Presenters
BRYCE AUSTIN
Cybersecurity Expert, Best Selling Author
Bryce Austin started his technology career on a Commodore 64 computer and a cassette tape drive. Today he is a leading voice on technology and cybersecurity. Bryce holds a CISM certification and is an internationally recognized professional speaker.
With over 15 years as a technology leader, Bryce advises the boards of companies in a diverse array of industries. He was the CIO and CISO of Wells Fargo Business Payroll Services, and a Senior Group Manager at Target. He has first-hand experience of what happens during a cybersecurity crisis, as it did to Target due to their 2013/2014 PCI data breach. His best-selling book is titled Secure Enough? 20 Questions on Cybersecurity for Business Owners and Executives.
In his free time, Bryce is a high-speed track driver and coach. He has driven cars from a 65 horsepower Mini Cooper to a 650 horsepower Porsche 911 Turbo. He has had over 100 students, none of whom have died while under his instruction.
To watch a few short clips of Bryce, click here.
JULIE CHUA
Director, Governance, Risk and Compliance
Julie Chua is the Director of Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) Division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Information Security (OIS). Julie is also the Federal Lead for the implementation of the Cybersecurity Act (CISA) of 2015, Section 405(d): Aligning Healthcare Cybersecurity Approaches. This public-private partnership effort is one of many HHS cybersecurity initiatives to help push forward the cybersecurity and resiliency of the HPH sector.
BUZZ HILLESTAD
VP Information Security Consultant
Buzz Hillestad is a VP Information Security Consultant and heads the Incident Response team at SBS CyberSecurity in Madison, South Dakota. SBS is a premier cybersecurity consulting and audit firm dedicated to making a positive impact on the banking and financial services industry. Hillestad has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems for Business and has performed masters work in Information Security at the SANS Institute – an internationally recognized best source for cybersecurity education. Hillestad has been involved with Information Security practice in Healthcare, Banking, Government, and many other industry verticals since 2004 and has helped over 200 organizations improve their information security processes and programs. Hillestad additionally has numerous security publications in magazines such as 45 Magazine and MED Midwest Medical, and speaks nationally on various cybersecurity topics.
DEANA FULLER
Compliance Director, JD, CIPP/E, HITRUST, CPHIMS
Deana Fuller is Associate Director of Privacy and Compliance at Agio, a hybrid IT services and cybersecurity firm. She serves as a healthcare subject matter expert on Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Privacy, and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and she has a passion for assisting organizations in strengthening their compliance programs. As a HITRUST-certified assessor, Deana has personally led approximately 20 HITRUST certification projects since 2016 in addition to HIPAA and GDPR initiatives for provider organizations, technology firms, and law firms to achieve their HITRUST goals.
Deana’s experience and expertise encompasses healthcare privacy and security compliance, global privacy regulations, and cyber security law. Certifications
- Certified Information Privacy Professional, Europe (CIPP/E)
- HITRUST (CCFSP, CHQP)
- Certified Professional in Health Information & Management Systems
DR. YONG WANG, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor, Director of PATRIOT Lab, ABET CAC PEV
Dr. Wang is an associate research professor of computer science and network security at Dakota State University. He received his B.S. and M.S.E degrees in Computer Science from Wuhan University (China) in 1995 and 1998, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2007. Before he joined DSU in 2012, he had spent 10 years in telecommunication industry as a senior software engineer and a team leader. His research focuses on security and privacy issues in communication networks. His current research projects include IoT security, mobile security, cloud security, and big data. He is a co-author of three books and has published 60+ peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. His research is supported by both the National Science Foundation and the state of South Dakota. He received Merrill Hunter Award for Excellence in Research from Dakota State University in 2015.
AARON LEESCH
Regional Public Health Preparedness Coordinator
Aaron Leesch earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Biology and a Master of Science specializing in Health Services Administration, both from the University of South Dakota.
Aaron has a wide ranging work history with Regional Health as an Epic Principal Trainer, the American Heart Association as a Regional STEMI Manager in Las Vegas, Avera Health as a SIM-SD Education Coordinator and EMS Director with the City of Vermillion. He has also been engaged with Disaster Training Day at the University of South Dakota as an Instructor for a number of years.
Currently, he is a Regional Public Health Preparedness and Response Coordinator for the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Public Health Preparedness & Response. Aaron works out of the Pierre office and is also responsible for the Opioid Crisis Funding Grant from the CDC, among other duties that come his way. In addition, he is a member of the Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response, Healthcare and Public Health Sector Government Coordinating Council, Cybersecurity Working Group.
KEVIN ATKINS
Director of Center for the Advancement of Health IT (CAHIT)
Kevin Atkins is the Director for Dakota State University’s Center for the Advancement of Health Information Technology (CAHIT). Kevin is a Certified Associate in Health Information & Management Systems (CAHIMS) with over 10 years’ experience in health care IT. As Director of CAHIT, Kevin is responsible for the daily operations and coordination of center activities, including the design, development, and recommendation of new programs, projects, and activities relating to HIT research, executive, or student education; coordinating and managing multiple single services and individual small or large interconnected projects, as well as providing direct technical assistance to clients. Kevin’s assessment and outcomes-based responsibilities at CAHIT draw from his successful IT and EHR implementation and quality improvement experience.