Chief Compliance Officer, JLL Capital Markets

James Downing is the Chief Compliance Officer of Jones Lang LaSalle Securities and Kensington Capital Advisers. Jim held similar roles at Morningstar, Aon, BMO Asset Management, and JP Morgan. Jim has 25 years experience with Investment Adviser, Investment Company and Broker Dealer compliance. Jim has his series 7, 24, 27, 52, 53, 99, and 63 from FINRA, a Master of Science in Accounting from Roosevelt University and a Juris Doctorate, with honors, from Taft Law School. Jim actively participates on several NSCP committees and was formerly the Chair of the Board. Jim is also the author of "The Fundamentals of Compliance" available at bookstores worldwide.

Global Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, JBS

Mike Koenig is the global Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer for JBS. Prior to being named to this position, Mike was the Head of Ethics and Compliance for Pilgrim’s Pride. 

For almost 25 years prior to joining Pilgrim’s, Mike represented and defended companies, individual executives, and public officials in federal and state criminal, civil and regulatory investigations and trials. In addition to private practice, Mike served as a federal prosecutor in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, where he prosecuted a variety of white collar crimes, with a primary focus on corporate fraud. 

Mike graduated from the University of Rochester and Georgetown University Law Center. He and his wife, Julie, have three children, and his favorite hobbies are running, reading, and anything sports-related.

Chief Audit Executive, Bank of China USA

Patrick Simonnet is a New York-based Managing Director and the Chief Audit Executive (CAE) of Bank of China for the USA.

Patrick has enjoyed a long career within banking and financial services. Prior to Bank of China, Patrick was the Global Head of Audit for Market Behavior & Conduct at Credit Suisse between 2014 and mid-2019. In this role, Patrick assumed global responsibility for the audit coverage of market conduct risk, including the related legal, compliance and regulatory programs and activities, including AML. He previously worked at JP. Morgan Chase in 2011-14, where he was an Executive Director within their Internal Audit department for the Investment Bank and their regulatory change program consecutively within the COO department. Originally from Paris, Patrick held a number of control and business roles with the Banque de France and the French Futures and Options Exchange and Clearing House (aka MATIF). Patrick also spent 14 years with Goldman Sachs in Paris, London, New York and Chicago, in various Operations, Finance, Technology, Management Controls and Internal Audit roles, ultimately leading the Americas regional Internal Audit program.

Patrick has been very familiar with 1st, 2nd and 3rd lines of defense matters since he has fulfilled responsibilities in a large number of different executive roles and covered related topics throughout his career at Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Credit Suisse, globally, and Bank of China in the US.

Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Michael is a Director within the Office of the General Auditor and Corporate Compliance division at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Michael and his team are responsible for designing and implementing technology solutions to support regulatory compliance and risk management efforts across the enterprise. Prior to joining BCBSM, Michael was at Ernst & Young within their IT Risk and Assurance practice. While at E&Y he focused on enterprise application implementations, business process redesign and mergers and acquisitions. He earned his Master of Business Administration from Wayne State University, his Bachelor of Science in Finance as well as an Information Technology Specialization from Michigan State University. Michael is also a Certified Information Systems Auditor.

Carlos Pereira

Head of Governance & Policy, Meta

As Head of Governance and Policy@ Meta (Facebook), Carlos Pereira brings an unprecedented understanding and knowledge of Governance, Risk Management, Oversight Management, Enterprise Risk Management, Operational Risk, Vendor Risk, and IT Risk. He has over 25 years of industry and risk consulting experience working with Fortune 100 companies. Carlos continues to lead by example in the development of the governance and risk management industries through practitioner excellence. He has diverse ERM experience in conducting detailed risk and control assessments; Enterprise Risk Management implementation; leading expert on the 2017 COSO Framework; DOL Fiduciary Rule; Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) testing and validation; Control Self Assessments (CSA); implementing Enhanced Prudential Standards (EPS) for foreign banks owned in the U.S.; Internal Controls definition and testing; Risk metrics and measures; Operational Improvements and Excellence, Audit & Compliance integration. Carlos has been invited as an honorary speaker at several industry Risk Management Conferences. He has several risk management certifications, an MBA degree and is multilingual.

Sr Audit Program Manager, Lockheed Martin Corporation

Joe is Senior Program Manager with Lockheed Martin Corporation where he worked for 28 years. He has more than 15 years of experience as an Internal Auditor and risk professional. Joe oversees the Corporate Internal Audit Professional Services and Data Analytics teams. In this role Joe is responsible for the department budget and staffing, reporting, quality program, Business Leadership Program (BLP), the Risk Program, and delivering innovative digital solutions to drive efficiency and effectiveness throughout the organization.

