The Honorable Michael B. Halkitis was born on February 1st, 1969, in Nassau, Bahamas. He attended St Augustine’s College and Mr. Halkitis began his post-secondary education at the College of the Bahamas and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of Western Ontario. Mr. Halkitis qualified as a Chartered Financial Analyst in 1995.

Mr. Halkitis was first elected to The Parliament of The Bahamas in 2002 and again in 2012. He currently serves as Minister of Economic Affairs and Leader of Government Business in The Senate. His portfolio responsibilities include the promotion of Financial Services, Small Business Development, Ease of Doing Business, Consumer Protection, and International Trade.

Under his many years of leadership, the Bahamas’ Ministry of Finance was not only brought into the modern age through the digitization of its operations but also through the implementation of major taxation reforms which have been applauded for their seamless integration. Currently, he oversees the nation’s trade and the financial services industry which aims to improve our country’s ease of doing business and directs our country’s digitization efforts. He will play an important role in helping to stabilize the country’s finances.

Wayde Alexander Watson is a Bahamian politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for Bain Town and Grants Town in 2021. Watson is parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Finance. Prior to being elected to Parliament, Watson worked in the information and technology sector.

Dr. Bright Gameli Mawudor is a pioneering leader in the field of Cyber Security who has a strong commitment to shaping Africa’s Cyber Resilience landscape. He is also the visionary founder of Africahackon, a Cyber Security collective dedicated to nurturing excellence through capacity building and fostering a vibrant community of experts across the continent.

A world-class academic, Dr. Bright earned his PhD in IT Convergence and Application Engineering with a specialization in Information Security from Pukyong National University, South Korea. His outstanding professionalism has earned him prestigious positions on Advisory Boards, including EC-Council Global Advisory Board Member for CTIA, Cybersafe Foundation, Moringa School.

With over a decade of experience in the Cyber Security industry, Dr. Mawudor possesses profound expertise in Cyber Security Strategy, Resilience, and system penetration testing. A seasoned speaker, he has captivated audiences at more than 260 Cyber Security conferences, and his wisdom has been shared with students at various universities and through contributions to prominent Cyber Security publications.

Recognition has been no stranger to him, as he was honored by Tribe of Hackers: Blue Team 2020 and acknowledged among the Top 40 Under 40 young entrepreneurs in Kenya for his exceptional achievements. Having worked with esteemed organizations such as Dimension Data/NTT, Cellulant, and Ushahidi, Dr. Mawudor has conducted numerous evaluations and selections of Cyber Security tools, successfully implementing cutting-edge IT security systems to safeguard critical business environments and mitigate risks.

A technically skilled expert, especially within the Cyber Security space, Dr. Bright is dedicated, collaborative, and exhibits excellent leadership qualities. His indomitable spirit drives him to shape a more secure digital future for Africa and beyond

Jaime Chanagá is the Field Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Latin America and the Caribbean at Fortinet, Inc. With a career spanning more than twentyfive years as a CISO, he has made significant contributions as an executive advisor and board consultant, providing global perspectives and security strategies to Fortune Global 500 companies, governments, and leading organizations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

As a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and graduate of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Citizens Academy, Mr. Chanagá not only holds distinguished qualifications. Beyond his professional responsibilities, he has stood out as a thought leader in his field and as a meaningful contributor to the broader discourse in his area. His insights are featured in the book Corporate Security in the Information Age, and he frequently writes articles and contributes to media that shape the conversation in the cybersecurity field.

His involvement extends to prestigious government security and intelligence agencies, demonstrating a commitment to collaboration between the public and private sectors for the benefit of international security. As a member of InfraGard, he participates in a public–private partnership between the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), businesses, academic institutions, and national security and law enforcement agencies. He is also an active volunteer member of the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force (CFTF), combating digital security threats and fraud.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, Mr. Chanagá brings the international and multilingual expertise required in today’s global cybersecurity landscape.

Nestle Maullon is a Certified Public Accountant and Director in the Risk Assurance practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Bahamas. For the past 13 years, she has provided audit support for external audit engagements and has led internal audit engagements for clients across multiple industries in The Bahamas. Nestle also manages various types of engagements including cybersecurity, information security, IT audits, enterprise risk management, and internal audit.

Her international experience includes two years with PwC in London, UK, within the Risk Assurance practice, and four years at another Big 4 firm in the Philippines. In the Philippines, she gained extensive internal audit experience, performing COBIT reviews, Information Security and ISO 27001 preparedness reviews, SoX reviews, ITGCs reviews, and business process reviews (e.g., purchasing and payables, payroll, revenue and receivables).

In her current role, Nestle manages a diverse team of young professionals within the Risk Assurance Services line of service, focusing on managing external and internal audits. Her team is also responsible for digital transformation, assisting clients in enhancing their processes and managing risks through data analytics and digital tools.

Nestle’s experience locally includes reviewing and assessing ITGCs and assessing the functionality of IT dependencies including automated controls, system reports testing, and data auditing. She also performs other services such as IT risk governance by aligning client’s existing processes with best practices and international standards and helping clients to comply with regulatory requirements. She leads the local cybersecurity practice, working closely with regional specialists and assisting clients in drafting and improving policies on information security and enterprise risk management and regulations.

Shakera Johnson, MBA, CCISO, CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC has extensive experience in the field of information security and compliance. Shakera is currently serving as the Director of Information Security at Cable Bahamas Ltd. where they oversee the management of the company’s security measures. Prior to this role, they worked as the IT Security and Compliance Manager at the same company.

Before joining Cable Bahamas Ltd., Shakera worked at Atlantis Resorts as the Manager of IT Security and Compliance. Shakera was responsible for ensuring the security and compliance of the company’s IT systems.

Shakera’s career in the field of information security began at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas where they served as a Senior Security and Compliance Analyst. Shakera later transitioned into the role of Security and Compliance Analyst at the same company.

With their extensive experience and multiple certifications, Shakera Johnson is undoubtedly a highly skilled and knowledgeable professional in the field of information security and compliance.

Shakera Johnson holds an MBA degree from Georgia Southern University, which they obtained from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that, they earned a BA in Computer Information Systems from Savannah State University from 2004 to 2006. Additionally, they have obtained various certifications including the Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) from ISACA in 2021, the InsightIDR Certified Specialist from Rapid7 in 2020, and several certifications from CompTIA and ISACA. Shakera is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Sametria McKinney is a national leader in cybersecurity and digital resilience, currently serving as Director of the Bahamas’ National Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT-BS). In this role, she leads efforts to strengthen national cybersecurity capacity, build resilience across critical sectors, and coordinate the implementation of The Bahamas’ National Cybersecurity Strategy.

Over the course of her career, Sametria has broken new ground as one of the first women to hold top cybersecurity leadership roles in The Bahamas, including serving as the inaugural Chief Information Security Officer at the Central Bank
of The Bahamas. Today, she continues to champion cyber resilience through technical capacity building, national awareness campaigns, and policy development.

Her passion extends beyond strategy and systems, she is deeply committed to advancing gender representation in cybersecurity, mentoring women entering the field, and leading child online protection initiatives across schools and communities.

Sametria’s leadership has been recognized globally: she received the ISSA International President’s Award for Cybersecurity in Public Service (2023) and the ISC² Global Achievement Award for Professional Leadership in the Americas (2024). She is frequently invited to speak at regional and international forums, where she shares her expertise on building cyber resilience
and shaping inclusive, people-centered approaches to digital security.