Why Attend?

• Hear directly from senior government cybersecurity leaders as they unpack evolving threats, interagency strategies, and the future of national  cyber defense. 

• Gain unique insights from government experts as they discuss the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and its impact on various sectors.

• Explore practical demonstrations of emerging technologies from trusted solution providers — with a focus on applicability to federal environments and zero trust architectures.

• Dive deep into topics like AI, Zero Trust, Cloud Security and Compliance alongside your peers in both the public and federal sector.

This executive experience is designed to deliver real value, meaningful connections, and actionable insights—all in one evening. Apply to attend!

Host | Tristan Fries
Director of Program, Innovate Cybersecurity


Tristan Fries recently retired from a 20-year career in the United States Air Force. He served on Active Duty for 4  years during which he led a deployable communications unit, enterprise services, and deployed to Balad AB, Iraq in 2007. He transitioned to full time National Guard duty where he served in 1 of the 12 NSA certified Red Teams as a technical lead, team chief, and culminating as the Director of Operations overseeing approximately 90 cyber  operators, intelligence specialists, and support personnel. He joined Novacoast in October 2024 as the Director of Federal Cybersecurity Services continuing to support the needs of the military through industry. 

Panelist | Roy Luongo
CISO, US Secret Service

Roy W. Luongo is the former Chief Information Security Officer at the United States Secret Service, where he served as the executive cybersecurity authority overseeing all Information Technology Assurance and Cyber Security programs. In that role, he achieved and maintained NIST, FISMA, and FedRAMP authorizations across agency systems, led the secure integration of emerging technologies including Zero Trust architecture and GenAI, and engaged with senior executives throughout USSS, DHS, and the federal government on cybersecurity strategy.

Roy brings more than 30 years of cybersecurity and cyber operations (both DCO and OCO) leadership spanning federal government and private sector organizations. His career includes Director, Joint Mission Operations Center at U.S. Cyber Command, leading cyber operations for the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms, Chief, NSA Red Team, and Technical Director for Interactive Operations, NSA. And is a US Army Veteran who has served 20 yrs as Military Intelligence and Cyber profession.

Roy W. Luongo is the Managing Partner at TriSec Group, providing cybersecurity, cyber operations, and executive leadership advisory services to public and private sectors.

Panelist | Bob Fabien Zinga 
Information Warfare Commander | US Navy Reserve

Bob Fabien “BZ” Zinga is the current Information Warfare Commander (CDR) in the U.S. Navy Reserve and former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Santa Clara University. He currently serves as the Commanding Officer of a seventy-two-member unit supporting the Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM). Drawing on over 28 years of experience, Bob is a recognized expert in leadership, secure enterprise operations, and governance across the Higher Education, Federal Government, and Defense Industrial sectors.

Bob holds two Master’s Degrees (MBA and MSM) specializing in Naval Operations & National Security from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor’s from the University of Alabama. His executive education spans prestigious institutions including Harvard University, the Naval Postgraduate School, the Naval War College, and the National Defense University. He maintains top-tier certifications such as C|CISO, CISSP®-ISSMP®, and PMP®.

Previously, Bob served as Head of Security at Directly and fractional CISO at Truvantis. He has held senior engineering and security leadership roles at major tech and defense organizations, including Groupon, Pivotal Software, and the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.

A dedicated advocate for diversity in tech, Bob serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council and is an Executive Board Advisor for the United Cybersecurity Alliance. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Demetria, and their two daughters.

Panelist | Dr. Justin Ubert
Director of Cyber Protection | US Department of Transportation (Pending Agency Approval)

Dr. Justin Ubert is a multidisciplinary leader with over 20 years of experience across federal, academic, and military sectors, currently tasked as the Director of the Cyber Protection Division within the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the CISO. He leads enterprise-wide programs for Zero Trust, Security Architecture & Engineering, and DevSecOps, while concurrently serving as the Chief of Cybersecurity & Operations for the DOT’s Federal Transit Administration. A prominent advocate for “Data Dominance,” Dr. Ubert champions the transition from reactive compliance to proactive security through the implementation of OMB M-21-31 and the strategic adoption of AI and RPA to drive operational agility and high-fidelity mission outcomes. A decorated U.S. Army veteran with three combat tours in Iraq, he brings a mission-first mindset to the digital battlefield, focusing on breaking down organizational silos to drive holistic operational results.

Beyond his government service, Dr. Ubert is an Adjunct Professor at Marymount University and holds key leadership roles with the ACT-IAC Cybersecurity Community of Interest and the Gartner CISO Community. His leadership has earned him the multiple awards such as the FORUM IT100, the CIGIE IT Award for Excellence, and the DOT Secretary’s “Partnering for Excellence” Award, alongside a recent nomination for the FedScoop50 Award for Federal Leadership.

What is Innovate Cybersecurity?

At Innovate Cybersecurity, our mission is to deliver insightful educational content and foster a community of collaborative security professionals through our in-person conference series and online resources.

Founded in 2018 with the launch of the Innovate Cybersecurity Summit, our goal has always been to provide expert-level education in a more intimate setting that encourages meaningful networking among security professionals.

Following the success of our conferences, we expanded our mission to serve the broader cybersecurity community. Today, Innovate offers timely advisories on emerging threats and vulnerabilities, in-depth educational guides, industry insights, and candid commentary on a wide range of cybersecurity topics.

What makes Innovate unique is that it is built by security practitioners, for security practitioners. As technical security professionals, we share our firsthand experiences and industry findings to cut through the noise and deliver actionable information that IT and security teams can rely on to excel in their roles.

In 2026, we are excited to bring Innovate to local cities across the country. By building regional communities, we aim to further empower security professionals and expand the reach of meaningful collaboration and education.