AI in FinTech and Healthcare (Madison)

Join us in Madison in March to hear from the perspective of leaders in Wisconsin from the FinTech and Healthcare industries. Everyone is trying to find the right ways to deploy and integrate AI successfully and safely. The latter is even more important when you’re dealing with highly regulated industries. You’ll learn details around the cautions these industries are considering, how they’re able to start to use AI, and what comes next.

Panelists:

Nishant Upadhyay, Vice President in AI and Analytics, UW Credit Union

Nishant currently leads the AI and Analytics transformation at UW Credit Union, where he is executing a multi-year strategy to modernize the organization’s technology stack and corporate culture. Centered on the “AI@UWCU” initiative, Nishant and his team are systematically embedding analytics and artificial intelligence into every facet of the organization’s business operations. Supported by a next-generation Cloud Data Platform, this initiative empowers the workforce to leverage AI and analytics to drive tangible, sustainable business results. A champion for people-centric innovation, he is partnering with HR team on a firm-wide Digital Literacy program ensuring the workforce is upskilled to leverage AI and data to drive profitable growth and tangible business results.

Nishant is an AI and Analytics Executive with Fortune 500 experience, specializing in developing and executing on strategies to move from a data-rich to a data-driven organization and operationalizing AI. A deep understanding of business operations, finance and technology with a record of delivering tangible and transformative business results. Extensive experience in managing diverse teams across global locations and collaborating with C-suite executives to build out transformational initiatives. An energetic leader with a focus on people development, diversity, and inclusion with demonstrated ability to effectively lead and work in highly complex environments.

Troy Stairwalt, 4*CISO, Board Member for The Center for Critical Infrastructure Security, Board Member for 7Ten, Advisory Board for Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference East, Gartner CIO & CISO Advisory Board, WEM- CRT Volunteer Evangelist, Adjunct Professor- teaching STEM accredited Program at U of Akron, Former CISO for State of Wisconsin.

Technology executive with 25+ years of experience leading AI-enabled, secure, and resilient digital transformation across enterprise IT, cloud platforms, and digital-physical critical infrastructure. Proven ability to align innovation with governance, risk, and operational continuity in highly regulated and high-impact environments.

Troy’s career reflects a full-spectrum technology leadership journey, progressing from hands-on engineering, architecture, and cyber forensics roles to senior executive positions including Director, Vice President, and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) across 4 unique environments and industries. This end-to-end perspective enables him to translate complex technical realities into executive-level strategy, board-ready risk decisions, and measurable business outcomes.

Committed to empowering others and giving back to the profession, Troy volunteered for several years with internationally recognized experts to author, review, and refine global certification exam content for ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) programs. This work required maintaining technology, cultural, and regulatory neutrality for a worldwide audience. He has also served as a mentor for SANS 504: Hacking Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling, supporting the development of advanced incident response practitioners.

Troy currently serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Akron, teaching graduate-level (454 & 554) courses in cybersecurity and information systems auditing within the university’s STEM-accredited program, helping prepare the next generation of technology and risk leaders.

His professional credentials reflect executive-level breadth across AI, cloud, privacy, cyber-physical systems, governance, and incident response, including advanced training in ICS / SCADA cybersecurity from Idaho National Laboratory and defensible security architecture and engineering.