Information Warfare Summit 18 | Cyberspace 2025: Attack of the Drones

Event Information

Thursday, Oct 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM to Sunday, Nov 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM CST

Hilton Garden Inn - Edmond Conference Center, 2833 Conference Drive, Edmond, OK, 73034, United States.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn from and connect with top cybersecurity professionals. Register now to secure your spot at this must-attend event! This is one of Oklahoma's longest-running cybersecurity conferences. Join us at the Edmond Conference Center for a cutting-edge event focused on protecting critical infrastructure with a particular emphasis on cyber assets. This event will bring together cyber leadership, operators, IT staff, and policy makers to discuss the latest developments and best practices in safeguarding our most vital systems and networks.

The theme for IWS 18 is "Cyberspace 2025: Attack of the Drones"

Of course, the event will feature drones and how they impact the physical and cyber security of your organization. The event will also feature sessions on cybersecurity, cloud security, control frameworks, standards, guidelines, network security, software security, cybersecurity leadership, and cybersecurity operations. Leading experts in the field will share their insights and provide valuable tools and strategies for defending against threats. In addition to informative sessions and workshops, attendees will have the opportunity to network with industry peers and colleagues. This event is perfect for anyone looking to stay ahead of the ever-evolving threat landscape and enhance their skills in protecting critical infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the event?

Thursday, Oct 9, 2025, 8am-5pm

Where is the event?

Edmond Conference Center 2833 Conference Drive, Edmond, OK 73034 Venue Map Link. Enter the building from the Conference Center entrance (North side of the hotel), door from hotel to conference center will be unavailable until 9am.

Is the event virtual, in-person, or hybrid?

IWS is an in-person-only event.

Who puts on this event?

IWS is presented by InfraGard Oklahoma Members Alliance (IOMA).

This event is organized 100% by volunteers, we each have full-time jobs and lives outside of IWS.

Will there be food available?

Yes, IWS will provide breakfast and lunch (menu TBD). Coffee and water will be available all day. NO OUTSIDE FOOD or DRINKS ALLOWED, water bottles are fine. Soda machines and snacks are available for purchase in the hotel lobby.

Do you have discounted hotel rooms available?

Yes, click the link here. Room reservations must be made by September 13, 2025.

Where should I park?

Park anywhere, including the grass! Get there early, the lots fill up quickly!

Will students be provided with free admission?

No, not this year. If students want to attend, they will pay the normal attendee rate.

What is the dress code?

Business casual, jeans, sponsor shirts.

Is the agenda available?

It will be posted on the website and Eventzilla after speakers have been finalized. You can see last year’s agenda on the website to get an idea of historical session topics.

Is there an after event survey?

Yes, please fill out our survey after the event with likes/dislikes so we can continually improve the conference for both attendees and sponsors.
Survey link will be sent to registered attendees after the event concludes.

Will CPE credits be offered?

CPEs for the event are available for those that complete the post-event survey.

Sponsors: What sponsor tiers available?

On our website https://iwsokc.org, click on More Info – Vendor Sponsorship Kit.

Sponsors: Is there a vendor passport?

For sponsors above Gold level as well as, coin, pre-party, and after-party sponsors, we will have a Passport available for attendees to help drive traffic to your table. We will provide stamps for you to use. If you are sharing a table, please make sure the primary sponsor logo is prominently displayed at the table so attendees can find you.

Sponsors: How do I sponsor?

Sponsorships are available for purchase with a credit card on our website at https://www.iwsokc.org/store-2025

Sponsors: How can I ship sponsorship material to the site?

On our website https://iwsokc.org, click on More Info – OKCEC Shipping Instructions.

Speakers

Lieutenant Commander Rey retired from the U.S. Navy in 1997 after completing 33 years of active duty in the submarine service. During this period he served on five submarines, three major staffs, and during two tours in the Pentagon. He started COTS Technology, a consulting company, supporting industry, academic, and government entities in operational and research endeavors with a focus on robotic systems. Lieutenant Commander Rey was a key member that developed and implemented Tulane University’s Long-term Estuary Assessment Group (LEAG) developing biosensors for autonomous underwater vehicles. His most recent activities supported the development of an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program at Nicholls State University. The Geomatics’ program was the first in Louisiana to receive an FAA approved Certificate of Authorization (COA) waiver to fly in the National Air Space (NAS). He established a Special Interest Group (SIG) for the FBI’s INFRAGARD Louisiana chapter and leads this group as the UAS SIG Sector Chief and most recently established the Louisiana Pelican Chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle International (AUVSI). He continues to consult with small, medium, and large corporations in the area of robotic systems business development and to collaborate with several academic and industry partners in the development of UAS technology, techniques, and procedures (TTP) to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure.

