Theresa Payton

A former White House Chief Information Officer, the American leading expert in cybersecurity Theresa Payton is considered one of the top authorities in online fraud and IT Strategy.

As the first woman to have held such an important role at the White House, Payton was responsible for overseeing the IT operations for President George W. Bush and over 3,000 staff, whilst handling huge amounts a sensitive data. Her vast experience has also led Payton to work at a number of other organisations where security is paramount including the federal government, Bank of America and Wells Fargo. A highly regarded leader and influencer, Payton has gone on to become CEO of the cybersecurity company Fortalice Solutions. Working on an international level, the consultancy creates defensive strategies whilst identifying emerging threats for its clients.

Payton’s experience in the industry led to her being named a William J. Clinton distinguished lecturer by the Clinton School of Public Service in 2015. A regular speaker at events and conferences, Payton demonstrates the lessons of how to fend off cyberattacks that continue to evolve. She is also the author of multiple comprehensive publications and co-authored alongside Ted Claypoole the books, Privacy in the Age of Big Data: Recognizing Threats, Defending Your Rights, and Protecting Your Family, along with Protecting Your Internet Identity: Are You Naked Online? Honoured for her valuable work, Payton was named one of the top 25 Most Influential People in Security by Security Magazine, a Rising Star at Infosec and in 2005 she won NC’s Woman of the Year at the NAWBO Charlotte awards.