Event Details

Title: A2V Network Offering for ONG-ISAC Members

CPE Credit: 1 hour

Abstract: The software and hardware used by oil and natural gas systems are critical to the subsector’s reliable and safe operation. The supply chains for these products are at increasing risk of compromise. Fortress Information Security, LLC (“Fortress”) can help the ONG-ISAC and its members manage these risks in secure, cost-effective ways, while navigating the TSA cybersecurity directives.

Fortress operates a central repository of data on hardware and software supply chains for major energy companies. Fortress welcomes the opportunity to provide “value added” analyses of specific supply chain issues for ONG-ISAC and its members, just as it already does for electric utilities, the Department of Defense, and other clients. In addition, when multiple clients identify requirements for vendors to make improvements in their supply chains, Fortress can support and coordinate those remediation requests with the larger vendor community to facilitate timely and effective responses that save time and effort of ONG members.

Speakers: Tobias Whitney and Betsy Soehren-Jones

Betsy Soehren-Jones, Chief Operating Office

As Chief Operating Office, Soehren-Jones is responsible for Fortress’ HR, Marketing, Public Policy, Sales, and Strategy organizations serving the Critical Infrastructure, Manufacturing, and Department of Defense business lines.

Prior to her current position, Soehren-Jones served as the Director of Cyber Strategy and Policy at Exelon, a Fortune 100, in the Power mercantile business. In her role, she was responsible for designing and implementing the company’s information and vendor security programs. The programs served the company’s 6 utilities, renewal generation portfolio, energy trading organization, and enterprise services (i.e. human resources, legal, compliance, etc). Before that, she served as the Chief of Staff across the IT, Procurement, Real Estate, Security, and Transportation organizations. In this role, she was responsible for driving efficiency and cost savings projects. From 2005-2015, Soehren-Jones held numerous leadership roles within the utility company ComEd, an Exelon subsidiary, serving the northern half of Illinois, including the City of Chicago. Prior to her work in the electric industry, Soehren–Jones served as a trial assistant responsible for e-discovery within the litigation department of Winston and Strawn.

Tobias Whitney, Vice President of Strategy and Policy

As Vice President of Strategy and Policy, Whitney is establishing strategic direction and influencing regulatory policy for Fortress’ third party risk solutions, prioritizing, and selecting key standards and industry policies that cybersecurity and leading the A2V Governance Board.

Prior to joining Fortress, Whitney was the Technical Executive in charge of Transmission and Distribution R&D at the Electric Power Research Institute. Prior to that, Whitney was Principal for Critical Infrastructure Protection at NERC, where he was responsible for CIP compliance and standards oversight function and facilitates and provide administrative support to the CIP Compliance Working Group. He also provided CIP subject matter expertise as a compliance liaison to the Cyber Security 706 standard drafting team. Prior to joining NERC, Tobias worked as an engineer at Burns & McDonnell Engineering in Missouri, leading the Critical Infrastructure Advisory team and GE Energy’s Smart Grid Center of Excellence. He began his career as a senior IT systems auditor at PwC.