About Us

ITEN (Innovation Technology Education Network) WIRED Summit is annual conference of the Information Technology Association of the Gulf Coast, Inc. (IT Gulf Coast). It is known as the Southeast’s premier cybersecurity and IT conference to connect, collaborate and build community with industry leaders, entrepreneurs and educators on innovation, technology and entrepreneurship topics.

The three-day event highlights the area’s cybersecurity, information technology and entrepreneurial communities and explores emerging technology and innovators in start-up tech, artificial intelligence, robotics, and more on the national scene.

AFCEA is a professional association that connects people, ideas and solutions globally by developing networking and educational opportunities and providing them worldwide in an ethical manner. This enables military, government, industry and academia to align technology to meet the needs of those who serve in critical areas, which include defense, security, cyber and intelligence.

To learn more about AFCEA Blue Angels Pensacola Chapter, please visit https://pensacola.afceachapters.org.

ITEN WIRED is a not-for-profit, technology-focused event. Proceeds from the event are used to support IT Gulf Coast’s local STEM initiatives, including endowments to the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College. IT Gulf Coast, established in 2008, is a Pensacola based, 501(c)6 non-profit trade association for students, educators, IT professionals and corporate members of our community. Our business memberships range from government, non-profits, for-profit private and public companies. They also range from single owner/operator entities to multi-billion dollar conglomerates.

Our mission is to promote business and technology within our community, provide social and networking opportunities, produce educational content that specifically aids our member base, as well as assists in fundamentally changing how we inspire the youth of our community to the possibilities of a career in technology. Our partnership with corporations inspires them to not only expand here, but to be actively involved in developing programs in our communities that benefit all age groups and backgrounds.

Meet the Team

The ITEN WIRED planning team is composed of volunteers from IT Gulf Coast, AFCEA Blue Angels Pensacola Chapter, and other members of our local IT, tech and entrepreneurial community.

Jim Rhodes

Community and Public Relations Director
UWF Center for Cybersecurity
Director

Jay Smith

Managing Partner
Data Revolution
Sponsorship Chair

Sean O'Brien

Navy Account Manager
IBM
Programming Chair

Amelia Dixon

Enterprise Architect
Navy Federal Credit Union
Logistics Chair

Marie Perry

Cyber Security Analyst
Navy Federal
Chair of IT Gulf Coast

Carson Wilber

Penetration Tester
IBM X-Force Red
Marketing Chair / Secretary of ITGC

Patrick Rooney

Director
Co:Lab Pensacola
Sponsorship / Programming

Paris Harman

Intern/Grad Student
Navy Federal/Embry-Riddle
Public Relations

Kelly Reeser

Co-Founder, Managing Director
TechFarms Capital
Programming

Stephen Hopkins

Senior Cybersecurity Engineer
Cyber Justice League
Programming

Michelle Sims

Lead Employer Engagement Specialist
Public Consulting Group
Programming

Emily Cone

Account Manager
TEKsystems
Programming

Elizabeth Rasnick

Assistant Professor
UWF Center for Cybersecurity
Logistics

Alan Galindo

Business Services Representative
CareerSource EscaRosa
Programming

Benjamin Loader

Senior Lead Technologist
Booz Allen Hamilton
Programming