CIO & CISO Think Tank

Richard Winter is a Business & Technology Consultant at RJW Consulting specializing in IT leadership, project management, and large-scale business transformation. With deep expertise at the intersection of technology and accounting & finance, he excels in technology roadmapping, business consolidation, and complex systems integration. Richard possesses specialized skills in SAP implementation and the design and execution of Business Planning & Consolidation (BPC) solutions. Throughout his career, he has proven his ability to lead end-user support teams and drive strategic initiatives that align technical infrastructure with overarching business planning and operational goals.

Dave Williamson has extensive experience working in information technology within the biotech industry to increase manufacturing, quality and supply chain efficiency and effectiveness. Most recently, he worked for Abzena, a life science group headquartered in San Diego, CA as the Chief Information Officer.

Premkumar Thomas Augustine is the Vice President of Engineering Services and CISO at Finvi. A seasoned IT leader, he has a proven track record of running highly distributed organizations and improving effectiveness by aligning business processes with IT infrastructure to accelerate performance and sustain strategic flexibility. With expertise in the Software Development Lifecycle, Cloud Engineering, and Cyber Security, Premkumar is a strong technical leader in ML/AI and automation. He is a highly motivated professional who excels at mentoring diverse teams and responding to ever-changing environments, consistently achieving critical project goals at optimal cost.

Venkat Shatagopam is the Global Chief Information Officer at Targus, where he leads at the intersection of global enterprise scale and disruptive technology. He specializes in converting multi-billion dollar business challenges into technology-driven growth engines, transforming complex operations into simplified, consumer-first digital experiences. By championing a product-centric philosophy, Venkat redefines the enterprise tech stack as a proprietary engine of growth fueled by custom engineering and agile, outcome-based execution. Beyond his executive role, he serves as an Independent Board Director for Audit and Cyber-Risk Committees. Backed by formal governance training from UCLA Anderson, he provides the fiduciary expertise necessary to guide organizations through high-stakes digital transformations and regulatory shifts.

Kim Pham has 15 years of experience at the intersection of cybersecurity and human rights, leading award-winning teams and programs. As Principal at Code Switch Security, she advises clients including global think tanks, conflict zone journalists, and Nobel Peace Prize nominees on both their organizational and personal cybersecurity. Under Kim's leadership, her teams have been internationally recognized for their impact—including being shortlisted for the EU Parliament's Sakharov Prize in 2010 and honored with the 2023 National Endowment for Democracy's Trailblazer Award. She also serves as Vice President of ISSA SoCal, where she champions community-building, mentorship, and equity within the cybersecurity profession. Her work reflects a belief that strong security is rooted not just in tools—but in people, relationships, and shared purpose.

Experienced Technology Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the computer and network security industry. Skilled in Computer Security, Information Security Management, Start-ups, Security, and Project Management. Strong information technology professional graduated from UCLA.

As a seasoned technology industry leader and enterprise product and solutions leaders, Amit Tank leads efforts at the intersection of strategy, innovation, product engineering, AI/ML, and digital transformation, AI and data governance for Fortune 500 clients. Currently, he is helping drive strategic projects for the top US Telco companies as Enterprise & AI/ML Practice Leader. He has led high-impact product and architecture teams, while building and launching paltforms and products that have scaled to more than 3 million active users and suscribers. He also contributes as a keynote speaker, editorial board advisor and collaborator for open source foundations and other cross-industry initatives. Having started his career as a full-stack produt engineer and architect and grown into Enterprise Solutions Practice Leader, Amit enjoys building new business opportunities and turnkey solutions for customers by leveraging AI/ML, Agentic AI, and other advanced technologies. He is equally passionate about mentioring and developing product teas and empowering individuals to pursue growth and elevate their impact.

Currently at ADP as Chief Architect of Cloud Infrastructure. Future-focused technologist with over 35 years of technology innovation and experience. 2nd US Patent granted for Domain Transcendent File Cryptography Network securing multi-cloud workloads. 1st US patent granted for application development in mobile device technology for ABC News delivery. From building innovative workflow solutions for broadcast television to architecting enterprise cloud adoption and solutions. As a contributing member of the CSA Cloud Security Alliance and OACA Business Transformation Workgroup authoring and co-authoring numerous white-papers and documents ranging from the published Cloud Maturity Model through Integration and Business Strategy for Cloud Adoption. With an unstoppable passion for technology solutions and a pragmatic technologist, consistently implementing technology that drives business, leveraging over 30 years of technology expertise. Specialties: Cloud architecture, adoption, migration and integration.

Highly accomplished innovative Technology Executive with proven record of driving business strategy utilizing technological solutions, product creation and ERP application delivery. Transformative visionary specializing in collaborating with C-level executives, elected officials, senior business management and business users to exceed business goals and objectives. Executive leader responsible for business-driven technology transformation, digital platform creation, product development, cross-functional team leadership, and technology innovation. Demonstrated ability to lead large scale projects. Experienced in gas and Utilities, Aerospace and Defense, Financial, Manufacturing, Transportation, Logistics, Marketing, Construction and Healthcare.

Heather Barron is the Vice President of Engineering at Digioh. She is a proven technology leader across multiple IT disciplines, with successes in cloud, big data, analytics, enterprise architecture, e-commerce, health care, and manufacturing. Seasoned by 25 years of hands-on lessons in software development, technology innovation, and leadership, Heather has driven results at team, divisional, and enterprise levels within both established companies and startups.

