CIO & CISO Think Tank

Dalia Powers is an innovative technology executive with a proven track record of setting visionary strategies and realizing bold business goals. A veteran of digital transformation across diverse industries, she leverages Data platforms, AI, and Generative AI to fundamentally reimagine customer experiences. Dalia has led large, globally distributed organizations of over 2,000 resources and is recognized as an energetic, authentic leader with deep technical roots and a passion for talent development. Throughout her career, she has been instrumental in accelerating Agile adoption, public cloud migration, and data-driven innovation to improve overall technology execution. Her impact has earned her numerous prestigious accolades, including being named one of the AI 75 Innovators, an ORBIE CIO Honoree, one of the Top 100 Women in Technology globally, and one of the Top 50 CIOs nationwide.

Michelle Foley is an experienced, results-oriented Program Manager at Truist with a proven record of program execution and partnership with Services and Product Engineering to solve complex problems and improve business outcomes. An MBA and PMP-certified professional with expertise in AWS, Azure, and Cybersecurity, she is committed to finding creative, sustainable solutions through collaborative relationships with key stakeholders in Engineering, Business Operations, and Services. Michelle demonstrates a growth mindset in the face of uncertainty and a deep passion for customer advocacy and inclusive leadership. Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, she leverages her technical background and strategic leadership to drive impactful results across global environments.

With over 34 years of experience in information security and executive leadership, Ian Schneller has built a career advancing strategic cybersecurity and resilience across government, defense, finance, and healthcare sectors. His background includes three tenures as a large enterprise Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and recognition as the first CISO ever to win the national ORBIE Award. Most recently, he served as CISO for HCSC and as a Board Director on the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Association Cybersecurity Subcommittee (2021–2025), strengthening protections for a system that supports healthcare for one in three Americans. During this time, Ian also partnered with other senior executives at HCSC to create an organizational wide artifical intelligence governance process (of which he served too) to ensure fair, transparent, and secure use of artifical intelligence. Ian also served as a fiduciary Board Director for Medecision and as Board Chair for “Dallas CISO Inspire”, bringing together more than 30 regional CISOs to upliŌ collective cyber defenses. In prior private-sector roles, Ian partnered with the Federal Government to shape national cybersecurity policy, including co-founding the Analysis and Resilience Center, a public-private partnership dedicated to protecting the United States from catastrophic foreign cyber attacks. A retired U.S. Air Force officer with nearly 24 years of service as a cyber defender, cyber attacker, and senior intelligence officer, Ian has advised the U.S. Congress on cybersecurity priorities and led major initiatives to secure critical infrastructure from cyber attacks and to enhance the nation’s most sensitive intelligence capabilities.

George Kanyotu is the AVP of Global Infrastructure Services at GM Financial, leading the organization’s efforts to deliver efficient, secure, and compliant IT infrastructure across the business. With over a decade at GM Financial, he provides strategic leadership to three key teams: Global Infrastructure Governance, IT Asset Management, and Global Vulnerability Remediation. George drives technology planning, aligns infrastructure initiatives with corporate goals, and ensures the organization stays ahead of industry best practices. He partners with senior leadership to anticipate organizational needs, implement scalable solutions, and maintain operational stability, security, and compliance across GM Financial’s global operations.

Venu Vidyashankar is a Cloud and Big Data Architect currently driving initiatives on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure. He is a Google Certified Professional Data Engineer and has completed specialized training in Machine Learning for Business Professionals. With a background as a Senior Business System Analyst in the financial services industry, Venu is highly skilled in Business Process, Requirements Analysis, and Agile Methodologies. His expertise spans Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence, ETL, and IT Strategy. Venu is a strong professional and a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

Mubeen Ahmed is a technology executive and Vice President of Software Engineering at Gartner, where he leads platform engineering across AI Products & Insights, Identity and Client Engagement as core digital products serving clients worldwide. With over two decades of experience spanning FinTech, EdTech, Non-profit, Telecom, and global consulting, Mubeen has built and led global engineering organizations giving him a firsthand understanding of how cultural fluency and human connection drive results in technology. Throughout his career, Mubeen has led cross-functional teams through complex transformations at organizations including Guild Education, Blucora (TaxAct), W.W. Grainger, and Accenture. Mubeen holds a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a US Patent holder. Based in Dallas, he is passionate about the intersection of technology leadership and emotional intelligence and believes that the leaders who will shape the next era of innovation are the ones who lead with empathy, curiosity, and courage.

