Omaha Cybersecurity Conference

Thursday, August 14, 2025

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Omaha Downtown

Parking/Directions

Hybrid

Join Us in Omaha for the Futurecon Cybersecurity Event!

Hear from our esteemed speakers while gaining up to 10 CPE credits. Immerse yourself in the latest cybersecurity developments to gain valuable insights in today’s dynamic threat landscape. Learn how to effectively manage risk, demo the newest technologies from an array of different sponsors, and network with your local community.

Don’t miss our special ceremony recognizing our honorary attendees receiving an Award of Excellence!

Join us live for breakfast, lunch, and a wrap up cocktail happy hour!

 

 

Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Partner

“Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT problem”

Photo of a panel discussion.

FutureCon Events brings high-level Cyber Security Training to C-suite executives and CISOs (chief information security officers).

Join us for a day with multiple illuminating presentations and a panel discussion featuring C-level executives who have effectively mitigated the risk of Cyber Attacks, demo the newest technology, and discover the cutting-edge security approaches to prepare you for the future of the Cyber World.

You will gain the latest knowledge you need to enable applications while keeping your computing environment secure from even the most advanced Cyber Threats. Interact with the world’s security leaders and your peers to gather details on other pressing topics of interest to the information security community.

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Have questions? Check out the FAQ.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Omaha Downtown

Agenda

Times are subject to change

8:00 am

Opening Introductions | Check In | Networking

Presentation

9:00 am

Is AI the Answer to Solving Network Complexity?

AI is being touted as the solution to modern networking challenges—promising to simplify operations, improve security, and ease the burden on IT teams. With networks growing more complex than ever, the appeal of AI-driven automation is undeniable. But can AI truly solve the underlying problems, or is it just addressing read more…

AI is being touted as the solution to modern networking challenges—promising to simplify operations, improve security, and ease the burden on IT teams. With networks growing more complex than ever, the appeal of AI-driven automation is undeniable. But can AI truly solve the underlying problems, or is it just addressing symptoms? In this presentation, we’ll explore the evolution of network complexity, why traditional architectures are so difficult to manage, and how AI is being applied to address these challenges. We’ll examine the reality behind AI’s promises and whether it can finally deliver the simplicity and efficiency network operators have been chasing for decades. Is AI the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for, or is there something deeper at play? Let’s find out!

Bio

Todd Ellison

Director of Solution Architects Nile

Sponsored by

Presentation

9:30 am

From Spam to Sophistication: How Email Threats Evolved with Phishing-as-a-Service

Since the mid-1990s, phishing has evolved into a foundational attack method and remains one of the most common cybersecurity threats organizations face today. It’s also become a key focus of employee training programs across industries. In this session, we’ll explore the history of email security, trace how phishing techniques have read more…

Since the mid-1990s, phishing has evolved into a foundational attack method and remains one of the most common cybersecurity threats organizations face today. It’s also become a key focus of employee training programs across industries. In this session, we’ll explore the history of email security, trace how phishing techniques have adapted over time, and take a closer look at the emerging threat of Phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS)—a new, scalable model that’s lowering the barrier to entry for cybercriminals.

Bio

Sean Balzer

Senior Security Consultant Tenax Solutions an IP Pathways Company

Sponsored by

10:00 am

Sponsor Networking Time

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Presentation

10:30 am

Taking A Data-First Approach to Cyber Risk Management

Cyber Risk Management has evolved. Every new vulnerability or regulation adds further pressures on already stretched teams to predict and manage the weakest links within your internal IT infrastructure. Piling on to today’s cyber risk landscape is the ever-expanding digital supply chain, and the need to onboard, assess, and monitor third read more…

Cyber Risk Management has evolved. Every new vulnerability or regulation adds further pressures on already stretched teams to predict and manage the weakest links within your internal IT infrastructure. Piling on to today’s cyber risk landscape is the ever-expanding digital supply chain, and the need to onboard, assess, and monitor third parties, fourth parties, and Nth parties.

