The National Service Panel (NSP) at DEF CON serves as a fresh and interactive way to share insights about actionable opportunities and challenges associated with national service, focusing on mostly tech-related opportunities across the government. Since this panel is about sharing knowledge and expertise, it supports both the DEF CON founder's intent and the MCPA mission.
2020 was the first year of the DEF CON "Career Hacking Village", and MCPA being asked to lead a panel. The NSP was then born! In 2021, we came back for the 2nd year in a row with a new lineup of panelists. In 2022, we've partnered with the "Blacks in Cybersecurity Village" to bring you the 3rd annual NSP, and then the 4th in 2023 and now 5th! The panels stream during DEF CON. Speaker details and recordings below.
2024
(click on image to watch the video)
2023
2023 Panelists
Dr. Bill Butler
Panel moderator. Retired US Marine Corps Colonel and current Vice President at Capitol Technology University. LinkedIn.
Dr. Cynthia Sutherland
Former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Joint Staff, and current Emerging Industries Lead at AWS. LinkedIn.
John Petteway
Information Systems Security Manager at a Military Treatment Facility and Army Veteran. Twitter.
2022
2022 Panelists
Dr. Bill Butler
Panel moderator. Retired US Marine Corps Colonel and current Vice President at Capitol Technology University. LinkedIn.
Darren Spencer
Senior Digital Forensics Examiner at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). LinkedIn.
Nigel Stephens
Former staffer in both chambers on Capitol Hill and political campaigns, and Founder and Principal of Phoenix Strategies, Inc. LinkedIn.
2021
2021 Panelists:
Colonel Teri Williams
Then serving as Commander of the 91st Cyber Brigade and Cyber Security Advisor at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Has since been promoted to Brigadier General. LinkedIn.
Amélie Koran
Most recently served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHD) Office of the Inspector General (IG). LinkedIn.
Elizabeth Schweinsberg
Currently serving as Digital Services Expert at the US Digital Service (USDS), based out of Silicon Valley. LinkedIn.
Joe Billingsley
Panel organizer and moderator, Director of Strategic Engagement at the National Defense University's College of Information and Cyberspace, and MCPA Founder. LinkedIn.
2020
2020 Panelists:
Chris Pimlott
Engineer at the US Digital Service. LinkedIn.
Liz Popiak
US Army Cyber Direct Commissioning Program Co-Creator, recently retired Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army, and MCPA Augusta Chapter President. LinkedIn.
John Felker
Assistant Director of the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and MCPA Advisor. LinkedIn.
Diane Janosek
Commandant of the National Cryptologic School, Women in Cyber (Mid-Atlantic) President, and MCPA Advisor. LinkedIn.
Roman Vitkovitsky
US Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary and recently retired Lieutenant Colonel in the USMC. LinkedIn.
Joe Billingsley
Panel organizer and moderator, Director of Strategic Engagement at the National Defense University's College of Information and Cyberspace, and MCPA Founder. LinkedIn.
Additional Resources
Benefits of public sector leaders engaging the hacker community
Find links to other programs or organizations in the panelist listing above
Thanks, Travis!
A special thanks to MCPA member, Colonel Travis Hartman (seen here on the right being presented the Order of Thor medal in 2019 by the MCPA founder at National Defense University in Washington DC). As an organizer of the DEF CON Career Hacking Village, he made the NSP possible for the MCPA in 2020. We appreciate it! He and the Career Hacking Village most recently exhibited at HammerCon, our national convention.