Dr. Elyson De La Cruz is a seasoned information technology and cybersecurity executive with over two decades of experience. He is currently the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Imagine Believe Realize, a company specializing in software development for United States government agencies. He oversees technology and cybersecurity departments, focusing on training, mentorship, and leadership. Dr. De La Cruz also holds concurrent PhD program advisory board and faculty appointments at various universities in the United States. As an academic, Distinguished Fellow of the Soft Computing Research Society, Fellow of the British Computer Society, and senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Professor De La Cruz presents at various international academic conferences and publishes his work with a special interest in cybersecurity, data analytics, AI/ML, IoT, and blockchain. He has two patent applications related to AI-based predictive security systems and AI-powered image processing systems. He serves on several editorial review boards and is an appointed reviewer for over 50 scholarly journals. Dr. De La Cruz holds a PhD in Information Technology, an MS in Management Information Systems, an MA in Computer Resources and Information Management, an MBA, and over 40 professional certifications in cybersecurity, information technology, and systems engineering.