Tia Hopkins
Founder and CEO
Company/Organization: CTRL+EXEC, LLC
Tia Hopkins is an AI and cybersecurity consultant, executive, author, educator, and speaker with over 25 years of experience across technology, cybersecurity, solutions architecture, and business leadership.
Her work sits at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and operational transformation, with a focus on moving complex initiatives from strategy through architecture and execution. Her areas of expertise include secure AI adoption, AI and cybersecurity strategy, solution architecture, agentic workflows, governance, cyber resilience, exposure management, and operating-model transformation.
Tia is the Founder and CEO of CTRL+EXEC, an independent practice focused on AI, cybersecurity, and operational transformation. Previously, she served as Chief Cyber Resilience Officer and Field CISO at eSentire, where she led a $30M cyber resilience and GRC portfolio. During nearly a decade with the company, she progressed from Senior Solutions Engineer to executive leadership, holding roles across global solutions architecture, cyber risk advisory, Field CTO, and Field CISO.
She is a LinkedIn Learning instructor and former adjunct professor and course author in the MS in Cybersecurity program at Yeshiva University. She also speaks regularly on AI, cybersecurity, resilience, leadership, and transformation.
Tia is co-author of Hack the Cybersecurity Interview and Securing Our Future: Embracing the Resilience and Brilliance of Black Women in Cyber, and is featured in The Women in Security Documentary.
Her recognition includes the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from AmeriCorps and the Office of the President of the United States, the SANS Difference Makers People’s Choice Award for Team Leader of the Year, SC Media’s Women in IT Security Advocate Award, recognition as a Cybersecurity Ventures Cybersecurity Pundit, and three consecutive selections to the SIA Women in Security Forum Power 100.
She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for Cyversity and as a member of Tenable’s Exposure Management Leadership Council.
Education:
Purdue University Global: BS in Information Technology, MS in Information Security and Assurance
Western Governors University: MS in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
Quantic School of Business and Technology: Executive Master of Business Administration
Interests:
Tia is drawn to complex problems that do not come with a playbook. Her interests span AI, cybersecurity, resilience, leadership, operational transformation, and the practical challenge of turning strategy into execution.