As Cybersecurity Threats Related to Russia-Ukraine Conflict Loom, Leaders Gather in Tampa

Mayor Castor, State CIO Grant Join Public Officials, FBI and US Secret Service Agents to Educate Local Leaders on Current Trends


TAMPA, Fla., March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Data Connectors, representing the largest cybersecurity community in North America, confirmed details of the Tampa Cybersecurity Conference on March 15. This first-of-its-kind gathering brings together federal, state, and local organizations with top private-sector executives from area businesses and public-sector leaders of regional municipalities.

The agenda includes Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Florida State Chief Information Officer Jamie Grant, senior officials from the Tampa Field Offices of the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Florida Attorney General’s Office, alongside Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and other cybersecurity leaders from over 200 area businesses.

“The City of Tampa’s unique role as home to MacDill Air Force Base and Central Command means that we are very cognizant of the need to protect our critical infrastructure against attacks. We continue to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security, other government agencies and peers to participate in a whole-of-community approach to build and sustain security prevention and protection capabilities. The new reality is that both government and private networks are being attacked daily. That means we all have to be diligent and adapt to technology and education. Our cyber security safeguards are ongoing, with each employee having a role to play in protecting our cyber infrastructure," Castor said.

The Conference features live expert panel discussions, networking opportunities, and informative presentations from leading cybersecurity solution providers. Honored guests on the agenda include:

  • Jane Castor: Mayor for the City of Tampa
  • Jamie Grant: Florida’s State Chief Information Officer (CIO)
  • Sanjay Virmani: Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Tampa Field Office
  • Richard Dean: Asst. Special Agent in Charge, US Secret Service - Tampa Field Office
  • Jeremy Rodgers: CISO, State of Florida
  • Ramin Kouzehkanani: Chief Information & Innovation Officer, Hillsborough County
  • Martin Zinaich: CISO, City of Tampa
  • Jason Manar: CISO, Kasteya

US Secret Service and FBI representatives will participate in panel discussions, and touch on the importance of public-private partnership to overcome the threats faced by businesses in the region. Keynotes include:

  • Jason Menar, the Chief Information Security Officer for Kaseya, who has the unique experience of having investigated the company’s 2021 data breach as an FBI agent, and
  • Florida State CIO Jamie Grant, who will talk about his organization’s progress building the Florida Digital Service.

The Conference will be held in downtown Tampa Marriott Water Street on Tuesday, March 15 with sessions starting at 9 a.m. Qualified professionals can obtain Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for participation.

Conference registration information can be found at: dataconnectors.com/tampa

About Data Connectors
Since 1999, Data Connectors (dataconnectors.com) has facilitated collaboration between senior cybersecurity professionals, government/law enforcement agencies, industry luminaries, and solution providers. Today, the community comprises over 650,000 members and 250 active vendor partners across North America. Members enjoy informative education, networking and support via our award-winning Virtual Summits, live Conferences, Web Briefings, and regular communications.

Note to reporters: If you wish to attend these sessions at no charge, please contact Michael Hiskey, Chief Strategy Officer, at +1.636.778.9495, or info@dataconnectors.com.