Cybersecurity Faculty – Office of Professional Programs

Richard F. Forno, Ph.D. | Program Director
Teaching Professor & Graduate Program Director, Cybersecurity
Assistant Director, UMBC Cybersecurity Institute
Ph.D., Curtin University of Technology
M.A., Salve Regina University
Graduate Certificate (National Security & Strategic Studies) US Naval War College
B.A., American University

Dr. Richard Forno is a Teaching Professor in the UMBC Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, where he directs the UMBC Graduate Cybersecurity Program and serves as the Assistant Director of UMBC’s Cybersecurity Institute. Prior to academia, his twenty-five year career spanned the government, military, and private sector, including helping to build the first formal cybersecurity program for the U.S. House of Representatives, serving as the first Chief Security Officer for Network Solutions (operator of the InterNIC), and consulting to Fortune 500 companies and the national security community. Dr. Forno also was one of the early thought leaders on the subject of information-age conflict and he remains a longtime commentator on the influence of Internet technology upon society.

In addition to teaching cybersecurity at UMBC, Dr. Forno has lectured on cybersecurity, information warfare, and infrastructure protection at American University and the National Defense University in Washington D.C. He is an affiliate of the Stanford Law School’s Center for Internet and Society (CIS) and from 2005-12 was a Visiting Scientist at the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, serving as an instructor for the CERT Coordination Center (CERT/CC). In 2023 he was names Honorary International Professor at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico in recognition of his work in both industry and academia.

His interdisciplinary research and professional interests include information age conflict, cybersecurity, risk communication, and the social shaping of technology — specifically, issues related to resiliency, autonomy, and influence in networked societies. In addition to many articles, papers, and commentaries over the years, he is the co-author of Incident Response (O’Reilly 2001) and Cybersecurity for Local Government (Wiley, 2022) and is a frequent contributor to The Conversation. Dr. Forno holds a Ph.D. in Internet Studies from Curtin University of Technology in Australia and is a graduate of Salve Regina University, the Naval War College, American University, and Valley Forge Military College. He has received research support from NSF and DoD.

Behnam Shariati, Ph.D. | Assistant Graduate Program Director & Assistant Teaching Professor

Ph.D., George Washington University
Graduate Certificate in Information Security, George Washington University
M.S. George Washington University
CNSS 4011 Certified

Dr. Shariati is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and the Assistant Graduate Program Director. Formerly the head of a global technology firm, Dr. Shariati has worked with a diverse set of industries, leading and overseeing all manner of cybersecurity engagements. Among his areas of focus are cybersecurity assessments (including assessments to ISO 27000, FIPS 140-2 and NIST’s security standards); enterprise security architecture; network defense; security operations; insider threat programs; active defense; and training and education.

Dr. Shariati’s leading professional and academic experience has led to his direct engagement by standards organizations on the development of global security frameworks. He currently serves as a guest researcher at the NIST National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), where he researches security best practices in several sectors. In 2016, his support of the NCCoE led to him being called upon to collaborate on the development of the new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 1800 series security publications for banking and financial sector cybersecurity. He has also worked extensively with global organizations on the alignment of standards-based security strategies with business mission, including working directly with the United Nations as a Project Director.

Nilanjan Banerjee, Ph.D.| Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Massachusetts, 2009
M.S., Computer Science, University of Massachusetts, 2007
B.Tech. (Hons), Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology, 2004

Nilanjan Banerjee’s expertise includes mobile and sensor systems with focus on designing end-to-end cyber-physical systems with applications to physical rehabilitation, physiological monitoring, and home energy management systems. He is an expert in cybersecurity for embedded and cyber-physical systems, and an Associate Director of Cybersecurity in Manufacturing at UMBC.

Daniela Coman, CISSP, CEH, CSSLP | Adjunct Instructor

M.S., Information Technology & Telecommunication Management, Capitol Technology University (Capitol College)
B.S., Computer Science & Mathematics, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University

Daniela Coman has more than 20 years of experience leading projects and providing technical expertise in designing and implementing software security solutions for network communication and confidential information protection for large, enterprise-level software products.

Ms. Coman has a passion for enhancing software programming and cybersecurity skills of the students in academic settings and is a Secure Software Development Lifecycle evangelist.

