March 17 2026 Cybersecurity/IT Leaders Panel + Building Future Cybersecurity Leaders Today (Frederick Beck)

The founding chapter of ISSA invites you to come and network with your friends and colleagues, make new friends, and hear an amazing speaker and a compelling panel discussion. Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and drinks. 

Registration is required to attend:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-future-cybersecurity-leaders-today-tickets-1977659979235

Topic One: Building Future Cybersecurity Leaders Today

Organizations across all industries eventually reach a critical juncture: the realization that relying on luck is no longer sufficient to protect their vital information and systems. At this point, they must choose a path forward—whether to hire seasoned professionals, develop talent internally, or outsource to trusted experts.

Given the current shortage of cybersecurity professionals and the urgent demand for skilled talent, how can organizations accurately assess the experience of potential candidates? More importantly, how can established professionals ensure their teams are set up for long-term success?

This session will share key observations and foster discussion about the career development strategies necessary to achieve excellence in cybersecurity leadership. We will also explore the distinction between leaders and managers, and why cultivating leadership qualities in yourself and those you mentor is essential.

You will learn how to:

• Identify the stages of cybersecurity talent development
• Recognize and address gaps in team growth
• Communicate to management the value of nurturing cybersecurity leadership organically

When executed effectively, developing future cybersecurity leaders will position your organization for sustained success and create pathways for talent development that extend beyond your company, driving positive change throughout the profession.

Speaker One: Frederick Beck

Frederick Beck is a retired Air Force Major with 22 years of service and a former Director of Cybersecurity Infrastructure Services and Operations. With over 34 years of experience in IT, cybersecurity, and leadership, Fred has held numerous key positions, including Section Chief for Defensive Counter-Information Warfare, Deputy Flight Commander for Network Operations and Security at the US Air Force Academy, Test Director for RQ-4 Global Hawk Operational Test and Evaluation, and Section Manager for Global Cyber Security Operations and Infrastructure at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.

Currently, Mr. Beck is CISO – Americas for NMB (USA).

Topic Two:

Cybersecurity/IT Leaders Panel: Navigating AI Disruption from the SOC to the C-Suite

In an era where AI has compressed the window between intrusion and catastrophe to mere seconds, the divide between technical security and business operations must vanish. This session unites elite CIOs and CISOs to dismantle the myth of “siloed defense” and execute a blueprint for total organizational participation. We will explore how to transform employee training from a passive compliance hurdle into a proactive human firewall against AI-synthesized threats, while stress-testing Business Continuity Plans (BCP) to withstand the velocity of automated disruption. Beyond the tech, we tackle the ultimate high-stakes theater: executive communication. As AI shifts from a boardroom buzzword to a primary vector for both risk and response, this panel reveals how to ensure security governance remains the steering wheel of innovation—empowering the board to lead with clarity before, during, and long after the event.

Moderator: Richard Greenberg, CISO @ Security Advisors

Carol Fawcett, Corporate Vice President and Chief Information Officer @ Golden State Foods

Abe Cohen, Sr. Director of Information Security @ iHerb

Yev Avidon, Director – Cybersecurity, Data Protection and AI Security @ Kroger

Panelist Bios:

Richard Greenberg

a well-known Cyber Security leader, evangelist, advisor, and speaker, has over 30 years of management experience, including 15 years as a CISO. He is an ISSA International Distinguished Fellow and has been inducted into their Hall of Fame. He is president of the ISSA LA Chapter.

You may have heard Richard’s interview as a Cyber Security expert on Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy podcast: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/the-ron-burgundy-podcast-30270227/episode/cyber-security-47951911/.

Richard is the Founder and CEO of Security Advisors LLC, offering security risk assessments, software security testing, and penetration testing, allowing organizations to continuously assess their cyber risk posture and meet compliance requirements.

Carol Fawcett

is a highly accomplished Digital and Business Transformation Executive and Chief Information Officer recognized for her ability to define and execute global strategies that align technology with core corporate objectives. With a career-long focus
on modernizing business processes and fostering cultures of collaboration, she has a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact digital initiatives in complex, multi-billion dollar environments. Most recently, Carol served as the Corporate Vice President and CIO at Golden State Foods, a $5B+ global enterprise. During her tenure, she spearheaded the company’s global technology vision, driving digital transformation through the adoption of AI, robotics, IoT, and data governance. Her leadership was instrumental in implementing a centralized, cloud-based Logistics, Warehouse Management, and Manufacturing Finance & Operations solution and establishing the company’s first global cybersecurity strategy. Notably, she developed a scalable customer onboarding playbook that reduced time-to-market by 50% and costs by 25% through automation and process optimization.

Before joining Golden State Foods, Carol held pivotal leadership roles at Dell Technologies, where she was the Vice President and CIO of Dell Software. At Dell, she managed the integration of seven software entities and led a massive infrastructure
project that consolidated over 90 global data centers into a hybrid cloud architecture, significantly enhancing operational agility. Her foundational work at Quest Software saw her scale the IT organization to support a revenue increase from $165 million to over $1 billion. Carol’s expertise is underpinned by a BS in Management Information Systems and Computer Science from National University. Beyond her technical and operational achievements, she is a visionary leader and mentor who frequently serves as a keynote speaker, sharing real-world use cases to build market confidence and solution credibility. Her core competencies include enterprise digital transformation, M&A integration, cybersecurity frameworks, and intelligent automation.

Abe Cohen

the Sr. Director of Information Security at iHerb, is a highly experienced Cybersecurity and Compliance Leader with 15 years of expertise in leading security and compliance initiatives. Skilled in managing SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI, FedRAMP, and ISO 27001 certifications, as well as conducting risk assessments and incident management. Proficient in leading Application Security programs covering SAST, DAST, SCA, Container Security, and Penetration Testing. Proven success in implementing Security Awareness initiatives including company-wide training, phishing exercises, and the development of an Info Security framework. Committed to delivering results and staying ahead of industry trends in the field of Cybersecurity. Abe is currently the Vendor Director at ISSA LA.

Yev Avidon

is a senior risk management and data protection leader with over two decades of experience designing enterprise-wide security programs. Most recently, as Director of Cybersecurity at Kroger, he built a mature data protection program from the ground up, with a specialized focus on AI Security and cryptographic agility.  He currently serves on the Technical Advisory Board for Cyera.

Yev holds an MBA and an MS in Information Security. He is a CISSP and CISA professional currently completing a Professional Certificate in Machine Learning and AI from UC Berkeley Engineering. An active leader in the security community, Yev is a past President of the ISC2 Los Angeles Chapter and past Vice President of ISSA-LA Chapter.

Veronica Caban

is Senior Vice President of Global Cybersecurity & Crisis Management at Universal Music Group (UMG), where she leads global cybersecurity operations, insider threat and crisis management across more than 126 offices in 13 countries. With over 24 years at UMG, she has built and led high-performing global teams, established the company’s Security Operations Center, and oversees incident response, insider threat, and enterprise risk programs while partnering closely with business and
technology leaders to enable growth securely.

Veronica also built UMG’s global Crisis Management program from the ground up, leading emergency communications, business continuity, and pandemic response efforts. She holds multiple industry certifications, including CISSP, CISM, CISA, GCIH, PMP, and MBCP, and is a strong advocate for leadership development, diversity, and inclusion.

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