AI-driven threat detection, identifying cyber adversaries, and protecting critical infrastructure are shaping the agenda at the 3rd Billington State and Local CyberSecurity Summit, returning to Washington this March for three tightly packed days of discussion and coordination. Hosted by Billington CyberSecurity, the summit brings together more than 1,000 participants from across state, local, and federal government, alongside technology leaders and academic experts, all focused on strengthening cyber defenses where they often matter most, at the operational edge of government. The emphasis is practical rather than theoretical, grounded in the reality that cyber threats increasingly cut across jurisdictions, agencies, and infrastructure layers that were never designed to operate in isolation.
The framing of the summit reflects a clear sense of urgency. Shoring up cyber defenses at every level of government is presented not as an abstract policy goal but as an immediate necessity tied directly to national security and the resilience of U.S. allies. As explained by Troy Schneider, President of Billington CyberSecurity, the event is designed to explore the full spectrum of cyber threats facing the nation and to ensure that states, counties, cities, and municipalities are better prepared to expose and respond to them. That intent carries through the program, which consistently links high-level priorities with real-world impacts and implementation challenges.
Sessions on March 10 and 11 dive into some of the most pressing issues facing public-sector cyber teams today. Panels examining modern cyber adversaries look at how attackers exploit increasingly digital, automated, and geographically dispersed environments, while discussions on preparing data for AI focus on the often overlooked groundwork required before AI systems can meaningfully improve security outcomes. Software supply chain protection receives sustained attention, reflecting ongoing concerns about transparency, regulation, and systemic risk across the technology ecosystem. Other sessions address cloud security threats and the persistent vulnerabilities that arise as organizations scale cloud adoption, as well as the state of cybersecurity in secondary education, where limited resources collide with growing digital dependence and rising attack volumes.
The speaker roster underscores the breadth of perspectives represented at the summit. State CIOs and CISOs from Arizona, Kansas, New Jersey, Minnesota, Maryland, Virginia, and many other states share insights alongside city-level leaders such as the CISO of Chicago. A notable highlight includes participation from the head of Texas Cyber Command, offering a closer look at how a statewide cyber organization is being built to defend state and local systems more effectively. Fireside conversations with federal officials help translate national cyber priorities into actionable guidance, connecting policy direction with the operational realities faced by local governments.
Outside the main sessions, the exhibit hall functions as an extension of the conversation, offering space for networking with sponsors, speakers, and fellow attendees. The summit is supported by more than three dozen sponsors, led by Cisco, Cohere, and GDIT, reflecting strong industry engagement in public-sector cybersecurity challenges. Adding further depth, Billington CyberSecurity is partnering with GovRAMP to host the 2026 GovRAMP Symposium on March 9, immediately prior to the summit, encouraging government and industry leaders to engage across all three days.
The event takes place at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, a fitting venue at the intersection of policy, governance, and international engagement. For those responsible for defending public-sector systems and critical infrastructure, the Billington State and Local CyberSecurity Summit serves as a timely gathering point, part strategy session, part knowledge exchange, and part reality check, in a threat landscape that continues to evolve faster than most institutions were ever designed to handle.
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- Hannover Messe: Trade Fair for the Manufacturing Industry, 20–24 April 2026, Hannover, Germany
- DesignCon 2026, Feb. 24–26, Santa Clara Convention Center
- NICT at Mobile World Congress 2026, March 2–5, Barcelona
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- Chiplet Summit 2026, February 17–19, Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, California
- MIT Sloan CIO Symposium Innovation Showcase 2026, May 19, 2026, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Humanoid Robot Forum 2026, June 22–25, Chicago
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