But does it really have to be that way?

Join this session from Mastercard Cybersecurity for an exclusive presentation on how a proactive “data-first” approach to cyber risk management can help you:

  • Improve monitoring for critical vulnerabilities to determine which ones really matter
  • Identify, Prioritize and Assess affected third parties in real-time
  • Leverage objective risk data into the decision-making processes
  • Streamline workflows and scale your operations
Bio

Austin Starowicz

Director, Solutions Consulting Mastercard

Sponsored by

11:00 am

From Blind Spots to Clarity: The Case for Runtime Security

Modern application development and deployment have outpaced the capabilities of traditional security solutions. While Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platforms provide a critical layer of defense, they often lack the deep, contextual visibility needed to stop sophisticated, application-layer attacks. In this session, we’ll make the case for read more…
Modern application development and deployment have outpaced the capabilities of traditional security solutions. While Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platforms provide a critical layer of defense, they often lack the deep, contextual visibility needed to stop sophisticated, application-layer attacks. In this session, we’ll make the case for a new approach: runtime security through software instrumentation, and share real-world research, demonstrating how runtime security fills the gaps left by WAFs and EDRs. By embedding lightweight security sensors directly into the application, you  gain unparalleled visibility into its internal behavior, data flows, and dependencies. This “inside-out” perspective allows for highly accurate, real-time threat detection and prevention without relying on signatures or external traffic analysis. 
Bio

Tyler Rosonke

Sr. Manager, Security Research Contrast Security

Sponsored by

11:30 am

Sponsor Networking Time

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

11:45 am

Lunch

Keynote

12:00 pm

Recalibrate Your Thinking: Overcoming Bias to Build Proactive, Trust-Centered Security Programs

Security decisions aren’t made in a vacuum — they’re often shaped by mental shortcuts, outdated assumptions, and pressure to act fast. Cognitive biases like anchoring, availability, and confirmation bias often sneak into risk assessments, leading to reactive strategies, overemphasis on headline threats, or clinging to legacy controls. This session will read more…

Security decisions aren’t made in a vacuum — they’re often shaped by mental shortcuts, outdated assumptions, and pressure to act fast. Cognitive biases like anchoring, availability, and confirmation bias often sneak into risk assessments, leading to reactive strategies, overemphasis on headline threats, or clinging to legacy controls.

This session will dive into how we can break free from “we’ve always done it this way” thinking and steer their programs with greater clarity and impact. We’ll explore how common decision-making traps surface in the real world and how they quietly shape policy, control choices, and impact standard work. By taking a fresh lens on how bias affects your program’s security posture, we’ll discuss tactics to shift from a reactive to proactive strategy through practical methods that leverage data to build a trust-aligned program that scale.

Whether you’re maturing a SOC, leading cloud transformation, securely enabling artificial intelligence efforts, or maturing your zero-trust roadmap, this session will equip you with tools to spot hidden biases — and replace them with stronger, clearer judgment.

Bio

Robert LaMagna-Reiter

Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer WoodmenLife
1:00 pm

Sponsor Networking Time

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Presentation

1:30 pm

How to Get Away with Cybercrime

We often talk about threats in terms of dollars lost, data stolen, or headlines made. But the real threat lives deeper—in the structure, the strategy, and the growing ambition of the actors behind the screen. Today’s cybercriminals don’t just encrypt files; they build economies, launder, influence, and forge alliances that read more…

We often talk about threats in terms of dollars lost, data stolen, or headlines made. But the real threat lives deeper—in the structure, the strategy, and the growing ambition of the actors behind the screen. Today’s cybercriminals don’t just encrypt files; they build economies, launder, influence, and forge alliances that stretch across borders and industries. In this talk, we’ll peel back the layers of modern cybercrime and explore how loosely affiliated hackers have evolved into organized syndicates. These groups operate more like multinational corporations than rogue disruptors—complete with HR departments, recruitment pipelines, insider relationships, and state protections.

