Golden State Cyber Summit Debuts in San Diego With a Focus on AI and Resilience

California’s Senior Security Leaders Convene for an Invitation-Only, CPE-Certified Forum Built for Peer-Driven Dialogue

Princeton, NJ – QG Media, an ISMG company, will bring the Golden State Cyber Summit to San Diego for the first time on May 21, 2026, convening California’s senior security leaders from both public and private sectors for an invitation-only, CPE-certified forum designed for closed-door dialogue and peer-driven problem-solving.

Building on over 15 years of delivering world-class cybersecurity content through its global CyberSeries events, QG Media brings its proven expertise to the West Coast with a summit purpose-built for California’s unique security environment.

California presents a paradox no security leader can ignore: the nation’s foremost hub for digital innovation, it also ranks first in cybercrime losses. With organizations navigating CCPA Article 9 compliance, escalating geopolitical risk, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and quantum threats, the need for a dedicated, high-level forum has never been greater.

Stepping away from the noise of the traditional conference circuit, the Golden State Cyber Summit is structured around insight over slides. The one-day event will feature expert-led panel discussions, small-group roundtables and case study presentations, offering attendees a private space for open exchange on the issues that matter most. Sessions are organized around four critical themes: navigating California’s evolving regulatory landscape and geopolitical risk; building cyber resilience through proactive defense and recovery; designing out human failure through effective controls; and future-proofing enterprise networks against AI and quantum threats.

“The threats facing California’s organizations are too consequential for scripted panels and vendor pitches,” said Kudsia Kaker, managing director at QG Media. “We built this summit around the conversations security leaders are actually trying to have – candid, peer-driven and focused on what works. California doesn’t need another conference; it needs a catalyst, and that’s exactly what Golden State Cyber Summit is.”

Among the featured sessions, in “Building a Secure Architecture Amid Geopolitical Risk,” Jacob Combs, vice president of cybersecurity and CISO at Tandem Diabetes Care, will walk attendees through the organization’s security journey – covering how it integrated threat intelligence and scenario planning to anticipate ransomware, supply-chain and state-sponsored attacks, applied zero trust principles and MFA to minimize operational disruption, and ran targeted awareness campaigns to defend against credential theft.

A panel discussion titled “Innovation Versus Risk: Does AI Bring More Cybersecurity Opportunities or Exposure?” moderated by Brandon Wilson, CISO at Dunham, will examine how governance frameworks can help organizations strike the right balance between AI-driven advancement and emerging risk. The panel will feature Jacob Combs, vice president of cybersecurity and CISO at Tandem Diabetes Care; Tim Jee, director of cybersecurity services at New American Funding; Jason Christopher, cyber security director at the University of California, Berkeley; and David Scott, senior director of product security at Intuitive.

By bringing together California’s top security minds around shared challenges and proven strategies, Golden State Cyber Summit will serve as the state’s most essential gathering for advancing cyber resilience, navigating regulatory complexity and forging the peer connections that turn insight into action.

For more information and to register, visit https://goldenstate.cyberseries.io/

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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 QG Media

QG Media is an international provider of cutting-edge B2B conferences and digital content for technology leaders. Focusing on cybersecurity and IoT, 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.

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 that are closed-door, topic-focused discussions that provide practitioners with a collaborative environment to address today’s most pressing security concerns.