Meet the 2026 Speakers
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Morning Keynote:
Kate Swistowicz
Morning Keynote:
Kate Swistowicz
IT Director & CTO, Fremont County School District 25
Kate Swistowicz is an IT Director based in Wyoming with 20+ years of experience managing technology and cybersecurity across the public and private sectors. Specializing in data privacy, email security, and compliance, she brings an unfiltered, human-focused approach to security leadership—delivering practical, real-world strategies to combat emerging AI threats and organizational vulnerabilities.
Lunch Panel Moderator:
Natalie Demple
Lunch Panel Moderator:
Natalie Demple
Cybersecurity Engagement Manager & Business Counselor, CyberWyoming
Natalie Demple is the Cybersecurity Engagement Manager & Business Counselor at CyberWyoming. She develops community-focused cybersecurity awareness campaigns and provides hands-on guidance to micro-businesses through the Made Safe™ Cybersecurity Training Program & Competition.
Session Title: Where Are They Now? Past Cybersecurity Competition Winners
Hear from past cybersecurity competition winners as they reflect on how competitive experiences shaped their company culture, careers, and leadership journeys. Panelists will share lessons learned, pivotal opportunities, and insights into today’s micro-business cybersecurity landscape while offering advice for other business professionals looking to join a similar program.
Dr. Michelle Aldrich
Dr. Michelle Aldrich
Amy McLaughlin
Amy McLaughlin
WY Department of Education Career & Technical Ed. Supervisor
Dr. Michelle Aldrich is currently the Wyoming State Director of Career & Technical Education. Dr. Aldrich has won national teaching awards in culinary arts, was named the Region VIII and Wyoming Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year, and honors that include the 2021 Rising Star Award from Advanced CTE and the 2021 Wyoming Women of Influence in Education.
Vice President of IT & CIO, University of Wyoming
Amy McLaughlin is Vice President for Information Technology and CIO at the University of Wyoming. With over two decades in cybersecurity, she helps organizations of all sizes strengthen resilience, manage risk, and advance their cyber maturity. Amy is a nationally recognized leader known for guiding complex transformations, building high-performing teams, and delivering practical, people-centered security and technology solutions.
Brad Rhodes
Brad Rhodes
Dr. Lawrence Struempf
Dr. Lawrence Struempf
Deputy Director, Energy Threat Analysis Center | Department of Energy / OAice of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response
Brad Rhodes is Deputy Director, Energy Threat Analysis Center, Department of Energy, working with multiple industry partners to secure the sector. Brad serves in the US Army Reserve as a Colonel, Cyber Warfare as the G6/CIO for the 63rd Readiness Division. He has 29+ years of experience in the government, military, academic, and private sectors and multiple recognized professional certifications.
IT Program Manager and CMMC Certified Assessor | Concordant LLC
Dr. Lawrence Struempf earned his Bachelors and Doctorate degrees in technology at the University of Wyoming. With over 20 years of Cybersecurity, Systems Engineering, and Project Management experience, Dr. Struempf has managed large scale projects and performed cybersecurity audits for federal and state governments. Dr. Struempf is a CMMC Certified Assessor (CCA),PMI-PMP, and ISC2-CISSP.
Shane Brown
Shane Brown
Jacob Miller
Jacob Miller
Founder & CEO, DigeTekS LLC
For more than two decades, Shane has led DigeTekS, LLC with a focus on innovation, cybersecurity, virtualization, and client service excellence. He specializes in building secure, resilient infrastructures that protect sensitive data and optimize performance. As a Forbes Technology Council member, he contributes to conversations on emerging technology while helping organizations succeed through customized, strategic IT solutions in an evolving digital landscape.
Financial Advisor
Jacob Miller brings an entrepreneurial background shaped by building, operating, and successfully selling his own business. That experience gives him firsthand insight into cash flow, risk management, and long-term planning. Today, he applies that practical perspective to financial strategies, helping clients make informed decisions with the same discipline and clarity required to grow and exit a business successfully.
Matthew Butler
Matthew Butler
Jason Armstrong
Jason Armstrong
Founder & Managing Partner | Laurel Lye Systems Engineering
Matthew Butler is Founder and Managing Partner of Laurel Lye Systems Engineering. He is a Fractional CTO/CISO specializing in secure, safety-critical & AI-enabled systems and is an international speaker & trainer and Vice Chair of ISO C++ SG23. He helps organizations design and build high-stakes technology where failure is a breach, a lawsuit or a tragedy.
Wagon Master | Little Mountain Strategies
Jason Armstrong is an IT Service Delivery Manager and CISSP certified professional with 17 years of experience in global infrastructure and security. Based in Wyoming, he specializes in IT governance and risk management. As the founder Wagon Master of Little Mountain Strategies, Jason leverages his deep expertise to guide clients through the IT wilderness.