Pedro has been in the field of CyberSecurity for over 26 years. He has held multiple positions to include Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst, Red Team Operator, Defensive Cyber Operations Chief, and Information System Security Manager. After 20 years in the US Marine Corps, he began his career with Fortinet in 2015 and worked as a Senior Security Systems Engineer holding specializations in various Threat Landscapes as well as serving as a Mentor for the Fortinet Veterans Program.

Andrei Bostan serves as the Director of Cybersecurity Risk at Bank of Hope, the primary subsidiary of Hope Bancorp, Inc. Headquartered in Los Angeles since 1986, the bank provides a comprehensive suite of retail and commercial banking services, ranging from small business administration (SBA) and residential mortgage loans to sophisticated treasury management and foreign currency exchange. In his role, Andrei is responsible for safeguarding the digital infrastructure and data integrity of this diversified financial institution, ensuring the security of its vast array of consumer accounts, industrial lending platforms, and wealth management services across the United States.

Rajeev Mehrotra is a high-impact technology executive currently serving as the Interim Chief Information Officer at Western Dental & Orthodontics, under the parent company Sonrava Health. Specializing in bridging the gap between Fortune 500 scale and Private Equity speed, Rajeev has defined his career by transforming fragmented, legacy IT environments into high-velocity, AI-driven engines that maximize enterprise value. Most recently, he stabilized the technology footprint of a $1B healthcare enterprise during a period of intense operational and financial complexity, optimizing a $27M portfolio to deliver $6M in annual recurring OPEX savings - a 22% boost in efficiency. By pioneering a robust AI roadmap and data foundation, he continues to drive technological innovation that moves the needle on the bottom line.

When it comes to cybersecurity, Meacham has done it all. As the 2021 SC Media CSO of the Year, the 2020 ISE West Security Executive of the Year, a CSO50 2020 award winner, and the 2014 Cyber Security Leader of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal, he’s a respected cybersecurity voice. He has 12 technical certifications; he’s been trained by U.S. Secret Service and NSA members. He’s worked at law firms and in healthcare, at accounting firms, and in media and entertainment. Dan Meacham continues to push the edges of cyber security, frameworks and partnerships as an industry top contributor and advisory board member in the IT cloud, cyber security, and media and entertainment communities. These days, Dan Meacham is the VP of Cyber and Content Security for Legendary Entertainment, the movie and television studio behind such hits as DUNE, Godzilla vs. Kong, Enola Holmes, The Hangover, and Interstellar, among many others.

Marc Caruso is a visionary technology executive and Chief Architect at Syntax, with over 25 years of experience in enterprise transformation, cloud modernization, and ERP innovation. An expert in multicloud (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI), Oracle, SAP, and AI/GenAI, Marc helps global organizations align technology strategy with business goals to drive measurable value and competitive advantage.

With over 20 years of experience, Cooper Chien is a seasoned enterprise technology executive who has held senior leadership roles at Amazon and Huawei. Currently serving as CIO of AC Future and COO (Technology & Operations) of AC Tech, he oversees IT governance, information security, and operational strategy across affiliated organizations. Cooper specializes in building durable, auditable systems within high-trust, regulated environments. His leadership philosophy centers on calm execution, clear accountability, and mentorship, focusing on developing engineers into leaders who can scale decision quality independently. He is particularly dedicated to the responsible application of advanced analytics, prioritizing evidence quality and transparency over technology for its own sake.

As the VP of Engineering and Data at Curology, Amit Ojha is a dedicated and strategic technology leader with extensive global experience specializing in e-commerce, omni-channel systems, and IoT integration. Proficient in every facet of architecture, development, and operations, Amit employs a holistic approach to ensure every technological component aligns seamlessly with overarching business objectives. Throughout his career, he has built a proven track record of leading global teams by emphasizing cost-effective methodologies and technical synergy. By anticipating both business and customer needs, Amit excels in strategic planning and the prioritization of development initiatives, setting meticulous timetables for the evaluation and deployment of cutting-edge technology solutions that drive organizational success.

Allen Ohanian serves as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), one of the largest child protective services agencies in the United States. Established in 1984, the department is tasked with the critical mission of ensuring the safety and well-being of over 2 million children across 88 cities within Los Angeles County.

As Chief Information Security Officer, Wilson Ye leads Loeb & Loeb’s information security strategy, guiding the development, implementation and enforcement of firmwide policies, procedures and controls that safeguard sensitive information and support regulatory and client compliance. He partners closely with internal stakeholders to oversee security operations, evaluate and respond to risk, and continuously strengthen the firm’s security posture. Wilson manages day-to-day security activities, reviews and responds to client security questionnaires and outside counsel guidelines, and drives strategic cybersecurity planning to address evolving threats and emerging risks. He is also actively engaged in legal industry information-sharing initiatives that promote collaboration and threat intelligence. With more than 39 years of technology experience across the legal, consulting, health care, retail and nonprofit sectors, Wilson brings deep expertise to his role, including over 24 years dedicated to information security. Before joining Loeb, he held senior technology and security leadership positions at global consulting firms and major law firms, where he led enterprise security operations and advanced risk management and compliance programs.

A senior AI and Data Analytics Executive with demonstrated success in data science, machine learning, AI, Generative AI, data and AI strategy, ML and AI platform, data management, data governance, and analytics across Tech, Media, and Financial Services industries. I have a strong blend of strategic and visionary thinking, business acumen, and technology leadership skills, with a proven ability to collaborate with and influence senior executives across the organization. Throughout my career, I have delivered high-impact data and AI solutions that drive digital transformation and business growth. I'm an inspirational leader, known for attracting top-tier talents, and have built high-performing data and AI teams.