Agenda

Wed 10 Sep 2025

View event details
7:30AM

Registration & Networking

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM (60 mins)

8:30AM

Welcome from the Public Sector Network

8:30 AM - 8:40 AM (10 mins)

8:40AM

Welcome from the Chair

8:40 AM - 9:00 AM (20 mins)

9:00AM
Keynote

The Symbiosis of Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies: AI, IoT, and Beyond

9:00 AM - 9:20 AM (20 mins)

Emerging technologies like AI and IoT are reshaping public services—but they also introduce new risks. This session explores how cybersecurity and innovation can work hand-in-hand to ensure these technologies are deployed securely, ethically, and with long-term resilience.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can balance innovation with protection, and embed cybersecurity into every layer of emerging tech adoption.

  • Secure emerging technologies from pilot to scale
  • Build cyber readiness into AI, IoT, and connected platforms
  • Align innovation with security, privacy, and trust frameworks
  • Foster collaboration between cybersecurity and digital teams
9:20AM
Industry Insights

Unraveling the Realm of Cyber Crime: Confronting Advanced Cyber Threats

9:20 AM - 9:40 AM (20 mins)

  • Gain insights into the evolving landscape of cybercrime and its impact on the public sector.
  • Explore cutting-edge tools and techniques to detect, prevent, and mitigate advanced cyber threats.
  • Learn how to build robust defense mechanisms against sophisticated cybercriminal tactics
9:40AM
Panel discussion

Cyber Optimism: Embracing the Benefits of AI and Overcoming Fear

9:40 AM - 10:10 AM (30 mins)

AI presents powerful opportunities for improving cybersecurity—but skepticism and fear can slow adoption. This session explores how public sector leaders are embracing AI confidently, managing risks transparently, and using smart tools to build more resilient cyber ecosystems.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can lead with optimism, unlock AI’s potential, and strengthen trust in cyber innovation.

  • Explore how AI is advancing detection, response, and prevention
  • Address common fears around bias, privacy, and control
  • Build literacy and confidence across teams and leadership
  • Drive adoption through transparent, ethical, and secure practices
Gina Johar
Chief Information Officer, City of Kingston
Marwan Afara
Director, Information Technology, iGaming Ontario
Fartash Haghani
Director of Enterprise Data & AI, City of Toronto
10:10AM

Refreshment Break

10:10 AM - 10:50 AM (40 mins)

10:50AM
Keynote panel

Incident Response in Action: Strengthening Healthcare Cyber Resilience

10:50 AM - 11:10 AM (20 mins)

A coordinated, proactive response is critical to minimizing risk in an era of rising cyber threats. This session will explore how Ontario Health is evolving incident response through structured technical protocols, local delivery group coordination, and real-time intelligence sharing.

This session will show how you can enhance your cybersecurity operations through streamlined communication, formalized processes, and collaborative threat intelligence platforms.

  • Explore incident response structures tailored to the healthcare environment
  • Understand the role of local delivery groups in operationalizing security
  • Learn how Ontario’s CTIX platform distributes real-time threat intelligence
  • Improve coordination between public agencies and health sector organizations
Stephen Lloyd
Director, Ontario Health Cyber Security Centre
Greg Moshonas
Director, Cyber Security Defense, Ontario Health
Dhanush Liyanage
Senior Manager, Cyber Security Defense, Ontario Health
Hong Shen
Principal Security Engineer, Ontario Health
Jason Persaud
Director, Cyber Security Operations, Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, Government of Ontario
11:10AM
Industry Insights

AI and Machine Learning for Security Threat Identification

11:10 AM - 11:30 AM (20 mins)

Lise Patton Associate Partner, Public Sector, IBM

AI and machine learning are revolutionizing security threat identification by enabling faster, more accurate, and more proactive detection of malicious activities. These technologies analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and anomalies that indicate potential threats, outperforming traditional security methods. In this session we will explore the leading edge use of these advanced technologies for a better understanding of how these technologies and tools can improve your organization’s Threat Identification, and so much more.

Today’s cybersecurity teams face many challenges. There are too few people to fill the vacant roles in cybersecurity—700,000 by one government estimate. And there are too many threats, with millions of alerts and not enough time for analysts to resolve them. Traditional cybersecurity operations will need to adapt by adopting new capabilities and developing new skillsets. Another challenge is attackers’ use of AI.  AI is making adversaries faster.  

The best way to address these challenges and combat AI, is with the use of AI and machine learning, to increase the speed at which we can identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover from threats.  Reducing incident times from hours to minutes or seconds, closing the gap with attackers.  Organizations that leverage AI and automation capabilities extensively within their cybersecurity approach experienced, on average, a 108-day shorter time to identify and contain a breach.  

