Cyber Physical Systems Security Summit

The 2024 NDIA Michigan Cyber-Physical Systems Security Summit will provide insights into challenges, programs, innovations, and opportunities to increase the cyber resilience of our military and critical assets for both national defense and homeland security. At this summit, you will hear from U.S. military and government leadership and interact with government and defense industry decision-makers, the military and civilian red teams, hackers, researchers, and strategists informing their decisions.

Theme: Securing those who Secure Us

Attendees, Speakers, and interactive presentations will focus on cybersecurity for:

  • Cyber and AI Sustainment
  • Over-the air and cyber
  • Dual-use technology, Air and Ground
  • Lessons from current conflict
Who Should Attend

Attendees should bring an understanding of cybersecurity unique to their organization and mission. Attendees may include Mechanical/Electrical/Systems Engineers, Computer Science Engineers, cybersecurity researchers and practitioners, policymakers/government affairs professionals, cyber strategists and advocates, and innovators discussing cybersecurity solutions on the cybersecurity conference theme.

Featured Speakers

David Aaron

David Aaron counsels and represents clients in matters involving cybersecurity, incident response, data protection, risk management, government investigations, national security, and law enforcement.

David is a former prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), National Security Division and a former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney. His experience includes investigating and litigating cases involving insider threats, malicious cyber activity, theft of trade secrets, undisclosed foreign government influence, and export control violations. He also worked closely with elements of the U.S. Intelligence Community on intelligence collection programs. While serving as a national security attorney, David advised senior leadership on security threats and developed and implemented data privacy compliance programs. David also has extensive experience investigating and prosecuting foreign governments’ efforts to obtain information through means other than traditional espionage and is a national expert on the federal criminal prohibition against acting in the United States as an undisclosed agent of a foreign government.

David’s work at DOJ focused on the Espionage Act, Economic Espionage Act (EEA), Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), Electronic Communication Privacy Act (ECPA), and related data security and privacy authorities such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). David has substantial experience working with U.S. law enforcement and national security agencies.

David is frequently interviewed by leading media outlets, including ABC News, Bloomberg News, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters among others, for his insights into prominent national security cases and investigations.

David’s pro bono work includes representing a group of veterans associations before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia as amici in support of a disabled veteran and representing Afghan nationals seeking asylum in the United States.

Among other distinctions, David was the recipient of multiple Assistant Attorney General’s Awards and two Attorney General’s Awards for Distinguished Service. He holds a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) certification, was a fellow in Advanced Cyber Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and in the Center for Biosecurity’s Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative, and earned a master’s degree in cybersecurity from Brown University, where he received the Master’s Award for Professional Excellence. David also teaches National Security Law at Wesleyan University.

Matthew Carpenter

Matthew CarpenterMatthew Carpenter is a Senior Principal Security Researcher with GRIMM (SMFS, Inc.) as head of Research and Innovation, performing deep security research on traditional computing systems, embedded devices, the Internet of Things, and Control Systems of all flavors.

Matthew's primary expertise is in reverse engineering, vulnerability research, exploit weaponization, overall hacker techniques, developing training courseware, and teaching. He has enjoyed exploiting hardware, software/firmware, radio, and communications protocols, and currently specializes in safety sectors such as Automotive, Aerospace, ICS/SCADA, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, telecom, and traditional computing. Applying these skills to non-exploitation areas has uniquely positioned Matthew to provide insight and impact in risk analysis/mitigation, forensics engineering, malware analysis, and penetration testing at all levels (hw/sw/net/web/physical).

Matthew has presented at numerous Automotive, Aerospace, and ICS conferences, co-chaired the SANS Automotive CyberSecurity Summit, was on the Program Committee for the automotive cybersecurity conference “escar USA”, regularly supports Cyber-Auto Challenge and Cyber-Truck Challenge, and maintains a posse of equally scary secret squirrels. He is the former vice-chair of the UCAIUG AMI-SEC Task Force and SG Security. He leads the Vulnerabilities team for NIST Cyber Security Coordination Task Force developing NISTIR-7628 and Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). He was a member of the Advanced Security Acceleration Project for the Smart Grid (ASAP-SG) and was the Red-team lead for the Advanced Security Acceleration Project (AMI-SEC/ASAP). Additionally, he has ongoing involvement with security organizations in the Michigan area, including the Michigan Cyber Range, the Michigan State Police, CyberPatriot, and the West-Michigan Cybersecurity Consortium (WMCSC) where he has served as a Red Team Captain for their annual Red/Blue events for many years, and is a member of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and InfraGard. Matthew also sits on advisory boards for multiple colleges.

