Join ISC2 Northern Virginia Chapter on Thursday, August 21st at 6:00 PM for a special evening of learning, networking, and leadership opportunities.
We are excited to welcome Derek Kernus, CEO of Aethon Security, as our featured guest speaker. Derek will present on “CMMC Going Live: Implications for DoD Contractors”, an essential topic for anyone supporting the defense industrial base.
Event Location:
1680 Capital One Drive
McLean VA 22102
Room: C2: 100A
Parking Information:
Please park at the "C2 Garage" that is directly connected to the building where we will have the Chapter meeting.
Event Agenda:
6:00 - 6:30pm Check-in and Networking (Food provided - first come, first served)
6:30 - 8:00pm Chapter Meeting
8:00 - Onward Post-Event Social at The Perch.
Chapter Elections at the Annual Meeting
This meeting also serves as our Annual Chapter Meeting, during which we will hold elections for two open board positions:
- Executive Vice President (EVP)
- Membership Chair (Vice President – Membership)
These roles are part of the Chapter’s Board of Directors and serve for a 24-month term. If you are interested in running, please submit your interest by August 15 using the form
here.
Position Overviews:
Executive Vice President (EVP)
Second-in-command to the Chapter President. Helps oversee operations, supports strategic direction, runs meetings in the President’s absence, and ensures an annual executive report is shared with members.
Membership Chair (Vice President – Membership)
Leads member engagement efforts, maintains records, welcomes new members, and helps build community through outreach and participation initiatives.
Candidate Requirements:
- Must be a voting member in good standing (ISC2-certified and current on chapter dues)
- Must be a current ISC2 member in good standing (active certification, no suspension)
- Must not serve as an officer of another ISC2 chapter
- Must be willing and able to support chapter operations and attend board meetings
Commitment:
EVP candidates should expect to dedicate 6–8 hours/week. Membership Chair candidates should plan for at least 5 hours/week. Please only submit if you can support this level of engagement.
Not yet a member? Join today to ensure eligibility to run and vote
here.
Topic: CMMC Going Live: Implications for the DoD Contractors
Speaker: Derek Kernus, CEO, Aethon Security
This presentation will examine the crucial role of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) in protecting Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) within Department of Defense (DoD) contractor information systems. With the CMMC rule nearing finalization and expected to be enforceable by the end of 2025, it’s essential to understand its direct impact on the defense industrial base. The program will be codified in Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as a new Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) subpart, making it a mandatory requirement for all DoD contracts. As CMMC becomes a standard for safeguarding FCI & CUI within the DoD supply chain, business leaders involved in defense contracting must grasp the key elements of the final rule and the implementation timeline to effectively evaluate the need to implement the cybersecurity control requirements, their organization's readiness, and the timing of implementation to continue supporting the DoD.
This is a must-attend for defense contractors, cybersecurity leaders, and compliance professionals seeking to understand CMMC requirements, assess organizational readiness, and ensure continued eligibility for DoD contracts.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders and network with fellow cybersecurity professionals. We look forward to seeing you there!
Post-Event Social Sponsored by Central Strategies
We’re excited to share that Central Strategies is sponsoring our post-event social! These gatherings are a great opportunity for cybersecurity professionals to connect in a relaxed setting after the meeting.
Please log in to register. Attendance is free for ISC2 NOVA Chapter members. Guests of members should register separately.
Speaker: Derek Kernus
CEO, Aethon Security
Speaker Bio:
Derek leads a team of cybersecurity professionals focused on helping federal contractors build or remediate their cybersecurity programs to meet DFARS 252.204-7012 and CMMC Level 2. In his role, Derek supports the design and enforcement of the CMMC requirements on contractor information systems. He is also responsible for supporting the clients with thoroughly documenting the compliance through a System Security Plan (SSP) written to NIST SP 800-171A and gathering supporting artifacts.
Derek and his team at Aethon Security have led 8 organizations to pass CMMC Level 2 assessments, ranging from a 15-person professional services company to a 3,000-person international manufacturer. Aethon Security is also CMMC Level 2 Certified as an External Service Provider (ESP) .
Derek is a Board Member of the Managed Service Provider (MSP) Collective, holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certifications from ISC2, the Lead Certified CMMC Assessor (CCA) certification from the Cyber AB, and a Master of Business Administration from William and Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business.
