Ticket Information
Tickets for FrostCon 2 event on December 3rd at Booth Playhouse can be purchased here. (Boxed Lunch add-on only available until Nov 23rd)
Tickets for FrostCon 2 Trainings on December 4th at the Bank of America building in Ballantyne can be purchased here.
FrostCon
Charlotte Winter Cyber Talks is now FrostCon!
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There was such wonderful feedback for the Inaugural Charlotte Winter Cyber Talks, that BSides Charlotte, Charlotte ISSA, and Phish Club decided to make it annual!
Join us for FrostCon (still Charlotte Winter Cyber Talks, just with an easier-to-say name!) on December 3rd at the Booth Playhouse. Engage with an inspiring series of 15-minute lightning talks covering the most pressing topics in cybersecurity today. These sessions are crafted to inspire, educate, and spark innovation, addressing the needs of a diverse audience that includes everyone from novices to experts, and entry-level employees to executives.
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Once doors are open at 8:00 AM, we will have opening remarks at 9:00 AM. Presentations will run throughout the day, ensuring you’ll leave with new perspectives, practical insights, and meaningful connections. A Holiday Party will follow the conference day.
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​Whether you're looking to expand your knowledge, build your network, or gain inspiration, we invite you to join us in celebrating the passion, growth, and community of Charlotte’s cybersecurity network.
Come for the Inspiration—Stay for the Community. We’ll see you there!
Inspiring Speakers from the Cyber Community
Keynote
Paul Neslusan
"Rage or Nap: Better Communications for Better Outcomes"
Speaker Bio: Paul Neslusan currently performs global security architecture oversight at a Fortune 100 company, is an author, startup founder, Air National Guard Officer, and former Chief Risk Officer. He is a 20+ year information security veteran and cut his teeth on infrastructure controls and cybersecurity with the U.S. Department of Defense. With cybersecurity experience spanning across multiple countries, Fortune 500 companies, NIST, and many government organizations, he has spent the last decade and a half communicating with senior national leaders, C-Suite executives, and anyone forced to sit through one of his presentations.
Fletus Poston III
“Protecting Your Organization from Supply Chain Attacks”
Speaker Bio: As a cybersecurity professional with nearly two decades of experience spanning from IDS operations to senior leadership roles, Fletus has experience in finance, utilities, and software development sectors, where he has successfully managed comprehensive cybersecurity initiatives.
Sabrina Carr
“Yes, AI Will Take Our Jobs — But Only If We Let It.”
Speaker Bio: Sabrina Carr is a Senior SOC Analyst with seven years of experience in financial services, specializing in incident response and threat hunting. She is SANS-certified (GCIH, GSEC) and holds an A.A.S. in Digital Forensics. Sabrina’s work centers on the humanity of cybersecurity, from adversary behavior to analyst training. She lives in Charlotte, NC.
Nico "SOCKS" Smith
"Way of the GPT: Skiddies and Security Concerns"
Speaker Bio: Nico is a seasoned cybersecurity professional with over 15 years of experience in information technology, including a decade focused on developing and leading defensive and offensive cybersecurity teams. With a unique blend of military and civilian expertise, Nico is dedicated to advancing the field of cybersecurity and fostering pathways for others to enter this dynamic profession. He is committed to reshaping the cybersecurity landscape, leveraging his maker mindset, CTF experience, and innovative approaches to build stronger, more inclusive pathways into the field.
Brent Bigelow
Speaker Bio: Brent is a Senior Cybersecurity Professional with over 35 years of experience, serving in roles from Practitioner through CISO, from Startup and SMB to Fortune 20 Companies.
Torry Crass
Speaker Bio: Torry Crass is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Public Sector at Tanium, bringing over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity and information technology. Most recently, he served as the State Chief Risk Officer for North Carolina for 2 years, where he led statewide cybersecurity initiatives and strengthened the "Whole of State" approach to cyber resilience. Prior to this, he spent nearly four years as CISO for the North Carolina State Board of Elections, where he focused on election security and infrastructure protection.
As a recognized thought leader in the cybersecurity community, he regularly contributes to industry publications and conferences, serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for BSides Charlotte, as co-lead of the SMRT team and staff for BSides Las Vegas, is a co-founder of ShieldCon, and has held leadership positions with InfraGard, MS-ISAC Executive Committee, and the Department of Defense's Cyber Shield exercise. He has also served as an officer in the South Carolina State Guard leading cyber incident response missions and holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Science and Technology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Chris Horner
"How to Lose Your Credentials and Gain a New Domain Admin"
Speaker Bio: Chris is an Information Security Consultant for Rebyc Security, an offensive security consulting company based right here in Charlotte. With deep corporate experience, Chris understands the kinds of risks that organizations face and knows how to help them stay secure from both a technical and non-technical perspective. He has given numerous presentations around the region and is an advocate for personal privacy. He also volunteers his time in the local community by sitting on non-profit Boards and helping both organizations and individuals understand how to stay cyber safe.
Tommy Jinks
"Innovation in the Enterprise"
Speaker Bio: Tommy Jinks is a Senior Vice President and Principle Infosec Researcher at a major American bank. After misspending his youth in a multitude of roles with the US military, the US government and the US offshore oil industry he met and married his wife of 30 years. Finding "True Love" led to a partiality for roles in which getting blown up at work was less certain. With more than 25 years working with innovation and research teams across the financial industry, Tommy has a keen understanding of building and deploying innovative technologies in risk averse and highly regulated environments. Tommy loves sharing his experiences with others and facilitating opportunities for them to succeed. In his free time, he creates handmade furniture with traditional woodworking tools, chases script kiddies off of his digital lawn and builds his own electronics from scratch. He lives in the woods near Charlotte with his wife, dog, 8 cats, 11 chickens, 30,000 honey bees and a Weller soldering iron.
Parker Garrison
"Security in Numbers: A Revolutionary Cyberdefense Technique"
Speaker Bio: Parker Garrison’s past work has spanned offense, defense, and architecture; and he has contributed significantly to the development of widely-used open-source cybersecurity frameworks, including CWE. He has presented at major conferences such as DerbyCon, incorporating a significant use of live demos, and has consistently finished 1st in various cybersecurity competitions and CTFs. He brings professional experience in the private and public sectors, an independent consultant, and current startup founder.
Randy Cress
Speaker Bio: Randy J. Cress is the Assistant County Manager and Chief Information Officer for Rowan County, bringing over two decades of service in enhancing government technology and digital strategies. As CIO since October 2015, he has led the development of a fully virtualized data center and the adoption of cloud services to improve efficiency. His work involves collaboration across 22 county departments and local public safety agencies, focusing on integrating technology to support public services. Randy holds a Master's in Public Administration from Appalachian State University and a BBA in Information Technology from Catawba College, alongside a Certified Government Chief Information Officer certification from UNC Chapel Hill. He is a member of the North Carolina Joint Cyber Task Force, contributing to local government cybersecurity efforts.
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