Eric Poon is the Chief Information and Technology Officer at Resolute Grid, where he established a robust IT governance framework aligning technology initiatives with business goals. Throughout a distinguished career in planning, staffing, budgeting, technology, and operations, he has maintained a focus on quality and performance improvement. Eric previously served in the Office of the CTO at a Fortune 500 company, leading strategic analysis and global IT execution, and held leadership roles at Peloton and Tesla. During his tenure at these firms, he assisted with the greenfield build of several factories and transformed the global supply chain to deliver technology for new manufacturing lines in record time. An expert in cross-functional team building, organizational development, and infrastructure, Eric holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from Santa Clara University and specializes in IT strategy, IoT solutions, and global supply chain excellence.

Mike Madero is the VP for Mr. Cooper. At Mr. Cooper, the purpose is simple: keeping the dream of homeownership alive. As the consumer brand for the mortgage servicing and originations operation of Mr. Cooper Group Inc. (NASDAQ: COOP), they believe their teammates make that dream possible. Everything they do is in the care and service of their teammates and their customers - working together, volunteering to make a difference, and challenging the status quo to provide specialized services in home loans, servicing, and originations.

Manu Cyriac is a seasoned technology executive with close to 15 years in digital transformation, software engineering, and technology optimization. He has a proven track record of driving innovation and efficiency for some of the most well-respected brands in the industry. As Head of Digital Product and Software Engineering at Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Manu has played a pivotal role in scaling digital platforms, optimizing technology investments, and enhancing customer experiences. His leadership has been instrumental in driving traffic and growth through digital channels by incorporating innovative digital strategies. Previously, Manu held key leadership positions at various Fortune 500 companies worldwide, successfully leading several business transformation programs and strategic initiatives.

Martin Bliss is a seasoned Technology Executive and the former Global Chief of Architecture at Hilti North America, where he led a 50-person organization across three continents. With over 20 years of experience spanning construction tech, healthcare, and finance, Martin is a "builder-first" leader who transitioned from hands-on engineering to the C-suite. At Hilti, he modernized the Profis Engineering platform, driving a 30% growth in hardware sales while slashing infrastructure costs by 45%. A specialist in AI Governance and Safety-Critical Systems, Martin is a vocal advocate for engineering discipline in an era of rapid AI adoption. He famously transformed architecture from an "approval gate" into a "decision-enablement engine," scaling teams in Europe and India through his innovative Architect Academy. Whether chairing Architectural Review Boards or drawing leadership lessons from systems failures like Boeing 737 MAX, Martin excels at translating complex technical debt into high-impact business strategy.

Srikanth Edula is a visionary Senior Executive and Transformation Leader specializing in the intersection of enterprise architecture, digital engineering, and organizational strategy. Currently serving as SVP and Chief Architect at Accommodations Plus International, Srikanth is dedicated to building "Target State" visions that move organizations from legacy complexity to cloud-native agility. With a deep background in highly regulated sectors - specifically Healthcare and Financial Services - he has established a reputation for maturing Enterprise Architecture (EA) practices from the ground up. His leadership is defined by a "servant leadership" philosophy, focused on fostering high-performing global teams and cultivating top-tier technical talent.

Arvind Murali is the Global SVP of Data & AI at iOPEX Technologies, where he orchestrates intelligence for Fortune 500 enterprise transformations. With an MBA from MIT Sloan, Arvind is a "Consulting P&L Guru" who bridges the gap between complex data ecosystems and measurable business outcomes. He leads a unified competency across five pillars - Envision, Engineer, Enforce, Engage, and Execute - turning Agentic AI and Data Governance into strategic competitive advantages. A seasoned advisor to CXOs and VC-backed startups, Arvind specializes in monetizing data and streamlining operations through his "Information, Intelligence, and Interaction" framework. Whether building scalable architectures on Azure and AWS or mentoring entrepreneurs on go-to-market strategies, his focus remains on "byte-sized" programs that drive P&L impact. A prominent thought leader and podcast host, Arvind is dedicated to helping organizations save money, innovate at scale, and evolve into AI-ready enterprises.

