Talk nerdy to us
To mark our tour’s return to US soil, we’ve gathered a powerhouse lineup of experts who live and breathe cybersecurity. These folks have seen it all—AI hype cycles, open-source Arsenal innovations and the evolution of cloud-based security—and they’re more than ready to share their expertise and spotlight all the latest innovation Black Hat 2025 has to offer.
Dan Mellinger
Head of Communications
Security.com’s Man in the Field
Hey, it’s me. I’ll be all over Black Hat on a top secret mission for something big coming to Security.com (but you didn’t hear that from me). This is my ninth Black Hat (oof…somebody help me out of my chair), and I’m expecting this one will cut through the AI hype of earlier years to what’s actually helpful. Swing by Booth 5045—we’re showing off a new AI-powered threat investigation tool that’s actually worth the buzz.
Kirk Hasty
Technical Product Engineer
Carbon Black Expert and Endpoint Sleuth
If it lives on an endpoint, Kirk is your guy. He’s all about diving deeper—and phishing for bass (not emails). Ask him how to catch subtle signs of compromise and reel in even more value out of Carbon Black’s award-winning solutions.
Lee Mussehl
Technical Product Engineer
Black Hat and App Control Whiz
Lee’s been holding it down at Black Hat for a decade this year. But she won’t just show you how to talk all day without stopping, she’ll also tell you how Carbon Black App Control helps you support your Zero Trust initiatives while protecting assets other tools overlook. Come nerd out with her over how a positive security, default/deny posture not only protects you on premises and in the cloud, but also optimizes productivity so well it pays for itself.
Rich Logsdon
Technical Product Engineer
Network Security and Sci-Fi Expert
Rich will walk you through Zero Trust, Web Isolation and Cloud SWG like a pro—because he is one. If you’re curious about extending your perimeter to the cloud, beam over for a briefing. But if you’d rather talk about Heinlein or Crouch, know Sci-Fi is actually his native language.
Matthew Kane
Technical Product Engineer
Adaptive Protection’s #1 Fan
Matthew’s seen endpoint threats evolve at a speed and aggression that would make other engineers run for the hills. Instead, he stood by your defenses and helped usher in Incident Prediction, the industry’s first AI-powered endpoint security weapon. And he can walk you through it in under five minutes.
Shanleigh Reardon
Product Marketing Manager
Coolest EDR Dweeb Ever
Shanleigh knows endpoint security inside and out, especially when it comes to Symantec Endpoint Security Complete (SESC). If you want a crash course in SESC’s Adaptive Protection, she won’t sugarcoat it—expect real talk and sharp product insights. It might be just her second Black Hat this year, but she’s a veteran in endpoint security.
Tom Salmond
Senior Manager and Technical Product Engineer
Folk-Dancing Secure Service Edge (SSE) Champion
Tom’s here to talk about Symantec and Carbon Black and all the benefits you can reap from their combined powers. Aside from showing you how integrated solutions (from a single vendor) keep you locked and loaded, he might show you a few killer dance moves from his days representing the U.S. at folk dancing festivals, or share his experience from his more than 26 years with Symantec
Ernie Simmons
Technical Product Engineer
DLP Diehard
It may not seem like it at first blush, but Data Loss Prevention (DLP) doesn’t have to be complicated. And we know just the guy to prove it. Let Ernie demystify DLP integration across your hybrid environments. He’ll even shed light on how Symantec DLP can keep your sensitive data from sliding into GenAI engines.
Michael Schlanhart
Technical Product Engineer
Seamless Symantec Stack Whisperer (SSSW)
Backstage, Michael’s all about making things work together, especially when it comes to AI-driven protection and visibility. Chat with him for insider knowledge on machine learning engines and seamless integration of endpoint AI behind Symantec’s industry-leading portfolio.
Paul Miller
Security Strategist
Lead Guitarist and Black Hat OG
Paul keeps a sharp eye on where the industry’s headed, with insights forged over years in the trenches. In addition to attending the first Black Hat (along with its predecessor, DEF CON), Paul even helped stop a malevolent attempt to trigger a nuclear apocalypse (true story!). Whether sharing his perspectives in writing (read his hot takes from this year’s RSAC™ Conference) or hearing it firsthand on the show floor, he’s the chap to hit up if you want the inside track on what’s worth watching, including how Threat Tracer will help save your analysts’ sanity. Oh, he also lives in Vegas, so he can share intel on the city that never sleeps.
Alan Hall
Head of Network Product Marketing
Network Nostradamus
Alan’s been to at least 12 Black Hats—he’s lost count, but trust, it’s a lot. Somewhat of a BH connoisseur, he’s got a knack for networks and conversation that’ll probably have you cracking a laugh. If you’re a fellow Kiwi, drop a kia ora (“hello” in Māori) and ask about Symantec’s performance on Google Cloud—spoiler alert: it’s choice (IYKYK).
Elisa Lippincott
Senior Product Marketing Manager
Lead Voice (of the field) and GTM Strategist
Elisa bridges the gap between what organizations need and what we build. She’s been coming to Black Hat since 2005 (for the most part) way back when giving out fun-size Snickers was enough to turn a 10×10 booth into a show floor sensation. She also almost became an American Gladiator, but we’ll let her tell you the rest. Ask her about her wine inventory categorization system, and see if you’re worthy of a “red sticker” wine.
Now that you’ve gotten to know some of our headliners (that’s right, there’s more), here’s where you come in.