Planning Committee

Dr. Melissa Dark

Founder & President

DARK Enterprises, Inc.

Dr. Melissa Dark has worked in cybersecurity education for the past 26 years, leading groundbreaking initiatives that have shaped the field nationally. Her early work focused on graduate-level cybersecurity education and has progressively expanded to community college and high school, driven by two critical needs: robust cybersecurity literacy among all cybercitizens and closing the cybersecurity workforce gap. As a professor and associate dean at Purdue University, she originated INSuRE, a multi-institutional cybersecurity research collaborative, and served as lead evaluator for the GenCyber program (2014-2021). She co-led the National Cybersecurity Curriculum Program and authored the High School Cybersecurity Curriculum Guidelines. In 2015, she founded DARK Enterprises, Inc., a non-profit focused on cybersecurity education Development, Assessment, Research and Knowledge Transfer. Dr. Dark serves as a founding member of the National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy (NCTA), the only effort in the U.S. providing academic credentials for high school cybersecurity teachers, and co-chairs the ACM committee that produced the CSEC curriculum standards for foundational cybersecurity.

Dr. Chuck Gardner

Director, Heartland Cyber Range

EnterpriseKC

As Director of the Heartland Cyber Range at EnterpriseKC, Chuck leads cybersecurity education, training, and workforce initiatives. He develops immersive learning experiences and hands-on curricula that equip learners with real-world defense skills and research capabilities. Chuck also plays a key role in identifying and nurturing high-potential cyber talent across the region, expanding access to cybersecurity pathways for diverse learners. Before joining EnterpriseKC, Chuck spent a decade in K-12 education, followed by nine years at CYBER.ORG, where he developed national cybersecurity curriculum and supported educators, school districts, state departments of education, and regional and federal partners in building cybersecurity capacity. Since 2016, he's also led an initiative with Virginia's Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, delivering accessible cybersecurity education to more than 200 students nationwide.

Jennifer Marden

Research Scientist / RING Trainer

Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education
The University of Alabama in Huntsville

Jennifer Marden is a distinguished trainer and research scientist with the Regions Investing in the Next Generation (RING) cybersecurity and AI curriculum teams at the Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education at the University of Alabama Huntsville. Her primary responsibilities include providing cybersecurity curriculum training to K-12 educators and demonstrating cyber curricula to stakeholders. She collaborates closely with the Education Pathway National Centers (EPNC) to promote cybersecurity education through the RING program and curriculum. Mrs. Marden brings a wealth of experience from her 13-year tenure as a teacher in Virginia's Loudoun County Public Schools, where she taught Introduction to Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Operations, Python programming, Computer Information Systems, and Personal Finance. Before starting her teaching career, Mrs. Marden accumulated 17 years of experience in Information Technology as a system engineer, consultant, developer, manager, and director for various consulting and telecommunications firms worldwide. She has been a Virginia Cyber Range Board member and has worked with the Virginia Department of Education to create and update cyber curriculum. She also co-directs the Virginia CyberSlam conference for high school students. Her contributions have earned her the Virginia Cybersecurity Educator Award in 2022.

Jereme Monette

Cybersecurity & CTE Program Specialist

Cyber Florida at the University of South Florida

Jereme Monette is a leader in educational technology with over 20 years of experience in K-12 teaching and learning. As Supervisor of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (CTAE) for Hillsborough County Public Schools, the nation's seventh-largest school district, Jereme led district-wide technology initiatives that expanded CTAE course offerings and improved student learning and performance. Jereme now supports cybersecurity education across Florida as a Cybersecurity and CTE Program Specialist with Cyber Florida at the University of South Florida, where he helps facilitate professional development for cyber educators, engaging learning experiences for students, statewide CTE research and initiatives, and programmatic support for school district leaders.

