SecureWorld Kansas 2026

Rodney Beard, CISSP, is a cybersecurity consultant with Cyber Risk Opportunities LLC, bringing more than 20 years of experience protecting organizations across defense, government, and financial services sectors.

Most recently, Rodney served as Information Security Officer at Rivermark Community Credit Union, a $2B institution in Oregon, where he built and led the enterprise security program for seven years. His responsibilities included penetration testing, security architecture, incident response, vendor risk management, and developing security awareness training for employees.

Prior to financial services, Rodney spent eight years as an IT Specialist with the U.S. Army at White Sands Missile Range, where he served as Information Management Officer responsible for IT security across 22 regional locations and 250 employees. He implemented security policies aligned with NIST, Federal, and DoD standards while managing a program portfolio valued at $2.5 million.

Rodney has also taught technology courses as an Adjunct Instructor at Vista College, preparing students for CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications.

He holds the CISSP certification, CompTIA Security+, Network+, and A+, along with multiple Microsoft certifications. Rodney is based in Casper, Wyoming, and works remotely with clients nationwide.

Dr. Eric Cole, DPS is a cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur, public figure, and best-selling author. Dr. Cole has built a solid reputation in the cybersecurity industry over the last three decades. His career has advanced from starting as a professional hacker for the CIA to becoming the 44th President's com-missioner on cyber security to currently advising companies and teaching professionals on how to implement security measures that serve as a business enabler. His accomplishments have earned him an in-duction into the Information Security Hall of Fame and have awarded him as a Cyber Wingman from the US Air Force. His recognition has caught the interest of current clients, who include international banking institutions, Fortune 500 organizations, Bill Gates, and Saudi Aramco. His entrepreneurial accomplishments include three successful exits building eight-, nine-, and ten-figure organizations. Se-cure Anchor Consulting is his fourth cyber security business venture. Aside from his seasoned technical expertise, Dr. Cole is a well-known public figure and author of various publications. He recently released his eighth book, Cyber Crisis, which debuted at #1 on the Wall Street Journal's bestseller list. Dr. Cole is currently focusing on fulfilling his purpose of being on this planet to end suffering in cyber-space and his mission to secure cyberspace, by making cyberspace a safe place to live, work and raise a family.

CISSP and Security+ certified Principal Cybersecurity Engineer using system engineering principles and a lot of curiosity.

Bill Guyer is a seasoned veteran of the IT security battle. With more than 30 years experience at all levels of technology support and strategy, Bill brings a comprehensive, expert, and people focused point of view to the industry. Bill has achieved multiple certifications including CISSP, ITIL, and PMP, and has experience applying the concepts associated in real-world scenarios. Bill is currently the CISO for RSi RCM in Columbia, SC. He is also a board member of the Kansas City Chapter of ISC2, and active in mentoring new security professionals.

Jason Cradit is a highly-skilled technology executive with a passion for creating innovative solutions in the energy and utilities industry. For two decades, Jason has helped companies use technology to streamline their processes, reduce costs, and increase efficiencies by challenging the status quo and leading teams to set higher bars with modern technologies. He is a versatile executive with experience as a software solutions leader, consultant, and operator. Jason's academic journey includes a bachelor's degree in business management from Baker University, a master's in computer science from the University of Kansas, and a master’s in business administration from Rockhurst University. Additionally, he holds many industry certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, AWS Architect, Azure Architect, and many more.

Joshua Brown is a CyberSecurity executive with over 25 years of experience building and transforming security programs across multiple companies. As the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Spektrum Labs, Joshua is shepherding the product development of Spektrum Resilience, transforming the relationship between SecOps, resilience, and compliance. Prior to that, he founded Digital Defense Consulting and was the Global CISO of H&R Block.

He has been a mentor for the SANS Institute and a frequent author and speaker on myriad information security topics, including speaking at the InfoSec World conference, the ISC2 World Congress, and being published in Security Current magazine and Enterprise Security magazine. Joshua was named a Top Global CISO by Cyber Defense Magazine in 2023; a Top 10 CISO by Enterprise Security Magazine in 2023; and a Top 100 CISO by Security Currents in 2024.

