david petko
President
Current President of the San Diego ISSA Chapter since 2024 after joining the board in 2017 as the Membership Director. Over a decade since getting into IT with a start in IP networking and firewalls and spending the last 8+ years heavily involved in the SoCal Cybersecurity community.
The Vision for my term as President is to make SD ISSA the go-to San Diego cybersecurity community networking group for fun and career advancement. The Mission I set this new Board on is split into 3 main phases which are to bring new structure to the board and chapter processes for efficiency, clarity to SD ISSA’s brand focused around who we serve, and creativity to our expanded programming offerings.
Macy Dennis
Vice President
My vision is to continue to give back to the cybersecurity community and help advance the ISSA mission. My personal goal is to help drive diversity and inclusion into our cybersecurity community here in SD. I truly believe that creating an environment of education, and partnership, and fostering strong working communities is what makes us all stronger as a whole. I feel my passion, experience, and strong connections within the Cybersecurity community will be a value to the SD ISSA organization.
Steven lengua
Treasurer
Treasurer of the San Diego ISSA Chapter. 20+ years in technology. Started cabling work in Manhattan skyscrapers just out of school which led to telephony in the Definity G3 space. Jumped to Cisco Networks which evolved into the security space in the last 5 years. Settled in now but always happy to discuss any layer of the stack.
Reach out to the Chapter President if you are interested in this role as Steve plans to step down this year.
Katie Holleback
Recording Secretary
Hey there, cyber security enthusiasts! I'm thrilled to be part of the SD ISSA leadership team. With 20+ years of experience in enterprise systems and risk management, I've had the opportunity to work with a variety of businesses, helping them navigate complex challenges and protect their valuable assets.
I'm passionate about leveraging technology to drive efficiency and security. I've successfully implemented automation solutions that have streamlined operations, reduced costs, and enhanced overall resilience. I believe that by combining a strong understanding of business needs with cybersecurity best practices, we can create a safer and more secure digital world.
I'm excited to connect with like-minded individuals in the San Diego cybersecurity community and hope to meet you at one of our upcoming events.
Justin Hook
Corresponding Secretary
In the business world, I have 15+ years of experience in the cybersecurity industry... 20+ years in Information Technology... and am a seasoned, successful and empathetic tech consulting professional who helps organizations of all sizes solve their critical business needs with cutting-edge tools across cybersecurity, applications, infrastructure, artificial intelligence and more.
In my personal life I have WAY too many interests and hobbies including being a musician and a struggling voice over artist. I also love hiking, fishing, camping, writing, reading, golfing, photography, gaming… and sometimes just driving out to Anza Borrego and getting lost in the desert in my Subaru. I am an adventurer at heart and love meeting new people and doing everything I can to better our Cybersecurity Community here in San Diego County. I’m also the proud Dad of a 16-year old (Sophomore at Carlsbad High).
My vision for this role is to bring my creativity and communication skills to the organization however possible in order to broaden the reach of ISSA in our community, and ultimately bring more of us together.
Giri Sonty
Communication Director
Giri's leadership spans all key security domains and holds numerous certifications including CISA, CISM, CISSP, CDPSE, CRISC, and cloud architecture certifications from AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. His expertise in standards like ISO 27001, HIPAA, TOGAF and COBIT ensures alignment between security initiatives, business goals, and regulatory requirements and led the implementation of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. His strategic approach integrates best practices to secure both physical and cloud environments.
With a strong commitment to staying ahead of emerging threats, Giri is passionate about helping organizations proactively manage risks and protect their most critical assets in an ever-changing digital landscape.
Jalane Olds
Membership Director
With over 15 years of experience in telecommunications and technology helping both public, private, and government organizations with digital transformation and their technology initiatives to achieve their strategic objectives. I am particularly excited to share and strategize about the inner workings of cyber security technology and the countless ways it innovates individuals to continue to push the limits of its capabilities to support and safeguard information with my fellow cybersecurity community.
My vision is to build meaningful connections with our members, celebrate their achievements, and champion more diversity in the cybersecurity field. I am committed to fostering an inclusive and dynamic space where members can collaborate, learn, and inspire each other.