Prior to Internal Audit, Joe spent several years as the Senior Manager in the Government Finance and Compliance group at Lockheed's Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) business area working closely with government counterparts at the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). Joe also had responsibility for interpreting Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) as they apply to contracts, processes, practices and procedures. In addition, Joe's role was responsible for Common Disclosure Rates, Business Integration, Incurred Cost Compliance, Final Rates & Special Reporting, SOX Testing, and Audit.

Joe has also spent many years earlier in his career working as a Program Finance analyst on many significant programs at Lockheed Martin to include the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Sea-Based Missile Defense (SBMD) Program, Royal Australian Navy Upgrade (RAN UP) Program, and the Aegis Japanese Program. Additionally, Joe supported several proposal initiatives including the Norwegian New Frigate and Littoral Combat Ship proposals.

Joe is a graduate of Lockheed Martin's Finance Leadership Development Program (FLDP), Business Leadership Development Program (BLDP), and the Finance Leadership Academy (FLA).

Joe has a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Economics from Shippensburg University and an MBA from the University of Delaware. Joe is also an IIA Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and certified Quality Assessor.

US Head of Risk Management, Banco Itau International

Patricia Catharino is an accomplished senior risk management professional with extensive experience in designing and implementing comprehensive operational risk management frameworks, methodologies, and tools for leading banking institutions. With deep expertise in banking regulations and compliance, Patricia excels at guiding organizations to identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks effectively ensuring full alignment with regulatory standards and industry best practices.

Over the years, her role has expanded to encompass a broad spectrum of risk management disciplines, including market, liquidity, capital, credit, socio-environmental, and fiduciary risks. This breadth of expertise provides Patricia with a well-rounded perspective on risk in the financial sector, enabling her to develop integrated strategies that address interconnected risks and strengthen institutional resilience.

A culturally aware leader, Patricia has worked across diverse regions, including Latin America and the United States, in roles spanning country, regional, and global levels. Known for outstanding communication, leadership, and project management skills, she is adept at fostering collaboration and driving effective risk mitigation strategies across teams and geographies.

VP, Global Ethics & Compliance, Live Nation Entertainment

Emily Wall is the Vice President – Global Ethics and Compliance, GRC Operations & Technology for Live Nation Entertainment. Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world's leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship.

Emily started her 24-year career with LNE on the Ticketmaster side, working in various roles and locations and even as a Box Office Coordinator at the Beijing Olympics. Her current role includes Regulatory & Legal Compliance and Governance, Risk, Compliance Operations and Technology across LNE and its subsidiaries globally. She manages multiple teams across the US & abroad with responsibilities including: Mergers & Acquisitions Onboarding & Integration. Corporate Training & Awareness including a shared services content creation team. Website & Application Compliance. Anti-Corruption Program including sanctions & FCPA compliance. Business Integrity & Fraud Hotlines. Governance, Risk, Compliance Operations and Technology including PMO, Reporting, and Dev Support. Third Party Risk Management: Vendors, Partners, Suppliers, & Ethical Supply Chain lifecycle risk management. Risk management regarding spear phishing & business email compromise attempts & internal training campaigns. Environmental, Social, Governance Program.

Emily is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/US and a Certified Information Privacy Manager. She is a member of the IAPP, CFE, and the WVOV PMI.

On a personal note, Emily loves to give back to the community and volunteers as a Board member for a local Art/Music festival: FestivALL Charleston, is a founding member of Arti Gras and Yak Fest local Arts and Kayaking festivals respectively, and serves on various committees in Charleston and St. Albans, WV. She has always loved to paint, draw, and sculpt and her work can be seen as street signs in Charleston, West Virginia’s capital city.

Director, Operational Risk Management, Golub Capital

Technology Security Director, EMC Insurance

Ben Meader is an experienced cybersecurity executive with a proven track record of leading enterprise-wide security and risk management programs. Currently serving as the Director of Technology Security at EMC Insurance, he drives key strategic functions including Security Architecture, Technology Risk Management, CyberSecurity Operations and Engineering, and Identity and Access Management. Ben holds both a CISSP and MBA and brings deep technical insight combined with business-oriented decision making.

Ben cultivates high-performing teams, mentors upcoming security professionals, and fosters collaboration across business and technical domains. He is also known for bridging the gap between innovation and practical risk mitigation, ensuring that security serves as an enabler rather than a block.

From a GRC perspective, Ben has led cross-functional teams in IT risk management, driving initiatives such as vendor risk evaluation, modernization of security policies, implementation of risk quantification methodologies, and the development of a robust risk management framework. He also spearheaded the enterprise risk assessment for Generative AI adoption and presented the findings to the board, informing strategic decision-making.