The leading-edge use of AI for Security Threat Identification is with the use of Agentic AI.  Agentic AI refers to AI systems designed to operate autonomously, making decisions and taking actions to achieve specific goals with limited or no human oversight. Unlike traditional AI, which often requires predefined rules or human input, agentic AI exhibits autonomy and can adapt to dynamic environments. This involves AI agents, which are specialized software components that can work independently or collaboratively to achieve system objectives.

11:30AM
Panel discussion

Scaling Innovation: The Vulnerability of our Legacy Applications and Systems

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM (30 mins)

Legacy systems remain critical—but they weren’t built for today’s pace of change. This session explores how public sector leaders are identifying risks, modernizing core platforms, and securing innovation at scale across aging infrastructure.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can scale innovation while protecting essential systems and services.

  • Identify and address vulnerabilities in legacy environments
  • Prioritize modernization without disrupting continuity
  • Secure innovation across hybrid and transitional systems
  • Balance investment between stability and transformation
Jonathan Eng
Director, Cyber Defence - I&IT, Metrolinx
Kalyan Chakravarthy
Chief Information Officer, Electrical Safety Authority Ontario
Alrick A. Grange
Director, Business Transformation Office, TTC
Skerdi Cerga
Chief Technology and Security Officer, Trillium Health Partners
12:00PM
Industry Insights

Optimizing Cybersecurity Throughout Your Cloud Journey

12:00 PM - 12:20 PM (20 mins)

  • Proactively mitigate risks with AI-driven threat detection and zero-trust frameworks.
  • Ensure data protection, regulatory alignment, and secure multi-cloud governance.
  • Streamline security operations with automation and scalable cloud security solutions
12:20PM
Keynote

Paving the Way for Zero Trust: Elevating Security Proactively in the Public Sector

12:20 PM - 12:40 PM (20 mins)

Deyves Fonseca Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, University of Toronto

In an era of constant threats and distributed environments, Zero Trust offers a new path forward. This session explores how public sector organizations are moving beyond perimeter defense—adopting identity-first security, continuous validation, and proactive risk reduction strategies.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can implement Zero Trust principles, elevate your security posture, and protect critical systems and data.

  • Shift from reactive to proactive security models
  • Implement identity, device, and access controls at every layer
  • Align Zero Trust adoption with operational realities
  • Build a culture of shared accountability and continuous validation
12:40PM

Networking Lunch

12:40 PM - 2:00 PM (80 mins)

2:00PM
Roundtables

Interactive Roundtable Sessions

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (60 mins)

Roundtable 1: Strengthening Cyber Resilience Through Collaborative Defense

Roundtable 2: Navigating Emerging Threats and Cybersecurity Trends

Roundtable 3: Harnessing AI and Machine Learning for Advanced Threat Detection

Roundtable 4: Addressing the Cybersecurity Skills Gap: Training and Development

Roundtable 5: Incident Response and Recovery: Strategies for Effective Crisis Management

Roundtable 6: Implementing Zero Trust Architecture for Enhanced Security

3:00PM

Break

3:00 PM - 3:10 PM (10 mins)

3:10PM
Fireside Chat

Beyond the Firewall: The Human Element in Cybersecurity

3:10 PM - 3:30 PM (20 mins)

Ali Abbas Hirji Professor, Cybersecurity and IT, Seneca Polytechnic

Technology can only go so far—human behavior remains the frontline of cyber defense. This session explores how governments are addressing insider risk, building a security-first culture, and empowering employees as active defenders in the threat landscape.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can foster cyber awareness, reduce human error, and create a resilient security culture.

  • Strengthen employee engagement with cybersecurity protocols
  • Address behavioral risks through training and accountability
  • Design user-friendly policies that support compliance
  • Embed security thinking into daily decision-making across teams
3:30PM
Panel discussion

Building Resilience: Strategies for Combating Emerging Cyber Threats in the Public Sector

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM (30 mins)

Cyber threats are evolving rapidly—and public sector systems are high-value targets. This session explores how governments are strengthening resilience through smarter defenses, cross-agency coordination, and real-time threat response.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can stay ahead of threats, build agile defenses, and protect essential public services.

  • Detect and respond to emerging threats with speed and precision
  • Coordinate cyber strategies across ministries and jurisdictions
  • Build recovery and continuity into cybersecurity planning
  • Foster partnerships to expand intelligence and response capacity
Jack Hamande
Director General Simplification & Digital Transformation, Belgian Federal Public Service Policy and Support
Sumon Acharjee
Chief Information Officer, City of Markham
Sharly Chan
Senior Technology and Policy Advisor, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
4:00PM

Closing Remarks

4:00 PM - 4:10 PM (10 mins)

4:10PM

Networking Reception

4:10 PM - 5:10 PM (60 mins)

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