SSA MacDiarmid is a native Texan with Oklahoma roots, and a Texas Aggie. After practicing Oil and Gas Law in south Texas for several years, he joined the FBI in 2009. Starting in the FBI’s Knoxville Field Office, he worked counterintelligence and White Collar Crime (WCC) matters, and later moved to the Dallas Field Office to work WCC and Civil Rights matters in west Texas. Josh was promoted to the FBI’s Financial Crimes Section at FBI Headquarters where he oversaw multiple international and FBI field office fraud programs and assisted with the FBI’s national and international outreach and coordination efforts for its Money Mule, Virtual Currency, and Business Email Compromise Initiatives. He was promoted to a field desk in the Oklahoma City Field Office, where he is the supervisor over the Oklahoma City WCC squad and coordinates the FBI’s WCC program for Oklahoma.

Ricky Allen is the CTO for CyberOne Security. During his 24 years in Houston, Ricky has worked deeply with energy companies and has volunteered with the Cloud Security Alliance Chapter and with the South Texas ISSA chapter where he held positions such as President and Programs VP. He holds certifications such as SABSA Security Architecture, CISSP, CISA, and Six Sigma. At CyberOne, Ricky provides security architecture design and leadership management for customers across the country. Ricky previously held roles at Critical Start leading services, Accenture as an executive in their strategic information security consulting practice and at HP Enterprise Security Products developing global security operations centers.

Ian Anderson is the Director of Enterprise Security, Network and Monitoring for OGE Energy Corp, the parent company of Oklahoma Gas & Electric, an investor-owned electric utility headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ian has experience in government, energy, financial, and manufacturing industries. Ian has a bachelor’s degree in Management of Information Systems and a Master’s in Public Administration both from the University of Oklahoma. Ian also serves on the faculty of Arizona State University in the school of Politics and Global Studies teaching within the Master of Arts in Global Security program.

I’m Rafael Barrera, and I work as a Cybersecurity Engineer at Love’s Travel Stops. I’ve been part of the team since 2016, starting out in IT support before moving into cybersecurity in 2021. Lately, I’ve been focused on cloud and application security, third-party risk management, and threat intelligence. I also work on improving our overall security posture by helping build more structured processes and driving collaboration across teams.I'm always learning and looking for ways to do things better at Love's. I enjoy digging into challenges, improving how we work, and finding solutions that make a real impact.

Jonathan Boyett has over twenty years of experience in Information Technology. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor's in Computer Science and a Graduate Certification in Information Assurance.As a Senior Auditor in Internal Audit, Jonathan specializes in IT audits, focusing on Data Privacy, Industrial Control Systems (ICS), and Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM). He holds certifications as a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE), and is a certified facilitator for the Institute of Internal Auditors.Jonathan also serves as the President of the ISACA Tulsa Chapter.

Dr. Carpenter is an Information Warfare, Cybersecurity, and Biomedical Research expert with over 30 years of experience across military, government, academic, and private sectors worldwide. He is Principal Partner at CW PENSEC, where he leads cybersecurity engineering, technical surveillance countermeasures, offensive security, and IV&V initiatives. His work focuses on securing medical systems, ensuring compliance in controlled environments, and developing cyber protections for critical infrastructure.He advises global health and policy leaders on public health operations in complex settings such as post-conflict zones and multinational responses. His focus areas include medical logistics, infectious disease mitigation, and emergency preparedness, emphasizing systems planning and civil-military coordination. As former Chief Security Officer and Lead Scientist at Knowledge Bridge International, he led telemedicine and 5G projects, developed cybersecurity training for internationa

Curtis Coleman is a tenured Associate Professor and the Founding Director of the Cybersecurity Education Center at Oklahoma Christian University, which is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency (NSA).A retired U.S. Air Force officer, Professor Coleman brings a distinguished background in both military service and corporate cybersecurity. He previously served for over 15 years as Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Seagate Technology—a Fortune 100 multinational manufacturing company—where he led global security operations. In that role, he was responsible for implementing enterprise-wide security policies, technologies, and practices to safeguard Seagate’s data and systems worldwide.Professor Coleman currently serves as Secretary of the Oklahoma Cybersecurity Strategy Planning Task Force. As a voting member, he represents the cybersecurity interests of K–12 and post-secondary education.

