More than 250 people gathered at the first-ever in-person TribalHub Cybersecurity Summit that had been held virtually for the previous four years. The message was that more resources are needed by tribes to protect themselves against hackers.
The fifth annual summit last week, hosted by the Miccosukee Casino & Resort in Miami, brought together leadership, technology, and cybersecurity teams from tribal governments, enterprises, casinos, and healthcare organizations to discuss the evolving cybersecurity landscape and strategies to safeguard tribal sovereignty.
Expert-led sessions and panel discussions covered a wide range of cybersecurity topics, including incident-response planning, artificial intelligence, data protection and sovereignty, ransomware mitigation, and emerging threats specific to tribal organizations. The discussions reinforced a critical concern: Many tribes continue to face significant cybersecurity challenges due to limited resources and staffing, according to TribalHub Executive Officer Mike Day.
Cyberattacks have been on the rise for the past five years. Hackers have shuttered casinos and demanded ransomware in exchange for returning computer functions to the attacked properties.
“Our data shows that over 40% of tribes report not having a dedicated cyber resource,” Day said. “This must change, given the current global climate. At the very least, leaders in tribal governments and enterprises need to be aware of the resources available to help them protect and safeguard their organizations and ultimately their sovereignty.”
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from industry leaders such as keynote speaker Hart Brown, CEO of Future Point of View; Andrea Rivers-McCullough, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Kimi Gordy, a partner at BakerHostetler.
Additionally, technology leaders from tribes and tribal enterprises spoke, including CJ McCarey, Corporate Director of IT Security/CISO for Gila River Resorts & Casinos; Holly Skoggins, Senior Cyber Security Project Manager for Cherokee Nation Businesses; Brent Huftless, Executive Director of IT Security for Wind Creek Hospitality; and Glenn Wilson, Chief Information Security Risk Officer for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians,.
The 2025 Advisory Board was responsible for shaping the agenda, speaker panels, and topics for the Cybersecurity Summit to ensure it aligned with the most pressing issues tribal governments and enterprises are facing, Day said. This group of 14 technology leaders work at tribal governments and enterprises to bring expertise and real-world insights that shape the event.
“I was very impressed by the knowledge shown from the speakers on cybersecurity and AI,” said Edison Barahona, IT director of Cayuga Nation. “Meeting other IT directors from different tribes and vendors specializing in our field was a great experience.”
With the success of this first in-person Cybersecurity Summit, TribalHub is already making plans for an even bigger and more impactful event next year, Day said.
“This Cybersecurity Summit provides a unique opportunity for tribal leaders, IT professionals, and security experts to engage in critical conversations about the most pressing cyber threats facing tribes today,” Day said. “Bringing this event in person for the first time created even greater opportunities for networking, shared learning, and collaboration among attendees.”
As part of the three-day summit, attendees also participated in networking events, an opening reception, and a Vendor Expo, fostering connections to drive ongoing collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the cybersecurity space. Additionally, the event included the Tribal-ISAC Par-Tee Golf Event, which raised funds to support the not-for-profit’s mission of cyber-threat information sharing, threat prevention and protection, community response, and fostering a managed and trusted collaboration for the nation’s tribal governments, their operations, and enterprises.
For more information about TribalHub and upcoming events, visit the website.