Outside of his daily work, Ben plays a role in the startup community, helping to mentor founders on their journey through his work with the Global Insurance Accelerator and served as an advisor to a TechStars security startup.

He currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa with his family and enjoys rooting on his favorite sports teams along with playing basketball, fishing, and playing old-school video games in his spare time.

Vice President and Chief Information Officer, California State University, Chico

Dr. Monique Sendze is Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at California State University, Chico. With more than 25 years of technology leadership across higher education, government, and industry, she is known for driving innovation, organizational transformation, and equity-focused IT strategies.

At Chico State, Dr. Sendze oversees the university’s central IT unit, providing leadership for academic, administrative, and research technologies. Her portfolio includes Enterprise Systems, Academic Technology Services, Network, Data Center, and Telecommunications, Data Services, Information Security and Identity Management, Creative Media Technology, IT Support Services and User Experience, Office of Digital Accessibility, Enterprise Applications, Web Services, Project and Change Management Office, Business Process Automation, Institutional Research and Strategic Analytics, and Technology Equity. She emphasizes agile, adaptable solutions that enhance teaching, learning, and research while strengthening risk management and centralized operations.

Dr. Sendze holds a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership, specializing in Organizational Development. She combines deep technical expertise with a strong understanding of organizational culture and change, making her a transformative leader.

Her leadership excellence has been nationally recognized, including being named a 2021 finalist for the CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards and receiving the 2016 Info-Tech CIO Award. Passionate about talent development and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, Dr. Sendze brings both technological and organizational expertise to higher education.

Chief Legal Officer/Chief Compliance Officer, Mosaic Health System

Michael R. Rinard is the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, Missouri. With extensive experience in legal and compliance leadership, Michael ensures the organization adheres to healthcare regulations and ethical standards.

At Mosaic Life Care, Michael manages legal risks, advises on corporate governance, and implements compliance programs. He holds a Juris Doctor (JD) degree and certifications in healthcare compliance (CHC) and healthcare privacy compliance (CHPC).

Michael is a respected leader known for his expertise in HIPAA compliance, patient privacy, and healthcare policy. He frequently shares his insights through articles and speaking engagements, contributing to the legal and compliance community.

Manager, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Nick Cannon is a manager on the Technology and Operations team within the Office of the General Auditor and Corporate Compliance division at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Nick has held various roles across the compliance and privacy functions throughout his nearly 10 years with BCBSM. In his current role, Nick is responsible for supporting the division’s technology strategy. This includes overseeing MetricStream implementations across BCBSM and its subsidiaries.

Nick holds two bachelor’s degrees, a Juris Doctor, and a Master’s in Business Administration. He also maintains compliance, ethics, and privacy certifications and is a certified HITRUST CSF practitioner

Analyst & Pundit, GRC 20/20 Research & GRC Report

Michael Rasmussen is an internationally recognized thought leader and pioneer in governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC). With over 30 years of experience, he has extensive expertise in enterprise GRC strategy and processes supported by robust information and technology architectures. Known as the “Father of GRC,” Michael was the first to define and model the GRC market in February 2002 while at Forrester, setting the foundation for the modern understanding of GRC.

Founder & President, Excellence in Risk Management, LLC

Christopher E. Mandel is a assistant professor and faculty member of the College of Business, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he teaches risk-related courses. He has served as the former Chief Risk Advisor to USI Southwest Insurance Services, Mr. Mandel retired twice, first as Chief Risk Officer, USAA Group (10 years) and later as SVP, Strategic Solutions for Sedgwick and the Founding Director of the Sedgwick Institute (8 years). He remains the founder, president and managing consultant of Excellence in Risk Management, LLC., and was also EVP, Professional Services for rPM3 Solution, LLC. both independent consulting firms specializing in enterprise and strategic risk management and related services. At USAA, he designed, developed and led the award-winning enterprise-wide risk management program, which included serving as President and Vice Chairman, Enterprise Indemnity CIC, Inc., and Arizona domiciled captive insurance company. Mr. Mandel has more than 35 years of experience in insurance and large global corporate risk management. He has served the Risk and insurance Management Society, (RIMS) as Chief Risk Officer (2003-04) and President, 2002-2003 and in various capacities over the years including member of the Board/Executive Council from 1998 to 2004. He holds or has held board appointments to many diverse organizations within the risk industry. He was elected a founding member of Risk Who’s Who in 2008 and teaches for the Risk Management Society, the National Alliance, and the International Center for Captive Insurance Education.

