2024 Speakers

Paul M. Abbate

Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Paul Abbate was named deputy director in February 2021. As deputy, he oversees all FBI domestic and international investigative and intelligence activities.

Mr. Abbate began his FBI career in March 1996 as a special agent assigned to the New York Field Office, where he worked in the Criminal Division and served as a member of the SWAT Team.

In December 2003, Mr. Abbate transferred to the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters as a supervisory special agent in the Iraq Unit, overseeing FBI counterterrorism operations and personnel deployments in Iraq. In October 2005, he deployed to Iraq, serving as senior FBI liaison officer to the U.S. Department of Defense and leading a group of FBI personnel conducting counterterrorism operations in-theater.

From February 2006 to December 2009, Mr. Abbate served as a supervisory special agent within the Newark Division’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. In February 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan, where he served as FBI deputy on-scene commander, leading FBI counterterrorism and personnel in-theater.

In December 2009, Mr. Abbate returned to the Counterterrorism Division as assistant section chief, providing national-level oversight and guidance of all United States-based international terrorism investigations. During this time, he was a member of a team that received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service.

In July 2010, Mr. Abbate reported to the Los Angeles Field Office and served as assistant special agent in charge for counterterrorism matters, overseeing the primary branch of the Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force. 

In August 2011, Mr. Abbate again returned to the Counterterrorism Division, where he served as section chief, providing oversight of all FBI international terrorism investigations and counterterrorism operations external to the United States.

In October 2012, Mr. Abbate was appointed special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division. During this time, he also served as the FBI on-scene commander in Libya.

From October 2013 to September 2015, Mr. Abbate served as the special agent in charge of the Detroit Division, covering the state of Michigan. In September 2015, he was appointed assistant director in charge of the Washington Field Office, where he served until his appointment in December 2016 as the executive assistant director for the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing all FBI criminal and cyber investigations worldwide, international operations, critical incident response, and victim assistance.

In February 2018, Mr. Abbate was named associate deputy director of the FBI, where he was responsible for the management of all FBI personnel, budget, administration, and infrastructure.

Speaker

Lieutenant General Kevin B. Kennedy, U.S. Air Force

Commander, Sixteenth Air Force; Commander, Air Forces Cyber; and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber (Air Force), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texan

Lt. Gen. Kennedy is responsible for more than 49,000 personnel conducting worldwide operations. Sixteenth Air Force airmen deliver multisource intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products, applications, capabilities, and resources. In addition, they build, extend, operate, secure, and defend the Air Force portion of the Department of Defense global network. Furthermore, Joint Forces Headquarters-Cyber (Air Force) personnel perform operational planning as part of coordinated efforts to support Air Force component and combatant commanders and, upon approval of the President and/or Secretary of Defense, the execution of offensive cyberspace operations. In his position as Sixteenth Air Force commander, Lt. Gen. Kennedy also serves as the commander of the Service Cryptologic Component. In this capacity, he is responsible to the director, National Security Agency, and chief, Central Security Service, as the Air Force’s sole authority for matters involving the conduct of cryptologic activities, including the spectrum of missions related to tactical warfighting and national-level operations. Lt. Gen. Kennedy leads the global information warfare activities spanning cyberspace and information operations, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, targeting, public affairs, and weather for nine wings, one technical center, and an operations center.

Lt. Gen. Kennedy received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1990. Following graduation, he served in flying positions, including U.S. Air Force Weapons School instructor, 34th Bomb Squadron commander, 28th Operations Group deputy commander, and 28th Bomb Wing commander at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. He served as the vice commander for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia. His staff experience includes service on the U.S. Air Force headquarters staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff, United States Cyber Command, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.