Digital Panel
Rebooting Our Digital Architecture:
Picks & Shovels For an Operational Edge
We must modernize defense IT infrastructure and adopt commercial best practices to fully benefit from frontier, mission-enabling technologies. This panel examines how selecting, procuring, deploying, and leveraging the right tools can provide a decisive advantage for modern defense operations.
Chris Benson
Istari Digital | Co-Founder & CTO
Chris Benson is a co-founder and CTO of Istari Digital, a company that is re-thinking digital engineering from first principles, focused on security first, decentralization of data and ease-of-use. Istari Digital is applying its novel digital engineering platform to develop and certify a new X-plane to become the world's first digitally certified aircraft in a Program called Flyer Øne.
Justin Fanelli
U.S. Navy, PEO Digital | CTO, Tech Director
Mr. Justin Fanelli is the Acting CTO for the Dept of Navy and Technical Director of PEO Digital, driving technology-led mission success and secure IT transformation. He advises ARPA-H and several S&T boards. His teams have achieved multi-billion dollar savings and breakthrough impacts, while Defense Healthcare initiatives established a one‑stop data enterprise. Previously, he served as Chief Data Architect for Defense Health and Executive Lead for Navy’s digital transformation in 5G and DevSecOps. An educator at Georgetown and guest lecturer at top universities, he holds degrees from Penn State and UPenn and is a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. Awarded for innovative leadership, he is certified in Lean Six Sigma, Agile, and GIAC Security Leadership.
Enrique Oti
Second Front Systems | Chief Strategy Officer
Enrique Oti is the Chief Strategy Officer of Second Front Systems, where he fast-tracks government access to disruptive, commercially-proven software as a service applications for national security missions. Enrique had a 23-yr career in the US Air Force and commanded an intelligence support squadron in Korea, and was a co-founder of the Defense Innovation Unit in Silicon Valley. He co-founded the Kessel Run software development program, and in his final assignment served as the Kessel Run commander, retiring as a Colonel. Enrique earned a BS in History from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an MS in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College, and an MA in International Relations from Zhejiang University in China.
Eugene Kuznetsov
CDAO | CIO
Eugene Kuznetsov is the Chief Information Officer of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense (DOD). Previously, Mr. Kuznetsov was the Command Technology Officer (CTO) at Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, CA, where he spearheaded technology innovation with a focus on digital transformation and AI integration. As a serial startup founder, executive, and inventor, Mr. Kuznetsov has cultivated a broad expertise spanning platforms, sectors, and form factors. He has consistently led teams in delivering groundbreaking products at both nascent startups and large technology enterprises.
Fred Heiding
[ Moderator ]
Dr. Fred Heiding is a research fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center, a board member at DEF CON’s Misinformation Village, and part of WEF's Cybercrime Center. He has appeared in Black Hat, DEF CON, BSides, IEEE Access, and HBR. Fred has identified over 45 CVEs.