TechX Florida 2026 Tech Conference

Ken Andersen

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Benchmark Technology Corporation

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenandersonbenchmark/

Kenneth J. “Ken” Anderson is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Benchmark Technology Corporation, a Tampa-based technology and infrastructure company. Since founding the company in Hawkinsville, Georgia, in 2004, he has guided its growth through Macon and Atlanta to Tampa. His work spans managed technology, connectivity and network infrastructure, cloud services, technology procurement, and public sector solutions. A hands-on founder, Ken has experienced the shift from doing technical work himself to building teams and leading an expanding organization. He brings that perspective to conversations about professional development, leadership, and creating opportunities for others. Ken also works to connect the Tampa Bay and Atlanta technology communities through collaboration and talent development.

Fabio B

System engineer / Customer Technical Partner

Siemens

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabiolpbarros/

Fabio is a Brazilian System Engineer and OT Cybersecurity Specialist with over 25 years of experience in energy automation and 10 years in critical infrastructure protection. He earned his degrees in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity from Impacta Tecnologia in São Paulo, Brazil.



Fabio’s professional profile is defined by a unique intersection of deep technical expertise in electrical grid protection and automation systems, paired with advanced knowledge of industrial networks and cybersecurity. Throughout his career, he has established a proven track record of securing and optimizing complex industrial environments. By bridging the gap between traditional power systems and modern digital security, Fabio ensures the resilience and reliability of essential energy services. He remains a key figure in the field, committed to advancing the safety of global critical infrastructure.

Joel Sierra

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Benchmark Technology Corporation

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsierra/

Joel Sierra is a senior cybersecurity solutions architect and threat intelligence advisor specializing in enterprise defense, advanced systems engineering, and the operational integration of agentic AI. With extensive experience bridging technical complexity and business strategy for high-growth tech platforms, Joel delivers pragmatic perspectives on the future of tech careers. He regularly speaks on navigating enterprise AI adoption, modern cyber threat landscapes, and the essential skills technologists need to remain agile and indispensable as automated technologies redefine the workforce.

 

Yukti Lnu

Lead Software Architect, IEEE Women in Engineering FWCS Chair

KForce, IEEE

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yukti-lnu-08732a5b/

Yukti Lnu is a Lead Software Architect and technology leader specializing in Agentic AI, cybersecurity, AI/ML, and cloud-native enterprise architecture. She leads the design of secure, scalable AI solutions for regulated industries, with a strong focus on Zero Trust, AI governance, cyber resilience, and responsible AI adoption. An IEEE leader, research author, and industry speaker, Yukti actively contributes to advancing AI and cybersecurity through technical leadership, professional engagement, and community service. She has presented at major technology forums and serves as a keynote and panel speaker on Agentic AI, enterprise AI, cybersecurity, and AI governance. She also contributes as a national hackathon judge and mentor, evaluating emerging AI and cybersecurity innovations and developing future technology leaders. Her work bridges executive technology strategy with practical innovation to enable secure and responsible digital transformation.

Karthik Pattabiraman

Professor & Researcher

University of British Columbia

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthik-pattabiraman-7a445011/

Karthik Pattabiraman is a Professor and Associate Head in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia, where he leads the Dependable Systems Lab. He received his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, and was a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research in Redmond before joining UBC. His group works on making critical systems — drones, medical devices, industrial plants, and blockchains— keep working even when they malfunction or are attacked. He has won 12 best paper awards with his students, along with the Jean-Claude Laprie Award in Dependable Computing and the UBC Killam Awards for Excellence in Research and Mentoring. He is an ACM Distinguished

Member, an IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Contributor and Distinguished Visitor, the Vice-Chair of the IEEE Technical Committee on Dependable Computing and Fault Tolerance (TCFT; Chair-elect 2028), and a member and former vice-chair of the IFIP Working Group 10.4.



 

Michael Hall

Managing Partner, MediumFour / President, Tampa Bay Tech Week / Founder, Hyper Local Innovation Investments

MediumFour, Tampa Bay Tech Week, Hyper Local Innovation Investments

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhalltm/

Michael Hall is a Senior Managing Partner at MediumFour, President of Tampa Bay Tech Week, and Co-Founder and Senior Managing Partner of HyLo Inno—Hyper Local Innovation Investments. For more than 20 years, he has worked across brand strategy, design, digital marketing, entrepreneurship, technology, destination marketing, and community development. His work focuses on building the connective infrastructure that helps founders, students, businesses, institutions, and communities find the right relationships, resources, and opportunities to move ideas forward. Through MediumFour, he helps organizations turn ideas into clear strategies, compelling stories, and practical systems for growth. Through Tampa Bay Tech Week and HyLo Inno, he works across events, education, innovation, content, data, and regional economic development. Michael brings a practitioner’s perspective to professional development: success requires communication, resilience, self-motivation, purpose, and the ability to keep building when recognition is delayed.