Fern Johnson is a dynamic global leader and IT executive with extensive experience leading infrastructure, technology operations, end-user services, and delivery within a fast-paced Fortune 50 consumer packaged goods organization. As the former CTO at PepsiCo and a NACD.DC certified board member, she leverages broad international and cross-functional experience gained as an impactful and respected leader with technical knowledge, integrity, inclusiveness, collaboration, and quality. Fern is a TEDx speaker, STEM advocate, and podcast host who inspires and leads diverse teams, organizations, and partners to define and deliver business value against a strategic, transformative vision. She is recognized for her ability to maintain consistent execution and efficiency at world-class scope and scale, ensuring global transformation through leadership that prioritizes both technical excellence and organizational value.

Jodi Watkins is responsible for client delivery and direction to our Fortune 500 companies. Determine and formulate policies and business strategies and provide overall direction for specialized recruitment teams. Plan, direct, and coordinate sales activities at the highest level of management. Prudently manage the organization’s goals and initiatives in Field Services, IT, Professional Services, MSP vendor relations. Company-wide committee facilitation including planning, production and staff. Assures that the organization and its mission, programs, and services are consistently presented in a strong, positive image. Promotes a culture that reflects the organization’s values, encourages good performance, and rewards productivity. Actively advocates for the organization, its beliefs, and its programmatic efforts. Acts as a liaison between the organization and the community, building relationships with peer organizations when appropriate. Oversees design, delivery, and quality of MSP programs and services. Collaborate to define and articulate the organization’s vision and to develop strategies for achieving that vision.

Nick Sims is a business-facing technology executive who connects strategy and investment to commercial growth and execution at scale. Throughout his career, he has been embedded within $1B–$2B business units, partnering directly with Presidents and C-suite leaders at Abbott, Whirlpool, Schwab, Best Buy, and Target. His work spans healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, and retail, with a consistent focus on translating strategy into execution to ensure technology moves the business. Most recently the Head of Tech for Structural Heart at Abbott, Nick built and managed an enterprise GenAI pipeline, advancing five pilots and delivering three production implementations. He has led $20M+ portfolios and unlocked $4M+ in annual savings through AI-driven insights and predictive analytics. Beyond planning, Nick maintains deep technical proficiency; he designed and deployed his own multi-agent AI operating system that runs in production daily. He specializes in enterprise AI strategy, ERP and CRM modernization, and commercial platform strategy tied directly to revenue and customer experience.

Lovelie Moore is a cybersecurity executive with over 15 years of experience leading security strategy, risk governance, and operations across government and financial services. Currently the Business Information Security Officer at Toyota Financial Services, she aligns cybersecurity programs with business strategy to ensure resilience across complex digital ecosystems. Throughout her career, Lovelie has built security programs from the ground up, including establishing SOCs and leading threat detection initiatives. She previously served as a Chief Information Security Officer and was an Information Professional Officer in the United States Navy. An accomplished researcher and author, she wrote My Vulnerabilities Are PATCHED, a leadership framework focused on human accountability. Her doctoral research explored gamification in cybersecurity training. Lovelie remains dedicated to developing future leaders and advancing the strategic role of cybersecurity within the enterprise.

Georgeo Pulikkathara is a CIO and CISO with over 35 years of IT and cybersecurity leadership experience across the banking, healthcare, and defense sectors. He currently provides advisory services through his firm, GXP Security, following executive roles at Dovenmuehle Mortgage, DataStax, and a 15-year tenure at Microsoft. A Colonel (O-6) in the US Army Reserve, Georgeo has served for 25 years as a Cyber Operations Officer. His distinguished military career includes two combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was twice awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He maintains an active DoD Top Secret SCI clearance. Georgeo holds a BBA from the University of Houston and an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill. He is currently a PhD candidate in Cybersecurity at National University (expected 2028), where he maintains a 3.95 GPA as a member of the Dean’s List and Honor Society.

