James McQuiggan

Advisory CISO / Founder, Apparent Security

James McQuiggan, CISSP, and author brings over 25 years of experience to the cybersecurity field and is the founder and Advisory CISO of Apparent Security, a consulting practice to help organizations deal with Human Risk Management, Artificial Intelligence, and social engineering, as well as vCISO for various organizations. His extensive background includes CISO Advisory at Knowbe4, providing thought leadership on various cybersecurity topics. McQuiggan was a senior cybersecurity roles at Siemens Energy and Wind Divisions, where he developed expertise in industry standards, incident response, and industrial control system (ICS) security. In addition to his corporate work, James serves as part-time faculty at Full Sail University, teaching Cyber Threat Intelligence. A dedicated community leader, he currently volunteers with ISC2 as Co-chair of the North American Region Advisory Council and Chair of the Southeast Chapter Regional Management Committee, following an eight-year tenure as President of the ISC2 Central Florida Chapter.

Gary Flowers

Chief Information Officer, Year Up United

As CIO of Transformation and Technology Services at Year Up United, Gary is at the forefront of revolutionizing how young adults access career opportunities through digital innovation. A visionary leader who speaks nationally to CIOs, technology leaders, and aspiring professionals, he champions the transformative power of technology in reshaping workforce development and educational access. With over 30 years of experience, Gary leads Year Up United's enterprise-wide digital transformation, orchestrating a strategic shift from project-based operations to a product-focused organization while harnessing emerging technologies like AI to revolutionize essential skills training. He oversees transformation and technology services across business intelligence, product and design, learning excellence, and business operational excellence. His expertise in executive leadership, digital roadmap creation, and customer-centric solution delivery has earned him the 2023 Florida CIO Corporate ORBIE Award, recognition as a 2024 National ORBIE Finalist, and being named one of the 30 most influential business leaders in tech in 2022. Gary serves as board member and workforce committee chair at Gulf Coast JFCS, and as finance committee chair and Treasurer at St Pete Free Clinic. Through speaking engagements nationwide and investments in education and STEM initiatives, he inspires the next generation while promoting technological innovation as a catalyst for social change. His mission remains clear: leveraging expertise and influence to create pathways of opportunity and drive meaningful impact in communities nationwide.

Andrea Hartman

Chief Information Officer - Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Ms. Hartman currently serves as Chief Information Officer for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, serving the agency in various roles since 2007. With over 30 years of experience in information technology, Ms. Hartman serves as the agency’s lead technical liaison within Command Staff. She was recognized as one of GovCIO Outlook’s Top 10 CIOs of 2025, named among Women We Admire’s Top 50 Women Chief Information Officers of 2025, and honored with the 2025 ORBIE Florida Public Sector CIO of the Year award. Ms. Hartman is responsible for developing and managing the Information Services Division’s goals and objectives, overseeing a multi-million technical budget encompassing salaries, benefits, operational and capital expenses. A significant portion of this budget is dedicated to strategic technology projects and cyber-security advancement initiatives. These projects are aligned with the agency’s key long-term goals and objectives to enhance and implement strategies to reduce crime, implement and expand programs to promote crime prevention, enhance community engagement, provide effective detention programs and services and the recruitment and retainment of highly qualified technically skilled staff that reflect the diversity of the agency. In directing these strategic initiatives, she serves as an effective change maker to operational and business model changes, with the backbone of these efforts focusing on optimization, modernization, and cyber security. Ms. Hartman is a certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO), member of the Florida Government Information Services Association, Executive Chair for the Hillsborough County Cyber Security Task Force, member of Women in Technology International (WITI), Central Florida CIO Executive Advisory Board member and Workday Public Sector Central Florida Executive leader. Ms. Hartman also serves as the Vice-President of Hook-A-Hero Foundation, a Tampa Bay founded non-profit whose purpose is to provide confidential mental health services and a peer support network to those who SERVE and PROTECT. She is also a member of the Suncoast Alliance for First Responders and an avid community volunteer for various programs such as the Hillsborough County Cattlemen’s Foundation Sheep Dog program and Year Up Tampa Bay.

Rick Rampersad

Chief Information Officer - Early Learn Coalition of Hillsborough County

Rick Rampersad currently works as the Chief Information Officer at the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County. Rick has over 20 years’ experience driving organizational efficiencies and leading digital transformation teams across verticals such as healthcare, education and global manufacturing and hospitality organizations. Rick has completed advanced coursework in Business Management and Information Systems/Decision Sciences from the University of South Florida. In addition, Rick is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Six Sigma Green Belt.

Christos Ruci

Chief Information Officer - Limbach Company

As the Chief Information Officer at Limbach Company, a leading provider of mechanical and energy services, I lead the execution of innovative technology solutions that support the company's growth, efficiency, and security. With over 20 years of experience in the technology and information field, I have a diverse background in software and product development, IT operations, revenue and operations, business development and sales, and business strategy. I leverage my skills and credentials in system integration, manufacturing process improvement, vendor relations, scrum, and agile methodologies to deliver value and profitability to the organization. I also serve as the Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Security Officer, HIPAA Technology Officer, and Advisory Board Member, demonstrating my versatility, adaptability, and leadership. I am passionate about driving digital transformation and innovation, as well as mentoring and empowering my team and partners.