Theresa Payton Speaker Biography
First Female White House CIO, Technology Thought Leader, AI Strategist and Cybersecurity Expert
As one of the nation’s most respected authorities on cybersecurity, Theresa Payton is also a highly sought-after AI keynote speaker. Theresa is a visionary in the digital world leading the way as an inventor of new security designs and has an approved US patent in security. She captivates audiences by drawing from her experience as a veteran cybercrime fighter and entrepreneur, masterfully blending memorable anecdotes with cutting-edge insights.
Former White House Chief Information Officer
She identifies emerging trends and techniques to help audiences combat cyber threats, from the impact of the Internet of Things to securing Big Data. Payton is the cybersecurity expert that organizations turn to for discreet help during data breaches and to improve IT systems and strategies. She made history as the first female to serve as White House Chief Information Officer and currently helps organizations in both the public and private sectors protect their most valuable resources.
Cybersecurity Speaker
Managing cybersecurity risk is what Payton knows and does best. Before overseeing IT operations as CIO for President George W. Bush and his administration, she held executive roles in banking technology for two of the country’s top financial institutions. After serving in the White House, she went on to co-found Dark3, a cybersecurity product company, and Fortalice Solutions, a world-class cybersecurity consulting firm ranked a “Top 5 Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company” in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC.
Honors
Named one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People in Security” by Security Magazine, Payton was also profiled in the book 100 Fascinating Women Fighting Cybercrime and honored as the 2019 Woman Cybersecurity Leader of the Year. In 2020, Business Insider named her one of their top 50 Cybersecurity Leaders and CISO Magazine named her Cybersecurity Crusader of the Year. In 2021, Awards Magazine named Payton one of the Top 50 Women in Tech, and Cyber Security Experts named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in Cyber Security.
Books
Theresa Payton is the author of multiple industry-leading books on IT strategy and cyber security, including Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth, which The Guardian included on their list of the “Top 10 Books About Cybercrime.”
Media
Payton is sought out by media news outlets to explain complex security issues and help viewers understand how to protect their privacy. She has been a frequent guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox Business, and Fox News and has been featured on CBS News, CNN, NBC News, and MSNBC, as well as Canadian and Irish news outlets. She also starred on the reality TV series Hunted, where real people attempted to drop off the grid while highly trained investigators (including Payton) “hunted” to catch them.
Theresa Payton Speaking Topics
The Future is Now: How to Leverage AI and Tech Innovations to Reshape your Business and Cybersecurity
With the ability to access potent AI algorithms, voice-cloning and other deepfake capabilities, and the widespread availability of ChatGPT, cybercriminals now possess formidable tools at their disposal. These AI advancements have fundamentally reshaped the landscape of criminal operations, offering novel challenges and prospects for the cybersecurity realm. But Theresa Payton shows that it’s possible to turn the tables on cybercriminals. In this keynote, she takes a deep dive into real-world cases along with live AI demonstrations that show how criminals attack you but more importantly, how to future-proof yourself and your company from their attacks. Attendees walk away empowered by clear strategies to thrive in today’s digital landscape.
Innovation and Technology Transformation
Implementing cutting-edge technology and large change management to improve daily operations is something Theresa Payton knows best—she did this for the world’s largest banks. When the White House needed to modernize their operations, they entrusted the responsibility to her. In this keynote, Theresa draws from her substantial career to share essential lessons for implementing technology that improves human-user experiences. Covering topics like ChatGPT, AI, blockchain, quantum computing, and more Theresa provides demonstrations and an expert step-by-step roadmap to innovation that’s effective.
How Criminals Hack You: Unmasking Cybercrime and Social Engineering Tactics
In her hit CBS TV series, Hunted, Theresa Payton used social engineering to track and capture fugitives on the run. Now, using cases from the frontlines of protecting the world’s most important organizations and VIPs, Theresa shows how attackers can manipulate trust and gain access to anything they want. Using demonstrations, she shares actionable insights to make yourself “unhackable”—to safeguard your data, finances, security, and privacy against today's human hackers. This event uses (anonymized) real-world cases. Attendees walk away with clear, pragmatic steps for confidently protecting themselves and their businesses.
Theresa Payton Books
Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth
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Privacy in the Age of Big Data: Recognizing Threats, Defending Your Rights, and Protecting Your Family
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Theresa Payton Speaker Testimonials
Theresa is amazing on every level. The audience feedback was so great. She is the best speaker we ever had. Theresa is such a lovely person, Very inspiring!
- | TD Ameritrade
Thank you for participating for the second year in a row! You were awesome! You are a fan favorite at Humana and we hope to see you again next year if not sooner.
- | Humana, Inc.
Theresa! Loved your Keynote speech. You are an inspiration to us all with all your achievements. The thing that stuck out to me about you was your empathy, your grace, and the way you connect with your audience. Thank you for being an advocate of security in our day and age.
- | RH-ISAC
