Jess's Thoughts: There's a lot of debate about AI right now, and I think these conversations are important. The potential is incredible, but innovation shouldn't come at the expense of ethics, security or the people it impacts.
There's an adage I think about almost daily: Just because we can doesn't mean we should. As technology becomes increasingly powerful, we need to think beyond what's possible and consider what we're building, how we're securing it and the long-term consequences of our decisions.
Have questions about the cybersecurity industry in Loudoun County?
The choices we make today will shape public trust, business confidence, and the future of AI and cybersecurity for years to come. Building security and accountability into innovation from the beginning is far easier than rebuilding trust after something goes wrong.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation raises a related point in its article about grounding AI cybersecurity rules in established security practices: protecting people and enabling innovation don’t have to be competing priorities.
We can embrace progress while asking tough questions and recognizing that responsibility isn't resistance to innovation.
Technology will keep evolving, but our commitment to integrity, kindness and being good humans shouldn't!
Loudoun CyberTech:
Celebrating Cyber Awareness Month
Scams have become more sophisticated, more digital and harder to stop once they reach customers. What if we shifted the focus from reacting to scams to stopping them at the source? Can we?
Find out at the October Loudoun CyberTech meetup!
We look forward to welcoming Ken Westbrook, CEO of Stop Scams Alliance to the next Loudoun CyberTech for Stop the Scam Before it Starts!
Ken has previously served as the Chief, Business and Information Strategy at the CIA and Director for Informtion Sharing and Mission Requirements for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He’s spent his career tackling complex security and information challenges and shares his fascinating background and experience to us next month!
Join us for a conversation about the growing threat of cyber scams and why solving it requires more than individual awareness and why the Stop Scams Alliance works to protect us. Ken will explore how the cyber community can disrupt scams before they reach our inboxes, phones and bank accounts.
Come See Me LIVE at BSidesNoVA Cyber Security Conference on October 31 at George Mason University:
Beyond Your Security Stack: How Strong Cyber Ecosystems Get Built
Join us for our 10th Cyber Security BSides Northern Virginia! Workshops Friday October 30. Main Conference Saturday October 31.
We spend a lot of time in cyber talking about the security stack: the tools, platforms, controls, frameworks, and whatever tech promises safety. Some of the strongest security outcomes happen outside of the stack. They happen when the right people know each other, trust each other, share their knowledge, and know who to call when it matters most!
This talk explores how cyber ecosystems can be intentionally built, not just filled with events, logos and activity. Drawing on lessons from building and convening a cyber community in Northern VA, I’ll break down what makes an ecosystem work. From the right people in the room, trusted relationships, opportunities to collaborate, ideas and talent pathways, and the infrastructure to support it all.
Attendees will leave with a practical way to look at their own ecosystem, both for their communities and for them as individuals, identify what’s missing and build stronger, higher value connections. Because the strongest cyber ecosystem isn’t the one with the most logos in the room. It’s the one where people know how to help and how to turn connection into action!
The Fundamentals Never Went Out of Style: 5 Essentials Every Loudoun Business Should Have in Place
Many organizations are moving quickly. They are innovating and adapting to meet their customers' needs. They are challenging the way that business gets done and rethinking how AI can accelerate outcomes. But amongst all of this excitement at the top, security and compliance leaders are still often focused on governance and risk fundamentals. The fundamentals control and process the foundation for stakeholder trust and secure innovation.
The fundamentals are not headline-worthy. But it’s the fundamentals that underlie how an organization governs its operations and makes risk-based decisions. Without these in place, an organization’s ambitious goals will quickly stall as technical debt and security weaknesses hold it back.
To learn more, use the link below to read our latest guest blog, written by Laura Sawka, Founder & GRC Executive at Sawka Advisory Group, LLC: The Fundamentals Never Went Out of Style: 5 Essentials Every Loudoun Business Should Have in Place.
At UWIC 2026, our theme Creative Cyber: Amplified Intelligence reflects the energy and evolution of cybersecurity today. Join us to explore how human ingenuity and AI come together to outpace emerging threats and build a more creative, resilient future.
Participants Get:
Exposure: Gain enhanced access to an active network of high-profile leaders and peers.
Education: Receive expert updates on trending cybersecurity topics and their impact on daily life.
Resources: Access shared lessons learned and actionable strategies to advance cybersecurity technology and workforce.
📅 Thursday, October 8, 2026
⏰ Starts at 8:00 am
🗺️ Capital One Hall, Tysons, VA
For more information and to register, use the button below.