Dr. Davina Pruitt-Mentle

Lead for Academic Engagement

NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Dr. Davina Pruitt-Mentle serves as Lead for Academic Engagement of NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) at NIST. With over 30 years of experience, she has conducted pioneering research on student and educator cyberawareness while developing programs to strengthen the STEM and cybersecurity workforce pipeline. Prior to joining NICE, she served as a senior researcher and policy analyst for Educational Technology Policy, Research and Outreach (ETPRO) and Co-PI for the NSF-supported National CyberWatch Center (NCC). Her academic career includes faculty positions within the College of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she also served as Director of Educational Technology Outreach. Dr. Pruitt-Mentle is a leading voice in cybersecurity education policy and workforce development, bridging K-12, higher education, and industry partnerships. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology Policy from the University of Maryland, an M.Ed. from Lynchburg College, and a B.S. from Virginia Tech.

Travis Wilde

Academic Account Director

CompTIA

Travis Wilde has spent more than a decade helping schools and districts design IT programs that prepare students for college and careers. As Academic Account Director at CompTIA, he works with educators across the country, especially in the southeastern United States, to integrate industry-recognized certifications and build pathways grounded in real-world skills. A graduate of Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University, Travis brings an educator-focused mindset and deep commitment to student success to every partnership. His philosophy centers on helping students develop practical, hands-on skills that prepare them to thrive in an ever-changing technology landscape.

Dr. Michelle Angelo-Rocha

Cyber Research Analyst

Cyber Florida: The Florida Center for Cybersecurity
University of South Florida

Dr. Michelle Angelo-Rocha is an interdisciplinary social-behavioral researcher specializing in cybersecurity education and workforce development. She serves as a Cyber Research Analyst at Cyber Florida and Adjunct Professor in the College of Education at the University of South Florida (USF). Dr. Angelo-Rocha coordinates the Cyber Bay Workforce Development Initiative, a regional collaboration aligning education programs with entry-level cybersecurity talent needs. She is the author of Certification and a Holistic Approach to Cybersecurity Workforce Education and co-author of The Search for the Cyber Unicorn: Perspectives from HR on Filling Entry-Level Cybersecurity Positions. Her research examines workforce preparation challenges, including experience requirements, applied learning design, and professional skill development. She developed a comprehensive cybersecurity education model for nontraditional adult learners integrating technical skills, experiential learning, and portfolio creation. Her work spans K-12 students, adult learners, veterans, law enforcement, and career-changers. She serves on the 2026 NICE Conference committee and holds a PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies.

Dr. Nathan Fisk

Associate Professor of Cybersecurity Education

University of South Florida
Community and Outreach Academic Director, Cyber Florida

Dr. Nathan Fisk is Associate Professor of Cybersecurity Education at the University of South Florida and Community and Outreach Academic Director for Cyber Florida. His research examines cybersecurity and hacking through a social perspective, focusing on the role of cybersecurity and hacker communities as gatekeepers to the workforce. Dr. Fisk founded the 502 Project, an NCAE-C funded initiative developing a scalable, facilitated cybersecurity community connecting cyber education events nationwide. Among the inaugural group of Fulbright Cybersecurity Scholars, he is the author of Framing Internet Safety, published by MIT Press. For the past decade, Dr. Fisk has served as founder and managing director of the USF CyberCamp, a high school cybersecurity summer camp program grounded in the Tampa Bay cybersecurity community. His work bridges academic research, community building, and practical workforce development in cybersecurity education.

Kyle Kuhlers

Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow

U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce
Waterloo Career Center & Hawkeye Community College

Kyle Kuhlers is a 2025 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, advocating for K-12 education and advancing understanding of emerging technologies and AI policy at the federal level. With 22 years as an Information Technology and Cybersecurity educator at Waterloo Career Center and Hawkeye Community College, Kyle has built comprehensive programs spanning web programming, cybersecurity, database design, and game development. Before teaching, he spent six years as an IT professional at Oral-B Laboratories. Kyle's passion lies in building community relationships that translate into workforce opportunities for students, particularly in rural areas. He has coached competitive cyber defense teams to national competitions including CyberPatriot, CyberCon, and the Iowa State High School CDC. His unique ability to forge partnerships among community members, parents, students, and local businesses creates pathways that benefit all stakeholders. Kyle holds a National Cybersecurity Teachers Academy certificate from the University of Louisville and a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Iowa.

Moriah Walker

College Board

Bio coming soon