Matthew is an entertaining and informative presenter/trainer and is a repeat speaker at many Hacker/ICS/SCADA/Automotive conferences, domestic and abroad.

Jeff Jones

Jeff Jones Jeff Jones is a Vice President at Psymetis, an innovative, technology company dedicated to safeguarding our world’s most critical infrastructures. We are committed to innovating the tools and solutions necessary to ensure the resilience and security of these complex systems.

Psymetis’ foundation is built upon exclusive intellectual property developed at the Idaho National Labs under the auspices of the US Department of Energy's Research and Development program. These pioneering technologies form the basis of "Werewolf", our initial critical infrastructure resilience platform. Psymetis Werewolf is a revolutionary system designed for real-time condition monitoring and threat mitigation within the power grid that exists simultaneously in physical and cyber realms. Our vision is to empower the energy sector with the tools needed to operate efficiently and securely, no matter how intricate the future energy landscape becomes. We are forging the path to a more secure and reliable power grid, and by extension, a more resilient world.

Jeff is passionate about securing our Nation’s critical infrastructures. He has spent over 21 years in information and cyber security risk management with particular expertise in industrial control and OT system cybersecurity. He spent 13 of those years at one of the Nation’s largest electricity providers, holding several different positions in their industry-leading cybersecurity organization.

He joined NERC’s E-ISAC in 2017, and as Manager of Cyber Threat Intelligence he helped expand their capabilities through building relationships, strategizing, and creating threat intelligence specific to the electricity industry to help reduce cybersecurity risk to critical infrastructures.

He helped beta-test the GICSP certification, was one of the first 50 to earn it, and is also CISSP, CISM, GCTI, GRID, and GSEC-certified. In his spare time, he plays his guitars quite a bit; he’s been doing so since he was 6 years old.

Scott D. Lathrop

Scott D. LathropScott D. Lathrop, Ph.D., CISSP, is the Director of Cyber/EW Technology at RTX BBN leading teams conducting research at the intersection of cyber/cyber-physical systems, cyber/EW capabilities, and autonomy. Scott is a retired Colonel in the United States Army, culminating his military career as the Director of Advanced Capability and Technology Development (J9) at the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). As an Army officer, Scott received the Army’s Draper Leadership Award as an Armored/Cavalry company commander, led the development of some of the Army’s first cloud-based command and control applications, and was recognized for teaching and research excellence as an associate professor at the United States Military Academy’s nationally rated Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department. Dr. Lathrop is a distinguished graduate from the United States Military Academy and has a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Jeff Massimilla

Jeff MassimillaJeff Massimilla became Vice President of Global Engineering & Technology at General Dynamics Land Systems in January 2024. He is responsible for the leadership, strategic vision, resource management and execution of all global activities within engineering, advanced products and technology.

Jeff previously served as Land Systems’ Vice President of Global Engineering Project Management and Chief Information Officer. Before joining Land Systems, Jeff held positions of increasing responsibility over 21 years at General Motors (GM), culminating as the Global Vice President of OnStar Safety and Connectivity. Jeff also served as the Vice President of Global Vehicle Safety, Global Vice President of Connected Customer & Mobility Solutions, and Vice President of Global Cybersecurity during his career at GM.

Jeff has served on boards including Intelligent Transportation Systems America, the University of California-Berkeley College of Engineering Advisory Board, and Auto-ISAC.

Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, a master’s degree in industrial and manufacturing engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree, all from the University of Michigan.

