PRIMA's Emerging Tech and Risk Symposium

Lisa Ballard

Lara has been a public sector attorney and privacy professional for nearly three decades, serving at the State Department for almost 18 years in both legal and foreign policy capacities, and most recently as the Privacy and Intelligence Oversight Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Intelligence and Analysis.  In her session, she will review the fundamental concepts and principles of privacy that have served her well across a diverse range of contexts, including cross-cultural settings and emerging technologies, such as AI.

Shannon Gunderman

Shannon is an Operations Director and Senior Consultant at Gallagher. He has over 25 years of experience in risk management, with areas of expertise that include project management, enterprise risk management, process improvement, predictive analytics, strategic planning, data analytics and visualization, litigation support, safety and HIPAA compliance, and claim management. Before joining Gallagher, Shannon served as the Administrative Services Director for Yuma County, Arizona, where he managed the County’s property, liability, unemployment, and workers’ compensation insurance programs. He also led process improvement projects in the areas of administrative records management, customer service, and the criminal justice system. Shannon is a certified public manager through Arizona State University and holds the CPCU, ARM, AIC, and CWCP designations.

Tamika Puckett

Tamika is a seasoned public sector executive and enterprise risk management (ERM) leader with over 25 years of experience spanning risk management, operations, strategic planning, cybersecurity, and public administration. Currently serving as the Public Sector Practice Leader at Protecdiv, she drives strategy and engagement across middle-market and large-scale public sector organizations.

Tamika has held pivotal leadership roles, including Head of Cyber Risk Management at Zoom Video Communications and Chief Risk Officer for the City of Chicago, where she spearheaded the development of a citywide ERM framework. Her career also includes transformative roles with the City of Atlanta, Durham Public Schools, and Alexandria City Public Schools, where she led initiatives in risk mitigation, emergency management, and operational excellence. She most recently served as Head of Public Entity for Willis Towers Watson, where she drove the national strategy and client engagement across large and complex public sector entities.

Her expertise encompasses the implementation of enterprise-wide risk policies, claims administration, financial analysis, and project management. Tamika is recognized for her ability to align risk strategies with organizational objectives, promote cross-functional collaboration, and deliver measurable improvements in governance and compliance.

Matt Shabet

Matt is the Chief Risk Officer and Executive Vice President for Governance, Risk and Compliance at Native American Industrial Solutions, LLC, a government contractor. He is also co-founder and CEO of Control Cyber Risk Inc., a cyber risk consulting firm. Finally, Matt serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University with a focus on cybersecurity governance and cybersecurity law and regulation. He has 25 years of experience in cybersecurity and risk management, spanning both the public and private sectors.

Previously, Matt served as the U.S. Strategy Manager for a cybersecurity software company. Before that, he served for nearly 10 years in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s former Office of Cybersecurity & Communications. While at DHS, Matt led DHS and interagency implementation of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, supported maturation of cyber risk management practices and the cyber insurance marketplace, oversaw development of an operationally relevant approach to measuring the costs of cybersecurity, contributed performance goals to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, led strategic planning, and developed program performance metrics. Before DHS, Matt was a Research Fellow with the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. He began his career as an attorney at Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago, where he practiced securities, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate law.

Brian Thamm

As Co-Founder and Chief Data and AI Officer at Sophinea Corporation, Brian leads organizations, especially those operating in federal government, defense, and mission-critical sectors, to achieve real impact with data, analytics, and artificial intelligence. At Sophinea, Brian’s role goes beyond increasing sales and streamlining operations: he empowers clients to modernize their data stacks, strengthen analytics capabilities, and build secure, insight-driven solutions that advance both public and private sector missions.

Brian’s career spans more than two decades, during which he has taken on some of the most challenging and high-stakes projects in both the government and defense sectors. Early in his journey, Brian managed critical Army test operations and overseas base security contracts. These experiences rooted his expertise in both operational discipline and risk assessment. Building on this foundation, he later led the deployment of cutting-edge data platforms for global initiatives with the U.S. State Department, where his technical leadership helped bridge continents and departments. Most recently, he has guided the implementation of advanced analytics and AI/ML tools for major federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Education, driving innovation and measurable outcomes across complex bureaucracies. Brian’s multidisciplinary background—encompassing military operations, engineering, and data science—makes him an invaluable partner for organizations navigating the intersecting demands of security, regulatory compliance, and digital modernization.

Ya'Sheaka C. Williams

Ya'Sheaka is a partner in the Tampa office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. Ms. Williams' practice involves the representation of employers, self-insured employers and insurance carriers in all aspects of workers' compensation claims in Florida and appears before Judges of Compensation Claims throughout Florida. Ms. Williams became recognized as an expert in workers' compensation law by the Florida Bar when she became Board Certified by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education.  She is also a Certified Workers Compensation Law instructor by the Florida Department of Financial Services and has presented numerous classes and seminars to employers and claims adjusters throughout Florida. Ms. Williams has extensive experience in settlement negotiations, claims resolution, contract negotiations, mediation, and litigation. She has attained an AV Preeminent® designation rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards.

Before joining QPWB, Ms. Williams was the managing attorney of a Tampa law office specializing in workers' compensation defense, where she represented employers, PEOs, carriers, and third-party administrators on all workers' compensation matters for over 15 years.

Ms. Williams received her Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law in 2003 and a Bachelor of Arts from Brenau University Women's College in 2000, graduating with majors in conflict resolution and pre-law.

Ms. Williams is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. She is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, serving as co-chair of the Workers' Compensation Section, and the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM).