Bring KnowBe4's Best-in-Class Security Speakers Straight to You

KnowBe4 has an incredible line-up of highly skilled security communicators. Each speaker listed below has three distinct qualities:

  1. Deep subject-matter expertise in multiple security-related areas
  2. A passion for communicating essential truths
  3. A total commitment to quality communication and audience engagement

Because KnowBe4 specializes in end-user security awareness, you'll always know that the presentations we give contain much more than data points and theory -- we hone-in on human factors and practical takeaways.

We're ready to help. Getting started is easy. Review our available speakers and sample topics below, make note of any speaker(s) that looks like a good fit for your needs, and provide us with a bit of information about your event. We'll review that information and reach out to you to discuss further.

**Please note that our speakers' availability is limited due to the high volume of requests we receive. In order to accommodate as many requests as possible each organization may be limited to only one speaker request per year.


“The best part of my job is teaching other people different ways we’ve learned to decrease cybersecurity risk and having those people teach us what they know works, so that we can pass it along at the next event. It’s mutual sharing and learning from people who have learned what does and doesn’t work in the field.
It’s energizing.”

- Roger Grimes

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Meet Our Advocates

Our speakers reside in these regions but in many cases are able to travel or speak in other times zones. Languages they can speak in are noted.


United States


Erich-Kron-2023

Erich Kron

Erich Kron, Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4, author, and regular contributor to cybersecurity industry publications, is a veteran information security professional with over 25 years’ experience in the medical, aerospace manufacturing and defense fields. He is the former security manager for the US Army's 2nd Regional Cyber Center-Western Hemisphere and holds CISSP, CISSP-ISSAP, SACP and many other certifications. Erich has worked with information security professionals around the world to provide the tools, training and educational opportunities to succeed in Information Security.

Language: English


Speaking Topics

  • Understanding and defending against social engineering attacks
  • Preventing insider threats within the third-party ecosystem
  • Ransomware attacks, defense and recovery
  • Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks and defense
  • Deepfake technologies and detection
  • Cybercrime as-a-service threat landscape
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) technologies
  • Employee training and behavior modification techniques
  • Low-cost methods for organizations to improve their security posture
  • Panel speaker, podcast, radio and television guest
  • Attacks impacting federal, state and local governments and the manufacturing and medical industries
  • Employee education and engagement

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James McQuiggan HS

James McQuiggan

James McQuiggan is a Security Awareness Advocate for KnowBe4. Prior to joining KnowBe4, McQuiggan worked for Siemens for eighteen years where he was responsible for various roles, including his most recent as Product & Solution Security Officer for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. In this role, he consulted and supported various corporate divisions on cybersecurity standards, information security awareness and securing product networks. In addition to his work at Siemens, McQuiggan is also a part-time faculty professor at Valencia College in the Engineering, Computer Programming & Technology Division.

James is a CISSP and within the central Florida community, he is the President of the Central Florida (ISC)2 Chapter where he supports cybersecurity professionals with education and networking opportunities. Working with the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, he has taught the Safe and Secure Online education and awareness program to over 7,000 students, parents, teachers and the “life-experienced” (seniors) to ensure they understand the dangers of the internet. McQuiggan holds the SACP certification.

Language: English


Speaking Topics

  • AI, ChatGPT, and Cybersecurity - Science Fiction, becoming a reality sooner than Later?
  • Cybersecurity & You - cyber hygiene tips for staying clean and safe online
  • ABCs of Security Culture - Using Awareness, Behavior, and Culture to Reduce the Risk of a social engineering attack
  • 5 Ways to Improve Security Culture within Your Organization
  • OSINT: Ways to ensure your organization and users can protect themselves against social engineering attacks.
  • Fourth Industrial Revolution & Cybersecurity - How to secure your organizations from the growing and converging technologies of IOT, AI, Quantum, and Web3.0
  • Best Practices for Building Security Awareness Programs
  • Phishing / Ransomware - protection & recovery & remediation
  • Hacking the Mind - how to protect against social engineering attacks
  • Promoting Cybersecurity Awareness in your organization
  • Business Email Compromise - protect and defend
  • Digital Supply Chain Security
  • Cybersecurity for Operational Technology / Industrial Control System / SCADA
  • Browser Security - Tips for Safer and more secure internet surfing

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Joanna Huisman Headshot

Joanna Huisman

Joanna Huisman is Senior Vice President of Strategic Insights and Research at KnowBe4. She is a cybersecurity, marketing and training/communications professional with over 20 years of experience in strategic, internal and customer-facing engagements in the financial services/tech industries with added experience in sales, operations and organizational development. Huisman was previously senior research director at Gartner in the areas of security awareness, education, behavior management, culture, crisis communications, security and risk program management. Prior to that, she was senior director of global security communications, training and awareness for ADP. Huisman's expertise is on the behavioral side of cybersecurity, examining how the human defense layer plays a role in driving a more security aware culture.