Crys Davis is the Manager of Client Care Data and Compliance at the American Red Cross, where she works on detection and prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse and protection of client data privacy. She has worked in this field for over a decade and specializes in ways fraudsters use OSINT try to attack non-profit organizations.

Ryan Devendorf is a Senior SE at Abnormal Security who has been the better part of 12 years in all aspects of cybersecurity in an IR and SE role across tool sets such as SIEM, EDR, NDR, and now email security. Ryan has spoken at numerous events such as BSides, ISC2, and ISSA for topics such as threat hunting, evolving attack landscapes, and how to build an IR practice. Ryan has also worked the SOC at Black Hat Las Vegas and Black Hat London for several years while he was with RSA and has plenty of stories to tell from those experiences.

Alexander Egelston is a cybersecurity graduate student at the University of Tulsa with a background in computer science and a passion for emerging threat vectors in cyber-physical systems. A U.S. Army veteran and former combat medic, Alexander brings a unique perspective on security, combining leadership with technical expertise. His professional journey spans public service roles in corrections and animal welfare, where he has consistently led efforts to improve operational security.

Anthony Hendricks is a legal problem solver and litigator at Crowe & Dunlevy, one of Oklahoma’s largest and oldest firms. At Crowe & Dunlevy, Anthony serves as founder and chair of the firm’s Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Practice Group. His legal practice focuses on data privacy compliance, regulatory enforcement and permitting, and other “bet-the-company” suits in the areas of data security, privacy, and other complex business litigation. Anthony is an adjunct professor who teaches Cybersecurity Law and Information Privacy courses at Oklahoma City University School of Law.He also hosts “Nothing About You Says Computer Technology,” a weekly podcast on cybersecurity and data privacy viewed through the lens of diverse voices. To learn more about Anthony’s current projects, upcoming speaking events or listen to the latest episodes of his podcast, visit www.anthonyjhendricks.com

Dylan Howard serves as a Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst 1 at Alias Cybersecurity in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where his fervor for threat hunting and red teaming fuels his professional endeavors. He has refined his cybersecurity expertise through dedicated training on TryHackMe, vocational education, and an advanced home network project featuring a Proxmox red team lab, a Pi-hole network ad blocker, and additional components. Certified in CompTIA A+, ISC2, and CompTIA Security+, Mr. Howard possesses a robust foundation in the field. Driven by an unwavering commitment to continuous professional development, he aspires to advance his career and make significant contributions to global cybersecurity resilience, inspired by his passion for outsmarting cyber threats through proactive and innovative strategies.

Andrew Lemon is the founder of Red Threat Security where he serves as the lead over Penetration Testing and Red Teaming. Lemon honed his Red Teaming skills through years of incident response against APT groups that target the Hospitality, Legal, Oil and Gas, and Critical national infrastructure industries. Lemon used the Tools, Techniques and Procedures he learned from adversaries as a spring board to develop his Companies Methodology for adversarial emulation. This methodology has enabled his team to compromise a variety of targets, such as airports, utilities companies, oil tankers and drilling rigs, and gain physical access to hardened targets like ISP data centers, Chemical Production facilities, and Cash Depositories.

Luigi Lenguito is the founder and CEO at BforeAI. After recognizing the need for a shift in the cybersecurity paradigm — from a reactive to a preemptive approach - he decided to invest in applying behavioral predictive analytics to network data. It is this perspective that drives the overall company vision, strategy, and growth.Luigi has had a lifelong passion for IT. Over his 30-year career, he gained a range of experience and skills including IT operations, mergers and acquisitions, and cybersecurity before launching several entrepreneurial ventures. Today, Luigi is committed to advancing innovation in predictive security and ensuring organizations stay one step ahead of cyberattacks.Luigi is a dedicated supporter of initiatives fostering the next generation of diverse tech talent and entrepreneurship. This has also made him an ardent advocate for the benefits of asynchronous teams.Originally from Naples, Italy, Luigi can be found between Montpellier, France and New York.

Stephen Nelson is the CEO, Founder, and Principal Consultant at Pinpoint Security, bringing over 20 years of cybersecurity expertise to the field. A Texas native with a diverse upbringing across four continents, he offers a unique global perspective. Stephen's professional journey began in banking, then transitioned to the energy sector with a role at Chesapeake Energy in 2012. In 2018, he founded Pinpoint Security, driven by a mission to enhance cybersecurity for companies of all sizes. Known for his passion for technology and as an early adopter of AI, Stephen is committed to staying at the forefront of industry advancements. He is also a devoted husband and father of three. Guided by the motto, Onward and upward.

