EMERGING TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS & CHALLENGES: Strengthen Your Core - Internal Cyber Risk Strategies

Regulatory Specialist, Mortgage Bankers Association

Gabriel Acosta is the Regulatory Specialist in the Residential Public Policy and Industry Relations department at the Mortgage Bankers Association. Acosta works with the team to analyze agency actions and legislation in areas related to origination, servicing, and data protection. He also works with member committees to provide guidance to members on the changing regulatory landscape. Before the Mortgage Bankers Association, Acosta worked in Congress on criminal justice and immigration issues. He is a graduate from the Georgetown University Law Center and was a student at Georgetown’s Federal Legislation Clinic.

Chief Information Security Officer, Freedom Mortgage Corporation

Tom Clerici currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Freedom Mortgage Corporation. In this role, he oversees the management of cybersecurity risks and leads the enterprise information security program. He is responsible for securing a $700B servicing portfolio with over 2.5M borrowers, as well as a loan origination platform capable of generating over $100B annually.

Partner, Cooley LLP

Michael Egan has focused on cyber/data/privacy issues in the areas of technology, innovation, retail and consumer solutions, life sciences, manufacturing, financial services, and healthcare since 2007. He advises clients on all legal aspects of global privacy and data protection, data security, data breach, information technology, and related restrictions on data collection and transfer. Egan has represented companies before numerous government agencies and bodies, including the US Federal Trade Commission, the US Department of Justice, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as data protection authorities around the world, regarding disclosure of data security compliance issues, internal investigation findings, remediation measures and settlement terms. Egan’s practice focuses primarily on the ever-changing privacy and security regulatory landscape faced by companies in the US and globally. He also advises companies on how best to address the requirements related to personal data, consumer protection, data security and breach preparation and response, cookies and marketing, cross-border data flows, e-monitoring, eDiscovery procedures, outsourcing, social media, and other privacy-related issues.

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Winnow Solutions, LLC

As Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Winnow, Chris Hilliard leads a team of legal, compliance, and technology professionals transforming how financial institutions and lenders navigate state and federal regulatory requirements. Winnow is a powerful online application that enables customers to generate surveys and searches tailored to their specific business type, licensing, products, and geographic scope based on a comprehensive and dynamic database of state and federal laws and regulations. Winnow also provides an AI-powered platform that helps financial institutions navigate complex state and federal regulations, ensuring compliance while improving operational efficiency. Chris Hilliard has over 20 years of industry experience in consumer, commercial, and residential mortgage lending and general banking, with extensive expertise in regulatory compliance, BSA/AML, internal audit, licensing, and legal functions. He is a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM), Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP), and a California Licensed Life, Accident & Health Agent. He has held executive, senior management, and mid-level management positions at major financial institutions and lenders, where he managed all aspects of compliance, risk, and litigation, as well as product development, management, and design. He is passionate about leveraging technology to create innovative solutions that enhance compliance efficiency, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. HousingWire, Finovate, and the US Fintech Awards have recognized him, and he is a HousingWire Tech 100 Trendsetter for 2024.

Chief Privacy Officer, BRG

Amy R. Worley is a nationally recognized expert in privacy and information security with over two decades of experience advising multinational organizations on data protection, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and certified HIPAA privacy and security expert (CHPSE), she has led global initiatives to build and operationalize enterprise-wide privacy and security programs. As the former Chief Privacy and Records Officer at Merz Pharma Group, she architected a GDPR-compliant framework across 28 countries and implemented a unified records management system. Amy has served as a third-party Data Protection Officer for global companies and has testified in U.S. federal court as an expert on breach notification and the misuse of stolen personal data. She frequently assists companies in developing technical and organizational measures to protect data and respond to security incidents. With a legal foundation that includes litigation on trade secret misappropriation, computer fraud, and data misuse, Amy brings a uniquely integrated perspective to privacy and security governance. She advises executive teams and boards on breach readiness, incident response, and enterprise risk management related to personal data and cybersecurity threats. Amy holds multiple IAPP certifications (CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM) and is a Fellow of Information Privacy. Her thought leadership spans AI governance, cross-border data transfers, and HIPAA liability, with frequent contributions to legal and industry publications. She is also a certified Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional and continues to shape the evolving landscape of data ethics and security.