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In just five years, our cybersecurity program grew from a small reactive team into a comprehensive, trusted leader across multiple security domains in government human services. This session shares the strategic pillars that drove this transformation, illustrating how targeted assessments, workforce development, formal governance, and metrics-driven oversight build resilience and public trust in complex environments.

Bullets:

• Leverage independent third-party assessments to benchmark capabilities and align staffing with statewide mandates
• Build diverse career pathways and expand roles through apprenticeships and permanent assignments
• Invest in leadership and technical training to cultivate a skilled and adaptable workforce
• Secure delegated authority to author and govern department-wide security policies
• Expand program scope to include risk management, data loss prevention, privacy, audit, recovery, and third-party security
• Embed governance through comprehensive metrics and multi-level reporting to measure effectiveness and inform leadership decisions

Private sector leaders are moving beyond AI experimentation and into real-world, results-driven deployment. From advanced threat detection to adaptive decision systems, the industry is setting the pace in operationalizing AI at scale. This session brings together private sector experts to share how their innovations are transforming businesses and how these same approaches can be tailored to strengthen public sector missions.

• Show how AI is actively being used in industry to detect threats, manage risk, and streamline complex operations
• Explore real-time AI models that enable adaptive policy enforcement in high-stakes commercial environments
• Share lessons learned in building ethical, auditable, and transparent AI systems across sectors
• Highlight how predictive analytics and scenario modeling are used in enterprise to drive strategic planning
• Offer guidance on integrating AI into public systems with built-in human oversight and accountability
  

California is the birthplace of global tech innovation — and one of the world’s most targeted cyber battlegrounds. From wildfires to water systems, ports to power grids, every corner of the state depends on digital resilience. But as AI becomes a weapon in the hands of adversaries, the stakes rise dramatically: phishing that thinks, ransomware that learns, and disinformation campaigns that adapt in real time. This session explores how California can turn its innovation edge into a defensive shield, using AI to outpace AI-driven threats. Government, academia, and industry leaders will unpack the unique risks facing the Golden State and chart a path toward secure, ethical, and future-ready AI adoption.

Key Discussion Points:

• The rise of “AI vs. AI” cyber warfare: what California must prepare for.
• Using AI to predict, detect, and neutralize intelligent threats across critical sectors.
• How California can leverage Silicon Valley innovation to build the nation’s strongest cyber-AI defense.
• Balancing AI innovation with ethics, transparency, and public trust in government.

Table 1: Beyond the Budget: Best Practices for Hardening SLED Cyber Resilience via People, Process, and Product By: David Aspinall, Palo Alto Networks 

Table 2: Protecting Critical Data: Strengthening Cyber Resilience Across Agencies Facilitated By: Brett Bartow & Paul Frumer RedSeal, Inc.

Table 3: Hybrid Multi-Cloud Environments, Essential Security Considerations Facilitated By: Ken Raskin & Huda Shah, Nutanix 

Cyber threats are growing in scale and complexity, making siloed approaches ineffective and costly. This session will show you how to create a coordinated, whole-of-state cybersecurity strategy that strengthens defenses, reduces risk, and drives long-term resilience.

• Align local, state, and regional cyber capabilities to reduce duplication and blind spots
• Advance shared threat intelligence and response protocols across agencies
• Improve procurement and investment outcomes through unified security frameworks
• Amplify leadership buy-in and cross-sector accountability for cyber readiness

Albert Lam

Agency Deputy Chief Information Security Office, California Health and Human Services

Vivian Yan

Deputy Chief Security Officer, California Franchise Tax Board

Ken Raskin

Account Executive - SLED, Nutanix

David Aspinall

Director, GTM IoT Security, Palo Alto Networks