AITP Chicago upcoming events

GCSI Annual Conference 2026 (Thu, April 30, 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Global Cyber Security Initiative, Building Cyber Resilience – Surviving threats today and tomorrow presents:

GCSI Annual Conference 2026

The intersection of AI adoption and cyber readiness

Click Here for the Full Schedule

Click Here to Register

Use Discount Code "AITP2026"

Confirmed Speakers

Bruce Coffing, CISO, City of Chicago

Evan Pena, Founder & Chief Offensive Security Officer, Armadin

Fred Kwong, Ph.D. , CISO, DeVry University

Sebastiaan Gybels, Sr VP, Northern Trust

Rebecca Lively, Stealth Startup

Barbara Ballan, Assistant Professor of Law, FIU

Jason Czarnezki, Dean, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Mahmood Khan, CISO, CNA

Karen Habercross, Vice President, Chief Information Security and Privacy Officer

Laszlo Gonc, CEO, Next Era Transformation Group

Nitin Raina, Global CISO at Thoughtworks

Gregg Friedman, President, ISSA Chicago

David Neuman, Chief Operating Officer at acceligence

Nicole Beebe, Dean, College of Computing, Illinois Tech

Robert Barr, PDA Board member

Bob Kress, Retired MD, The Accenture Security

Mark Rorabaugh, CEO, InfraShield

Richard Warner, Faculty Director, Center for Law and Computers, Chicago Kent College of Law

Wendy Betts, Information Security Officer, Rotary International, Member BoD, Cardio Diagnostics Inc

Stephen Reynolds, Attorney with McDermott, Will & Schulte

Terry Kurzynski, Chief Security Advisor, HALOCK

Matt Hartzman, Advisor, Hartzman Partners

For Sponsorship Information Contact:

Kasi Paturi

President

Pan Asian American Business Council (PAABC)

panasianbusinesscouncil@gmail.com

(312) 388-0211

1st 2026 CISO of the Year Event - Meet the Nominees (Tue, May 19, 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The CISO of the Year Committee and the Chicago Chapters of AITP, ChicagoFIRST, InfraGard, ISSA, ISACA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM are excited to welcome you to our 1st In-Person Mixer of 2026.

The purpose of the CISO of the Year program is to recognize the top CISOs in the greater Chicago area and provide a higher level of awareness and recognition to the CISO (or equivalent in authority) position.

Join us for the first of four events leading up to the Awards Breakfast of October 14th. The four events are Private, intended to support CISO’s and their direct reports, 2024 CISO Nominees, the Program Judges, our CISO Program Sponsors and delegates from esteemed industry partners-AITP, ChicagoFIRST. Infragard, ISSA, ISACA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM (limit of up to 2 Board Members from each Industry Partner per event without special approval).

Click Here for More Information on the Program

Click Here to Visit the New CISO of theYear Website

This is a great opportunity to recognize the exceptional talent we have in the Chicago Region, to network with security professionals and to meet the candidates and judges for the 2026 CISO of the Year Program. Great Food and Drink Too.

Click Here to Register

Prior CISO of the Year Award Winners:

2025 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Shefali Mookencherry, CISO, UIC
2025 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Nitin Raina, CISO, Thoughtworks

2024 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Dan Manley, CISO, CME Group
2024 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Angela Williams, CISO, UL

2023 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Darin Hurd, CISO, Guaranteed Rate
2023 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Neil Witek, CISO, Oak Street Health

2022 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Mahmood Khan, SVP and CISO, CNA
2022 - CISO of the Year, MIDCAP, Walter Lefmann, Director of Security, Chicago Trading Corporation

2021 - CISO of the Year, Ricardo LaFosse, CISO, The Kraft Heinz Company

2020 - CISO of the Year, Paige Adams, Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Zurich Insurance Company Ltd

2019 - CISO of the Year, Jill Rhodes, CISO, Option Care Health

2018 - CISO of the Year, Bradley Schaufenbuel, VP & Chief Information Security Officer, Paylocity

2017 - CISO of the Year, Erik Decker, Chief Security & Privacy Officer, University of Chicago Medicine

2016 - CISO of the Year, Todd Fitzgerald, CISO, Grant Thornton International Ltd

2015 - CISO of the Year, Kevin Novak, CISO and Technology Risk Officer for Northern Trust Bank

2014 - CISO of the Year, Arian McMillan, CISO, Deparartment of Innovation and Technology, City of Chicago

2013 - CISO of the Year, Jason Witty, SVP & CISO, US Bank.

Please Thank Our 2025 Program Sponsors:

2nd 2026 CISO of the Year Event - Meet the Nominees (Tue, June 16, 2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The CISO of the Year Committee and the Chicago Chapters of AITP, ChicagoFIRST, InfraGard, ISSA, ISACA, ISSA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM are excited to welcome you to our 2nd In-Person Mixer of 2026.

Join us for the 2nd of four events leading up to the Awards Breakfast of October 14th. The four events are Private, intended to support CISO’s and their direct reports, 2024 CISO Nominees, the Program Judges, our CISO Program Sponsors and delegates from esteemed industry partners-AITP, ChicagoFIRST, Infragard, ISSA, ISACA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM (limit of up to 2 Board Members from each Industry Partner per event without special approval).

Click Here for More Information on the Program

Click Here to Visit the New CISO of theYear Website

Click Here to Register

Prior CISO of the Year Award Winners:

2025 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, ShefaliMookencherry, CISO, UIC
2025 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Nitin Raina, CISO, Thoughtworks

2024 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Dan Manley, CISO, CME Group
2024 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Angela Williams, CISO, UL

2023 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Darin Hurd, CISO, Guaranteed Rate
2023 - CISO of the Year MID-CAP, Neil Witek, CISO, Oak Street Health

2022 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Mahmood Khan, CISO, SVP& CISO, CNA
2022 - CISO of the Year MID-CAP, Walter Lefmann, Director of Security, Chicago Trading Corporation