In 2006, he was appointed as New York’s deputy secretary of Public Safety. In this role, he had day-to-day responsibility for managing homeland security affairs, emergency preparedness and response and law enforcement, and oversaw 63,000 employees and a budget of $5 billion. Mr. Balboni, an 18-year veteran of both houses of the State Legislature, has extensive experience in security and law enforcement matters.

Prior to his service as deputy secretary of Public Safety, he was the chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs. As chair of the committee, he wrote every major homeland security law in New York, including the state’s Anti-Terrorism Law of 2001 that mandates severe penalties for those who commit terror acts, make terror threats, or render assistance to terrorists.

Mr. Balboni also authored a 2002 law that helps protect the state’s water supply from terror attacks. In 2005, he authored the Chemical Plant Security Act, the first of its kind in the nation. Over the years, Mr. Balboni has also been appointed to various federal and national homeland security positions. Most recently, he was appointed as an outside advisor to President Obama’s homeland security transition team, the Homeland Security Quadrennial Review Commission, and the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

Prior to joining Liquidnet, Al served as a Technical Director at the Securities Industry Automation Corporation (SIAC), the technology arm of the New York and American Stock Exchanges, where he was responsible for drafting information security policies and performance of a wide range of network security tests and assessments. His four years at SIAC included the events of 9/11/2001 and the August 2003 blackout and he participated in the information security response to these events.

Al has been in the information systems and security industry for over 20 years in many roles including programmer, network engineer and designer, information security consultant.

At the Federal Reserve Bank, Mr. Boldizar oversaw matters pertaining to computer forensics and incident response, and implemented security policies and practices with various government and law enforcement groups, incorporating best practices from FFIEC, Sarbanes-Oxley, ISO9001-2000, ISO27001 (formerly BS7799) and the Gramm Leach Bliley Act. Mr. Boldizar also served in the capacity of Master Security Officer for New York Branches of several large international banks.

Advisory Boards

• Triumfant, Inc.
• Finjan Corporation
• Qosmos
• Federal Solutions Group

• Managing Director at Pierce Capital Partners
• Affiliate Research Professor of Information Assurance Policy and Strategy at Idaho State University
• Venator Partners

• The nation’s first Presidentially-appointed Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Communications, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2006-2008
• Vice President, Information Security, Information Technology Association of America, 2003-2006
• Professional Staff, House Science Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, 2001-2003
• Director, Global Government Relations, 3Com Corporation, 1999-2001
• Coalition Manager, Americans for Computer Privacy, 1998-99
• Assistant Vice President, International Trade, American Electronics Association, 1992-98

Garcia was graduated with distinction in Business Administration from California State University, San Jose.

Darren is also the current Extern Examiner for the Master of Science in Computer Forensics degree, at his alma mater - University College Dublin. He also enjoys his other position as Professional Training Consultant, in Computer Forensics, for the Department of Education in New York City. In this position, he has worked on the computer forensics curriculum, developed by Pace University, for a number of high schools throughout New York City.

Darren has been a Super Reviewer for a number of publications for Pearson Prentice Hall and is the co-author of Skills for Success with Microsoft Access 2010 Comprehensive, which is scheduled to be published in Summer 2010.

As a trained negotiator and psychotherapist, Richard has a clear understanding of the human mind and how a terrorist thinks. His experiences with terrorist detainees and working with other government agencies through interrogations and mission planning earned him the Bronze Star and subsequent teaching assignments at the United States Military Academy and US Air Force Academy.

Richard has a Master's degree in Business and Organizational Security Management from Webster University, a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from Long Island University, a Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Studies from the University of Saint Andrews, Scotland, and is currently pursuing his PhD in Strategic Security at Henley-Putnam University. He is currently an adjunct for the Center for Homeland Security at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Henley-Putnam University and Fairleigh Dickinson University as a graduate course instructor in terrorism studies and homeland security where he teaches other professionals in understanding the threat.

Other certifications held by Richard include: Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress (BCETS), Board Certified in Emergency Crisis Response (BCECR) and Board Certified in School Crisis Response (BCSCR) through the National Center for Crisis Management; Certified Law Enforcement Instructor through ILEETA; graduate of the FBI Basic Crisis/Hostage Negotiations School and Department of Justice / FBI Post Blast Investigator’s Course; DoD Conventional Physical Security Course; DoD Special Reaction Team Course; and DoD Antiterrorism Level II and III courses.

