FISSEA Spring Forum: May 12, 2026

1:00-1:05pm ET

Welcoming Remarks

Latha Reddy, FISSEA Co-chair

Danielle Santos, Deputy Director of NICE, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce

1:05-1:30pm ET

Trust as an Attack Surface: Human Risk in Black-Box AI Systems

Bandana Kaur, Cybersecurity Researcher, HackWitHer

As AI tools are increasingly integrated into government workflows, human roles are shifting in subtle but important ways. This session explores how the “black box” nature of many AI systems affects human security behavior, creating blind spots that traditional awareness and training programs do not address. Rather than focusing on technical model internals, the discussion examines how over-trust, reduced scrutiny, and automation bias can weaken the human firewall in AI-assisted decision-making. Participants will gain practical insights into why AI-related security risks often emerge through normal, well-intentioned human use and how awareness programs can evolve to mitigate them.

1:30-1:45pm ET

Legacy of Leadership: A Fireside Chat with Dr. Loyce Pailen

Facilitated by Latha Reddy, FISSEA Co-chair

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Loyce Pailen as we discuss the journey of transforming the cybersecurity landscape through education, advocacy, and community mentorship. Drawing on her decades of leadership with FISSEA, Dr. Pailen will share insights on building impactful educational programs and the importance of cultivating cyber and AI awareness across every generation—from the classroom to the front lines.

Dr. Pailen is the Sr. Director, Center for Security Studies at the University of Maryland Global Campus. She has participated on the FISSEA Planning Committee for over twenty years and was recognized as the FISSEA Innovator of the Year in 2021. 

1:45-1:55pm ET

FISSEA Ignite! Beyond the Deepfake - A Behavioral Framework for Federal AI-Awareness Training

Dr. Philip Chan, Collegiate Professor (T&L), School of Cybersecurity and IT, University of Maryland Global Campus

In 2026, the federal workforce faces a paradigm shift in cybersecurity: the democratization of high-fidelity synthetic media. Traditional "red flags" for phishing like poor grammar and suspicious URLs which have been rendered obsolete by Generative AI. To protect the agency mission, we must move beyond static awareness and toward a behavioral verification framework. This session will present an Innovative Solution implemented to transition federal employees from passive observers to active skeptics. Rather than focusing solely on "detecting" AI (which is becoming increasingly difficult for the human eye or ear), our program focuses on Protocol-Based Defense. This session will provide attendees with a blueprint for updating their own agency training curricula to address the velocity of AI-driven threats, ensuring federal security educators stay ahead of the adversary.

1:55-2:05pm ET

Break & Birds of a Feather Topic Discussions

NEW! At the FISSEA Spring Forum we will pilot Birds of a Feather-style breakout rooms to host open discussions on focused topics.

• Cybersecurity Awareness and Training Careers: This discussion will explore pathways to enter a career in cybersecurity awareness and training programs in the federal government.
• Cybersecurity Training Resources: This discussion will be centered around sharing best practices and training resources that are available.
• NICE Framework - Work Roles on Awareness, Training, and Education: This breakout room will be used to discuss the Cybersecurity Curriculum Development, Cybersecurity Instruction, and proposed Learning Program Management Work Roles in the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework). Participants will explore the usefulness and applicability of these roles to those who lead or support federal cybersecurity awareness and training programs.

2:05-2:30pm ET

Recognition of FISSEA Contest Winners and the FISSEA Innovator of the Year

Presented by Craig Holcomb, FISSEA Contest and Innovator of the Year Lead

2:30-2:55pm ET

Reducing Risk Through Awareness and Training

Dr. Mack Jackson Jr., Cybersecurity Speaker / Educator, Vanderson Cyber Group

Cyber risks continue to rise, but most breaches still begin with human error. This presentation shows how organizations can significantly reduce cyber risk by building a strong culture of cybersecurity awareness. Attendees will learn how today’s attackers exploit trust, routine, and technology gaps, and how targeted training can prevent costly incidents. The session delivers practical strategies to strengthen employee behavior, improve decision-making, and reduce exposure to phishing, ransomware, data loss, and fraud. Participants will leave with clear, actionable steps to protect their organization, customers, and reputation in today’s evolving digital threat landscape.

2:55-3:00pm ET

Closing Remarks

Joyce Mui, FISSEA Co-Chair, Senior Manager Research Informatics, University of Maryland Medical System & University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing

3:00-3:30pm ET

Virtual Exhibit Hall

NEW! At the FISSEA Spring Forum we will pilot a virtual exhibit hall. Stick around after the event to meet with exhibitors in a group setting. Interested in hosting a booth? Reach out to us at %20fissea [at] nist.gov (fissea[at]nist[dot]gov). 

• CISA’s Federal Cyber Defense Skilling Academy: CISA’s Federal Cyber Defense Skilling Academy (Skilling Academy) provides widely recognized, 100% virtual cybersecurity training for government employees, promoting collaboration and interactive learning in order to protect, defend, respond and reduce risk to our nation's critical infrastructure from cyber threats.
• Comtech CyberStronger: Train Smarter. Defend Stronger. Lead the Future.
  Transform hidden talent into skilled cyber defenders with Comtech CyberStronger. Training, skills labs, and assessments built by real-world cybersecurity experts.
• CyberReset™: Precision Nervous System Training for the Human Firewall: Cybersecurity performance degrades predictably under stress - impacting decision-making, attention, and increasing human error. CyberReset™ delivers neuroscience-based, rapid (<2-minute) interventions that stabilize the nervous system in real time, enabling personnel to interrupt stress spikes, recover quickly, and maintain operational performance. Designed for incident response and high-stakes cyber roles, these tools integrate seamlessly into existing workflows without disrupting mission tempo.
• National Cybersecurity Alliance: The National Cybersecurity Alliance is a non-profit organization on a mission to create a more secure, interconnected world. We are an alliance! It’s a reminder that creating a secure online world is a group effort. From families to Fortune 500s and every kind of organization in between, we work together with one goal in mind: to make cybersecurity easier and more accessible, so that we can experience the benefits technology brings to our lives without worry.
• National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS): The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) website is the premier online resource for cybersecurity training, education, and career information. NICCS connects government employees, students, educators, and industry with cybersecurity training providers and resources as well as provides important information about strengthening the cybersecurity workforce.