Ellis Lecture Series

Dr. Brett J. L. Landry is a seasoned cybersecurity practitioner with over thirty years of experience in consulting, teaching, presenting, and research. He holds multiple industry certifications, including CISSP, C|EH, CISA, and CRISC. Landry earned his B.S. in Management with a concentration in MIS from the University of New Orleans, and his MS in IT, MBA, and Ph.D. in Technology Education from Mississippi State University. As a professor and former Dean, he has taught security professionals globally, contributed to NSA-designated Centers for Academic Excellence, and led major network and security initiatives in both academic and banking sectors. Landry is a frequent international presenter and has been recognized as one of North Texas's most influential business leaders with the Dallas CEO 500 Award for four consecutive years.

Mihir Mistry is the General Manager and Vice President of Advisory Services at Kudelski Security, where he leads a global team of cybersecurity advisors dedicated to enhancing organizations’ cyber resilience and risk management. He oversees strategic consulting services across domains such as AI security, cloud security, OT/ICS security, threat exposure management, regulatory compliance, and security program transformation. Mihir’s career includes senior leadership roles at PwC,  SecureWorks, and Zaviant, where he delivered impactful cybersecurity solutions to Fortune 500 clients and helped organizations navigate complex regulatory environments. He also contributed to academic and professional development in cybersecurity at the University of Dallas. Mihir holds an MBA with a concentration in Cybersecurity from the University of Dallas and a BSc in Computer Science from the National University of Singapore, reflecting his strong technical and strategic expertise.

Robert Pace is a seasoned IT security and risk management executive, currently serving as Senior Vice President and CISO. With a proven track record in creating, leading, and delivering IT security programs across diverse industries, Robert brings deep expertise in executive leadership, security governance, and compliance. His experience includes consulting roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Dell Services, where he developed innovative strategies for IT security and risk management. Robert is highly skilled in building security programs, implementing controls and frameworks to meet SOX, PCI, and ITAR requirements, and overseeing enterprise risk management, business continuity, and disaster recovery initiatives. A frequent speaker at industry events, he holds a master’s degree in management and certifications including CISSP, CISM, C|CISO, ITIL, and Six Sigma Green Belt. Robert also contributes as a published author and advisory board member.