Brett Leatherman is Section Chief of cyber national security work for the FBI. Under Presidential Policy Directive 41, the FBI is the lead cyber threat response agency for the United States Government, and in this role, Mr. Leatherman serves as a senior executive managing the FBI’s strategy to impose risk and consequence on some of the most sophisticated state sponsored cyber adversaries targeting U.S. interests.

Mr. Leatherman previously held several roles in the FBI’s Dallas Division, most recently as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge for National Security, where he managed teams responsible for preventing and investigating counterterrorism, counterintelligence, weapons of mass destruction, and cyber threats throughout North Texas. Also in Dallas, Mr. Leatherman served as Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of the Frisco Resident Agency, managing criminal investigations across North Texas.

Prior to being assigned to the Dallas Division, Mr. Leatherman held several leadership roles at FBI Cyber Division. Mr. Leatherman first worked as a Supervisory Special Agent in a cyber national security unit overseeing work to identify and mitigate state sponsored cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure, private sector organizations, and government agencies. Mr. Leatherman was then promoted to Assistant Section Chief of the Cyber Operational Engagement Section, managing FBI initiatives to collaborate with domestic and foreign partners to protect U.S. interests. In both roles, Mr. Leatherman worked extensively with the United States Intelligence Community, foreign, and private sector partners to promote a whole of government approach to address cyber threats. 

Mr. Leatherman entered on duty as an FBI Special Agent in 2003. Prior to his first assignment at FBI Cyber Division, he served in the Cleveland and Detroit Field Offices, while also serving as an FBI pilot and hostage negotiator. Mr. Leatherman graduated from Cornerstone University with a degree in Computer Information Systems, and received a Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity Risk Management from Georgetown University. Mr. Leatherman holds several widely recognized cyber certifications and speaks domestically and internationally on emerging national security and cyber threats.

Terryn Valikodath is a DFIR consultant at Cisco Talos Incident Response with several years of experience in DFIR, security engineering and information technology. Terryn previously worked in various industries including manufacturing, biotechnology and finance. This experience allows him to understand cyber-attacks from multiple perspectives and deliver thoughtful and effective solutions.

Brandon Smith is a Cybersecurity Intelligence Analyst for the Michigan State Police (MSP) - Michigan Cyber Command Center (MC3). Before joining the MC3, Brandon was the lead technician for the OK2SAY Student Safety Hotline with MSP. Brandon joined the MC3 in 2020. Brandon’s responsibilities at MC3 include securing all elections in Michigan, producing, and disseminating intelligence on cybersecurity, and performing cybersecurity assessments.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) with over sixteen years of leadership, innovation, and a drive in the local government sector. Recently made the leap to higher education with a dedicated focus on security and privacy. Spends his days partnering with business leaders across the University to help guide and encourage the culture of security and privacy at the heart of everything we do.

An innovative, collaborative team builder and complex problem solver with more than 20 years of higher education administration and executive leadership experience. Relentless culture mechanic and proponent for positive, progressive change. Deeply values transparency and transformative thinking. Constantly seeks opportunities to empower people and teams to develop their talents and creativity, and utilize their experiences, diverse perspectives, and knowledge.