Prior to this appointment, Michael retired as a police officer where he served in various positions including the detective bureau, patrol division, swat unit, and hostage negotiations unit. Throughout his career as a distinguished lawman, Michael received extensive tactical training through the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy, Metro Dade Swat Unit, Def-Tech, and the FBI. Michael has an extensive working background in search warrant and building entries and techniques. Michael was also a former Swat Commander who wrote policy and has evaluated tactical commands. Michael is also a certified Hostage Negotiator and has experience is peacefully resolving many critical incidents.

Additionally, Michael has taught and lectured extensively at various police academies and specializes in civil disturbances and riot control techniques. Michael maintains certifications and professional affiliations in the law enforcement community. Michael has also proudly served in the United States Navy as a Gunner’s Mate.

Michael holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and Management, and is completing a PhD in Public Policy and Administration with a specialization in Homeland Security.

Michael has always valued the importance of formal education and his committed himself to a life of learning, growth, and public service. In 2009, Michael was selected and successfully attended and completed The Harvard University Kennedy School of Executive Leadership Program. Michael attended the specialization program of Crisis Leadership at Harvard.

As an expert on homeland security issues, she has provided commentary for Fox News, C-Span, CNN Radio, Pajamas TV, Voice of America, Federal News Radio, and ABC News Radio among others and has testified before Congress on such topics as E-Verify. Her commentary has appeared in such publications as The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Government Executive, CNS News, Congressional Quarterly and Federal Computer Week.

Before joining Heritage in 2008, McNeill worked as a Research Assistant for Hutchinson Group LLC, a homeland security consulting firm founded by Asa Hutchinson, former Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security at the Department of Homeland Security. She previously worked as an Environmental Management Consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton and as a Staff Assistant for Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. She has worked on several high-profile gubernatorial and congressional campaigns and was a legislative intern for Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WVA).

Previously, Jeff founded Authis, a provider of innovative risk-managed identity services for the financial vertical, and was the CIO of The Ohio State University’s second largest business unit. In this capacity, he directed the technology planning, budgeting, implementation, and operations for a $65MM department. He also spent time at The Microsoft Corporation where he spearheaded Microsoft’s first internal malicious testing of Windows 2000.

Jeff is a founder and elected Director of the InfraGard National Members Alliance, the private sector component of the FBI’s InfraGard Program (InfraGard is an FBI/private sector alliance dedicated to improving and extending information sharing between private industry and the government on matters of national security). Jeff helped the FBI create the InfraGard Program in 1998 and has received commendations from the Attorney General, the Director of the FBI, and the National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC – now a part of the Department of Homeland Security).

On topics of computer security, Jeff is frequently interviewed and cited by numerous national publications and news outlets. He has authored several scholarly papers and has testified before state legislative bodies and the United States Congress.

Her executive career in technology includes the positions of Marketing and Engineering Managers for IBM Corporation on the Merrill Lynch and Equitable Life Insurance accounts. From there she moved to Vorec Corporation, a security company, where she had an impact on public safety by leading all operations including a 24-hour house arrest security monitoring center with no unhandled incidences. Some development projects included a unique, state-of-the-art NYC hand geometry biometrics kiosk pilot to automate check-ins and a redesigned radio frequency ankle bracelet that greatly reduced false tampers.

After that Valene joined Triad Group, a workers compensation firm as IT Director. She headed the development and improvement of the company’s systems infrastructure to support rapid growth following a successful merger and the automation of administrative systems, biometric kiosk for employee time and attendance, medical claims and payments with E-Systems infrastructure for internal and customer employees.

Valene earned her degree in Mathematics from Rutgers University and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) since 1998. She was awarded an IBM Financial Services Institute Certificate from the Wharton School and is past chairman of the IEEE New York Communications Society. Valene has spoken at various conferences, meetings, and workshops and has also published numerous articles and white papers and participates in industry committees including as Chairman of the VoiceXML Security and Identity Committee.

Eleanor has been an active member of Infragard for several years and is also a member of the Nassau County Police Reserves, she works with local police, the U.S. Attorneys’ Office and other law enforcement agencies to stop catch and prosecute fraudsters and identity thieves, while also assisting victims in making full recoveries.

Raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn Eleanor got a very early insiders look at fraudulent crimes from the street level and her interest in fighting fraud began to manifest itself at a very young age.

Over the years Eleanor has been influential in detecting hundreds of fraudulent insurance claims, stopping fraud activity that would have brought a number of small and mid-sized companies to their financial knees, investigated and was successful in shutting down a fraudulently run medical supply company in College Point Queens.