Kristen Berglas
Awards Director
With over 14 years of experience in the healthcare field, I've decided to embark on a new career journey to merge my passion for connecting with people and solving complex problems. I'm excited to join ISSA and contribute to its growth. I look forward to learning from each other and offering a fresh perspective to the ISSA community. As the Awards Director, I'm thrilled about connecting with members on a personal level, building meaningful relationships, and bringing creativity to the table by exploring unique ways to recognize and celebrate achievements.
Seth Groves
Program Director
After moving out to the West Coast from Austin, TX in 2021, I settled in Imperial Beach CA and immediately joined the ISSA Community (first as a member, then as the Programs Director). Hobbies include enjoying beautiful Southern California beaches, producing and/or performing live music, and walking my Mini Australian Shepherd (Yoshi) around in the amazing Southern California weather.
I have over 8 years of experience in the Cybersecurity Sales space spread between Data Loss Prevention, Content Proxying, Network Security, and Threat Intelligence. Even though I’ve sat in the sales side of the house, I’ve spent the entirety of my career working to gain a better understanding of the inner workings of a cyber program at large and common issues facing the teams protecting businesses across the globe. As such, I plan to use my position as Programs Director to continue to connect the voices solving unique issues in the Cybersecurity field to those best positioned to use the advice. Additionally I hope this serves to create a better network of security professionals for problem resolution, notifications of new trends, and placement for those looking to make their name in the field!
Emily O’Carroll
Education Director
I have nearly 20 years combined experience in cybersecurity and IT governance, risk and compliance. I started my career as an intern at KPMG in the IT Advisory practice in San Diego and spent the next 10 years honing my skills and mastering execution of consulting engagements for clients across diverse industries including Fortune 50 clients headquartered in San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Chicago. Areas of expertise and focus for these consulting engagements included IT Audit (SOX, J-SOX, FSA), IT and Cyber Attestation (SOC 1 previously SAS 70, SOC 2 and 3 previously WebTrust and SysTrust, PKI assessments, etc.), IAM for ERPs (Oracle, SAP, and Netsuite), and moved into cybersecurity consulting in the Bay Area in 2009. I left KPMG in 2015 as a Director leading global, diverse teams of up to 15 team members, and joined Callaway Golf, now Topgolf Callaway Brands, as their Head of Global Information Security and IT Compliance (CISO). When I joined Callaway, I was a team of one with support from consultants, 3rd parties, and IT. Over my 9+ years with Topgolf Callaway Brands, we expanded the team including building out a seasoned leadership team and offshore support team totaling 34 team members globally supporting 5 major global brands and 25,000 users globally covering areas of Information Security (Architecture, Engineering, and Operations), Application Security, IAM, and IT Risk and Compliance. I am incredibly proud of all that our team accomplished during my tenure as the CISO at Topgolf Callaway Brands, and it was bittersweet to move on to a new opportunity this year. I am spending some well deserved time with my family this summer before moving back into consulting as a Field CISO for GuidePoint Security in the fall. Mentoring and advocating for underserved populations and youth has been a passion and motivator for me throughout my career. I look forward to the opportunity to expand ISSA's reach to the community and promote inclusivity in my role as the Education Director.
Juan Sanchez
Sponsorship Director
I'm a 20 plus years technology veteran, primarily focused on perimeter security & securing sensitive data. Formerly, I served in the Navy as a Communications & Radar Electronics Technician, and afterwards worked on Laser Optics at Cymer. I made my way into Cybersecurity many years ago, and have had the pleasure of working with some amazing people and companies along the way. I'm a people first person, love social gatherings and can hold my own on most nerdy conversations. Today, I help companies balance the smart onboarding of technology, while maintaining visibility, control and compliance.
dave mcadoo
Past President
President of the San Diego ISSA Chapter from 2019-2023 after joining the board in 2018 as the Corresponding Secretary. 20 plus years in the technology space with the last 8 years in Cybersecurity and DNS Infrastructure. An advocate for the IT and Cybersecurity community in San Diego. Always looking for ways to enrich and bring together folks in this space.
