Wyoming’s Virtual Cybersecurity Conference
Focused on Learning Together
October 23 │ 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
The 2024 Virtual Cybersecurity Conference takes place on the morning of October 23 featuring small business owner and social media influencer Cathy Holman, Prairie Wife in Heels, hosting sessions designed for business professionals to senior citizens.
Holman herself suggested the theme, It Is Okay Not to Know – We are Here to Learn, when discussing how hosting a virtual cybersecurity conference felt a little out of her wheelhouse. “It is my first virtual and my first cybersecurity conference, but it is going to be a really fun time with riveting interviews,” said Holman.
“Cybersecurity makes most people a little anxious, which is why we wanted the Prairie Wife in Heels to emcee the event. It normalizes our emotions and helps us all to overcome that discomfort and learn a few things together,” said Laura Baker, Executive Director for CyberWyoming and President Emerita for CyberWyoming Alliance.
Cathy Homan, Prairie Wife in Heels
The morning opens with The Internet Makes Wyoming Bigger featuring Dr. Stephanie Anderson discussing Wyoming’s economic and digital connections with the European Union. Next, the winners of Wyoming’s Cybersecurity Competition for Small Business: the Goat Ladies, High Point CPAs, and High Plains Power, will speak about their own experiences tackling their organizational security risks. Third, small business automation experts will speak about great features from Gmail’s new mail merge feature to Microsoft Copilot’s PowerPoint creator to Zapier’s options to automate manual processes between your website and your email accounts. Finally, breakout sessions are available by audience: educators and students, senior citizens, small business, and IT professionals.
“I think it is really exciting that we have a Secret Service agent in the cyber crimes unit, a volunteer fraud fighter, and the person that teaches Digital Skills for Seniors at the Wyoming State Museum in the senior citizens breakout session. It is a great lineup!” said Baker.
The virtual event, produced by the CyberWyoming Alliance in collaboration with the Federal Business Council and CyberWyoming, is open to the public and donation only, ensuring that those in need as well as teachers can attend for free and stream it in their classrooms.
The conference is sponsored by the University of Wyoming School of Politics, Public Affairs, and International Studies (SPPAIS), the Wyoming ISSA Chapter, and DigeTekS, who is giving away a drone in the wrap up session. Attendees must be present to win.
Among speakers and moderators are:
- Dr. Stephanie Anderson a UW professor and SPPAIS head
- Meagan Herrington of Black Cat LLC and winner of the 2023 Cybersecurity Competition for Small Businesses
- Prathibha Muraleedhara a CyberWyoming board member and Judging Committee Chair
- Jennifer Clark of the Goat Ladies, Shantel Anderson of High Point CPAs
- Joseph Whiteplume of High Plains Power
- Shelby Nichols of Monlo Consulting and Zapier expert
- Alec Muthig of UW and Microsoft Copilot Expert
- Summer Wasson of NCAR and Google Administrator
- Jennifer Kurtz the CyberWyoming Alliance Board President
- Mary Keane of CyberWyoming
- Paul Johnson of the Wyoming SBDC
- Kelley Misata of Sightline Security
- Alex Smith of the Wyoming Women’s Business Center
- Eleanor Taylor of the Idaho National Lab
- Dr. Melissa Dark of Teach Cyber
- Angel Cruz from the University of Texas San Antonio CIAS Department
- Dr. Michelle Aldrich of the Wyoming Department of Education
- Brook Malone of CyberWyoming
- Robert Jenkins a CyberWyoming Board Member
- James Drever representing the Wyoming ISSA Chapter
- Bill Leider of Axies Group
- Angela Baker of SAFAL Partners
- Alan O’Hashi as President of the CyberWyoming Board
- Tracy Griffith Swaim a volunteer AARP Fraud Fighter
- Melisa McChesney of the Wyoming State Museum
- Suess Beyer of the Secret Service.
The conference will be broadcast online on October 23 from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
For more information, contact info@cyberwyoming.org.
