Cybersecurity Risk and Responsibility in the Water Sector

8:30am                        Roundtable Check-In (Continental breakfast available)

9:00am                        Welcome, introduction of sponsors & overview of the roundtable

9:15 a.m. – Reality of the Threat Landscape

Keynote Speaker:
Laura Galante, Director, Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center (CTIIC), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

11:00 a.m. – Evolving Legal & Regulatory Conditions

This session will review new and emerging cyber regulatory obligations in the water sector requiring a demonstration of due diligence given evolving federal enforcement actions. This includes obligations under SDWA §1433, SEC disclosures, and CISA incident reporting.

Moderator:
Kevin Morley, Manager — Federal Relations, AWWA

Panelists:
Brandon Wales, Vice President for Cybersecurity Strategy, SentinelOne
Brian Finch, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Matthew Eggers, Vice President, Cybersecurity Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

12:15 p.m. – Networking Luncheon with Presentation

Presenter:

Benjamin Stirling, Senior Manager, Jacobs

1:30 p.m. – Critical Information Protection and Data Privacy

Developments in information sharing including AI raise important concerns on information and data management which are connected to FOIA/Sunshine provisions and document retention policies.

Moderator:
Judith Germano, Founder, Germano Law

Panelists:
Mike Beardslee, Managing Director of Technology Services, Loudoun Water
Jake Margolis, Chief Information Security Officer, MWD
John Karabias, Vice President, Cybersecurity & OT, Jacobs

3:15 p.m. – Cyber Threat Impact on Utility Ratings and Insurance

Cyber risk management has direct fiscal implications for water systems for credit ratings, insurance coverage and incident response actions.

Panelists:
Matt Brown, Chief Financial Officer, DC Water
Omid Rahmani, Associate Director, U.S. Public Finance, Fitch Ratings
David White, Founder & President, Axio
Craig Jackson, Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Citizens Energy Group

Director  |  Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center (CTIIC), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

Laura Galante has served as the Intelligence Community’s Cyber Executive and Director of the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Cener (CTIIC) for the Office of the Director for National Intelligence since May 2022. In this role, Ms. Galante is responsible for driving a coordinated approach to cyber intelligence collection and analysis, aligning strategic investments with national security priorities, and leading intelligence efforts to respond to major cybersecurity incidents. Ms. Galante brings extensive security industry experience to her current role. From 2017 to 2021, she assisted multiple Ukrainian government agencies in improving their cyber defense operations, directed an international task force to monitor cyber and information threats to Ukraine’s 2019 presidential election, and served as an expert witness in multiple cyber warfare trials. She spoke frequently on states’ use of cyberspace at international and industry conferences including a 2017 TED talk.

Ms. Galante was previously the Director of Global Intelligence at cybersecurity firm, Mandiant (formerly FireEye Inc.). Her teams discovered and attributed state and criminal cyber operations including the Russian miltary’s “APT28.” Her work included developing intelligence products to improve the security posture of Fortune 500 companies, critical infrastructure providers, non-profits, government agencies, and international partners. Prior to her role at Mandiant, Ms. Galante led a contractor team anlayzing Russian cyber capabilities at the Defense Intelligence Agency. She began her career at the Department of State.

Ms Galante holds a B.A. in Foreign Affairs and Italian from the University of Virginia, and a J.D. from the Catholic University of America. She is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and formerly a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. A proud 4-H alumna and livestock club leader, she lives on a farm in rural Virginia with her husband and son.

Vice President for Cybersecurity Strategy at SentinelOne

Brandon Wales is Vice President for Cybersecurity Strategy at SentinelOne, where he leads its strategic advisory work helping companies tackle some of the hardest cybersecurity challenges.  Brandon has 20+ years of experience advancing the U.S. national security interests at the highest level of the federal government. most recently as the Executive Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).  He is regularly sought after to convey the most complex and high-stakes cybersecurity issues to Congress, the media, and corporate leadership. Brandon has also served as the Acting Director of CISA, Senior Counselor for Cybersecurity to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Acting Chief of Staff for the Department of Homeland Security, and Director of the Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis. He is a recipient of the Presidential Rank Award and was a finalist for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal.

