Annual Symposium to Examine America's Security

Public and Private Sector Cybersecurity Issues to Be Highlighted

The Professional Security Studies Department of New Jersey City University (NJCU) will hold its 5th Northeast Regional Security Education Symposium on Friday, March 10, 2017, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., in the Multipurpose Room of the Michael B. Gilligan Student Union Building on NJCU’s Main Campus at 2039 Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City. The Symposium topic is Investing in America’s Security: Cybersecurity Issues.

The Symposium’s keynote address will be delivered by Milan Patel of K2 Intelligence, formerly the FBI’s Cyber Division Chief Technology Officer.

Featured speakers include Michael Geraghty, Director of NJ Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC), and Yolanda Baker, Senior IT Auditor of the Internal Audit Department at CHUBB Insurance.

A panel of experts from both the public and private sectors will discuss careers in cybersecurity and NJCU students pursuing D.Sc. degrees will present academic research posters.

“While cyber attacks are progressively becoming more harmful to the United States, both the public and private sectors can make a difference in preventing them,” said Richard J. Cosgrove, Ed.D., chairperson and professor of NJCU’s Professional Security Studies Department.

Dr. Cosgrove continued, “The symposium will explore these topics, as well as celebrate the continued success and growth of NJCU’s first doctoral program, the Doctor of Science in Civil Security Leadership, Management and Policy.”

Symposium tickets are $30 and may be purchased by calling 201-200-2275 or by visiting njcu.edu/CSS2017.

Symposium Speakers

Milan Patel

Milan Patel, managing director in K2 Intelligence’s Cyber Defense practice, leads a team of cybersecurity professionals providing technical and advisory services to a wide range of clients across the globe. Drawing on more than a decade of hands-on and cyber policy experience in cybersecurity, Mr. Milan and his team help clients to proactively defend their networks, protect intellectual property, and respond to cyber breaches.

When serving at the FBI, he was responsible for policy, strategy and the tactical direction of information and operational technologies used in cyber investigations by the FBI's cyber field operations across all 56 FBI offices in the United States.

Mr. Milan organized and co-lead the Joint Requirements Team, facilitated by the White House National Security Council – Cyber Security Directorate, a team involved with creating inter-agency business and technology requirements to address President Obama's Executive Order 13636 which outlines how and when the government will respond and coordinate during cyber incidents within the United States. 

Michael Geraghty

Mr. Geraghty serves as director of NJ Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC), which is New Jersey’s Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO). As the State’s one-stop-shop for cybersecurity resources, it serves governments, businesses, and citizens across New Jersey by promoting better awareness of cyber threats and the adoption of best practices. Mr. Geraghty is the State’s Acting Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and the Chief Technology Officer for the State of New Jersey.

Mr. Geraghty has lectured extensively throughout the world on the topic of cybersecurity, high-tech investigations and computer forensics, providing technical and investigative assistance to law enforcement agencies both domestically and internationally, including the FBI, Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, Naval Intelligence, New Scotland Yard, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Service.  He has provided expert testimony before Congress and in federal, state, and international courts on computer crime investigations and forensics.

Mr. Geraghty is a past president of the Northeast Chapter of the High Technology Crimes Investigation Association and has held leadership roles in the National Strategic Policy Council on Cyber and Electronic Crime. He brings a wealth of public- and private-sector experience to this role, having served as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of the Hudson’s Bay Company, Chief Information Officer of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Vice President of High Technology Investigations at Prudential Financial. Previously, Mr. Geraghty served for 12 years with the New Jersey State Police, where he led the formation and development of the High Technology Crimes Investigations Unit.

Yolanda Baker

Yolanda Baker, Senior IT Auditor of the Internal Audit Department at CHUBB Insurance, has 12 years of experience auditing IT security and operation controls with strong background in GRC and S404 controls testing, logical security of applications, infrastructure, and SDLC.

Ms. Baker’s areas of expertise include assessing the risks and controls for applications, operating systems, and databases from the perspective of IT management to implementation. She is well-versed in best practice controls for network, OS, VoIP, and SDLC, DR and BC, outsourced IT operations, PeopleSoft, Oracle, and SAP security.

When leading control and risk assessments and process reviews, she partners with audit clients not only to identify gaps in security but to create solutions that deliver improved processes while aligning with best practices and standard frameworks. She is currently focused on cybersecurity policy, evaluation of plan implementation, and incident response from the audit perspective.