
Theresa Payton Speaking Fee: $20,000 to $30,000

Speaking Fee:
$20,000 to $30,000
Travels From:
Available Upon Request
Travels From:
Available Upon Request
Primary Topic Category:
Cybersecurity / Cryptocurrency / Blockchain
Primary Topic Category:
Cybersecurity / Cryptocurrency / Blockchain
Secondary Topic Category:
Technology
Secondary Topic Category:
Technology
Theresa Payton Speaker Profile: At A Glance
Theresa Payton is a trailblazer in technology and cybersecurity, making history as the first female White House Chief Information Officer, under President George W. Bush. She’s recognized as one of the world’s top advisors on secured digital transformation, AI and privacy, consulting Fortune 500 boards, CEOs, and technology executives to safeguard critical assets and navigate complex digital challenges. She’s the go-to expert among network television news programs and other major media outlets, and has starred as Deputy Commander of Intelligence on the CBS TV reality hide-and-seek show, “Hunted.”
As a visionary in the digital world, who famously made history as the first female to serve as White House Chief Information Officer and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most respected authorities on cybersecurity, Theresa Payton is a highly sought-after keynote speaker. She captivates audiences by drawing from her experience as a veteran cybercrime fighter and entrepreneur, masterfully blending memorable anecdotes with cutting-edge insights.
A celebrated, patented inventor of new security designs, Payton identifies emerging trends and techniques to help businesses – and audiences – combat cyber threats, from the impact of the Internet of Things to securing Big Data. She’s the cybersecurity expert organizations in both the public and private sectors turn to protect their most valuable resources, improve their IT systems and strategies and to discreetly guide them through data breaches.
Managing cybersecurity risk is what Payton knows and does best. Before overseeing IT operations as CIO for President George W. Bush and his administration, she held executive roles in banking technology for two of the country’s top financial institutions. After serving in the White House, she went on to co-found Dark3, a cybersecurity product company, and Fortalice Solutions, a world-class cybersecurity consulting firm ranked a “Top 5 Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company” in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC.
Because of her ability to explain complex security issues and help non-tech-savvy people understand how to protect their privacy, Payton has been a frequent guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox Business, and Fox News and has been featured on CBS News, CNN, NBC News, and MSNBC, as well as Canadian and Irish news outlets. She also starred on the reality TV series “Hunted”, where highly trained investigators (including Payton) “hunted” to catch people attempting to hide throughout the world.
She is the author of multiple industry-leading books on IT strategy and cyber security, including “Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth,” which The Guardian included on their list of the “Top 10 Books About Cybercrime.”
“Absolutely loved your session and the 2026 predictions!!!” Cisco
“OMG!! I cannot begin to tell you how much we LOVE Theresa! She’s the best! The session was amazing and she is so warm and giving. I will certainly be recommending her to any of my colleagues after an engaging, informative, knowledgeable and warm speaker. In the meantime, I’m going to let all my colleagues in the events business know that they should just erase any other cybercrime speakers they have OFF their lists right now!” Thomson Reuters
“Thank you for your fantastic presentation at Executive Summit and for being part of our (standing room only) Zero Trust session. I’ve heard nothing but great feedback from attendees on both fronts.” Hewlett Packard Enterprise
“I loved her session at the Governor’s Cyber Security Summit. I especially enjoyed hearing about the ‘5 F’s’ and how to protect our privacy in the uprise of AI.” - Dell
“Your speech and panel in Geneva were one of the Congress highlights and it was so directly applicable!” - Pictet Group, Geneva Switzerland
“Your presence in our event was VERY much appreciated by all of our customers, and especially our VIPs that had the chance to interact directly with you.” Intel Mexico
“Everyone loved Theresa!!! I will, no doubt, recommend her to others. Great content and SO easy to work with! Thank you!” - Healthcare Distribution Alliance
“Theresa was great! She brought the same presence we saw at FS-ISAC and did a terrific job of
tailoring to our audience technical and non-technical associates.” Raymond James Financial
“Theresa Payton was awesome!” - Security Industry Association
“You completely nailed it! Your keynote was outstanding. Our customers, staff, everyone loved it. The content was informative, engaging, thought-provoking and memorable. I cannot count how many people I heard in the breaks talking about the Happy Meal, other examples that you gave, everything. Your remarkable insights will stay with us and our customers for a long time. We’d absolutely love to have you come back and present again.” Biocatch
“Wow Theresa! You make our job easy. Thank you so much for not only being an incredible professional with relevant and important information to share, but also for being a true joy to work with. Our survey results have started to come in and our audience LOVED you and took away actions they plan to implement in their businesses immediately. Your handout was an essential resource.” AssetMark, Inc.
“Theresa we absolutely loved you! You make a very tough subject that would traditionally be hard to understand very digestible. It was so informative, and you are so knowledgeable and engaging. I’ve heard so many compliments from our attendees on how much they enjoyed your presentation. Also loved how you armed them with tools needed and left on a positive note.” First Horizon National Corporation
“Theresa did a great job presenting for our group during our Annual Conference. Our bankers loved her session!” Western Bankers Association
“Theresa is a pro and a class act. We will be using her again for sure.” - OneLogin
“Theresa! Loved your keynote speech. You are an inspiration to us all with all your achievements. The thing that stuck out to me about you was your empathy, your grace and the way you connect with your audience. Thank you for being an advocate of security.” Retail & Hospitality - ISAC
This is provided for informational purposes. Gotham does not represent these speakers exclusively.
All information is subject to change, including fees. if this is your speaker page and you would like this page
updated or removed please contact us and we will respond within 24 hours.