Bryan Head is the VP of Sales at Scrunch, where he leads revenue strategy and sales execution, focused on helping brands win in AI-driven discovery and digital experiences. Over the course of his career, Bryan has held senior sales leadership roles at leading SaaS and technology companies, including Salesforce and Evergage, with a track record of building high-performing teams and driving growth in dynamic markets. He brings a practical, frontline perspective on how emerging technologies are reshaping customer engagement, go-to-market strategy, and competitive advantage.

Nikita Tiffany is the Executive Vice President at GTN Solutions, a WBENC-certified Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE/WOSB). She specializes in scaling teams and spearheading strategic recruitment and project-staffing initiatives designed to maximize partner value while reducing hiring costs. With a focus on managed services across IT, Data Centers, and Electrical Services, Nikita is an expert in providing staffing and recruitment solutions that help organizations grow efficiently without inflating budgets.

Harrison Sherwin is a Product Education Specialist at Akeyless with 12 years of experience in cloud engineering and technical enablement. He has held technical training and enablement leadership roles at Akeyless, Zoom, AWS, and VMware, and is known for translating complex cloud and security concepts into practical learning experiences for customers and technical teams.

Saqib E. Awan is the Founder and Managing Director of Gtm Capital, a specialized financial services firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under his leadership, the company has established a lean and efficient presence in the industry, operating with a dedicated team of 6–10 professionals. Currently, Gtm Capital maintains a strong financial trajectory, generating between $1M and $5M in annual revenue.

Ben is the Chief Revenue Officer at Arcade.dev. He is a perennial builder who has helped shape several category-defining developer-focused infrastructure companies, including JBoss (acquired by Red Hat), MongoDB, ScaleFT (acquired by Okta), ngrok, and Weaviate. He was the first employee at JBoss, scaling the business from $0 to $65M in four years, and later served as MongoDB’s first VP of Sales.

Dennis Oleksyuk is the CTO of Aircon AI. Aircon is here to transform air cargo as we know it. Aircon connects, coordinates, and streamlines the air logistics ecosystem. Their AI-powered platform replaces fragmented processes and siloed data with a single intelligent flow from quote to delivery. The result: faster quotes, smarter bookings, fewer exceptions, and stronger customer relationships.

A seasoned cybersecurity builder and Unit 8200 veteran, Elad Tessler is now a first-time founder serving as the Co-Founder & CEO at Stealth. He creates practical, people-first security by partnering directly with customers to solve problems rather than sell products, and is currently building a new venture on this principle while looking to connect with like-minded partners and industry leaders.

Piyush Patra serves as the Sr. Director, Global Enterprise Architecture at CBRE Investment Management. An enterprise Data & AI leader with 15+ years of experience, Piyush specializes in helping organizations transform complex data ecosystems into measurable business outcomes. His career sits at the intersection of data strategy, cloud modernization, and AI enablement, where he leads cross-functional teams to move organizations from fragmented experimentation to scalable, decision-ready operating models. Having navigated both hyperscalers and enterprise operators, Piyush brings a unique perspective on bridging the gap between pilot and production with a focus on innovation, resilience, and accountability.

Prerna Kandhari is a transformational data and technology executive with 25 years of experience building and scaling world-class data organizations across financial services, fintech, commercial real estate, and beyond. Currently, She serves as Head of Data at Mr. Cooper Group, the nation's largest mortgage servicer with a $1.5T+ portfolio, where she was the enterprise's accountable executive for data strategy and business transformation, driving innovation and enablement across Servicing and Originations to unlock business value and operational excellence. She also played a key executive role in a complex, large-scale M&A integration with Rocket Mortgage. Earlier in her career, she held senior data and technology leadership roles at Capital One, where she leveraged data to drive operational excellence enablement, and at CBRE, where she drove enterprise data strategy, brought more than 200 Fortune 500 clients onto data platforms, and established data as a direct commercial differentiator. Prerna is recognized for her ability to operate across the full executive spectrum, from enterprise strategy and platform modernization to P&L ownership and board-level communication. She is a practitioner and a strategist, with a track record of designing adaptive, Data & AI ready enterprises that generate measurable business outcomes.