Naeem Babri is a cyber risk and governance professional with extensive experience supporting organizations in risk assessment, compliance, and executive-level decision support. Known for his ability to translate complex risk information into clear, actionable insight, Naeem works closely with leadership teams to strengthen data protection, operational resilience, and business continuity in evolving threat environments.

He holds a Master of Science in Computer Resource Management and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science, grounding his advisory work in both technical rigor and analytical problem-solving. Naeem’s professional background includes information risk management, risk scoring and reporting, audit and compliance support, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning, with a strong emphasis on communication and stakeholder trust.

Beyond his advisory work, Naeem is a long-standing leader in the cybersecurity community. He has served as President of the Information Systems Security Association – Greater Kansas City Chapter (ISSA-KC) since 2014, where he provides strategic and operational leadership, guides chapter programming, and collaborates with industry partners, sponsors, and media to advance cybersecurity education and engagement. He also serves as Vice President of Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) Kansas City, part of a global organization with a presence across Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and the United Kingdom.

Naeem brings a human-centered perspective to cybersecurity, focusing on how communication, trust, and decision-making shape real-world outcomes. Outside of his professional work, he is an avid marathon runner and a patron of the arts, interests that reflect the discipline, endurance, and creativity he brings to leadership and risk governance.

Dr. Cheryl Cooper helps managing partners and executive leaders protect what matters most: client trust, firm reputation, and revenue. A Cyber Resilience and GRC Strategist, Fractional CISO for managing partners and law firms, TEDx Speaker, author, and United States Navy Veteran, she is known for translating complex cyber risk into clear, defensible leadership decisions, without fear tactics or technical jargon.

With more than two decades of experience across Fortune 100 enterprises, the U.S. Navy, and executive security leadership, Dr. Cooper has advised organizations where cyber incidents carry legal, financial, and reputational consequences. Her background includes serving as a Business Information Security Officer supporting Legal, HR, and Finance functions, giving her a rare, leadership-level perspective at the intersection of governance, liability, and operational resilience.

Dr. Cooper is a higher education cybersecurity adjunct professor and President of the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) Kansas City Metroplex Affiliate, part of a global organization advancing cybersecurity leadership across industry, government, and academia. She is also the creator of the Cyber Resilience Compass™, a plain-language framework that helps leaders understand what puts their organizations at risk, what matters most right now, and which decisions leadership, not IT, must own. A core part of her work includes short executive engagements that clarify risk priorities, decision ownership, and next steps long before a crisis forces the conversation. Her keynote presentations combine executive storytelling with practical guidance, helping audiences recognize how human behavior, trust, and urgency are exploited long before technology fails.

Sean Mahoney is a cybersecurity executive and Information Security Officer at Netswitch Technology Management who helps organizations govern cyber and AI risk as a business priority, not just a technical function. With more than two decades of executive leadership experience and over ten years in security leadership, Sean is known for translating risk, compliance, and emerging technology exposure into measurable business outcomes.

Before entering cybersecurity, Sean spent 30 years in global supply chain and executive management, serving as an EVP for an international manufacturing and distribution company with operations across North America. In that role, he was responsible for enterprise risk oversight, operational resilience, and large-scale digital transformation, experience that now informs his pragmatic, business-first approach to cybersecurity and AI governance.

A CISM-certified executive, Sean has designed and led risk and compliance programs aligned with ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, CMMC, and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. His work has delivered tangible results, including accelerated audit readiness, significant reductions in detection and response times, and risk remediation efforts that enabled multimillion-dollar contract wins.

Sean regularly advises executive teams and boards on responsible AI adoption, governance controls, and model risk management. He is also the publisher of the Cyber Risk Governance Insights newsletter and co-host of the Cybersecurity Chronicles podcast, where he bridges the gap between boards, executives, auditors, and technologists by framing cyber risk as a leadership and governance issue first.

Bill spent a couple of decades pretending to be someone else as a stage actor and radio personality. After making the shift from entertainer to IT generalist, Bill gravitated toward security through compliance and federal regulatory obligations. For nearly 28 years, Bill has obtained dozens of worthwhile certifications, worked in every aspect of IT from entry level Help Desk to CISO and almost every stop along the way. If it fits in the IT, IT Security, GRC bucket, Bill has probably touched it. Recently, more time has been spent refreshing compliance programs, finding products and processes that address gaps and inconsistencies, along with pushing slippery rocks up slippery hills on windy days.