Obama Admin Cybersecurity Expert Howard Schmidt Speaks at ISSA-LA Annual Info Security Summit

Jan. 29, 2013 - PRLog -- Howard A. Schmidt, former cybersecurity coordinator of the Obama Administration,  will be a keynote speaker at the Los Angeles Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA-LA) Fifth Annual Information Security Summit on Wednesday, May 21, 2013 at Hilton Universal City Hotel in Los Angeles.  The theme of the one-day Summit—The Growing Cyber Threat: Protect Your Business—reflects the new reality that cybercrime impacts the financial health of our organizations: business, not-for-profits, government agencies, schools and others.

“We are honored to have one of the country’s leading cybersecurity experts speak at our Summit,” said ISSA-LA President Stan Stahl, PhD.  “Cybersecurity has become a leading concern among business and community leaders, as well as CIOs, the IT community and, of course, the security professional. I’m excited by the opportunity for our entire community to have the opportunity to learn from Howard, both his practical experience and his wisdom. It so illustrates ISSA-LA’s credo that ‘It takes the village to secure the village’ SM.”

Prior to joining the Obama Administration in 2009, Mr. Schmidt served as International President of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA). He is President and CEO of R & H Security Consulting, which he founded in May 2005.

Mr. Schmidt has been actively involved with a number of information security organizations and companies including Microsoft, eBay, Fortify, Codenomicon, US-CERT, the Information Security Forum, and (ISC). He is a professor of practice at the Georgia Institute of Technology's GTISC, professor of research at Idaho State University, adjunct distinguished fellow with Carnegie Mellon's CyLab, and a distinguished fellow with the Ponemon Institute.

Mr. Schmidt also served as a cyber-adviser in President George W. Bush's White House. In October 2008 he was named one of the 50 most influential people in business IT by readers and editors of Baseline Magazine.

The ISSA-LA Summit is the only educational forum in Los Angeles specifically designed to encourage participation and interaction among all three vital information security constituencies: (1) business executives, senior business managers, and their trusted advisors; (2) technical IT personnel with responsibility for information systems and the data they contain; and (3) information security practitioners with responsibility for ensuring the security of sensitive information.

Registration is open to anyone interested in learning more about information security but is particularly recommended for business and nonprofit executives and senior managers; business professionals in law, accounting, insurance and banking; technical IT personnel; law enforcement professionals fighting cybercrime; faculty and students in college and university cybersecurity programs; and information security practitioners.

The Information Security Summit is part of ISSA-LA’s important community outreach program. The goal of the program is to help the community stay safe from cybercrime by enabling the necessary collaboration between business, nonprofit and community leaders, technical IT professionals, and the information security community.

About the LA Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA-LA):
ISSA-LA is the premier catalyst and information source in Los Angeles for improving the practice of information security. The Chapter conducts outreach programs to businesses, financial institutions, nonprofits, governmental agencies, and consumers. For more information or to register for ISSA-LA’s 5th Annual Information Security Summit, please visit: www.issala.org .