Joshua Copeland is a cybersecurity executive, professor, author, startup advisor, and speaker focused on AI risk, cyber resilience, and trust. He serves as Director of Cybersecurity at Crescendo, teaches cybersecurity at Tulane University, and is Deputy Commander of the Louisiana State Guard Cyber Reserve. A 20-year Air Force veteran, Joshua has led across security operations, governance, cloud security, customer assurance, and executive risk strategy. He is the author of Unpopular Opinion: Burning Down the Bullsht to Rebuild Cybersecurity* and the forthcoming The Empathic Hacker.

Known as “The Unpopular Opinion Guy,” he advises startups on AI governance, GTM credibility, and turning security into business trust.

Kayla Williams is a fractional CISO, GRC strategist, and co-founder of Williams Rose AI Cyber Advisory. With a career spanning global financial institutions and SaaS companies with complex M&A environments, she has built enterprise security programs, managed high-stakes incidents, and navigated the regulatory frameworks governing the world's most scrutinized industries. Today she also leads Kayla Williams Consulting and advises enterprises on the real-world collision of AI adoption, fragmented regulation, and operational risk. She speaks from the trenches, for the CISOs and security leaders who can't wait for policy to catch up with reality.