Director, Incident Response and Resilience · Mirai Security Inc.
Maleena Singh has over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity operations, investigations, and incident response, serving in senior leadership roles across public and private sectors. As the Director of Incident Response at Mirai Security, she helps organizations respond to and recover from cyber incidents while providing strategic guidance to enhance resilience against emerging threats. Maleena's career spans over two decades, including 23 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), where she concluded her tenure as leader of the Provincial Cybercrime team. During this time, she played a key role in domestic and international cyber investigations, collaborating with global law enforcement agencies. Following her tenure at the RCMP, Maleena led the Cyber Incident Response practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Vancouver, driving cybersecurity initiatives for diverse organizations. She has also served as Director of Cybersecurity at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), where she focused on advancing cybersecurity programs and maturity. Maleena is recognized as an industry expert, with her insights sought by leading organizations. She holds advisory roles with various institutions and actively contributes to cybersecurity development.
Director, Risk Advisory · Momentum Technology
Mary Carmichael helps leaders turn strategy into execution, translating technology and AI ambitions into outcomes teams can deliver. As Principal Director, Technology Strategy & Risk at Momentum Technology, she partners with organizations to align technology investments with business priorities, strengthen governance, and streamline processes. With more than 15 years of cross sector experience, Mary brings a strong business and financial lens to complex technology decisions. Also, Mary is an AI Research Fellow at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, where her research focuses on third-party AI risk management and governance. A longtime leader within ISACA, she has served as Past President of the ISACA Vancouver Chapter, is a Global SheLeadsTech Advocate, and regularly writes and speaks on emerging technology, risk, and governance topics. In 2026, she received the ISACA Global Chapter Leadership Award in recognition of her leadership and service to the profession.
Director of Security & GRC · FISPAN
Maryam Hamidirad is the Director of Security & GRC at FISPAN, where she leads data privacy, security, compliance, and third-party risk oversight for a fintech platform serving commercial banks. Previously, she advised leading Canadian financial institutions at Deloitte on cyber maturity, security strategy, board reporting, and multi-year investment roadmaps. Maryam teaches Cyber Risk Management at the New York Institute of Technology and holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Simon Fraser University and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. She brings deep expertise in cyber governance, regulatory readiness, and scaling security in high-growth fintech environments.
Security Operations Engineer · PRIMECorp
With over two decades of expertise in IT and Security, Michael Buckley has held roles ranging from engineer and consultant to administrator and leader. His extensive experience spans across various sectors, including financial institutions, manufacturing, software, government agencies and Crown corporations. He advocates for a fundamentals-first strategy to secure the infrastructure that businesses and their customers rely on, while also helping organizations to be well-prepared to respond to emerging threats. Michael holds SSCP and CRISC certifications and is currently SOC Lead at Mark Anthony Group.
Director, Information Security · Vancouver Community College
Momchil Karov is an accomplished enterprise security leader and educator, currently serving as Director of Information Security at Vancouver Community College (VCC). He holds a Master of Science degree and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), with a strong focus on cybersecurity risk management, governance, defense-in-depth strategies, and regulatory compliance. His work emphasizes building resilient security programs and advancing cybersecurity as a people-centered strategic capability. In addition to his role at VCC, Momchil is an Adjunct Professor at the New York Institute of Technology (Vancouver campus), where he teaches Advanced Network and Internet Security courses in the Master of Science in Information, Network, and Computer Security program. With over 25 years of experience, he has held senior cybersecurity and IT leadership roles across organizations in Canada, the United States, and the European Union, including leading the Security Architecture team at Best Buy Canada.
Manager of Cybersecurity · Odlum Brown
Neumann Lim has a strong background in cybersecurity and infrastructure management currently leading the Odlum Brown Team. He also has an extensive IR experience at previous companies such as Deloitte Canada, EY, CGI, and ISA. Currently, Neumann is serving in advisory board roles at SANS, EC-Council and other organizations. Neumann's expertise includes digital forensics, incident response, modernizing infrastructure, infrastructure resilience, site reliability, malware research, pentesting and leadership in information security policies. Outside of corporate life, Neumann is the co-founder of Malware Village, judge and participant of various cyber CTFs. Neumann is often seen speaking or leading workshops at various conferences such as DEFCON, BlueTeamVillage, GrayhatCon, BSides, Toronto CISO Summit, CCTX, HTCIA, IACIS.
