2025 WV Cybersecurity Expo

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 2025 Cybersecurity Expo at Mountwest, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. As someone who doesn't always thrive in large social settings, I was a bit apprehensive at first, but my enthusiasm for cybersecurity and technology won out in the end.

One of the highlights of the event was catching up with a couple of old tech friends who I've kept in touch with over the years, but hadn't seen in person for far too long. It was great to reminisce and hear about what they've been up to.

The speakers at the expo were all excellent, but a few really stood out to me. David Parsons, Cybersecurity Advisor for West Virginia within DHS CISA Region 3, gave a fascinating talk about defending critical infrastructure. What made it even more interesting was that we actually attended the same high school, albeit a few years apart. It was inspiring to see someone from my own community who has achieved such a high level of success in the field.

Another speaker who impressed me was Amanda Webb, who shared her remarkable journey from being a receptionist to becoming the head of an IT department for a DoD contractor. Her discussion on compliance was particularly relevant to me, as I'm currently working on a project to help organizations achieve compliance. I had the chance to speak with her later in the day, and she was kind enough to share her wealth of knowledge with me.

The keynote speaker, Josh Spence, Chief Information Officer at Alpha Technologies, also gave a great talk about his experiences and insights on what we should be preparing for in the world of cybersecurity. His thoughts were both informative and thought-provoking, and I appreciated his perspective on the industry.

Despite being an introvert, I found myself engaging with more people than I usually do, and it was actually quite enjoyable. By the end of the day, I was ready to head home and unwind with my wife and dogs, but I felt energized and motivated by the connections I had made and the knowledge I had gained. Overall, the 2025 Cybersecurity Expo at Mountwest was a great experience, and I'm glad I had the chance to attend.