New Hampshire Tech Alliance TechWomen Power Breakfast Features Cisco’s Chief Security Officer
CSO Edna Conway wraps up final Power Breakfast of 2018 with a discussion around security in the digital world
Edna Conway, chief security officer, global value chain at Cisco, headlines the New Hampshire Tech Alliance’s (Alliance and formerly the New Hampshire High Tech Council) TechWomen Power Breakfast with a discussion on “How to Thrive in a Hyper-Connected World” on Wednesday, December 12 from 7:30 to 9 am at the Manchester Country Club, 180 South River Road in Bedford.
The final Power Breakfast of the 2018 season will follow a fireside chat format and will be moderated by Emily Gray Rice, Manchester city solicitor. Conway will discuss digital security with an emphasis on how – by 2020 – two hundred billion devices will share information and control critical operations across the world. She will lay out the complexities of the digital world to help explain what can happen when security is not up to par and a breach occurs. This includes a discussion of the need for pervasive security – the right security in the right place at the right time. The conversational format will allow for an explanation of why every person, regardless of profession, should be concerned with security. The discussion will also include an explanation of how to design, deploy and monitor security measures, as well as how people can collaborate to establish and maintain trust.
“Advancements in technology open up doors to incredible opportunities,” said Vandna Sharma, member of the TechWomen Power Breakfast Committee. “Opportunities like these are not without their risks, however. We need to be aware of these risks and be able to work against them. We need to enact and understand appropriate security measures so we can use these advancements to their fullest potential, and Edna is the perfect person to teach us just how to do it.”
Edna Conway is chief security officer, global value chain at Cisco. She has built new organizations delivering cyber security, compliance, risk management, sustainability and value chain transformation. Conway is known for creating clear strategies to deliver secure operating models for the digital economy. She is also recognized in domestic and global circles as the developer of architectures delivering value chain security, sustainability and resiliency. She has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg, CIO Magazine and the Wall Street Journal, among others. Conway has been named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and has received a Fed 100 Award, a Stevie “Maverick of the Year Award,” the 2018 TechProfessional of the Year Award and others. She serves on several advisory boards and has experience working as a partner at an international private legal practice and has served as assistant attorney general for the State of New Hampshire.
Moderator Emily Gray Rice is city solicitor for Manchester, New Hampshire. She was the first woman to be appointed by the President to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire. She also enjoyed a long career as a trial lawyer and public servant. She is co-chair of the Governor’s Judicial Selection Commission and has led and founded nonprofit boards and fundraising efforts, including the Campaign for Legal Services. Rice has also worked as an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. She has been recognized by the New Hampshire Bar Association with the Dufresne Award for Outstanding Professionalism, by the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association with the Marilla Ricker Achievement Award and by the New Hampshire Bar Foundation as an Honorary Fellow.
The December 12 TechWomen Power Breakfast is sponsored by Newforma, UPS and Autodesk. Tickets to the Power Breakfast are $10 for Alliance members and $20 for non-members. Tickets are available here or by calling 603.935.8951. Seating is limited, so individuals are encouraged to register early.
The TechWomen|TechGirls initiative is proud to give back to the local community and is collecting donations at the December Power Breakfast. The initiative is collecting donations to support the Women Helping Women initiative of the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter. This program helps to distribute items to women in need in the local area. Donations of new undergarments, new pajamas, toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, shaving supplies, hand cream, lotions, body wash and soaps, makeup and other beauty supplies are requested. December 12 attendees are encouraged to bring donation items to the breakfast. Power Breakfast supporters who are unable to attend the breakfast, but would like to donate, can contact Shannon Herrmann at sherrmann@alexandertg.com or 603.637.1466.