Jerod Williams is a cybersecurity and AI systems architect specializing in secure infrastructure, governance intelligence, and scalable digital ecosystems. As the Founder of GZNite LLC & G cubed, he designs secure-by-design frameworks that protect intellectual property, harden AI deployments, and align emerging technologies with enterprise-grade risk standards.

Rameshwar Balanagu is the Chief Enterprise Architect at UNFI and a globally recognized tech executive with over 20 years of experience driving Fortune 500 digital transformations. A Carnegie Mellon alumnus and Forbes Technology Council member, Rameshwar specializes in turning IT into a revenue engine. He famously achieved a 60% reduction in application footprint at UNFI by consolidating silos into a modern Lakehouse and has delivered over $15 million in operational benefits through optimized infrastructure. Beyond his technical mastery in AI, Quantum, and NIST-compliant cybersecurity, Rameshwar is a distinguished public speaker who connects ancient wisdom with modern technology. He is a trusted advisor to CEOs and Boards, offering a unique "5 Steps Framework" for scaling responsible AI and building resilient, future-ready cultures. A dedicated mentor, he is renowned for grooming the next generation of leaders, ensuring that enterprise innovation is always grounded in human insight and strategic integrity.

Inducted in 2023 to the Tech Titans Hall of Fame. Winner of Inspire CIO’s 2021 Dallas / North Texas Global ORBIE CIO of the Year. Winner of SEI’s 2020 Women in IT - Luminary Award. These are just a few of the awards and recognition that Trude Van Horn has received in her decades-long career. Trude is currently a Tech Executive at Cien.ai. Cien is an award-winning, AI-native corporation that provides actionable insights to increase sales and grow revenue, harnessing the power of AI to analyze CRM & GTM data. Trusted by leading private equity firms, management consulting firms, and B2B enterprises, Cien has identified over $1 B in client opportunities for revenue growth. Trude is a Global CIO and veteran Technology Executive with 20+ years as a CIO. Her diverse experience includes tech leadership positions at American Express, JPMorgan, global chemical manufacturer NCH Corporation, retailers Victoria’s Secret, Office Depot, Jo-Ann Stores and tech disruptor, Rimini Street. Instructor for SMU’s Tech CxO Leadership Excellence program, Advisory Board Chair for DFW*ATW, Trude serves on the board / as an advisor to Tech Genies, i11 Labs, V-Bridge Hub, Prime Women Media, Tackle Tomorrow and the International Women’s Forum – Dallas. Trude earned a BBA in Business from Temple University. Trude is passionate about giving back to the DFW Technology Community, creating a more diverse pipeline of technology leadership talent and developing the next generation of IT leaders.

Inducted in 2023 to the Tech Titans Hall of Fame. Winner of Inspire CIO’s 2021 Dallas / North Texas Global ORBIE CIO of the Year. Winner of SEI’s 2020 Women in IT - Luminary Award. These are just a few of the awards and recognition that Trude Van Horn has received in her decades-long career. Trude is currently a Tech Executive at Cien.ai. Cien is an award-winning, AI-native corporation that provides actionable insights to increase sales and grow revenue, harnessing the power of AI to analyze CRM & GTM data. Trusted by leading private equity firms, management consulting firms, and B2B enterprises, Cien has identified over $1 B in client opportunities for revenue growth. Trude is a Global CIO and veteran Technology Executive with 20+ years as a CIO. Her diverse experience includes tech leadership positions at American Express, JPMorgan, global chemical manufacturer NCH Corporation, retailers Victoria’s Secret, Office Depot, Jo-Ann Stores and tech disruptor, Rimini Street. Instructor for SMU’s Tech CxO Leadership Excellence program, Advisory Board Chair for DFW*ATW, Trude serves on the board / as an advisor to Tech Genies, i11 Labs, V-Bridge Hub, Prime Women Media, Tackle Tomorrow and the International Women’s Forum – Dallas. Trude earned a BBA in Business from Temple University. Trude is passionate about giving back to the DFW Technology Community, creating a more diverse pipeline of technology leadership talent and developing the next generation of IT leaders.