Michelle Pellon is a native of Houston, and began her IT career as a programmer on the Human Genome Sequencing Project. Her passion for security quickly shaped her career as she moved into a critical role working with federal law enforcement teams to fight child exploitation online. Pellon directs the DevOps and Cybersecurity strategy for W Energy Software, connecting corporate operational and security objectives to business initiatives. Additionally, she shares her message about evolving how people think about and approach security, privacy and trust through speaking engagements at various conferences and other events. When not engaged in security research and advocacy, Pellon is also an accomplished sailor with the Houston Yacht Club.