Asal “Vox” Gibson, founder and Chief Executive Officer of CyRoot, is a seasoned Cyber Security Consultant with extensive experience in leadership, threat intelligence, and cybersecurity management.

With over $100 million in cybersecurity projects successfully managed, Vox currently leads the cybersecurity program for the Clark County School District (CCSD) and teaches at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She has consulted for notable companies such as AirBNB’s risk management team and MGM Resorts International, and she provides corporate cybersecurity training to ThriveDX.

Vox holds an Active Top Secret security clearance with the Department of Defense (DOD), reflecting her trusted role in handling sensitive and classified information. She is also deeply committed to mentoring both students and young professionals, focusing on building their leadership and project management skills. Vox has educated over 500 students in cybersecurity bootcamps, helping shape the next generation of professionals in the field. 

Dr. Jessica Parker serves as Vice President of the CyRoot Academy Board of Directors. She is also the founder and President of Wise Bites LLC, a cybersecurity and AI strategy firm helping businesses innovate securely in an AI-driven economy.

With over 25 years of global IT leadership experience, Jessica combines research-driven insight with practical execution. Her doctoral research at Marymount University explored how artificial intelligence reshapes cybersecurity resilience and risk management—insight she now applies to guiding leaders, entrepreneurs, and startups through secure digital transformation.

A frequent speaker and advisor, Jessica specializes in translating complex technical concepts into actionable strategies that drive growth, resilience, and innovation. Through Wise Bites, she empowers leaders to future-proof their organizations and protect their legacy in an increasingly digital world.

David Dodge serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for CyRoot Academy, bringing a unique blend of military discipline, instructional expertise, and innovative leadership. A proud Air Force veteran and former “Thunderbird,” David began his career in learning and development as a maintenance instructor, and later led F-22 training programs in partnership with Boeing. 

With over 20 years of experience, he now heads Affinity Learning as its Founder and CEO, where he channels his passion for transformative education and technology-driven learning solutions. 

From implementing learning management systems at Tesla to developing hundreds of safety courses, David’s commitment to impactful training runs deep. He’s also a certified Project Management Professional and Ironman triathlete who thrives on challenge and continuous growth—values that guide his contributions to CyRoot’s mission.

Debbie Banko is the CEO and founder of Link Technologies and has driven the company’s success since launching it in 2000 through customer-focused innovation and quality commitment. With more than 30 years of consulting experience spanning commercial and government sectors, her company has been honored on the Inc. 

5000 list for five consecutive years and was named the SBA’s “Woman-Owned Business of the Year” for the Pacific Region. Banko’s community involvement runs deep as she founded non-profit CyberSmartNV, actively supports initiatives like TechImpact’s “ITWorks” program, and served on the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board for nearly a decade. 

She has received numerous accolades, such as the Athena Award, Las Vegas Women in Technology’s High Tech Entrepreneur of the Year, and SIM Las Vegas’ “Community Champion” – the only person to ever receive that honor.

Lieutenant Colonel William Brewer has over 27 years of military service. He currently serves as a USAF squadron commander and leads a force of nearly 300 officer and enlisted military members. He is a highly decorated aviator and earned his USAF pilot rating in 2009 and accrued over 2,000 flight hours of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strike in multiple USAF aircraft. He has over 600 hours of instructing in his airframe and led cross-functional teams, military planning teams, staff and headquarters organizations, and held multiple senior executive assistant positions. He is an expert in organizational planning, process and policy design and implementation, and leading organizations during change

Ray Freeman is a strategic business leader and technology advocate with over 25 years of experience helping organizations harness the power of digital transformation, cybersecurity, AI, and cloud computing.

As President and Chief Strategy Officer of RTS Premier Solutions, Ray partners with Fortune 500 technology vendors to deliver integrated solutions across hardware, software, cybersecurity, and professional services for federal and state government clients. He is passionate about making advanced technology accessible and leveraging AI-driven tools to streamline complex business processes and create competitive advantages for growing organizations.

Throughout his career with firms like ADAPTOVATE and Infosys Consulting, Ray has specialized in Agile transformation and organizational change, working with Fortune 500 companies to build more efficient, responsive teams. A published author on Agile leadership and business management, he believes in empowering people with practical frameworks and mentorship to achieve their full potential.

Paul Heretakis is an award-winning architect and design leader with over two decades of global experience. He brings strategic vision and creative excellence to CyRoot Academy's Board. A graduate of Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Architecture, Paul is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) in over 20 states.

As Owner and President of WESTAR Architects since 2001, Paul has led the completion of over 1,000 hospitality, gaming, and resort projects across 15 countries and 4 continents. Under his leadership, WESTAR has consistently ranked among the Top 40 Largest Hospitality Design Firms and established the largest design firm in Macau.

Recognized by Global Gaming Magazine as one of the "Top 25 People to Meet in 2009," Paul is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences including G2E and G2E Asia, and has contributed to multiple design publications and MBA programs. He brings valuable expertise in leadership, innovation, and building successful ventures to support CyRoot Academy's mission of empowering the next generation of tech leaders.

Carl Jones brings deep expertise in securing digital infrastructure and has over 30 years of experience in Information Technology and a master’s degree in cybersecurity. Most of his career has been dedicated to advancing technology and protecting data in K-12 education environments.

Brianna Landry is the Executive Director of Technology Compliance at CVS Health. She has over 25 years of experience in software engineering, IT operations, and technology governance, risk and compliance.  She is ISACA Certified in the Governance of Enterprise Information Technology. She also holds a Post Graduate Cybersecurity Certification from UT Austin McCombs School of Business as well as an ISACA certification in Artificial Intelligence.

 She was previously Head of Enterprise Technology Governance at Pentagon Federal Credit Union, where she built the governance, risk and compliance program for the division of the CIO and all federated technology areas, including Information Security. In addition to governance, Brianna has extensive experience in software development and delivery and has led multiple large compliance initiatives in parallel with software implementations as a leader at Fortune 100 USAA Federal Savings Bank.

Thomas (Tom) Nicholas is a mission-driven workforce development leader with 20+ years of experience advancing education, economic mobility, and community impact.

As Director of Workforce Development at Nevada State University, he leads scalable, skills-based training programs that align education with industry needs and serve diverse populations.

Tom has secured over $3.5 million in funding to launch initiatives in mental health, cybersecurity, and leadership development.

Previously, he spent 15 years at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he transformed the Redfield Campus into a regional workforce hub and improved statewide training operations.  

He also consults for healthcare nonprofits through Boyd & Nicholas, Inc. Tom holds master’s degrees in management and ministry, is a Certified Program Planner, and is completing his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration.

Hosny “Hoz” Roushdi is an Enterprise Agile Coach, trainer, and transformation leader with over a decade of experience helping organizations improve how they work, deliver value, and develop people.

He has supported healthcare, financial services, technology, and government organizations through large-scale transformation and workforce initiatives.

Hoz specializes in workforce development, leadership coaching, and scalable learning programs. He is certified to teach multiple SAFe® courses and designs cohort-based learning models that connect industry-recognized credentials with real-world application and career growth. 

Hoz is deeply committed to community impact, education access, and supporting veterans and career changers with practical, job-ready skills. He brings a pragmatic, mission-first approach to governance and strategic advisory work.