Theresa Payton Keynote Speaker

CEO, Fortalice Solutions
First Female White House Chief Information Officer
AI Strategist, Business and Personal Security Expert; Privacy Visionary

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Theresa Payton's Biography

As a visionary in the digital world, who famously made history as the first female to serve as White House Chief Information Officer and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most respected authorities on cybersecurity, Theresa Payton is a highly sought-after keynote speaker. She captivates audiences by drawing from her experience as a veteran cybercrime fighter and entrepreneur, masterfully blending memorable anecdotes with cutting-edge insights.

A celebrated, patented inventor of new security designs, Payton identifies emerging trends and techniques to help businesses –and audiences – combat cyber threats, from the impact of the Internet of Things to securing Big Data. She’s the cybersecurity expert organizations in both the public and private sectors turn to protect their most valuable resources, improve their IT systems and strategies and to discreetly guide them through data breaches.

Managing cybersecurity risk is what Payton knows and does best. Before overseeing IT operations as CIO for President George W. Bush and his administration, she held executive roles in banking technology for two of the country’s top financial institutions. After serving in the White House, she went on to co-found Dark3, a cybersecurity product company, and Fortalice Solutions, a world-class cybersecurity consulting firm ranked a “Top 5 Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company” in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC.

Because of her ability to explain complex security issues and help non-tech-savvy people understand how to protect their privacy, Payton has been a frequent guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox Business, and Fox News and has been featured on CBS News, CNN, NBC News, and MSNBC, as well as Canadian and Irish news outlets. She also starred on the reality TV series “Hunted”, where highly trained investigators (including Payton) “hunted” to catch people attempting to hide throughout the world.

She is the author of multiple industry-leading books on IT strategy and cyber security, including Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth, which The Guardian included on their list of the “Top 10 Books About Cybercrime.”

AI and the Future of Us: Navigating the Promise and Perils of Artificial Intelligence

Few technological developments of the last century have fueled as much curiosity, misinformation and fear as AI. In this highly-engaging, jargon-free presentation, Theresa unpacks AI's transformative power while exposing its looming risks, then demonstrates how our businesses, security and individual daily lives are being impacted by them. With anonymized stories from law enforcement's front lines and stunning live demonstrations that reveal the tradecraft of modern cybercriminals, Theresa will equip you with practical actions to harness AI's vast potential while protecting yourself, your clients and your organization.

Secured Digital Transformation: Innovating Without Compromising Trust

Balancing innovation and security in a rapidly evolving digital world requires know-how, sensitivity and constant vigilance. From streamlining operations to enhancing customer experiences, Theresa shares strategies for driving transformation while safeguarding your organization's critical assets. With compelling case studies and easily-understood, actionable takeaways, Theresa will show you how to future-proof your organization and lead confidently in the age of relentless cyber threats.

Faith, Family, and Fearless Leadership: Thriving in Every Role

Theresa shares her amazing journey of faith, resilience, and determination as a business professional, wife and mom of three that led her to the most visible position in the tech world, White House CIO. And that's before she became a CEO, one of the media world's leading voices on technology and cybersecurity and star of the hit CBS TV series, "Hunted." Drawing from her experiences leading in high-stakes environments, she reveals how faith and purpose have been her guiding lights in balancing family, career, and service. Theresa’s uplifting message will inspire you to lead boldly, embrace challenges with grace, and thrive in every role you’re called to fulfill.

Pipl AMA: The Future of Digital Investigations.

Treasury Department hack by Chinese 'threat actors' is very serious, says Fortalice Solutions CEO

Theresa Payton - Closing Keynote | Zero Trust, Software Supply Chain, Modernization in DOD

Articles, Media & Podcasts

Breaking Barriers in Cybersecurity: Meet The First Woman CIO At The White House

Forbes

U.S. should be ‘very concerned’ with cyber threats from Russia, says Fortalice Solutions CEO

CNBC

Fortalice: Helping Organizations Become Prepared For Cyberattacks

Pulse 2.0

TikTok Latest with Cyber Security Expert Theresa Payton

Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson & Beth Troutman

Books by Theresa Payton

Comments & Testimonials

Theresa, you completely nailed it! Your keynote was outstanding. Our customers, staff, everyone loved it. The content was informative, engaging, thought-provoking and memorable. I cannot count how many people I heard in the breaks talking about the Happy Meal, other examples you gave, everything. Your remarkable insights will stay with us and our customers for a long time. We’d absolutely love to have you come back and present again.

Biocatch

Absolutely loved your session and the 2026 predictions!!!

Cisco

Thank you for your fantastic presentation at Executive Summit and for being part of our (standing room only) Zero Trust session. I’ve heard nothing but great feedback from attendees on both fronts.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

I loved her session at the Governor’s Cyber Security Summit. I especially enjoyed hearing about the ‘5 F’s’ and how to protect our privacy in the uprise of AI.

Dell

Theresa Payton was awesome!

Security Industry Association