Language: English


Speaking Topics

  • Critical factors in building a comprehensive security awareness program
  • Using rewards and consequences to motivate secure employee behavior
    How to secure the human link
  • Gaining executive support for your security awareness program
  • Building an enterprise security awareness program
  • Hiring the right talent to run your security awareness program
  • Defining security awareness objectives
  • Designing a security champion program
  • Critical elements for the success of your security awareness program
  • Communicating the success of your security awareness program
  • Building a security incident crisis communication plan
  • Avoiding common security awareness mistakes
  • Phishing attack landscape and global benchmarking
  • Fostering a more secure culture
  • Engaging the Human Defense Layer
  • Romance Scams

  View on LinkedIn       

Lecio DePaula

Lecio DePaula

Lecio DePaula currently serves as Vice President of Data Protection for KnowBe4, where he focuses on navigating global data protection requirements and ensuring KnowBe4 meets its data protection standards. He began his career at a privacy tech company, where he became an expert in all things U.S. privacy, with a specific focus on HIPAA compliance. He now leads KnowBe4's effort in protecting its information assets on premise and in the cloud. DePaula has extensive expertise in many European and United States privacy laws, such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA. His primary focus is bridging the gap between privacy and security to create a robust data protection program. DePaula holds a CISSP as well as an AWS/Security certification and is currently a Fellow of Information Privacy certified. He is also certified by the IAPP and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional for Canada, Europe, and the United States.

Language: English, Portuguese


Speaking Topics

  • How to approach LGPD Compliance
  • Privacy and Security: An approach to risk management
  • Privacy attacks on artificial intelligence
  • Lower your business risk with best practice Data Privacy Impact Assessments

  View on LinkedIn       

Perry Carpenter

Perry Carpenter

Perry Carpenter is the Chief Evangelist and Strategy Officer at KnowBe4 and the author of, "Transformational Security Awareness: What Neuroscientists, Storytellers, and Marketers Can Teach Us About Driving Secure Behaviors" and coauthor of "The Security Culture Playbook: An Executive Guide To Reducing Risk and Developing Your Human Defense Layer". He is also the creator and host of the "8th Layer Insights" podcast.

Formerly, Carpenter led security awareness, security culture management, and anti-phishing behavior management research at Gartner Research, in addition to covering areas of IAM strategy, CISO Program Management mentoring, and Technology Service Provider success strategies. With a long career as a security professional and researcher, Carpenter has broad experience in North America and Europe, providing security consulting and advisory services for many of the best-known global brands.

Carpenter holds a Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) from Norwich University in Vermont and is a Security Awareness and Culture Professional (SACP) and a Certified Chief Information Security Officer (C|CISO).

Language: English


Speaking Topics

  • The Psychology of Deception
  • The dark side of influence
  • The Art and Science of Driving Secure Behaviors
  • Online Scams, Business Email
  • Compromise, Ransomware, etc
  • Best Practices for Building Security Awareness Programs
  • The fundamentals of building and measuring your security culture
  • How attackers view your organization and exploit your people
  • Frameworks for thinking about Mobile Threats
  • How to Present Security Topics to Your Executive Team
  • How (and why) we developed the world’s first Security Awareness dramedy
  • Soft Skills for InfoSec and IT leaders
  • How to obtain executive support for security initiatives
  • Neurodiversity as a Cyber Asset
  • Disinformation/Fake News

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Roger Grimes

Roger Grimes

Roger A. Grimes is a Data-Driven Defense Evangelist at KnowBe4. He is a 30-year computer security professional, author of 13 books and over 1,200 national magazine articles. He frequently consults with the world’s largest and smallest companies, and militaries, and he has seen what does and doesn’t work. Grimes was a weekly security columnist for InfoWorld and CSO magazines from 2005 - 2019. He regularly presents at national computer security conferences, and has been interviewed by national magazines and radio shows, including Newsweek magazine and NPR’s All Things Considered. Roger is known for his often contrarian, fact-filled viewpoints.

