Large Corporate Finalists

Dustin Baptiste is the Information Security Officer and Vice President of Information Security Governance & Risk Management at Civic Federal Credit Union. With more than 20 years of technology and cybersecurity leadership experience spanning financial services and government, he is recognized for strengthening security programs, enhancing executive risk oversight, and aligning cybersecurity with strategic business objectives. Dustin is passionate about developing cybersecurity leaders and helping organizations manage risk while enabling innovation and growth.

One of our team's greatest accomplishments has been transforming cybersecurity from a traditional control function into a strategic business partner. Over the past year, we established and matured the organization's cybersecurity governance program, improving executive and Board visibility into cyber risk, strengthening third-party and supply chain risk management, and integrating cybersecurity into key business and technology decisions. By fostering collaboration across governance, security operations, infrastructure, and business teams, we improved risk awareness and accountability. These efforts have strengthened our security posture, enabled more informed investment decisions, and created a sustainable foundation for managing cyber risk while supporting organizational growth.

Chris is a seasoned cybersecurity and technology executive with more than two decades of experience leading enterprise security, infrastructure, and technology transformation initiatives. He is recognized for building and maturing cybersecurity programs, strengthening organizational resilience, and enabling business growth through strategic leadership. Beyond his professional responsibilities, he is also committed to developing future leaders through mentoring, STEM outreach, workforce development initiatives, and community engagement.

At 3D Systems, cybersecurity plays a critical role in enabling innovation across healthcare, aerospace & defense, and industrial manufacturing industries. Our organization develops patient-specific medical devices, as well as critical components supporting U.S. Department of Defense initiatives. To support these highly regulated environments, we led the design and implementation of a secure enclave for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), enabling the secure end-to-end protection of sensitive data. In parallel, we embed secure-by-design principles into our product development lifecycles. These initiatives have strengthened customer trust, supported business growth, and positioned cybersecurity as a strategic enabler of innovation across the enterprise.

With 25 years building and maturing enterprise security programs across state government, global research, and consulting, Bernice has earned trust at every level: boardrooms, C-suite, the legislature, and the team. At RTI International, she built a global risk program and earned back-to-back President's Awards and a national CISO of the Year. At NC DIT, she's matured cyber hygiene of state entities and delivered a five-year statewide cybersecurity roadmap alongside agency leaders and legislators.

We've achieved several key milestones, including the implementation of the NC 5-Year Cyber Strategy, which has clarified priorities and outcomes for greater transparency in cybersecurity. Deploying GovRAMP has strengthened third-party risk management, ensuring partners follow rigorous cyber hygiene standards and safeguarding the state's sensitive data. The SecureNC Program has equipped local governments across North Carolina with technology and training to quickly detect and resolve vulnerabilities, significantly improving community cyber defenses. Additionally, our year-long internship program and new job categories for recent graduates provide NC cyber students with valuable hands-on experience and career opportunities in the field.

Tom Watson is a cybersecurity executive with 30+ years leading information security across multinational Fortune 200 companies including Sealed Air, Thermo Fisher, Bayer, and Disney/ESPN. As isolved’s CISO, he drives security risk management, and strategy for a high-growth SaaS organization. Tom is an Army Veteran and active industry contributor with long standing CISM/CISSP certifications, is a longtime FBI InfraGard member, former adjunct professor, and dedicated community servant through decades of Masonic, Shriners, and volunteer service.

Over six years, I transformed isolved's security function from the ground up into a high-performing, audit-ready program built on NIST standards — earning a top-tier external maturity rating through disciplined execution and sustained control improvements. I established a scalable Vendor Risk program, standardized documentation, and significantly strengthened incident response through structured SOC ownership and AI-driven efficiencies that reduced resolution time by over 30%. Cross-functional teams now engage Security earlier, reducing late-stage escalations and improving risk visibility across the organization. These achievements reflect a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.