Dariusz Mikulski

Dariusz Mikulski, Ph.D. is a Lead Research Scientist for Ground Vehicle Robotics (GVR) in the US Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC). He has been with GVSC for 21 years and is dedicated to improving cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and cooperative teaming in robotic and autonomous systems (RAS). Dr. Mikulski leads GVR's Hybrid Autonomy & Cybersecurity Research (HACR) Laboratory to study and solve issues at the intersection of vehicle autonomy and cybersecurity; and has served as the Technical Manager for the Cybersecurity for Robotic & Autonomous Systems Hardening (CRASH) Joint Capability Technology Demonstrator (JCTD). He has been awarded the Army’s Meritorious Civilian Service Medal (2022) and Civilian Service Commendation Medal (2021) for exemplary service and excellence for his work in robot cybersecurity. Dr. Mikulski earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (2013) at Oakland University in Michigan. He also earned his BSE in Computer Science (2003) from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and master’s in computer science and engineering (2006) from Oakland University. Dr. Mikulski has been a NDIA-Michigan member since 2007 and has continued to support the NDIA Cyber Physical Systems Security Summit as a planning committee member since its inauguration in 2016.

Hannah A. Perez

Hannah A. PerezHannah A. Perez is a Senior Systems Engineer at Polaris with 8 years of automotive cybersecurity expertise, specializing in the comprehensive management of the full vehicle lifecycle. Her proficiencies include requirements creation, requirements management, requirements execution, cybersecurity validation, secure software updates, secure vehicle connectivity, and the implementation of robust Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). She is well versed in weighing risks and benefits in cybersecurity decisions. With an MS in Software Engineering from Auburn University, Hannah is a dynamic speaker at the crossroads of cyber, software, and automotive technology. Having made significant contributions to Stellantis and DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (CCDC GVSC), she excels in translating intricate concepts into actionable insights. Presently, she is the Chair of the Education and Training committee for Auto-IASC. Hannah actively shapes the future of automotive cybersecurity, earning her recognition as a thought leader in the field.

Mark Pickett

Mark PickettMr. Mark Pickett is the Technology Transfer Program Manager for SAE Government Technologies and a DEI advocate for SAE International and ally for the Women’s Leadership Network supporting SAE Industry Technologies Consortia, the Defense Automotive Technologies Consortium (DATC™), the Advanced Manufacturing Commercialization Center (AMCC™) programs and the Supply Chains of Recovered Elements (SCORE) consortium. Mark has over 30 years of commercial leadership and business development experience with success in U.S. Government capture management to include Department of Energy, Federal Agencies, and all branches of the Department of Defense. He also volunteers on the NDIA Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Conference Board of Directors and serves as the 2024 and 2025 Vice-Chair. Mark earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University.

Mert D. Pesé

Mert D. PeséMert D. Pesé is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Founding Director of the TigerSec Laboratory in the School of Computing at Clemson University. He received two B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2022.

His current research focuses on autonomous vehicle security, generative AI for security applications, as well as automotive data privacy. In particular, he focuses on in-vehicle network security, Android security, as well as attacks against the AI stack of autonomous vehicles. He has several peer-reviewed publications in top security and privacy venues, such as CCS, PETS and ACSAC. He has worked and collaborated with several automotive companies, such as General Motors, Ford, BMW, Audi, Denso and Harman. Among others, his research is supported by GVSC's VIPR-GS Center at Clemson University.

Robert J. Shaughnessy

Robert J. ShaughnessyAs an executive, advisor, and leader in both the private sector and U.S. government for three decades Rob has focused on solving complex operational and technological problems delivering timely, unique, and tailored solutions to industry and government.

Working directly with senior organizational, operational, and technical leadership Rob has established and led Research and Development in commercial industry and with Government partners including the National Security Agency, Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security advancing capabilities to discover, understand, and respond to threats on a national scale. Rob has led multidisciplinary teams examining the scope, magnitude and impact of threats to US national security and economic interests in both government and industry.

Leveraging expertise across corporate, technical, legal, and legislative landscapes Rob created net-new tools and services delivering novel analytical methodologies. In commercial industry Rob crafted large scale data analytics capabilities utilizing specialized computing platforms, vast data collection, and unique tradecraft to conduct near real-time analysis at Petabyte scale and beyond; this analysis enabled groundbreaking enhancements in behavior analysis and macroenvironmental prediction models.