Craig Pfister is a Global Vice President of Solution Engineering who works with business executives to increase security, governance and transparency of their digital assets.Craig believes that in the digital age, a comprehensive security framework around an organizations digital assets is critical to any businesses overall strategy.After spending nearly a decade working as a VP in Financial Services focusing on Portfolio Analytics, Craig understands that data drives good business and investment decisions.Craig focuses on financial theory, risk management, security monitoring and secure collaboration as well as innovative security solutions for global corporations.Craig holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Alabama.

Dr. Shashanka is Chief Scientist and Co-Founder for Concentric. Before joining Concentric, Dr. Shashanka served as Managing Director for Charles Schwab’s Data Science and Machine Learning team. He co-founded and was the Chief Scientist for PetaSecure before their purchase by Niara.He is a senior member of the IEEE and served as Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems. Dr. Shashanka received his doctorate in computational neuroscience from Boston University and a degree in computer science from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani.

Tanner Shinn is the Principal Security Engineer at Alias Cybersecurity since 2021, following roles as Security Engineering Lead and Security Engineer III at Alias, and Senior Network Engineer at Dell Technologies from 2011 to 2021. A lifelong hacker who began as a phone phreak, he specializes in red teaming, penetration testing, and security research, with expertise in Active Directory, network infrastructure, and cloud environments. Tanner has a proven track record of building and mentoring high-performing cybersecurity teams, driving innovative security tooling, and conducting original research to strengthen enterprise defenses.

Nathan Sweaney has served the IT and cybersecurity industries for over 25 years with most of that in consulting and advisory services. He helped build a consulting startup, performing and managing thousands of offensive security testing engagements for a wide range of clients. He has also served as a vCISO, CTO and CSO. He excels at translating technical nuance into business-speak and finding practical, operationally feasible approaches for organizations to mitigate risk and minimize compliance obligations. At OCII, Nathan brings that business-world experience to an academic research environment, finding innovative solutions to cybersecurity education, cybersecurity for small businesses, and autonomous vehicles. With a long history of supporting non-profit organizations across Oklahoma, Sweaney has been very active in promoting community groups such as ISSA, InfraGard, ISACA, ISC2, SecTulsa, Techlahoma, OWASP Tulsa and others. He is also a founder and organizer of BSidesOK.

With over two decades of experience spanning various facets of information security, including roles at notable companies like Fastly, NGINX, Oracle, and Akamai Technologies, Ivan Tirado is a seasoned expert in safeguarding organizations against a myriad of online threats. As a Senior Security Strategist at Fastly, Ivan leverages extensive industry-specific knowledge to fortify defenses against emerging cyber threats, specializing in combating botnets, ransomware, DDoS attacks, and application layer exploits.

Vanessa Toves is a Microsoft 365 Solutions Architect. Vanessa has worked in the information technology field for over 20 years and has dedicated most of that to Microsoft technologies such as SharePoint (on-premises), Microsoft's BI suite and Microsoft 365. As an avid speaker, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and empowering individuals and organizations to better use Microsoft technologies. As a Microsoft 365 subject matter expert for Druva, Vanessa works across departments from sales to engineering supporting the security of customer data.

As a seasoned CIO/CISO with 25 years of experience in the information technology sector, I have a proven track record of leading IT teams, designing robust infrastructure, and driving strategic initiatives in small to large corporations. My career has been marked by a blend of technical expertise, strategic vision, and strong leadership, making me adept at aligning IT functions with overarching business goals. By combining my extensive experience with a strategic vision for aligning IT with business goals, I have consistently delivered results that enhance operational efficiency, security, and compliance across various organizations.

Geoff Wilson is CEO and Founder of Go Security Pro and is an innovative cybersecurity thought leader with deep experience in defensive cybersecurity strategies. Having studied at Carnegie Mellon University and worked at the National Security Agency, Geoff has over 20 years of cybersecurity experience. Geoff has a Master’s of Information Security from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor’s of Computer Science from the University of Oklahoma. He taught a graduate-level Information Security course at the University of Oklahoma for four years. Geoff is a published author, was a federal cybersecurity auditor, and has consulted with the Executive Office of the President.