WRITA is excited to welcome Chris Hadnagy as a featured keynote speaker at the 2026 Spring Conference and Exhibition in Mesa, Arizona.
Founder and CEO, Social-Engineer, LLC
Global Expert in Social Engineering and Ethical Influence
Modern cybersecurity threats are no longer limited to firewalls and malware.
They are human.
At the 2026 WRITA Spring Conference, Chris Hadnagy brings a powerful and eye-opening perspective to Government IT leaders: the greatest vulnerabilities in any organization often live at the intersection of trust, behavior, and influence.
Chris is the Founder and CEO of Social-Engineer, LLC, a global leader in social engineering and security awareness training. He has worked with government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and critical infrastructure organizations around the world to expose how attackers exploit human psychology to bypass even the most sophisticated technical defenses.
His keynote will explore:
• How social engineering attacks truly work
• Why traditional security controls are not enough
• The psychology behind manipulation and persuasion
• How to strengthen the human layer of your cybersecurity strategy
• The role of ethical influence in leadership and risk mitigation
For public sector leaders, the stakes are high. Phishing campaigns, pretexting, impersonation, and behavioral exploitation are not abstract threats. They are daily realities.
This session goes beyond fear-based messaging. Chris focuses on awareness, empowerment, and actionable strategies that leaders can bring back to their organizations immediately.
You will leave with a deeper understanding of:
How attackers think.
How employees are targeted.
How culture impacts vulnerability.
How leaders can foster resilience without creating paranoia.
As Government IT environments grow more complex and interconnected, protecting infrastructure means protecting people.
Chris Hadnagy’s keynote challenges us to rethink cybersecurity not just as a technical discipline, but as a human one.
Join us in Mesa, Arizona, April 26 to 28, 2026, and gain the insight needed to defend the most important layer of your organization.
The human one.