Partner – Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Brian Finch is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. Brian co-chairs the Firm’s Cybersecurity and Homeland Security Practices, with a particular focus on providing proactive liability mitigation advice to clients. His clients include the American Water Works Association and a number of critical infrastructure companies, defense and cybersecurity contractors, as well as a number of professional sports teams. Brian is a leading authority on the SAFETY Act, a federal statute that can provide liability protection to companies following a terrorist or cyber-attack. Brian regularly speaks and writes on security issues, including for the Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Hill, and other publications. He also is the author of a book on the cybersecurity obligations of lawyers.

Vice President — Cybersecurity Policy | US Chamber of Commerce

Matthew J. Eggers is vice president for cybersecurity policy in the Cyber, Space, and National Security Policy Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He leads the Chamber’s Cybersecurity Working Group, which focuses on developing and advocating for the Chamber’s cyber policies before Congress, the administration, and the business community. Eggers frequently presents to organizations and is quoted regularly in the media on a broad range of issues connected to cyber legislation, regulation, and business strategy.

Senior Manager | Jacobs

Ben has more than 15 years of experience in the Power, Oil & Gas, and Industrial sectors. As a thought leader in securing industrial environments, Ben works with end users and OEMs to develop technology stacks and secure architectures. He has a passion for control systems and securing the world’s infrastructure combined with deep knowledge of NERC CIP, NIST, ITIL, ISA 99/IEC 62443, and MITRE ATT&CK for ICS. He has a long-established track record of working with industry to recognize and ameliorate cybersecurity risks to infrastructure and human safety. 

Chief Information Security Officer | MWD

Jake Margolis is the Chief Information Security Officer for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). MWD provides water to over 19 million people in Southern California through 26 member agencies. While serving at Metropolitan, he has overseen the implementation of foundational zero trust network access programs and the implementation of a cybersecurity operations center. Jake holds a Master’s Degree in Information Systems and Technology Management and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Prior to joining Metropolitan Water District, he served as the CISO for the County of Orange in California. In his capacity as the County of Orange CISO he has oversaw the development and implementation of multiple countywide cybersecurity initiatives that lead the County to receive an award from the National Association of Counties for its Cybersecurity Program. He has also served as the Information Assurance Manager for the California National Guard and California Military Department and has served in Command and Primary Staff capacities as a US Army Officer.

VP of Cybersecurity and Operational Technology | Jacobs

John Karabias is Vice President of Cybersecurity and Operational Technology at Jacobs. In this role, John leads Jacobs’ global cybersecurity business focused on critical infrastructure markets including water, transportation, and advanced facilities. John has 15 years of experience in cybersecurity and technology consulting and previously served in roles at Jacobs that included corporate strategy and M&A. John is a board member of The Indoor Lab and an Adjunct Professor at Loyola University of Maryland.

CFO | DC Water

Mr. Matthew Brown is the CFO and Executive Vice President of Finance and Procurement at DC Water. He manages the organization’s financial operations, including rates, revenue, accounting, budgeting, treasury, investments, and procurement. Prior to this, Mr. Brown served as the Director of the Office of Budget and Finance for the District of Columbia. He also led the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), playing a crucial role in the reconstruction of the 11th Street Bridges, a major infrastructure project financed through the District’s first GARVEE bonds. His career began in the New York City’s Office of Management and Budget and extended to significant roles as Budget Director for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority, analyst for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and project manager at Public Financial Management. Mr. Brown holds a B.A. in Political Science from Texas Wesleyan University and an M.P.A. in Budget and Public Finance from The George Washington University. In 2023, completed the Harvard Kennedy School’s program for senior executives in state and local government. He is currently serving a three-year term on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board, demonstrating his commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible financial practices.

Associate Director, U.S. Public Finance | Fitch Ratings  

Omid Rahmani is an associate director with Fitch Ratings’ U.S. Public Finance Tax-Supported group, where he serves as the U.S. Public Finance, International Public Finance and Global Infrastructure & Project Finance cyber security lead. In addition, he serves as a representative in the company-wide cyber risk group and as a strategic cyber risk subject matter resource in the company’s cross practice ESG group. Omid has been recognized as one of the Bond Buyer ‘Rising Stars’ of 2021 and has been featured as a keynote speaker at national conferences on strategic cyber risk in public finance. Prior to joining Fitch Ratings, Omid worked as an analyst at S&P Global with a focus on public finance utilities and cyber risk. Omid is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and subsequent to his schooling worked at the US House of Representatives. Omid is also a National Geographic featured field archeologist and generally spends vacations working on archaeological sites in South America. In addition, Omid is very active with several charities and community activities in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington DC areas.