VP CISO · Equifax Canada
Recognized as one of the 2022 Top 20 Women in Canada, Octavia Howell has spent her career protecting some of the world’s largest financial institutions from cyber-attacks. Today, she serves as Equifax Canada’s Chief Information Security Officer and is the Founder and CEO of Augustus Redefined, an organization focused on the advancement of Black Women in Cybersecurity. Octavia believes that a security leader should mentor, motivate trust, and lead their teams to act with integrity and openness. She often says, “A team is only as strong as their leaders and each leader casts a shadow that they will be held accountable for.” Octavia received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Spelman College and holds CISSP, GISP, GCWN and GSLC GIAC certifications. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF), Women in Technology (WiT), Women in Cybersecurity (WiCys), (ISC2), ISACA, ISSA, and serves on the Board of Directors for Cyversity.
Chief Systems Architect · Trustable
Sabino Marquez Architect of Trust Value Management | Co-founder, Trustable | Canadian Ambassador, Global Council for Responsible AI Sabino Marquez is the architect of Trust Value Management (TVM), a business operating system that transforms trust into a measurable asset class driving revenue, valuation, and competitive differentiation. With over 20 years in cybersecurity leadership, including multiple CISO roles in high-growth SaaS, Sabino has built trust value programs that deliver at the tactical layer and scale to enterprise impact. As co-founder of Trustable, he developed the Trust Coherence Algorithm, a formal model now used to structure trust operations, assurance, and procurement across market-facing functions. He also serves as Canada’s Ambassador to the Global Council for Responsible AI, delivers keynotes globally, and co-founded TrustClub.tv and Trustable.tv, platforms that support trust value leaders in operationalizing and scaling trust as capital. His book, Trust Value, will be released in December 2025.
CISO and Co-Founder · Brockton Point Solutions
With over 15 years of experience as a technical security professional and Sr. Cybersecurity Leader, Sonny Sarai brings a practitioner’s perspective to cyber resilience and risk management. His career is rooted in high-stakes technical roles moving from the front lines of digital forensics, security analyst and incident response to overseeing the cyber security strategy for a multi-billion-dollar multinational. This evolution allows him to bridge the gap between complex technical vulnerabilities and board-level business objectives. As a Co-Founder of Brockton Point Solutions, Sonny provides fractional CISO leadership to a diverse portfolio of enterprises and non-profits. He specializes in building and maturing security functions from the ground up, ensuring that technical defenses are pragmatically aligned with the organization's "crown jewels." His expertise spans the full security lifecycle, including security governance and leadership, compliance and regulatory readiness (SOC 2, GDPR, PCI DSS), technical security assessments, and AI risk management using the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. Sonny is deeply embedded in the Canadian cybersecurity ecosystem. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the CISO Division of the CIO Association of Canada (CIOCAN), and previously chaired the Cybersecurity Committee for the Canadian Blockchain Consortium. He is an active member of the SANS Advisory Board and has published research for the SANS Institute, and holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Crime Forensic Investigations along with a suite of GIAC and CISSP certifications.
Mgr Infrastructure and Cyber Security (CISO) · Metro Vancouver
Trevor has over 30 years of experience in infrastructure and cyber security. Currently leads the infrastructure and cyber security at Metro Vancouver.
President and Principal · Risk Embrace Inc
Vivek Khindria, Chartered Director, CISSP, CISM, BSc in Physics, is President and Principal at Risk Embrace Inc. As a technology and cyber leader at Canada’s most iconic brands: McMaster University, Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Bell, and Loblaw, Vivek developed deep practical experience delivering systems at scale, building strategies and programs, and now advising boards and C-suites on: resilience, cybersecurity, AI, and quantum risk, translating technical choices into business outcomes. Vivek was the elected representative for Canada in the Information Security Forum Advisory Council and played a leadership role in founding the Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX) to enable cross-industry threat intelligence sharing. Over a 30+ year career, he has led large transformations spanning autonomous vehicles, pharmacies, warehouses, AI applications, data centres, enterprise cyber programs, and trading floors. Vivek has worked across eight countries, with talks and collaborations in 20+. He continues to guide organizations and boards on cyber strategy, AI governance, quantum readiness, network optimization, OT security, and third-party risk. Vivek received the CISO of the year award at the SiberX CISO forum in 2026 and continues to mentor many other CISOs and future leaders.
