Conference Welcome: President Howard

Dr. Chris Howard is the eighth president of Robert Morris University near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and earned a doctorate in politics as a Rhodes Scholar from the University of Oxford. He also has an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School, and in 2018 he received the school’s Alumni Achievement Award. Dr. Howard’s service to his country began as a helicopter pilot, then as an intelligence officer, where he was assigned to the elite Joint Special Operations Command. He served in Afghanistan in the Air Force Reserve and was awarded the Bronze Star. He also served as the Reserve Air Attaché to Liberia. 

Dr. Howard aims to make RMU the preferred strategic partner for corporations, organizations, professionals, and aspiring professionals in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. The university is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report and is now undertaking a $50 million capital project, the largest in its history, which will include the UPMC Events Center.

Keynote: Kevin DeLong

CEO & Founder

Kevin DeLong is the CEO and Founder of AVAIRY Solutions an online marketing and branding firm. Kevin has many years as a professional voiceover artist, videographer, and talented online marketing guru working magic into websites, logos, and overall brand management and strategy. He has used his past experience as an investigator to learn the ins and outs of what trends to follow and which to pass on when it comes to your personal and business branding.

Summer Craze Fowler

Chief Security Officer

Summer Craze Fowler is the Chief Security Officer at Argo AI and an adjunct faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University. Argo AI is an artificial intelligence company developing self-driving vehicles with a focus on making affordable, safe transportation available to everyone. Summer was previously a director at Carnegie Mellon’s CERT cybersecurity program where she spent 11 years researching and developing cybersecurity risk and resilience solutions for the US govt and the nation’s critical infrastructure. Summer is a member of an audit committee for a large healthcare company and is a cyber risk advisor for a FinTech company. She also develops and teaches for several Executive Education programs for CISOs, CROs, CIOs, and insurance professionals. She is passionate about helping women launch and advance in careers and serves on the board of a local non-profit, PA Women Work. Summer is often requested to speak at cyber events around the world – notably the World Conference on IT, RSA, and to provide testimony in the US Congress.

Natalya Bromall

Associate Professor

Natalya Bromall was born in Ivanovo, Russia, a former textile center 200 miles north-east of Moscow, and received my BS and MS degrees in Mathematics from Ivanovo State University. I came to the United States in August 2001, 3 weeks before 9/11, to pursue a Doctoral degree at Utah State University. She graduated in 2006 with a Ph.D. in Business Information Systems and moved to Pittsburgh. Natalya is an Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems at RMU. Her areas of interest include Cyber Security, Web programming, and Database Management. She is interested in cloud technologies and has recently completed training and certification with Amazon AWS Academy.

Dr. Jameela Al-Jaroodi

Professor

Dr. Jameela Al-Jaroodi received her B.Sc. M.Sc. and PhD. degrees in computer science from the University of Bahrain, Western Michigan University, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, respectively. In addition, she holds the M.Ed. degree in higher education management from the University of Pittsburgh. She was a Research Assistant Professor with Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA, then an Assistant Professor with the United Arab Emirates University, UAE. She also spent time as an independent Researcher in the computer and information technology fields. She is currently an Associate Professor and the Coordinator of the software engineering concentration with the Department of Engineering, SEMS, Robert Morris University, Moon Township, PA, USA. She is involved in various research areas, including middleware, software engineering, cyber-physical systems, smart systems and distributed, cloud and fog computing, in addition to UAVs and wireless sensor networks.

Greg Kipper

VP of Cyber

Greg Kipper is accomplished in the many areas that make up the world of cyber. From being an experienced solutions architect, emerging technology strategist, certified security professional, and five-time published author with strong practical experience in all aspects of information technology, cybersecurity, and proactive cyber threat response. He is also a recognized cyber forensics expert and investigator who has worked several high-profile cases to include the Bernie Madoff scandal.

Karen Paullet

Panel Moderator

Dr. Karen Paullet has been a faculty member at Robert Morris University since May of 2009 where she teaches Cyber Security. She holds a BS in Information Systems, a MS in Communications and Information Systems, and a DSc. in Information Systems and Communications from Robert Morris University.

