Chad Smith is the Co-founder of Simplex, a cybersecurity, AI, and business innovation advisory firm. Through Simplex, Chad currently serves as the contracted Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the State of Alabama, where he leads the comprehensive cybersecurity and privacy strategy to safeguard critical government infrastructure and sensitive data.

With over 25 years of leadership in risk management and digital transformation, Chad has built a career on bridging the gap between high-level security architecture and organizational resilience. Before launching Simplex, he spent 17 years at Cisco Systems, advising organizations across industry verticals on complex security programs. Earlier in his career, he founded the first enterprise-wide information security program for a bank and served as a regulatory liaison to federal oversight bodies in Washington, D.C.

Under his leadership at Simplex, Chad delivers "whole-of-state" defense strategies that unite state, local, federal, and private partners. His work is a testament to Simplex’s ability to adapt and implement policy frameworks aligned with NIST and ISO standards and manage high-impact cyber incidents in complex environments.

A frequent speaker on the intersection of AI and cybersecurity, Chad currently guides his clients through the challenges of AI-enabled threats and the secure adoption of emerging technologies. Attendees will gain practical insights from an entrepreneurial leader who understands how to build resilient, battle-tested defenses that protect both public interests and private enterprise.