Laura Baker
Laura Baker
Korey Mercier
Korey Mercier
Executive Director | CyberWyoming
Laura Baker runs two nonprofits, CyberWyoming and the CyberWyoming Alliance, which comprise multiple programs designed to help average citizens and Wyoming companies manage their security risks. Some of the business side programs include the Made Safe™ Business Training Program & Cybersecurity Competition and apprenticeship programs for tech professions. Other citizen programs include a weekly publication called the Hacker's Brief, Senior Fraud Alert Flyers, the annual cybersecurity conference, the Teens Exploring Careers Camp, and a school cyber safety video challenge.
Founder & Advisor | Herding Wolves
Korey Mercier is a former Chief Systems Architect with almost 30 years of experience in engineering, infrastructure, and security leadership. As founder of Herding Wolves, he works with growing technology companies to implement practical AI governance, improve cross-team execution, and introduce operational guardrails that allow teams to move fast without creating technical or organizational chaos.
Meagan Herrington
Meagan Herrington
Otakar Klier
Otakar Klier
Administrative Services Manager | Black Cat LLC
Meagan Herrington is the Administrative Services Manager for Black Cat LLC. She is involved in multiple Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce committees, CASA of Laramie County BOD, CyberWyoming Alliance BOD, Chamber of Commerce BOD, Leadership Wyoming 2026, the 2023 Emerging Leader, & has an MBA from University of Wyoming. Black Cat LLC won 2023 CyberWyoming Cyber Competition for small businesses.
Cyber Architect | SKRZ Security
A cyber security expert focused on the frontier of threat prevention. With extensive hands on experience in different systems, I specialize in breaking down why traditional detection fails and how architectures like Zero Trust enable true security.
Christopher Sundberg
Christopher Sundberg
Galen Gough
Galen Gough
Manager Compliance & Product Security
Over 25 years of experience in cyber-physical systems and security. Maintains Woodward, inc. Secure Development Lifecycle
VP/IT Director, Jonah Bank of Wyoming
With over two decades of experience in IT infrastructure and cybersecurity, Galen specializes in securing systems and empowering people. As a CISSP and holder of multiple Microsoft, Cisco, and SANS certifications, he understands that today’s fraudsters are more sophisticated than ever—leveraging AI and social engineering to exploit the human factor. But with the right mindset and training, we can be the strongest line of defense.
Raja Damerla
Raja Damerla
Sydnie Beckman
Sydnie Beckman
Sr StaA Embedded Software Engineer | Woodward Inc.
My name is Raja Damerla. I work as Sr Embedded Software Engineer for Woodward inc (www.woodward.com) in Fort Collins, CO. I have a completed by BE (Bachelor of Engineering) in India subsequently finished my MS (Master of Science) at Colorado State University, Fort Collins. My job role involves development of digital control platforms which helps our customers build cyber secure solutions for mission critical applications in energy sector. Products I work on are capable of going into NERC, NIST or IEC62443 environments LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/rajadamerla
Capital Markets & M&A Cybersecurity Advisor | Sturnella LLC
Over 20 years’ experience with global investment banks, private banks, hedge funds and consulting covering governance, enterprise risk, information security, and project management. Strong experience in information security and enterprise risk from a management and leadership perspective as well as an appointed board member. Successful track record of delivering complex, high quality, robust and reliable solutions on time and on budget. Strong track record of review financial statements and valuing public companies. CERTIFICATIONS: CISSP, CCSP, SSCP, CISM, CCSK, and PMP
Tate Schrock
Tate Schrock
Laura Harder
Laura Harder
CEO & Founder | EdgeFlyte
Tate Schrock is the founder of EdgeFlyte focused on advancing next-generation space systems and mission operations. Their work centers on expanding access to small satellite capabilities and exploring practical approaches to resilience, reliability, and operational security within the rapidly evolving commercial space sector.
President | Northern Colorado ISSA Chapter
VP | ISSA International
Director of Vulnerability Management | Kaiser Permanente
Flight Commander | USAF Reserves
Laura Harder believes that everyone deserves to feel safe, capable, and confident in a world shaped by technology, and that belief has guided more than 23 years of service across the military, government, and private sector. She helps people understand risk without fear, by building teams that protect others, and creating communities where future cybersecurity professionals can grow and belong.
Summer Wasson
Summer Wasson
Member | Wyoming ISSA Chapter
Summer Wasson is the Outreach Specialist at the NSF NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center and a Cheyenne-based small business owner specializing in Google Workspace optimization. With a diverse career spanning public sector technology roles, Summer excels at bridging the gap between cutting-edge computing and public understanding. At NCAR, she translates highly complex concepts—from efficient data center cooling and building design to massive computational power—into accessible insights for educators, government officials, and industry partners.
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