CFO | Citizens Energy Group

Craig Jackson joined Citizens Energy Group in September 2021 and is Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. Craig is responsible for the financial integrity of the Trust, including strategic financial planning and execution, accounting, cash management, debt & capital markets, insurance & risk management, and supply chain. Prior to joining Citizens, he served as Group Chief Financial Officer for MasTec, Inc., a multinational infrastructure engineering and construction company. Before his work at MasTec, Craig served in positions of increasing responsibility with The Dayton Power & Light Company and AES Corporation. His roles included serving as Chief Financial Officer of AES’ US Strategic Business Unit and President & CEO of AES U.S. Utilities.

G. Tracy Mehan, III is Executive Director, Government Affairs, for the American Water Works Association (AWWA).  He was an independent consultant and served as Interim President of the U.S. Water Alliance and national Source Water Protection Coordinator for the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.  He is also an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University School of Law and Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College.  He was Principal with The Cadmus Group, Inc., an environmental consulting firm, from 2004 to 2014.  Mehan served as Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2001-2003.  He served as Environmental Stewardship Counselor to the 2004 G-8 Summit Planning Organization (2004).  Mehan also served as director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes (1993-2001) and as Associate Deputy Administrator of EPA in 1992.  He was director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources from 1989 to 1992.  Mehan is a graduate of Saint Louis University and its School of Law.  Mehan served on the Water Science and Technology Board and now the Committee on the Mississippi River and the Clean Water Act for the National Research Council of the National Academies.  He was also an independent expert judge for the City Water Conservation Achievement Award program (2006 & 2011) sponsored by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and its Urban Water Council.

Mehan is a member of the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and a regular book reviewer for ELI’s flagship publication, The Environmental Forum.

Mehan serves on EPA’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board as well as the boards of the U.S. Water Alliance and the Great Lakes Observing System.  He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Environmental Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University and a past member of the board of the Potomac Conservancy (2006-2014).

Founder and President | Axio

David White is President and Co-founder at Axio — a company with an innovative methodology and software that provides companies with actionable visibility to their cyber risk. David leads Axio’s federal, risk modeling, and professional services teams. He co-developed Axio’s cyber risk management process and continues to refine its assessment, risk modeling, and insurance analysis components. He is an expert in cybersecurity frameworks and maturity models, cyber risk quantification, and cyber insurance. David is also faculty for Navigator, an executive education program for cyber leaders delivered by ISTARI and the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.

Founder | Germano Law LLC

Judi Germano is internationally recognized for her deep expertise in cybersecurity and technology governance. She founded and is lead counsel in the boutique law firm GermanoLaw LLC and a member of the board of directors of Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. Judi is a Distinguished/Senior Fellow of the NYU Center for Cybersecurity and Cornell Tech Policy Institute. She is an Adjunct Professor at NYU School of Law, NYU Stern School of Business and a Visiting Lecturer at Cornell University. Judi is a former U.S. federal prosecutor and author of Cybersecurity Risk & Responsibility in the Water Sector, published by AWWA.

Managing Director of Technology Services | Loudoun Water

Mike Beardslee serves as Executive Director of Technology Services at Loudoun Water in Northern Virginia, where he has led the organization’s digital transformation for more than a decade.  He has overall responsibility for all IT, OT, and cybersecurity functions, and spearheaded the initial implementation of Loudoun Water’s comprehensive cybersecurity program.  Mr. Beardslee holds a Bachelor’s in Geography from Salisbury State University, a Master’s in Geography from the University of Maryland at College Park, a Masters of Business Administration from Frostburg State University, and is a certified Project Management Professional.  He serves on a variety of water and wastewater industry committees including the Virginia AWWA Technology Services Committee and the Water/Wastewater CIO Forum.  He is also the chair of the joint Virginia Municipal Drinking Water Association/Virginia Association of Municipal Wastewater Agencies (VMDWA/VAMWA) cybersecurity committee.