Speaker

Melissa "Mel" Cardiello leads Verizon's Global Services and Technology Cybersecurity teams, playing a pivotal role in upholding the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of Verizon's systems and data. She provides critical operational support and security governance oversight by ensuring Verizon practices proactive security measures that effectively mitigate risks, enable secure digital transformation, and defend against emerging threats and vulnerabilities. The teams she manages includes: SOX & Privacy Governance; Application Security and Perimeter Protection; Network and Infrastructure Security; and AI & Data Security.

Before moving to this role, Mel spent 5 years managing Verizon's Threat Management Center (TMC) whose mission is to act as the first line of defense for Verizon's networks and information systems against internal misuse and cyber attacks. The TMC aims to safeguard Verizon's brand, reputation, and revenue streams by proactively identifying, responding to, and mitigating potential threats that could negatively harm Verizon or our business partners. The teams she managed included: 24x7 Security Operations Center; Insider Threat Operations; Data Loss Prevention; Digital Forensics and Incident Response; Threat Hunting; Cyber Tabletop Exercises and Resilience.

Prior to joining Verizon, Mel spent 5 years supporting insider threat, incident response and e-discovery programs in the financial sector and humbly served for 10 years in Law Enforcement as a Crime Scene and Digital Forensic Supervisor where she led 1,000s of criminal cases and several specialized Fraud and ICAC task forces. Mel earned her Master’s degree in Digital Forensics from the University of Central Florida and is an advocate for Women in Technology and Life After Law Enforcement.