In-Person Panel Event
Securing the Future: AI & Cybersecurity in the Federal Space
- March 26th, 2025
- 5:00 PM EST
- Alexandria, VA at VT Innovation Campus
Let the Countdown Begin...


Event Overview
Held at Virginia Tech’s Brand-New, State-of-the-Art Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia
Panel of VT Alum
Our all-Hokie panel was handpicked to lead a dynamic discussion on AI and cybersecurity trends in the federal space. With diverse expertise, they’ll provide valuable insights into this evolving landscape.
Networking & Hors d’Oeuvres
Connect with VT Innovation Campus master’s students, GovCon experts, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals during networking sessions before and after the panel.
Meet Our Panel

Troy Schneider
President, Billington Cybersecurity
Troy Schneider is the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Billington CyberSecurity. In that role, he oversees the organization’s sales, content and marketing efforts, and works across the organization to deliver continued growth and world-class engagement with both government and industry cybersecurity leaders.
Schneider has been building and leading organizations at the intersection of media, technology and public sector for 30+ years. Before joining Billington CyberSecurity, he was President of GovExec360, where he oversaw operations, content, events and client services. He similarly led Public Sector 360, the government-focused business unit of 1105 Media Inc. that was acquired by GovExec in 2021.
He was for many years the Editor-in-Chief of both FCW and GCN, two of the oldest and most influential publications in public-sector IT, and earlier in his career held leadership roles at the New America Foundation, Atlantic Media and National Journal.
Schneider began his career in print journalism, and has written for a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, WashingtonPost.com, Slate, Politico, Governing, and many of the other titles listed above. He is a graduate of Indiana University, where his emphases were journalism, business and religious studies.

Lara Meadows
Global VP of Security Architects, ThreatConnect
Lara Meadows is a Global Vice President of Security Architects for
ThreatConenct, a threat intelligence operations solution provider. She
has worked in the cybersecurity industry for 20 years, starting in
network security and expanding more broadly into security
operations. She began as a security systems engineer at Trusted
Information Systems (TIS, the first firewall solution) and has worked
with great companies like McAfee, Cisco, Symantec, ArcSight (Hewlett
Packard/Micro Focus) to build and deploy custom cybersecurity solutions for Fortune 500
companies and Federal agencies. As an engineering leader, she has built cyber security teams
who support worldwide security operations. She has helped grow several start-up technologies
to mature Gartner leading security solutions, while working with many worldwide commercial
and Federal agencies and within the US Government. Throughout her career, she’s been a
leader in mentoring women in technology. She’s worked with many technical organizations
including WiCys, #GirlsClub, WiT, PreSales Collective, speaking at many global technology
conferences on a variety of topics promoting women in technology. She is CISSP, CISM and
GIAC certified.

Leigh Palmer
Vice President, Google Public Sector
Leigh Palmer is the Vice President of Technology Strategy & Delivery
for Google Public Sector (PS), where she leads the development
and implementation of cu
ing-edge technology solutions for
government agencies. Her team brings the power of AI, cloud
computing, data analytics, and Google's Distributed Cloud product
to the public sector, transforming how these organizations operate
and serve their constituents.
With over 30 years of experience leading top integrators like BAE
Systems, CSRA, and General Dynamics Information Technology,
Leigh is a seasoned expert in delivering complex digital transformation programs for the federal
government. Her deep understanding of the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and
Intelligence Community has been instrumental in providing these critical organizations with the modern
technology they need to achieve their mission outcomes.
Leigh's commitment to public service extends beyond her professional work. She is a member of the
Center for a New American Security's Defense Technology Task Force and serves on the boards of the
Intelligence and National Security Alliance, the Northern Virginia Technology Council and the AFCEA
International Executive Committee. Leigh holds degrees from Virginia Tech and the University of
Pennsylvania.

Brian Girardi
SVP Product Operations, Tenable
Brian Girardi is the Senior Vice President of Product Operations at Tenable, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the execution of Tenable's product strategy. Prior to his current position, Brian held several critical leadership roles within Tenable, including Vice President of Product Management. He has extensive experience in the cybersecurity industry, having worked at prominent companies such as NetWitness and RSA, where he led product management and innovation efforts. Brian's career began at Lockheed Martin as a Systems Engineer, where he gained invaluable technical expertise. He holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Engineering from Virginia Tech, underscoring his strong foundation in technology and management. Passionate about driving operational excellence, he has consistently focused on delivering solutions that meet the ever-evolving needs of cybersecurity customers. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, Brian continues to help shape Tenable’s success in the cybersecurity market.