2023 Keynotes & Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Formerly with The Washington Post (1995-2009), Krebs is best known for breaking stories on high-profile data breaches, including those that hit Target, Home Depot, Michaels, Ashley Madison, and Capital One.
A frequent interviewee and public speaker, Krebs has been profiled by 60 Minutes, The New York Times, Poynter.org, and Business Week. Krebs’s book, Spam Nation: The Inside Story of Organized Cybercrime - From Global Epidemic to Your Front Door – is now a New York Times bestseller. More recently, he was invited to an “Ask Me Anything” discussion on Reddit about investigative reporting.
In January 2015, the National Press Foundation announced it was awarding Krebs its Chairman's Citation, an award designed to "recognize individuals whose accomplishments fall outside the traditional categories of excellence." In October 2014, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners gave Krebs the "Guardian Award" an honor given annually to a journalist "whose determination, perseverance, and commitment to the truth have contributed significantly to the fight against fraud."
Before serving as CISA Director, Krebs served in various roles at the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for a range of cybersecurity, critical infrastructure and national resilience issues. Prior to his time at DHS, he directed U.S. cybersecurity policy for Microsoft, and advised industry and government clients on complex cybersecurity and business risk matters, while serving at positions with Obsidian Analysis and Dutko Consulting. He also served in the George W. Bush Administration, advising DHS leadership on domestic and international risk management and public- private partnership initiatives.
Krebs holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University.
In 2007, Merike was instrumental in fostering cooperation and trust among the global operational security community and the Estonian National CERT during the cyber attacks against Estonia. Her global work includes being part of the US State Department Visiting Speaker Program as a Cybersecurity Expert.
Merike is a member of the IEEE, a pioneer member of ISOC and has been an active contributor in the IETF since 1992. She was named an IPv6 Forum Fellow in 2007 for her continued efforts to raise awareness of IPv6 related security paradigms. Merike was appointed to the ARIN Board of Trustees in 2016 to serve a one-year term from Jan 1, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017. Since 2010 she has been an active member on ICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Council (SSAC) and from 2018 through 2021 served as the SSAC Liaison to the ICANN Board.
Merike earned a MSEE from George Washington University and a BSEE from Rutgers University.