As the CEO of Psymetis, Rob applies his vast expertise to enhance the security and resilience of critical infrastructures. Rob remains an active contributor to the technology, data, and security sectors, consistently pushing for advancements that prioritize both innovation and security.

Jennifer Tisdale

Jennifer TisdaleJennifer Tisdale is the CEO at GRIMM, a cyber research firm headquartered in Michigan. Jennifer is a cyber-economics strategist recognized for building cybersecurity strategies and programs for industry, government, and academia. Her expertise has been concentrated on the security of connected, Cyber-Physical Systems, and technologies, and her portfolio includes expertise in Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), Smart Cities development and planning, Critical Infrastructure, and Advanced Transportation Mobility with a concentration in Connected & Automated Vehicles, Aerospace, and the securing of manned/unmanned military platforms. Previously, Jennifer was recognized for holding the first “mobility” job in the United States, serving as the Cyber-Mobility program strategist for the State of Michigan. Jennifer’s work created the foundation for Michigan’s economic strategy to band together automotive, defense, and aerospace industries with embedded systems cybersecurity, charting a new economic development path for the state. Prior to her time at GRIMM, Jennifer was charged with Cybersecurity R&D for Product Development at Mazda North America. She was the first OEM to voluntarily bring a research vehicle to the Car Hacking Village at DefCon. In 2018 Jennifer was voted one of SC Magazine’s “Women to Watch” in Cybersecurity and in 2022 ranked as one of the “Top 25 Leaders Transforming Manufacturing” by SME.

Jennifer advocates for increased diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry. She values partnerships and the need to build trust in an industry rooted in zero-trust models. She actively volunteers with several non-profit and government organizations and works with K12 school districts, encouraging students to embrace cybersecurity education for embedded systems. Jennifer resides in metro Detroit with her family.

Affiliations:

  • National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), National, Washington D.C., Security Systems Engineering Sub-Committee, 2021-Present
  • National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), Michigan Chapter, Board Member – Cybersecurity Director, 2017-Present
  • Advanced Manufacturing HUB (AMHUB), World Economic Forum, Cyber Manufacturing (Industry 4.0), 2020-2022
  • SME, Smart Manufacturing Executive Committee, 2021-2022
  • Policy Advisor, State of Michigan, Office of Future Mobility & Electrification, State of Michigan, 2021-2023

Phil Wills

Phil WillsPhil Wills is the local Director of Business Development, based out of Troy, Michigan, for Vidovich Engineering Services (VES) LLC. Waséyabek Development Company, LLC, a leading economic development firm in Michigan’s Indian Country, became the majority owner of VES on 30 November 2023. VES is a small, disadvantaged business headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Established in 2014, VES’ core competencies are the development of custom Government off the Shelf (GOTS) infrastructure software, integrating tactical Command and Control (C2) systems, and rapidly building prototypes demonstrating emerging technologies solving Army tactical architecture challenges. VES has specialized expertise in building Government Off the Shelf (GOTS) Linux and secure Android that are customized for Army Ground Vehicle requirements and performing as a Lead Systems Integrator (LSI) for complex Army Tactical mounted and command post systems.

Phil has over 25 years of Air Force, Army acquisition, program management, and executive leadership experience, including four years of active duty as a systems acquisition officer in the United States Air Force and over 20 years at Booz Allen Hamilton supporting major Air Force and Army acquisition programs.

Phil has a Master and Bachelor of Science in Industrial & Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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2024 AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS

Coming Soon

Questions/ Comments? Drop us a note at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

When

May 7-8, 2024

Where

Troy Marriott

Registration

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL THROUGH APRIL 1

Industry
$450 / After April 1  $575
Military/ Government
$250 / After April 1  $350
Academia
$250 / After April 1  $350

Register Here!

2024 Sponsors

Silver Sponsor
NL1GHTN General Dynamics Land Systems
Bronze Sponsor
VES SWRI Shift5
Education Sponsor
MEDC