First-Ever Lone Star Cyber Summit to Focus on Defending Texas’ Digital Frontier

Security Leaders Will Address Ransomware Resilience, Supply Chain Protection and Cross-Industry Collaboration

Princeton, NJ – QG Media, an ISMG company, is pleased to announce the launch of the first edition of the Lone Star Cyber Summit, scheduled for October 14 and 15 in Austin, Texas. The two-day summit will provide practical strategies, collaborative insights and professional development opportunities.

Part of ISMG’s globally acclaimed CyberSeries, the Lone Star Cyber Summit will serve as Texas’ premier gathering for cybersecurity leaders, bringing together senior IT security stakeholders across industries including oil and gas, energy, healthcare, aerospace, agriculture, financial services, retail and transportation.

Cybersecurity has become one of the top concerns for enterprises across the United States as attacks grow in both sophistication and scale. Texas organizations have been particularly hard hit, reporting over $1 billion in cybercrime-related losses, with small and mid-sized businesses among the most frequent targets. Against this backdrop, companies in the state must act quickly and strategically to strengthen defenses, protect critical infrastructure and prepare for increasingly complex regulations.

“The Lone Star Cyber Summit arrives at a pivotal moment for Texas. This is a state that sits at the crossroads of energy, technology and infrastructure, making it both a leader in digital innovation and a prime target for cyber adversaries,” said Kudsia Kaker, managing director at QG Media. “Our program brings together the brightest minds from across industries to share case studies, debate strategies and develop actionable solutions. From securing supply chains to empowering the workforce, the summit is designed to give attendees the tools they need to defend Texas’ digital frontier with confidence.”

One of the key sessions on the agenda is “Protecting the Digital Supply Chain: A Holistic Approach,” presented by James Brake, director of cybersecurity at LCRA. Brake will examine how increasing interconnectivity in global supply chains exposes organizations to new vulnerabilities.

In an insightful presentation by Cecil Pineda, CISO and senior vice president at R1 RCM, the focus will be directed toward the human element of cybersecurity. His session “People Power: Leveraging the Human Factor to Mitigate Cyber Risk” will emphasize how leaders can move beyond basic awareness programs to empower employees, foster accountability and build culture-driven cybersecurity strategies that make the workforce a true first line of defense.

Fred Clayton, CISO at Akumin, will moderate a high-profile panel discussion on “Uniting IT: Prioritization & Collaboration Between IT Security and the Wider IT Team,” with panelists Abie John, CISO at Halliburton; Todd Pauley, director of security and compliance at Hornblower Group; Todd Beebe, information security officer at Freeport LNG; and Alexanne Collison, director of information security at Cargill. Together, the security leaders will explore the challenges created by misaligned priorities between IT and security teams as well as share strategies for improving communication, knowledge sharing and integration of security into the entire IT life cycle.

The attendees will also gain a Texas-specific perspective in “Protecting the Lone Star State: Understanding the Texas Cybersecurity Landscape.” Ernesto Ballesteros, cybersecurity state coordinator of Texas at CISA, will examine the unique cyberthreats facing the state, the importance of public-private partnerships, and how federal and state collaboration is shaping new strategies to protect critical infrastructure and build long-term resilience across Texas.

“The Lone Star Cyber Summit comes at a critical time when organizations across Texas are navigating not only escalating threats but also new opportunities for collaboration and innovation,” said Jennifer Eisenhofer, vice president of events at ISMG. “Our goal is to ensure that attendees leave with actionable insights that strengthen their organizations while contributing to the resilience of the state’s wider cybersecurity ecosystem.”

The summit also places a spotlight on managing stress and burnout in cybersecurity – an increasingly important issue as professionals shoulder growing responsibility for safeguarding digital infrastructure.

For Texas, this summit represents more than a single event; it marks the commencement of a new chapter in advancing a resilient and future-ready digital frontier.

To learn more about the agenda and register for the event, click here.

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About ISMG

Information Security Media Group (ISMG) is the world’s largest media organization devoted solely to cybersecurity, information technology, artificial intelligence and operational technology. Each of our 38 media properties provides education, research and news that is specifically tailored to key vertical sectors including banking, healthcare and the public sector; geographies from North America to Southeast Asia; and topics such as data breach prevention, cyber risk assessment, OT security, AI and fraud. Our annual global summit series connects senior security professionals with industry thought leaders to find actionable solutions for pressing cybersecurity challenges.

About ISMG Events

ISMG Events is a premier platform for security professionals and practitioners worldwide. Our global, annual events bring together the ISMG Events Community, comprising over 40,000 members, to exchange knowledge, insights and best practices in the field of cybersecurity. The cornerstone of our event portfolio is the ISMG Global Summit Series. These summits take place both virtually and in-person, offering participants a diverse range of topics to explore. In addition to our Global Summit Series, ISMG Events hosts exclusive Executive Roundtables and ISMG Engage events that are closed-door, topic-focused discussions that provide practitioners with a collaborative environment to address today’s most pressing security concerns.

About QG Media

QG Media is an international provider of cutting-edge B2B conferences and digital content for technology leaders. Focusing on cybersecurity and IoT (Internet of Things), QG brings together business leaders to demonstrate thought leadership through content-driven presentations, interviews and webinars. The success of any QG Media event lies in providing expertly curated programs, inviting industry leading speakers, along with offering extensive networking opportunities to promote collaboration and drive innovation.