BSides Saskatoon

Tim McCreight is a visionary leader in the global security industry, with over four decades of experience spanning physical and cybersecurity. As the CEO and Founder of TaleCraft Security, he is a passionate advocate for Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM) and has dedicated his career to empowering organizations to build resilient, business-aligned security programs.

A trailblazer in his field, Tim has held prominent leadership roles, including Vice President - Canada at Apollo Information Systems, National Director of Market Development and Strategic Advisory at CGI, and Managing Director of Enterprise Security for Canadian Pacific Railway. He has also served as Chief Security Officer (CSO) for The City of Calgary and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Government of Alberta, where he implemented transformative security strategies to align with business objectives.

Tim’s impact extends far beyond his executive roles. He served as the 2023 President of ASIS International, where he championed initiatives to advance the profession globally. As a columnist for Canadian Security Magazine and co-host of the podcast “Caffeinated Risk,” Tim shares thought leadership on ESRM and critical security trends, inspiring professionals worldwide.

An accomplished speaker and educator, Tim has delivered keynote addresses at prestigious conferences, providing insights on topics such as risk-based security, resilience strategies, and the convergence of physical and cybersecurity programs. His expertise in bridging complex security concepts with actionable business strategies has earned him recognition as one of the foremost thought leaders in his domain.

Tim holds a Master of Science in Security and Risk Management (with Merit) from the University of Leicester and prestigious certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Protection Professional (CPP), and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). These credentials underscore his commitment to professional excellence.

Through TaleCraft Security, Tim is driven by a mission to "Help, Give Back, and Grow", offering tailored solutions to organizations seeking to develop ESRM-based security programs and empowering the next generation of security leaders. His work epitomizes the values of collaboration, innovation, and mentorship, transforming the way businesses approach security.

Adam McMath is a multi-decade cybersecurity professional who pays annual maintenance fees on a plethora of certifications. He refuses to take himself too seriously, and has spent his life taking things apart and making the reassembly someone else’s problem.

Adam believes that all security professionals can be exceptional leaders if they want to be, and that our unique perspectives on the world are desperately needed in our communities and at all levels of business.

Canadian cybersecurity leader with 30 years of experience in consulting and executive roles across a range of security disciplines. Recognized for a hands-on, inquisitive approach—whether dismantling complex systems or translating technical risks into strategic business decisions. I specialize in offensive security, vulnerability management, and building practical, resilient security programs. When I’m not reverse-engineering technology (intentionally), I’m exploring the intersection of security, leadership, and human behaviour. Fueled by curiosity, caffeine, and the occasional sarcastic text-to-speech message from my coffee machine.

Fatima Nezhadian is an Incident Engineer at RSI, where she leads efforts to ensure incidents are handled swiftly and effectively across large-scale online casino and sports betting platforms.

She holds a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of Saskatchewan and began her cybersecurity career as a Security Analyst at the non-profit organization MPAC.

Fatima specializes in incident response, threat detection, and now increasingly in cyber threat intelligence (CTI) — a field she has grown passionate about.

She was the winner of the ELCH Hackathon in the incident response track, demonstrating her hands-on expertise and analytical strengths. At BSides Saskatoon, she’s excited to deliver her first official conference talk, sharing her journey and insights into the evolving world of CTI.

Patrick Kelley brings over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, specializing in network forensics, ICS/OT security, and advanced threat detection. As the Founder and CEO of Léargas Security and Critical Path Security, Patrick leads innovation in AI-driven extended detection and response (XDR) solutions, helping organizations stay one step ahead of adversaries.

Patrick's expertise has made him a sought-after keynote speaker and trainer for organizations like NERC, CISA, CRISP, and E-ISAC. He's spoken alongside experts from the FBI, CIA, and NSA and serves as a cybersecurity commentator for NBC News. His research and insights have been featured in Fortune, CNN, The Guardian, Bleeping Computer, and Krebs on Security.

Patrick combines precision and discretion in his work with the aerospace industry, luxury maritime vessels, and high-net-worth individuals. Off the stage, Patrick is a passionate advocate for child abuse prevention and has spent over 20 years leading initiatives to support emergency shelters.