Mr. Mandel received his B.S. in Business Management from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a master’s in business administration from George Mason University. Between these university programs, he was conferred the CRM (Canadian Risk Management - 2018), RIMS Certified Risk Management Professional (CRMP) (‘17), C31000 (’17), RIMS Fellow (RF – ‘13), the CCSA (‘07), CPCU (‘87), ARM-E (‘90/’15) and AIC (‘82) designations and is a graduate of Every Nation Leadership Institute (ENLI). He was conferred the Certificate in Risk Governance by the Director’s Chief Risk Officer Institute (DCRO) and continues to be a frequent industry speaker, teacher and author. He was named Risk Manager of the Year – 2004, in 2008 was voted in as a member of Risk Who’s Who (RWW) and in 2016 received RIMS’ highest honor of the Goodell Award for lifetime achievement. He is recognized by his peers as a thought leader in ERM and related.

Chief Executive Officer, MetricStream

Marc Levine joined MetricStream in April 2025 as Chief Executive Officer. Marc is a proven leader with over two decades of experience in enterprise SaaS, data, and analytics, including more than 10 years at Moody’s Analytics, where he led the Structured Finance division.

Marc has a track record of driving revenue acceleration, EBITDA expansion, and operational excellence in both public companies and privately held organizations. He has deep expertise in managing high-growth business units, optimizing cost structures, and executing strategic pivots to enhance enterprise value. With a strong background in SaaS workflow solutions tailored to reporting, compliance, accounting, and risk, Marc is skilled in value-based pricing, transitioning from one-time to recurring revenue models, and executing high-impact commercial strategies to expand market penetration. He has also led deal negotiations, due diligence, and seamless integration of acquired businesses to maximize synergies and drive shareholder returns. Marc's leadership is customer-centric and growth-focused, experienced in structuring enterprise-level partnerships, negotiating strategic customer contracts, and positioning businesses for long-term success. Marc holds a BA in Psychology from Brandeis University, with high honors, and lives outside Boston with his wife.

Co-founder & Vice Chairman, MetricStream

Gaurav Kapoor is the Co-Founder, Vice Chairman and Board Member at MetricStream focused on AI-First growth strategy and execution, customer expansion and market competitiveness.

Prior to this, as CEO, Gaurav led MetricStream to become a global market leader in Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), delivering value to customers, shareholders, employees, and partners. Over the past decade, he has played key leadership roles—Co-CEO, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer—driving Strategy, Go-to-Market, Sales, Marketing, Partnerships, Customer Success, Service Delivery, and Support through various phases of the company’s growth.

Gaurav also served as the founding CFO of the company helping lay the early foundation for the company’s long-term success. Under his leadership, MetricStream has expanded its global footprint, serving customers in over 30 countries with a workforce of more than 1,000 employees. Its investors have included BlueTorch Capital, Goldman Sachs, Clearlake Capital, Sageview Capital, CM Growth, Kaiser Ventures, and Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDBI). MetricStream counts many Global 500 companies among its customers.

Prior to MetricStream, he was at OpenGrowth, an incubation and venture firm where he helped build and grow several companies including ArcadiaOne and Regalix. Prior to that, he spent several years in high growth business roles at Citi in Asia and the U.S including consumer digital payments and derivative financial products.

Mr. Kapoor has a Bachelor's degree in Technology (with Honors) from the Indian Institute of Technology, a degree in Business from FMS, Delhi, and an MBA from the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated as a Palmer Scholar. He has served on the board of Regalix, a digital innovation and marketing company for a decade and an investor/advisor to other technology companies.

Apart from a high degree of customer intimacy working closely with dozens of the largest global organizations, he has been a regular contributor and speaker at the GRC Summit, IIA, Ops Risk, GARP, RMA, and SIFMA, among many other industry platforms. He is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council and NACD certified member.

Executive Chairman, MetricStream

Gunjan Sinha is a visionary, entrepreneur, and business leader. He currently serves as the founder and executive chairman of MetricStream. He is probably still best known as the founder of WhoWhere?- an internet search engine which he sold to Lycos in 1998. He is also the co-founder and board member of the customer engagement software company, eGain (NASDAQ: EGAN). Throughout his career, he has been an active investor and board member in numerous successful Silicon Valley start-ups and venture funds.

Gunjan is a strong believer in social entrepreneurship, having helped create Child Family Health International, a United Nations recognized public non-profit, to transform global health education. From 2010 to 2017, Gunjan became the founding board member of the US India Endowment Board - started by the US State Department along with the Office of Science and Technology at the White House – an endowment fund that supports innovation and commercialisation of science and technology for social good in the US and India.

Gunjan is passionate about social innovation, diversity, inclusiveness, and global risk management. He envisions a world that brings the power of socially conscious innovations to better disrupt its risks, and create opportunities for all.