Frank Downs | Adjunct Instructor

Fixing cybersecurity one step at a time. Through interactions with national and international cybersecurity experts, Frank addresses the need for greater cybersecurity understanding and more cybersecurity professionals every day. He has helped craft national and international policy by directly leveraging his extensive expertise and varied skill set. Through training and certification development, he has created the most key resource for cybersecurity operations — skilled professionals.

A recognized thought leader, speaker, writer, inventor, Frank has been published in multiple mediums, online, newsprint, magazines, and books. Valued for his ability to take complex, technical issues and break them down for everyone to understand, Frank enjoys sharing the positive impacts technology can bring to the organization and individual.

David Freet, Ph.D. | Adjunct Instructor
Ph.D., Information Systems, Indiana State University
M.S., Southern Illinois University
M.B.A., Southern Illinois University
B.S., Computer Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

David Freet has an extensive background in software and database development, secure development
lifecycle, web application security, network security, cybersecurity operations, incident response,
forensics and malware analysis, information assurance, project management, and technical consulting.
He currently holds the following certifications: CISSP, CEH, GREM, CHFI, CNDA, Splunk Certified Power
User, Certified Scrum Master, and CompTIA Security+. Dr. Freet holds a Ph.D. in Network and
Cybersecurity Management from Indiana State University, a M.S. and M.B.A. from Southern Illinois
University at Edwardsville, and a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Missouri University of Science and
Technology. He has published research in network intrusion detection, security visualization, cloud
forensics, cloud-based security platforms, and emerging security architectures.

Keshia Green | Adjunct Instructor

M.S., Information Assurance, Capitol College
B.S., Network Engineering, Johnson & Wales University

Keshia Green is the Senior Information Security Manager for DLA Piper LLP (US). She supports the global law firms North America information security program. She has ten years of experience working in various industries including health, finance, and government. Mrs. Green has expertise in implementing and managing large information security programs. Having served in different IT and security roles throughout her career, she can support and provide holistic insight into security program development and operational management. Mrs. Green has a focus and passion for building strong information security programs through a people-centric approach.

Dan Guernsey, Ph.D. | Adjunct Instructor

Ph.D, Computer Science, University of Tulsa
M.S., Computer Science, University of Tulsa
B.S., Computer Science, University of Tulsa
CNSS 4011, 4012, 4013

Dr. Dan Guernsey has worked at the Department of Defense as a Computer Scientist and Architectures Researcher since 2011. During his studies at Tulsa, Dr. Guernsey has contracted with the DoD Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service, and local law firms. He performed reverse engineering and authored software analysis tools for product evaluation and digital forensics. His work has helped solve criminal cases and has helped resolve civil disputes involving software copyrights.

Albert Kinney | Adjunct Instructor

M.S., Electrical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School
B.S., United States Naval Academy

Al Kinney, who has been with UMBC as an adjunct instructor since 2009, is the Director of Cybersecurity Capabilities U.S. Public Sector at HP Enterprise Services (HPES). In this capacity, Mr. Kinney is responsible for development, marketing, and delivery of Identity Management, Software Assurance, and Cyber Situational Awareness services across federal, state & local, and selected international markets. He also serves as a key Subject Matter Expert responsible for industry awareness, client interaction, and oversight of HPES business, marketing, and investment strategies supporting broader development of HP’s cybersecurity services and capabilities. Mr. Kinney has held a number of leadership and management positions including executive functions in government, military, and commercial enterprise organizations.

Mr. Kinney holds a Command & Staff Diploma from the Naval War College along with a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Naval Postgraduate School. He remains active in the academic community as a member of the University of Maryland Baltimore County Cybersecurity Advisory Board and as an adjunct professor within the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering.

View Mr. Kinney’s public LinkedIn profile.

Adam Lippe | Adjunct Instructor

J.D., University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
B.S., Political Science, The Johns Hopkins University

Mr. Lippe is a career prosecutor who serves as the Chief of the Economic Cyber Crimes Unit, as well as the Animal Abuse Unit for the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office (a jurisdiction of over 800,000 people). In this role he manages direct reports and personally works on complex embezzlements and frauds, including identity theft, internet scams, check and credit card frauds, large material thefts, organized retail crime, financial exploitation of vulnerable adults, entitlement fraud, animal cruelty, in addition to handling murders. He was a district and juvenile court prosecutor, before heading to violent crime and narcotics for many years before his current position. Mr. Lippe has been an adjunct faculty member at UMUC, as well as both the University of Maryland School of Law and University of Baltimore School of Law and several other local colleges and universities helping to teach undergraduate and graduates both on-campus and on-line. He also was a frequent lecturer at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina for the National District Attorney’s Association. Licensed in both the state of Maryland and New Jersey, Mr. Lippe is an alumni of the University of Maryland School of Law and The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Jeff Lolley | Adjunct Instructor

