Michael Hamilton, MS, CISSP

Co-Founder, Board Chairman

Steve Stein

Co-Founder, Executive Director

Steve Stein is the Executive Director of PISCES. As such Steve is responsible for the day-to-day business operations and expansion strategy for PISCES. Steve retired in 2017, after 38 years with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory where he served as a Senior Program Manager and Director of the Northwest Research and Technology Center providing new solutions to first responders and emergency managers.

Virginia Case

Board Member

Virginia Case stands at the forefront of modern marketing and user experience design, shaping how businesses innovate and thrive in competitive landscapes. As the founder and CEO of STRATAC, Virginia has led transformative initiatives that have driven measurable growth for technology startups and enterprises alike. She has held prominent board positions, including serving on the American Marketing Association, the National Small Business Association, and the Public Infrastructure Security Cyber Education System (PISCES). Her tenure as the Chair of the Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce underscored her dedication to advancing business communities and fostering innovation.

Deborah Wells

Board Member

Deborah “Deb” Wells is a seasoned cybersecurity leader and serves as Director of Cybersecurity Projects at B|E|C|U. Deb is known for her strategic vision and operational rigor in protecting enterprise systems and data. Additionally, she serves as a senior lecturer in cybersecurity and digital forensics for the Information Technology Management Department at Central Washington University (CWU). At CWU, she mentors the next generation of security professionals and helps shape academic programs aligned with real-world threats to include the beloved PISCES program. Deb served 21-years in the United States Air Force. Deb brings a disciplined, mission-focused approach to her responsibilities in cybersecurity, forged and honed through over 21-years of service.

Dan Wordell

Board Member

Dan Wordell is the Information Security Officer for the City of Spokane. He oversees the citywide strategic efforts to properly protect the city’s information technology systems and the data associated with it. Formalizing the security and internal controls standards that the City of Spokane has adopted has helped mitigate security risks to employee and community. Dan designs effective and appropriate security governance documents, coordinates physical security, guides the corporate security strategy, develops effective corporate training programs, and identifies required technical/administrative controls necessary to enable an appropriate risk-based approach to security.

Erik Fretheim

Board Member

Erik Fretheim is the Director of Cybersecurity Programs at Western Washington University. Before coming to Western Washington University, Erik was a Professor at City University of Seattle and the United States Military Academy. He retired from the Army in 2010 after 33 years of service (active and reserve) and also was an engineer, consultant and Chief Information/Technology Officer for several companies and has been involved with the internet since its early days. Erik has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

Brandon Hardenbrook

Board Member, Treasurer

Brandon Hardenbrook serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), a statutory public-private partnership chartered by the states of WA, OR, ID, MT, AK, and the Canadian provinces of BC, AB, SK, YT, and NWT. Brandon oversees all PNWER operations and working groups, including the Center for Regional Disaster Resilience. Prior to PNWER, Brandon served as an Army Air Defense Officer where he worked on the development and deployment of a new missile defense system.

Michael Tsikerdekis

Chair, Technical Advisory Committee

Michael Tsikerdekis is an assistant professor in the Computer Science Department at Western Washington University. His research interests include deception, data mining, cybersecurity, and social computing. Michael has a PhD in Informatics from Masaryk University. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.