Whether guiding teams through complex threat landscapes or mentoring the next generation, Patrick delivers practical wisdom with a direct, no-nonsense style.

I am an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering Physics at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). Previously at the University of Saskatchewan I was the software lead at the USST (USask Space Design Team), and currently serve as a member of the executive team for the student led Cyber Security Team at USask. My interests lie in compiler development and type theory. My previous research and papers have included works like TypeLoom a novel approach to add static types to a dynamically typed language(s), and more recently exploring the impact of increasing AI usage amongst students and how it impacts pedagogy at a university level.

Cliff Janzen is the CISO and a VP of Security at Arctiq.

He has been in IT for many years starting on the service desk supporting mainframes and the first wave of users connecting to the internet back in the day of modems. He progressed to the desktop team, then to the server team and in 2008 moved fully into security. In his current role, he leads a group of exceptional people in the delivery of managed and professional security services.

Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of learning from and working with some of the greatest resources in security, and he continues to happily learn new things every day. He has done work for SANS, is a technical editor for NoStarch Press and is the founder and president of Security BSides Regina.

Jesse Burns is a security researcher with over a decade of experience as a technology executive fostering security talent and secure engineering.

He has researched and presented globally on security topics like certificate authority infrastructure, authentication flaws, mobile operating system internals, cloud security and security testing techniques and flaws.

Jesse currently restores video game systems at the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment in Oakland California. He is also on the museum’s board, and inspired by its mission to support a new generation of technical talent and digital innovators.

Jesse has lived in San Francisco for most of his career but started programming in Saskatoon as a child on the family Atari 800XL computer.

In 2022, I founded a cybersecurity club with the goal of creating a space for students and enthusiasts to learn, grow, and challenge themselves in the ever-growing field of cybersecurity. I built the club from the ground up, into a thriving community through consistent outreach, engaging events, and a passion for hands-on learning. My team and I competed in numerous CTF competitions, earning multiple victories and gaining recognition in the cybersecurity community. Since the inaugural BSides Regina event, I’ve been a dedicated attendee, using these conferences to deepen my knowledge, network with professionals, and stay current with industry trends.

I am proud to have overseen the club's growth to over 300 active members and began hosting our own events, including CTF competitions, as well as a variety of technical talks and hands-on workshops. These initiatives were not only for our members but also attracted university students to speak and begin participating in Cybersecurity. Today, I work professionally at a Managed Service Provider, where I help secure our clients' infrastructure and data through proactive cybersecurity measures. The foundation I built through the club continues to influence my professional work, as I bring the same energy, collaboration, and problem-solving mindset to real-world security challenges.

Pierre-Nicolas Allard-Coutu is a senior penetration tester and offensive security R&D lead at Bell Canada's Security Testing and Incident Response team (STIRT).

He is a seasoned red team operator with many years of experience specialized in the development of malware payloads and payload delivery systems.

More recently, he has spearheaded the creation of physical penetration test methodologies including novel exploitation techniques aimed at compromising UEFI pre-boot environments and enabling Direct Memory Access vectors against modern laptops.

He is currently the top public contributor to the Quebec Government Cyber Defense Center's vulnerability disclosure program, and part of the HackFest Challenge design team.

The type of person who could never resist placing ">alert(1);<!-- in his bio.

As President and Principal Consultant of Aurora Cybersecurity, Dylan Marcoux leads a boutique firm dedicated to strengthening organizations' defenses through expert advisory, strategic development, and specialized services in application, cloud, and DevOps security. Dylan's extensive career spans over a decade, marked by diverse roles in system administration, architecture, incident response, and security operations. His experience includes impactful tenures at Mandiant (a Google Cloud company), leading Canadian financial institutions, public sector organizations, and innovative startups. Passionate about staying ahead of emerging threats, Dylan's current work centers on threat modeling, DevOps, cloud service providers, containers, and orchestration.

He is also deeply committed to continuous learning and actively contributing to the information security community that has shaped his journey.