Amber Schroader

CEO & Founder, Paraben Corporation

Throughout the past two decades, Ms. Schroader has been a driving force for innovation in digital forensics. Ms. Schroader has developed over two-dozen software programs designed for the purposes of recovering digital data from mobile phones, computer hard drives, email, and live monitoring services. Ms. Schroader has taught and designed the established protocols for the seizure and processing of digital evidence that has been used by numerous organizations throughout the world. Ms. Schroader has coined the concept of the “360-degree approach to digital forensics” as well as started the momentum and push to the “Forensics of Everything-FoE” with her focus to unique problems in digital evidence and solutions. Ms. Schroader continues to support through book contributions and other industry speaking engagements.

Diane Anoyi Igoche

Assistant Professor

Diane Anoyi Igoche is a machine-learning enthusiast who is excited about democratizing data science and computing education, as well as broadening participation of underrepresented individuals in the field of computing. She is an Assistant Professor of Computer and Information Systems at Robert Morris University, where she teaches courses in the Data Analytics program as well as general CIS courses. She is the mother of one with an educational background in Information Systems and Educational Technology with Bachelor’s, Master’s and a PhD from Truman State University, Kennesaw State University, and the University of Georgia respectively. Diane has worked in systems development and testing, and data analytics roles. Born and raised in Nigeria, she performs service to the community by working with non-governmental organizations to develop programs that support community development through education. Diane founded the Pittsburgh Women in Machine Learning and Data Science Chapter. A group that is focused on empowering members with the skills and knowledge needed to gain employment in the fields related to Machine Learning and Data Science.

Roberta G. (Bobbie) Stempfley

Managing Director

Roberta G. (Bobbie) Stempfley joined the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute as managing director of the SEI’s CERT Division in June 2017. Stempfley previously served as director of cyber strategy implementation at MITRE Corp. and as acting assistant secretary and deputy assistant secretary, Office of Cyber Security and Communications, Department of Homeland Security. In addition to her work at DHS, Stempfley previously worked in the DoD as CIO of the Defense Information Systems Agency and as chief of the DoD Computer Emergency Response Team, which she established. Stempfley received her bachelor’s degree in engineering mathematics from the University of Arizona and her master’s degree in computer science from James Madison University. A recipient of many awards, she was recognized by CyberScoop as among the Top Women in Cybersecurity, by Federal Computer Week in the Fed 100, and by Information Week as one of the Top 50 Government CIOs.

Kathleen Lovett

VP IT, Customer Channels Group

Kathleen joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2015 as the Senior Director of Information Technology supporting e-Commerce business-to-business integrations as part of the Customer Channels Group (CCG), the distribution portion of the company.  In 2016, Kathleen assumed responsibility for customer inventory management.  Then, followed by Commercial and Customer Service application teams in 2017.   In 2018, she was promoted the VP IT role where she currently leads the global technology team supporting the CCG business unit.

Prior to joining Thermo Fisher, Kathleen served for 20 years at United States Steel Corporation, including 3 years in their international division based in Slovakia and 2 years in a joint venture start-up, United Spiral Pipe based in Pittsburg, California. She began her career at the company as an intern and held various positions both within the Information Technology and Accounting and Finance organizations.

Kathleen received an MBA and Masters of Science in Management of Information Systems from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of Westminster College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in information technology. Kathleen is active in the Katz Alumni Council and serves on the boards of Strong Women Strong Girls and Red Chair Pittsburgh.

Michele R. McGough

Founder and CEO, solutions4networks, Pittsburgh, PA

Ms. McGough worked for various Fortune 500 companies and start-ups before starting her company in 2000 with less than $10,000.  As Founder and CEO of solutions4networks, Michele leads her IT professional services and integration company in providing clients with decades of experience in designing and implementing enterprise, hybrid, and cloud networks; which includes unified communications, data networks, data centers, wireless networks, and network security.  Solutions4networks’ clients include Robert Morris University, Bayer, PPG, Alcoa, Industrial Scientific, Heritage Valley Health System, and AMTRAK.

Solutions4networks has won numerous client and industry awards over the past 19 years including E&Y Finalist, Pittsburgh Technology Top 5 IT Consulting Companies 2016, Top 50 PA Business Women and “Top 100 Places to Work in Western Pennsylvania”  (2012-2017 – top 5).  In 2018, solutions4networks won the “Overall Best Place to Work in Western PA”  – awarded by the Pittsburgh Business Times.  Solutions4networks also received a patent for their “Network Analysis System”.

Michele is an active member of the Women President’s Organization (WPO), a Regional Board Member of Strong Women Strong Girls, a member of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA, and an Outdoor Odyssey volunteer for returning veterans.  She is also on the Frostburg State University Business School Advisory Board.