Language: English

**Only accepting requests for presentations after October 2023


Speaking Topics

  • Threat Landscape, Hacking, and Defenses:
    • Why and How Hackers Hack
    • Ransomware
    • Hacking Multifactor Authentication
    • Advanced Email Attacks
    • Incredible Hacking Methods
    • Password Attacks and Defenses
    • Smishing Attacks
    • Cryptocurrency and NFT Attacks
    • Nation-State Attacks
    • Quantum Attacks
    • Supply-Side Attacks
    • Cloud Security
    • Malicious Browser Notifications
    • Romance Scams
    • Insider Threats and How to Defeat
  • Spotting Social Engineering Methods:
    • Phishing Forensics
    • Detecting Rogue URLs
    • DMARC, SPF, and DKIM
  • Managing Risk: 
    • Data-Driven Defense
    • Risk Management
    • Blockchain
    • Host Security
    • Cryptography
    • PKI
    • Patching
    • Vulnerability Management
    • Honeypots/Deception Technologies
    • Compliance/Turning Compliance Into
    • Real Security
    • Cybersecurity Insurance

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Rosa Smothers

Rosa Smothers

Rosa L. Smothers has over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity. She is currently Senior Vice President of Cyber Operations at KnowBe4, where she is responsible for leading KnowBe4’s Federal Practice efforts, including providing cybersecurity advisory services to civilian and military agencies within the U.S. federal government. Smothers is also responsible for providing analysis for KnowBe4’s cybersecurity research and cyber threat intelligence efforts. Having served for over a decade in the Central Intelligence Agency, she is a highly decorated national security professional with extensive experience leading the planning and execution of cyber operations against terrorist and nation-state targets as well as the adoption of cutting-edge computer technology.

Smothers served as a cybersecurity analyst and technical intelligence officer in the Center for Cyber Intelligence and the Counter Terrorism Mission Center and on multiple overseas tours, to include extensive service in Iraq. She holds a B.A. in Information Studies from Florida State University and an M.S. in Computer Network Security from Capitol Technology University. Smothers is a mentor to women and young people in cybersecurity and is a member of Infragard and Women in Defense.

Language: English


Speaking Topics

  • Strategic/Tactical Defense
  • Advanced Persistent Threats (APT)
  • Security Assessments
  • Social Engineering/Deception
  • Information and Influence Operations
  • Threat Intelligence
  • Leading and Managing Technical Teams
  • Physical Security Related to Cyber Infrastructure
  • SCADA/ICS
  • Counter Terrorism
  • National Security
  • OSINT
  • Disinformation
  • Counter Intelligence
  • Espionage (Government and Industrial)
  • Ethical Hacking

  View on LinkedIn       


Europe / Middle East / UK


Javvad Malik

Javvad Malik

Javvad Malik is the Lead Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4 and is based in London. Malik is an IT security professional with over 20 years of experience as an IT security administrator, consultant, industry analyst and security advocate. He is also a multi-award winner and is currently a Guinness World Records holder for the most views of a cybersecurity lesson on YouTube in 24 hours.

Malik is passionate about helping people understand the value of cyber security and how every department and individual can play their part. He often educates his audience through blog posts, videos, podcasts and at public speaking events. Malik holds the SACP and CISSP certification.

Language: English


Speaking Topics

  • Psychology of Security
  • Security Culture
  • Moving Beyond Phishing
  • Cyber security behavior and trends
  • Career development

Jelle Wieringa

Jelle Wieringa

Jelle Wieringa has over 20 years of experience in business development, sales, management and marketing. In his current role as Security Awareness Advocate for EMEA for KnowBe4, he helps organizations of all sizes understand why more emphasis is needed on the human factor, and how to manage the ongoing problem of social engineering. His goal is to help organizations and users increase their resilience by making smarter security decisions. Previously, Wieringa was responsible for building an AI-driven platform for security operations at a leading managed security provider. Wieringa holds the SACP certification.

