FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                

November 17, 2025

CyberOhio Summit Coming to Columbus on November 19

Columbus, OH – The State of Ohio’s official cybersecurity summit, hosted by the Ohio Innovation and Technology Association (OITA) in partnership with the Office of CyberOhio, will take place Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at The Ohio State University’s Fawcett Center from 9:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

The Summit is officially sold out, with nearly 300 registered attendees; however, media are welcome to attend with advance confirmation.

The 2025 CyberOhio Summit will bring together leaders from across the public and private sectors to collaborate on solutions addressing Ohio’s most urgent cybersecurity challenges. The daylong event will feature expert panels, leadership conversations, a new vendor showcase experience, and networking opportunities focused on strengthening statewide cyber resilience.

“This Summit brings together Ohio’s cybersecurity, government, and business communities to align, collaborate, and share best practices,” said Jennifer Flatter, Executive Director of OITA. “Attendees will gain critical insights into threat trends, new standards, and statewide strategies that protect citizens, infrastructure, and operations.”

The event will begin at 10:00 a.m., with remarks from OITA followed by a full lineup of sessions, including panels featuring CISOs, CIOs, security experts, and legislative voices.

Summit Agenda Highlights

9:30 a.m. – Registration/Check In
10:00 a.m. – Welcome from OITA & CyberOhio Leadership

10:15 a.m. – DBIR / Threat Landscape
Presenter: Wes Withrow, Verizon

10:45 a.m. – New Cyber Standards with Secretary of State, Auditor of State & CyberOhio
Speakers:

  • Katrina Flory, State CIO
  • Frank LaRose, Ohio Secretary of State
  • Keith Faber, Ohio Auditor of State
  • Kirk Herath, Cybersecurity Strategic Advisor, Office of Governor DeWine & Chair, CyberOhio

12:00 p.m. – Legislative Perspectives on Cyber (Fireside Chat)

  • Senator Jerry Cirino, Ohio Senate
  • Moderator: Bobby Kovey, President, OITA

12:30 p.m. – Cyber Best Practices for Public Sector
Panelists:

  • Abhi Goel, Managing Director, Deloitte
  • Eoghan Casey, Field CTO, Salesforce
  • Bill Carter, Public Sector Cybersecurity Strategist, Fortinet
  • Michael Gregg, Networks Field Strategist, Palo Alto
  • Ryan McGurgan, Manager, Cyber Security Services, KPMG

1:35 p.m. – Collective Defense Panel
Panelists:

  • Ryan Johnson, Federal Solutions Engineering Manager, f5
  • Joseph Daw, Principal Account Technical Lead, IBM
  • Michael Renshaw, Director Cyber Security Specialists, Lumen
  • Kim Roy Wilson, Director, Office of Information Technology & Services, City of Cleveland
  • Enrique Alvarez, Public Sector Advisor, Office of the CISO, Google Cloud

2:20 p.m. – SLED Perspectives Panel
Panelists:

  • Todd Flowers, Director, Information Security Operations, The Ohio State University
  • John Evans, Executive Technology Strategist, World Wide Technology
  • Tony Mansoor, Senior Director, CISO, Cleveland State University
  • Nate Norris, Deputy Director of Information Technology, Ohio Department of Administrative Services
  • Steve Whipkey, CISO, Franklin County

3:25 p.m. – State CISO & IT Leadership Panel
Panelists:

  • Holly Drake, State CISO, State of Ohio
  • Jon Cook, CIO, Ohio Department of Agriculture
  • Aaron McGraw, Deputy CIO, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
  • Parvinder Singh, CIO, Ohio Secretary of State

“This Summit is an essential venue for cybersecurity professionals, government leaders, and industry experts to collaborate and align on shared priorities for protecting Ohio’s digital future,” said Bobby Kovey, President of OITA. “We look forward to a meaningful day of discussion, innovation, and statewide partnership.”

In addition, The Ohio Channel will record the full Summit, and a public viewing link will be shared once available.

Media inquiries and attendance requests: Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About OITA

The Ohio Innovation and Technology Association (OITA) is an independent, non-profit and non-partisan statewide organization of Ohio’s technology-driven companies and industry professionals operating at the intersection of business, technology, and public policy.