2025 SISO Official Board Nominees

Tom Billington is the CEO and Founder of Billington CyberSecurity, a leading, mission-driven, independent cyber education company in Washington, DC. Tom has produced B2B events in the nation’s capital full-time since 1999, when he launched his first cyber event at BNA, now Bloomberg, and then at Thomson Reuters before founding Billington CyberSecurity in 2010.

In 2024, the Billington team produced over 40 events, including the world's leading Federal government cybersecurity summit, now in its 16th year, and its Inaugural 2nd State & Local Cybersecurity Summit in March 2024. The four-day summit in Washington attracted nearly 4000 attendees, over 220 speakers, and more than 150 sponsors. 

Billington CyberSecurity’s dynamic exhibit halls include some of the world's premier blue chip partners, including AWS, Google, Microsoft, Booz Allen, Leidos, GDIT, ManTech, Peraton, ZScaler, Lockheed, Oracle, and Palo Alto.  

The company has a truly global mission, partnering with many International countries. Summits over the last many years have included receptions at the exclusive British, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand Embassies. Tom won the highest award given by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) for the company’s efforts to help Ukraine thwart foreign cyber adversaries through its public-private trust-building and dialogue.

Billington CyberSecurity summits are known for their unparalleled content. Speakers have included the last five Directors of the NSA, the head of Government Communications Headquarters (United Kingdom), two Directors of National Intelligence, multiple U.S. Senators, and the lead cyber officials from Germany, Israel, Singapore, all Five Eyes countries (UK, Australia, NZ, Canada, US) and countless senior industry executives.

In addition to the annual summit, Billington CyberSecurity produces a newsletter, webinars, exclusive monthly Chatham House Rule breakfasts with cyber leaders, online video insights, innovation roundtables, and high-level networking receptions throughout the year. Billington CyberSecurity has decades of experience producing cyber events, including events serving the auto sector in Detroit, the private sector in New York and Denver, and the British Parliament. 

Before launching his company in 2010, Tom spent nearly two decades producing hundreds of events, publications and articles for leading media companies: Reader’s Digest, Phillips Business Information, BNA and Thomson Reuters. 

Billington CyberSecurity events have been cited in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Financial Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Politico, CNN, NBC, and C-SPAN. 

Tom graduated with an MBA from Georgetown and a B.A. from Brown University. He is a member of The Metropolitan Club, the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., and Vistage. He is active in the community, serving on the Vestry at All Saints Church, on the board, and as the head of the Parents Association at St. Albans School in Washington, his alma mater. He has been married to his wife for over 30 years and has one son.

Billington and his amazing team passionately believe that convening world-class educational and networking events can be a “force multiplier for good” in a world that desperately needs it.  

Billington and his team are honored and humbled every day to try to serve our country and citizens as we aim to enhance our security in cyberspace.

Alison Jackson has over 30 years of experience in B2B trade shows and conferences. She has worked in PE-backed businesses as well as private and public companies. She has run some of the largest trade shows all over the world and bought and sold events. She is now the Group MD of Nineteen Group, based in London, UK, a fast-growing trade show, summit, and other media business.

Courtney Muller lived in 8 states before she was 14 years old, which might be why she loves the travel and pace of the events industry! Courtney started her career in events in 1991.

Courtney is currently the President of Manifest, a global event focusing on innovation and how technology is transforming the supply chain. Courtney leads the Manifest team and drives all strategic partnerships for the event. Manifest is owned by Connectiv, where Courtney also serves as Chief Corporate Development Officer. Connectiv is a live events studio that creates next-generation, experiential, innovative events across several industries.

Recently, Courtney worked for Clarion Events North America as Chief Corporate Development and Strategy Officer. In her role, she was responsible for acquisitions, new business, partnerships, and commercial development for Clarion North America. Courtney also oversaw two acquisitions: InsureTech Connect and The National Grocer’s Association Show. During her four-year tenure, the North American Division of Clarion grew fourfold, putting them on the map as the leading event organizers in the U.S.

Before Clarion Events, Courtney was Executive Vice President for Urban Expositions, overseeing the team and portfolio of almost 35 events. Clarion Events bought Urban in 2016, and Courtney continued to help build Clarion's North American division.

Courtney has 33 years of trade show and event experience, which includes a 20-year career at Reed Exhibitions, where she rose to the role of Senior Vice President overseeing a portfolio of 10 industry-leading events in five sectors, including multiple Trade Show 200 events (Global Gaming Expo Las Vegas and Macau, The Vision Expos, Interphex and BookExpo America as well as New York Restaurant, Florida Restaurant & Lodging, and California Restaurant events). She also oversaw the sponsorship revenue team and the conference teams for all U.S. Reed events.

Muller is recognized for building strong relationships with association partners and customers. Over her career, she has worked with the American Booksellers Association, the American Gaming Association, the Vision Council, the New York State Restaurant Association, the National Indian Gaming Association, and the National Grocer’s Association. Courtney’s creative approaches to growing business are exemplified by her strong leadership and team-building skills.

Throughout her career, Courtney has developed award-winning teams that grow businesses, deliver results, and create meaningful and lasting relationships with the partners, customers, and industries they serve. Her teams have won multiple corporate and industry excellence awards, including Fastest 50 honors.

Courtney was named a “Great Woman in Gaming” by Casino Enterprise Management Magazine in 2006. She was also featured on the cover of Trade Show Executive in 2012 as an industry leader. In 2019, BizBash named Courtney one of the 500 most important people in events. She has worked as head of the International Committee for IAEE and was a previous board member of SISO (Society of Independent Show Organizers).

Notably, Muller was one of the leaders who created SISO Women. She was the first Chair of SISO Women and a driving force for this group, which is still active and growing today. Courtney is currently a member of the Events Venture Group, a new group that helps event entrepreneurs with advisement, mentorship, and investment.

Courtney is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She enjoys gardening and cooking and adores the natural beauty of her island home in North Carolina. She and her husband and dog live on the Topsail Island Sound and are only steps from the beach! They have three grown children and three grandsons.