John Dvorak is Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector at Red Hat. He leads a team of experienced Chief Architects and open source thought leaders who focus on the diverse mission requirements of Federal, State, Local, and Education customers. His team helps to shape and communicate the Red Hat technology vision; co-innovates with customers, partners, and associates; and advocates for Public Sector interests within Red Hat and Open Source communities.

Dvorak has spent 30 years as a technology leader in the Federal Government and industry. He is a former FBI Senior Executive who led efforts in data analytics, enterprise engineering, and software development within the law enforcement and intelligence communities. He began his civil service at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he oversaw network engineering and drove several cybersecurity modernization efforts. Prior to joining Red Hat, he served in Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) roles within the systems integrator community, maintaining a focus on government mission requirements. He maintains active participation in multiple industry and government cooperative forums.

Pete Erickson is the Founder of Modev and Executive Director of the Tech Ecosystem Institute. A pioneer in developer communities and emerging technology events, Pete has spent over a decade building the ecosystems that connect technology innovators with enterprise buyers. He created the VOICE Summit — the world's largest voice AI conference — and now leads the Agentic AI Summit series.

David DeSanto is Chief Executive Officer at Anaconda, where he leads the company’s mission to empower the world’s data science and AI communities through open-source innovation and secure enterprise solutions. A proven product and technology executive, David brings more than two decades of experience spanning cybersecurity, developer platforms, and enterprise software.

Most recently, David served as Chief Product Officer at GitLab, where he led the global product organization in delivering a comprehensive, AI-native DevSecOps platform with more than 50 million registered users worldwide. During his six years with the company, he helped transform GitLab from a high-growth startup into a publicly traded, industry-defining leader of the DevOps Platform category.  

Before GitLab, David held leadership roles in cybersecurity and product management at Spirent Communications, NSS Labs, and ICSA Labs, where he led distributed teams focused on vulnerability and malware research, network security, and security product validation. He has also served on the OpenSSF Governing Board, helping shape global software supply chain security initiatives.

David holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from New York University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Millersville University.   

Melinda Mothander is the Managing Director of Data, AI & Technology Risk at KPMG, where she helps the firm navigate emerging risks while enabling responsible innovation. Working at the intersection of business, technology, and risk, Melinda develops practical guidance and scalable frameworks that support the responsible adoption of AI. She also brings deep client experience leading enterprise risk strategies and technology-enabled risk transformation initiatives across complex organizations.