Language: Dutch, English, German


Speaking Topics

  • Panel Discussions
  • The Basics of Social Engineering
  • The Psychology Behind Social Engineering
  • Business Models for Cybersecurity
  • Building Executive Support for Cybersecurity
  • The Business Side of AI in Cybersecurity
  • An Evolution of the Cybersecurity Reseller
  • Career Development in the Field of Cybersecurity
  • Developing Managed (Security) Services
  • Ask me Anything (AMA) Sessions on Cybersecurity
  • Awareness, Behavior, and Culture. The ABCs of creating a Human Defense Layer
  • Let's ask the Tough Question: How Do you Motivate Users

Areas of Expertise

  • Business models and operations behind cybersecurity
  • Why does your specific business need it and what benefits does it bring you
  • AI (both application and concept) having built a number of real-world AI applications within cybersecurity in the past
  • Talks about the evolution of markets and how they affect cybersecurity and vice versa

On-Demand Webinars


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Martin Kraemer

Martin Kraemer

Dr. Martin J. Kraemer is a Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4. He has over 10 years of research and industry experience in cybersecurity with a focus on human-centered computing. Martin held roles in innovation, research, and technology consulting. He has worked with both public and private organizations on information security and data protection.

Martin holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford. His areas of expertise include communal privacy and security behaviors. He has also conducted research in cyber risk management and systems security. Martin strives to enable people to establish a resilient cybersecurity posture. He regularly speaks on topics related to security awareness and privacy behavior. Martin provides expert advice on smart home privacy, data protection, and product design.

Language: English, German


Speaking Topics

  • Building a sustainable security culture
  • Understanding the evolving threat landscape for social engineering
  • What are data protection, privacy, and security, and why do they matter?

Areas of Expertise

  • Privacy by design
  • Security behavior
  • Privacy and user experience
  • Communal technology use and smart homes

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Australia / New Zealand


Jacqueline_Jayne_01 square@0.5x

Jacqueline Jayne

Jacqueline Jayne (JJ) currently serves as a Security Awareness Advocate for the APAC region for KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness and simulated phishing platform. She has mastered the art of communication and influence with 25+ years of experience as a conduit between people and technology. Previously, JJ led a successful cybersecurity education and awareness program that changed behaviour and created a security culture. Her insights on the human condition and how to engage at all levels in this space are invaluable. JJ is also a renowned speaker and is giving engaging and thought-provoking talks at conferences around the world and holds the SACP certification.

Language: English


Speaking Topics

  • Creating a Security Culture in Your Organisation
  • The importance and guidelines for communicating cybersecurity effectively in your organisation
  • The evolution of security awareness programs and where you need to be in 2023
  • Getting your whole organisation engaged and involved with security awareness training
  • How to build a cybersecurity education and awareness program to change behaviour
  • Levers of Human Deception: The Science and Methodology Behind Social Engineering
  • How to engage non-technical people with cybersecurity
  • Keeping yourself and your family safe online
  • Staying Safe using Social Media

  Follow on Twitter          View on LinkedIn       


Africa


Anna Collard Formal

Anna Collard

Anna Collard is the SVP of Content Strategy & Evangelist for KnowBe4 Africa where she drives security awareness across the African continent. Collard founded security content publisher Popcorn Training, which was acquired by KnowBe4 in 2018. She won the Women in Tech Innovations Throughout Africa 2020 Award for Southern and Central Africa. Additionally, Collard was featured in the Top 50 Women in Cybersecurity – Africa 2020 as well as the Top 100 Women in Cyber 2020 and 2021 globally by Cyber Defence Magazine. She was awarded the ISACA South Africa prestigious President Award for 2020 and was featured in the UK’s IT Security Guru’s 21 Most Inspiring Women in Cyber 2021 list.

Collard holds various security certifications such as SACP, CISSP, CISA, ISO 27001 lead auditor, CIPP/IT and was formerly a Visa/Mastercard PCI DSS QSA.

Language: English, German (fluent), French (intermediate)


Speaking Topics

  • Security awareness best practices & changing cyber security cultures
  • Metaverse, Blockchain, NFTs, Web3 etc – security challenges
  • Ransomware & Cyber Extortion (Cy-X)
  • African cyber security challenges
  • How personality traits influence security behavior
  • Cyber security entrepreneurship
  • Women in Tech
  • Mindfulness in Cybersecurity


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