MIAMI, FL – Over 250 attendees gathered at the Miccosukee Casino & Resort last week for TribalHub’s 5th Annual Cybersecurity Summit, marking the first time the event has been held in person after four years as a virtual event. The summit brought together leadership, technology teams and cybersecurity-focused professionals from tribal governments, enterprises, casinos, and healthcare organizations to discuss the evolving cybersecurity landscape and strategies to safeguard tribal sovereignty.
“This cybersecurity summit provides a unique opportunity for tribal leaders, IT professionals, and security experts to engage in critical conversations about the most pressing cyber threats facing tribes today,” said Mike Day, TribalHub Executive Officer. “Bringing this event in person for the first time created even greater opportunities for networking, shared learning, and collaboration among attendees.”
The summit featured sessions and panel discussions covering a wide range of cybersecurity topics, including incident response planning, artificial intelligence, data protection and sovereignty, ransomware mitigation, and emerging threats specific to tribal organizations.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from industry leaders such as keynote speaker Hart Brown, CEO of Future Point of View; Andrea Rivers-McCullough, Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Kimi Gordy, Partner at BakerHostetler. Additionally, technology leaders from tribes and tribal enterprises, including CJ McCarey, Corporate Director of IT Security/CISO for Gila River Resorts & Casinos; Holly Skoggins, Senior Cybersecurity Project Manager for Cherokee Nation Businesses; Brent Huftless, Executive Director of IT Security for Wind Creek Hospitality; and Glenn Wilson, Chief Information Security Risk Officer for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, also shared their expertise.
The discussions reinforced a critical concern: many tribes continue to face significant cybersecurity challenges due to limited resources and staffing.
“Our data shows that over 40% of tribes report not having a dedicated cyber resource,” said Day. “This must change given the current global climate. At the very least, leaders in tribal governments and enterprises need to be aware of the resources available to help them protect and safeguard their organizations – and, ultimately, their sovereignty.”
As part of the three day summit, attendees also participated in networking events, an opening reception and a vendor expo, fostering connections to drive ongoing collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the cybersecurity space. Additionally, the event included the Tribal-ISAC Par-Tee Golf Event, which raised funds to support the not-for-profit’s mission of cyber threat information sharing, threat prevention, protection, community response, and fostering a managed and trusted collaboration for the nation’s tribal governments, their operations, and enterprises.
