Derek Fisher

Director of the Cyber Defense and Information Assurance Program · Temple University

Derek Fisher

Position

Director of the Cyber Defense and Information Assurance Program

Organisation

Temple University

Location

Greater Philadelphia, USA

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Speaker

Derek Fisher

Director of the Cyber Defense and Information Assurance Program — Temple University

Biography

Derek Fisher is a cybersecurity leader, educator, author, and application security strategist with nearly 30 years of experience spanning engineering, software security, and enterprise cyber defense. He currently serves as the Director of the Cyber Defense and Information Assurance Program at Temple University, Philadelphia, where he leads the development of industry-aligned cybersecurity education and mentors the next generation of cyber professionals. He also teaches secure software development, emphasizing the integration of security throughout the software development lifecycle.

Before joining academia, Derek held senior cybersecurity leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase and Envestnet, where he established and expanded enterprise product security programs, strengthened vulnerability management capabilities, and guided large-scale cloud security initiatives. His work has enabled organizations across finance, healthcare, defense, and commercial sectors to embed security into their products while supporting business innovation and digital transformation.

A recognized thought leader in application security, Derek is the author of The Application Security Program Handbook and the Alicia Connected cybersecurity book series. He actively contributes to the cybersecurity community through technical publications, conference presentations, educational content, and mentoring initiatives. Passionate about advancing cyber resilience, Derek advocates for a practical, business-driven approach to security—one that empowers organizations to innovate securely while preparing future professionals to address the evolving threat landscape.

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Biography

Christian Reinhardt is a leading expert in Human Risk Management, cybersecurity awareness, and behavioral security, currently serving as Director of Human Risk Management at SoSafe, Germany. With a distinctive academic background that includes a Ph.D. in Sports Psychology, Christian combines deep expertise in human behavior, motivation, and performance with modern cybersecurity practices to help organizations build resilient, security-conscious cultures.

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Andrea Lawrence

Andrea Lawrence

Cybersecurity Professional, Educator, and Researcher

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Biography

Andrea Lawrence is a cybersecurity professional, educator, researcher, and governance specialist with extensive experience spanning academia, government, and enterprise security. Her expertise includes cybersecurity governance, risk and compliance (GRC), information assurance, cyber resilience, artificial intelligence, and workforce development.

Andrea serves as a full-time Computer Information Systems Instructor at North Georgia Technical College, where she teaches cybersecurity, networking, operating systems, systems analysis, and database management. Passionate about developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, she combines real-world industry experience with practical, hands-on education that bridges the gap between academic learning and evolving industry requirements.

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Helen Popp

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Biography

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Her diplomatic experience includes serving as Digital Policy and Economic Counsellor at the Estonian Embassy in Washington, D.C., where she strengthened transatlantic collaboration on digital innovation, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. Earlier in her career, she worked as Cyber Coordinator at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, helping shape Estonia’s international cyber engagement and advancing cooperation with global partners.

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Dr. Fabio Ruini

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Biography

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Dr. Leila Taghizadeh

Dr. Leila Taghizadeh

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Biography

Dr. Leila Taghizadeh is a globally recognized cybersecurity executive with extensive experience in cyber risk management, information security, and technology governance. She currently serves as CISO IberoLatAm at Allianz, where she leads cybersecurity strategy and risk initiatives across the region, helping organizations strengthen resilience against evolving digital threats.

With more than a decade of experience, Dr. Taghizadeh has advised executive leadership and boards on enterprise cyber risk, while leading large-scale security programmes and technology risk initiatives. Her expertise spans cyber risk strategy, security governance, operational resilience, and the implementation of enterprise cybersecurity frameworks for global organizations.

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Enrico Verzegnassi

Enrico Verzegnassi

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Biography

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Combining deep technical knowledge with practical industry experience, he is passionate about helping organizations strengthen their security posture and prepare for an increasingly complex threat landscape. Enrico is recognized for his ability to bridge advanced security research with real-world cybersecurity operations and business resilience.

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