I am excited to share the five formal speakers joining us at Sundance Mountain Resort this February.
True to Brigadoon's spirit, these aren't your typical conference speakers—they're practitioners who've built things, broken things, regulated things, and reimagined how we approach everything from cybersecurity to civic leadership.
The speakers
Rick Doten brings 27 years of navigating the intersection of cybersecurity, risk, and human behavior. As VP of Information Security at Centene Corporation and CISO of Carolina Complete Health, Rick doesn't just manage cyber threats—he's pioneered how organizations think about the human side of security. He was the lead author on CIS Critical Security Controls v8. He spent time at Verizon, Gartner, and Lockheed Martin before landing in healthcare, where the stakes of getting security wrong are measured in lives, not just dollars.
Dr. Leigh George is a marketing strategist who believes most advertising either annoys or bores people to death. As CEO of Freedom and a sought-after speaker, Leigh challenges companies to "Don't raise your voice. Improve your argument." She's spoken at Digital Summit conferences nationwide and at South by Southwest, and she works with organizations ready to move beyond transactional marketing into genuine human connection.
Christian Hunt founded Human Risk after realizing that most compliance programs treat humans like robots. With experience as Managing Director and Head of Behavioral Science at UBS and as former COO of the UK's Prudential Regulation Authority, Christian brings a rare perspective from both sides of the regulatory fence. His book "Humanizing Rules" and his Human Risk podcast explore what he calls "getting people to do what you want without pissing them off."
Matt Pinnell serves as Oklahoma's 17th Lieutenant Governor, where he's focused on workforce development, economic growth, and making people reconsider Oklahoma as a flyover state. Before politics, Matt served as Director of State Parties for the Republican National Committee and ran his own small business. As Chairman of the Oklahoma Tourism Commission, he's led a statewide rebrand that's challenged both internal bureaucracy and external perceptions.
Rachel Shank leads Georgetown Main Street in Washington, DC, supporting the small businesses that form the backbone of one of America's most iconic neighborhoods. She's navigated pandemic recovery, government shutdowns, and the challenge of maintaining local business vitality amid chain domination. With a Master of Public Administration from George Washington University, Rachel works at the ground level of economic development—where policy meets the sidewalk.
Why these voices matter
At Brigadoon, I deliberately mix people who wouldn't usually share a stage—or a chairlift. A cybersecurity executive and a behavioral scientist. A state lieutenant governor and a marketing strategist who challenges conventional wisdom. A local economic development leader championing small businesses and hospitality
This is by design. The most valuable conversations happen when you step outside your expertise zone and engage with people solving entirely different problems. The cardiologist learns from the tech founder. The urban planner challenges the VC's assumptions. The civic leader hears from the automation entrepreneur.
Brigadoon gatherings are not designed to give you the answers. Brigadoon gatherings are here to provide you with better questions on the topics and issues shaping commerce and culture.
-Marc
