John Anthony Smith is founder & CSO of Conversant Group and its family of IT infrastructure and cybersecurity services businesses. He is the founder of six technology companies and, over a 30-year career, has overseen the secure infrastructure design, build, and/or management for over 400 organizations. He is currently serving as vCIO and trusted advisor to multiple firms. A passionate expert and advocate for cybersecurity nationally and globally who began his IT career at age 14, John Anthony is a sought-after thought leader, with dozens of publications and speaking engagements. In 2022, he led the design and implementation of the International Legal Technology Association’s (ILTA’s) first annual cybersecurity benchmarking survey.