Bio

Colby Hansen

Solutions Engineer Sophos

Sponsored by

Presentation

2:00 pm

Workspace Security: Are you Ready?

The modern workspace is increasingly reliant on cloud-based applications, browser-first access, and AI integration, and faces significant security challenges that outpace the capabilities of traditional tools. Legacy solutions, including VPNs and even early ZTNA implementations, are proving vulnerable to sophisticated attacks, leading to data breaches and operational disruptions. This session read more…

The modern workspace is increasingly reliant on cloud-based applications, browser-first access, and AI integration, and faces significant security challenges that outpace the capabilities of traditional tools. Legacy solutions, including VPNs and even early ZTNA implementations, are proving vulnerable to sophisticated attacks, leading to data breaches and operational disruptions. This session will critically examine these gaps – network, identity, endpoint, and cloud security – and demonstrate how a fundamental shift in security focus towards the browser is required.

Bio

Danny Le

Senior Solutions Engineer Menlo Security

Sponsored by

2:30 pm

Sponsor Networking Time

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Presentation

2:45 pm

Cyber Defense Strategies for earlier detection and faster response

Despite all the tools, talent, and investment, breaches still happen – often to organizations doing all the “right” things. In this session, Rishi Joshee from LMNTRIX shares 10 practical strategies for building (or rebuilding) a modern SOC that helps reduce risk. Drawing from real-world experience, you’ll learn how to cut read more…

Despite all the tools, talent, and investment, breaches still happen – often to organizations doing all the “right” things. In this session, Rishi Joshee from LMNTRIX shares 10 practical strategies for building (or rebuilding) a modern SOC that helps reduce risk.

Drawing from real-world experience, you’ll learn how to cut through alert noise, detect threats faster, automate where it matters, and structure your team for long-term resilience. It’s a practical, honest look at what works, what doesn’t, and why running a SOC today is equal parts strategy, technology, and controlled chaos.

Bio

Rishi Joshee

Enterprise Cybersecurity Analyst LMNTRIX

Sponsored by

Presentation

3:15 pm

Be Breach Ready

In today’s threat landscape, breaches are no longer rare events—they’re a reality. While preventing every intrusion is unrealistic, limiting its impact is achievable. This session explores how microsegmentation serves as a foundational control in implementing Zero Trust, helping organizations contain attacks and maintain business continuity. Microsegmentation enables security teams to read more…

In today’s threat landscape, breaches are no longer rare events—they’re a reality. While preventing every intrusion is unrealistic, limiting its impact is achievable. This session explores how microsegmentation serves as a foundational control in implementing Zero Trust, helping organizations contain attacks and maintain business continuity.

Microsegmentation enables security teams to isolate workloads, users, and devices by creating fine-grained security zones across IT, IoT, and OT environments. When applied correctly, it prevents unauthorized lateral movement and reduces the blast radius of cyberattacks—especially crucial in hybrid and legacy infrastructures.

Bio

John Horoshak

Director of Strategic Accounts ColorTokens

Sponsored by

3:45 pm

Sponsor Networking Time

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Visit Sponsor Booths – find amazing people, information, and prizes! Get updated on the latest technologies!

Panel Discussion

4:00 pm

"Securing the Future: CISO Insights and Industry Leaders Discussing Current Cyber Threats and Strategic Defense Practices"

Bio

Robert LaMagna-Reiter

Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer WoodmenLife
Bio

Marc Johnson

CISO / Director / vCISO / vCIO Impact Advisors
Bio

Ross Coudeyras

Head of Security and Compliance, Data Protection Officer, Remesh | Adjunct Instructor of Cybersecurity and Privacy, Doane University
Bio

Roxey Davis

Chief Operating Officer at Women + Cybersecurity = Women's Society of Cyberjutsu GRC Analyst at RxBenefits
5:00 pm

Closing Remarks