Erin Jacobs has spent her career shaping the future of cybersecurity, defining best practices, building highperforming teams, and sharing her expertise at global conferences including DEF CON, RSA, and HITB.  She also serves on DEF CON’s CFP review committee. A former CIO and CSO, Erin draws on nearly  two decades of consulting and executive experience to lead Urbane’s compliance and strategic advisory  delivery teams, partnering with organizations of all sizes to align security programs with real business  goals and IT realities. She’s especially passionate about bridging the divide between the C-suite,  frontline security practitioners, and the research community, fostering the dialogue that drives progress  and raises the collective standard of security across industries. A lifelong technologist and creative at heart, Erin began her journey as a BBS sysop in the early ’90s and  later blended her background in music, IT, and leadership into a career defined by reinvention. In 2009,  she founded Urbane Security, a boutique cybersecurity consultancy built on precision, trust, and deep  respect for both people and technology. Under Erin’s leadership, Urbane has become a trusted partner for global organizations navigating an  increasingly complex digital landscape. The firm is known for device and IoT security testing, enterprise  risk management, and compliance programs spanning PCI DSS, HITRUST, ISO 27001, ISO 42001,  HIPAA, and GDPR. Urbane’s team pairs deep technical expertise with executive-level strategy, helping  clients secure connected ecosystems and align innovation with global standards of safety and integrity. Erin’s leadership philosophy centers on curiosity, empathy, and excellence. She believes cybersecurity  at its best isn’t just about defense, it’s about empowerment: enabling people and organizations to build  boldly, innovate responsibly, and thrive securely in a connected world