GC Senior Cybersecurity Strategist · Government of Canada
Sherry Rumbolt is a Senior Cybersecurity Strategic Advisor at the Government of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. With more than 30 years experience in IT and Cybersecurity, she previously held several senior level Cybersecurity positions within Shared Services Canada, Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces and the Government of British Columbia. Sherry is very passionate about educating future generations of Cybersecurity experts and spreading the word about the importance of Cybersecurity. She was named as one of Canada’s Top 25 Women in Defence, named as one of Canada’s Top 20 Women in Cybersecurity, and honoured with a SiberX Canadian Women in Cybersecurity Lifetime Achievement Award. She sits on a variety of Advisory Boards within Canada, is a Mentor to many, and is very passionate about empowering employment equity groups to have equal opportunities for employment within Cybersecurity. Sherry holds several certifications in Cybersecurity including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).
Director, Business Risk Advisory & Controls · Bank of Montreal
Afshaad is a senior technology risk, governance, and controls leader with over two decades of experience advising and leading within highly regulated financial services environments. He currently serves as a Director at the Bank of Montreal (BMO), where he provides independent oversight and assurance across enterprise technology and cyber security risk domains, supporting executive management and regulatory accountability. Afshaad brings deep expertise in risk oversight, control frameworks, and regulatory expectations across North American and global jurisdictions. His work focuses on assessing the design and effectiveness of governance structures, internal controls, and risk management practices spanning cyber security, third-party and cloud risk, resiliency, data governance, and large-scale technology programs. He regularly partners with first- and second-line risk functions, legal and regulatory teams, auditors, and senior executives to ensure transparent risk reporting, effective challenge, and timely remediation of material issues. Throughout his career, Afshaad has led enterprise-wide control evaluations, SOX and regulatory readiness initiatives, and framework transformations that balance strong risk discipline with operational practicality. He has extensive experience translating complex technology and security risks into clear, decision-ready insights for senior leadership, enabling informed oversight and prioritization. His background includes senior roles in both Canada and the United States, advising executives during periods of regulatory scrutiny, transformation, and post-acquisition integration.
AI & Cyber Strategist · PORTSECURE
Walter Anderson helps leaders turn cybersecurity from fear into confidence. He is the Chief Information Security Officer at the Nanaimo Port Authority, a federal port authority operating under the Canada Marine Act, and the founder and strategic advisor of PORTSECURE Cybersecurity, where his work is built on a principle he calls Return on Trust. His career spans over two decades across technology, security, and business leadership, with about ten years focused on maritime cybersecurity. He works at the intersection of critical infrastructure protection, risk, and executive decision making, advising boards and leadership teams on resilience, AI governance, and what it takes to keep operations running when something goes wrong. He recently led a Canadian port authority through the national Cyber-Physical Exercise Pilot Initiative, engaging 150 organizations and 650 participants to advance critical infrastructure readiness. Walter is president of the ISACA Victoria chapter and teaches marine supply chain risk and resilience at Royal Roads University. He holds the CISSP, C|CISO, CISA, CISM, and Security+ certifications and is a certified ethical hacker. He co-authored the bestselling book Spirit of Success, contributing the chapter One Step at a Time. He lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia, climbed Kilimanjaro in 2009, and believes the best way up any mountain is one step at a time.
Head of Global Cyber Security and Risk · Seaspan Corporation
Sam Shaabani is the Head of Global Cyber Security and Risk at Seaspan Corporation, where he is leading a risk based cyber security program. Sam is passionate to apply his strong technical expertise and strategic leadership skills to strengthen security posture for Seaspan. With experience at Teck Resources, BC Hydro and Corix, he excels in risk management, compliance, and strategic business partnership. Sam holds a B.Sc. in computer engineering and CISM certification, underscoring his expertise in information technology and security.