Opening Keynote with Dr. Phyllis Schneck
Thursday, October 20
8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
George R. Brown Convention Center, General Assembly
Dr. Phyllis Schneck, Vice President, Information Security, and Cyber Chief Information Security Officer
Northrop Grumman
Career Planning When the Sky is the Limit
A world of opportunity awaits over the next few days and for your future. In technology, we don’t know what is ahead. We create it. The trick is to pursue the areas for which you have passion, even if those are not the places others see you. Your future is defined by you, not the expectations of others. We’ll talk about recognizing the tipping points along your journey that offer exciting options and may open doors and opportunities you could never have expected. Your career path is a giant discovery with each step shaping the next. If you plan too far ahead, you could miss something.
Dr. Phyllis Schneck is vice president and chief information security officer (CISO) for Northrop Grumman. In this role, she oversees the company’s global cybersecurity strategy and policies and is responsible for the digital security of the company’s products, services, and infrastructures. Dr. Schneck has 20 years of government and private-sector experience in senior cybersecurity positions. She joined Northrop Grumman in 2019 from Promontory, a division of IBM, where she led the firm’s cybersecurity practice as managing director and global leader of Cyber Solutions. Dr. Schneck earned her doctorate in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as both a master’s in computer science and a bachelor’s in computer science and mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. In 2020, Dr. Schneck was an Inductee into the Georgia Tech College of Computing Hall of Fame.
Friday Keynote with Nancy Post
Friday, October 21
8:30-9:45 a.m.
George R. Brown Convention Center, General Assembly
Nancy Post, Vice President for Embedded Software and Solutions for the Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG)
John Deere
To Be a Better Innovator, Start with Your Brain
Nancy Post, the Vice President of Embedded Software and Solutions, Intelligent Solutions Group at John Deere, has found unique ways of developing herself and those around her in her 34-year career. In this keynote, Nancy will relay the powerful promise of your brain elasticity in creating new habits, higher performance and greater joy. She will use her own story as an example, reflecting on the importance of evolving her thought processes on her journey, where she carved her path from being the youngest of 15 kids to leading a global team of over 2000 – all while John Deere was undergoing its own transformation to innovate the technology necessary to feed, fuel and clothe the world. Nancy will also share her advice for aspiring women engineers and technologists.
At John Deere, Nancy leads a team focused on advancing the design, development, and test of embedded systems with increasing efficiency. She is responsible for leading the delivery of the Precision Ag Technology stack and all embedded solutions for Deere across the Ag & Turf Division. Prior to working at Deere for the last 25 years, Nancy worked at Rockwell International and Compressor Controls Corporation. She earned her bachelor’s in computer science from Mount Mercy College and her master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix.
Closing Saturday Keynote with Michele L. Sullivan
Saturday, October 22
3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
George R. Brown Convention Center, General Assembly
Michele L. Sullivan, HarperCollins Leadership author of Looking Up.
Each of Us Can Make an Impact
Michele is unforgettable – from a young person born with a rare type of dwarfism, who, in spite of being looked down upon by others, learned to look up, to lead with an elevated view of others, a philosophy that landed her at the helm of one of the world’s most prominent philanthropy organizations. Michele offers a unique perspective and inspiration for individuals that attests to the fundamental role one’s perspective plays in life. We thrive because of others not in spite of them and should utilize our village of support daily. Each of us can make an impact.
Michele L. Sullivan, the HarperCollins Leadership published author of her debut book, Looking Up, has a unique and interesting perspective on life and business. An author, motivational and inspirational speaker, and strategic business advisor, Sullivan has changed the course of millions of lives. Michele is unforgettable – from a young person born with a very rare type of dwarfism, who, in spite of being looked down upon by others, learned to look up: to lead with an elevated view of others, a philosophy that landed her at the helm of one of the world’s most prominent philanthropy organizations. With inspiring style, she offers an unique perspective and inspiration for individuals and leaders that attests to the fundamental role one’s perspective plays in their life. Looking Up is more than the story of Michele’s life and career, it is a guidebook to how she embraced her differences, turned them into assets, and came to recognize that there was a strength within them that could help others.