M.P.S., Cybersecurity, UMBC
B.S., Computer Science and Business Management, University of North Carolina, Pembroke

Professor Lolley is a globally recognized expert in Cybersecurity, with 25 years of experience building information security and risk management programs. He currently serves as the Chief Information Security Officer, and Risk Committee Chair, for Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Professor Lolley is highly experienced in overseeing cybersecurity incidents, having consulted on the response to many of the largest data breaches in US history. He has also served as the Chief Security Architect for various government programs for the Office of the President, US Space Command, and the US State Department. Professor Lolley also serves as the Co-Chair of the FBI’s InfraGard Cyber SIG for the Washington DC Region.

Professor Lolley holds the M.P.S. in Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and B.S. degrees in Computer Science and Business Management from the University of North Carolina, at Pembroke. He has served as a member of the faculty for the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and has spoken around the world on various information security and risk management topics. He also holds designations as a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Information Privacy Professional, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Information Security Manager, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, and ISO 20000 Lead Auditor. Professor Lolley received the 2011 Information Security Executive of the Year People’s Choice Award, 2007 CIO 100 Plus 1 award for Security Excellence, and 2006 Computer World Award for Best Practices in Infrastructure Management. He was a finalist for the 2012 Information Security Executive of the Decade Award.

Kenice Middleton | Adjunct Instructor

M.S., Information Technology, University of Maryland University College
B.S., Computer Information Systems, Strayer University

Ms. Kenice Middleton is a Senior Executive with the Department of Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and leads its risk management organization in ensuring vulnerabilities are managed effectively for the successful execution of tax and filing season each year. With more than 16 years of cybersecurity experience, Ms. Middleton has been leading multi-million-dollar cyber initiatives for both the federal and private sectors and has been most successful in the areas of security authorization, risk management, and governance. She has been instrumental in growing federal cyber practices at Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte & Touche, LLP and is also an Associate Professor at UMUC.

Ms. Middleton recently received the IRS Commissioner’s Award, the highest award within the IRS, for leadership in the acceleration of IRS web application cybersecurity enhancements for the benefit of millions of taxpayers. Ms. Middleton is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Edward Murphree, Ph.D. | Adjunct Instructor

Ph.D., The George Washington University (2011)
J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law (1999)
B.A., The George Washington University (1992)

Edward “Ted” Murphree is Counsel in the corporate department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Houston office. Ted has over 17 years’ experience as a government attorney for the City of San Antonio practicing municipal law, with a special emphasis in information technology, privacy, and land use areas of concentration. In addition to his law degree, Ted holds a PhD in Engineering Management with a core emphasis in information security from George Washington University in Washington, DC, as well as two information privacy certifications from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), and is a past chair of their government sector Examination Development Board.

Ron Nemes | Adjunct Instructor

M.P.S., Cybersecurity, UMBC
M.S., Software Engineering and Organizational Management, Monmouth University
B.S., Computer Science and Information Systems, Stockton University

Ron’s career spans over 13 years, supporting various customers and environments. Currently, with KBRwyle Mr. Nemes develops solutions for some of the DoD’s pressing cybersecurity challenges and provides risk management support to a variety of DoD customers. In a similar capacity as COMPASS’s Chief Information Security Officer and Cyber Security Practice Leader Mr. Nemes provided expertise and guidance for commercial businesses of all sizes, assessing cyber risk and engineering resilient solutions. A seasoned cyber security professional, Mr. Nemes is an expert in bridging business and technical needs. Mr. Nemes has worked with the Department of Defense leading cybersecurity teams in the tactical environment, provided Risk Management Expertise to several Federal Agencies, and supported the DoD’s Defense Media Activity from a global risk management perspective.

Mr. Nemes earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science and Information Systems, Minor in Mathematics from Richard University of New Jersey and a Master of Science in Software Engineering and Organizational Management from Monmouth University. He also holds a Master of Professional Studies in Cybersecurity from the UMBC. Nemes is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and an EC-Council Certified Security Analyst and Licensed Penetration Tester.

Charles K. Nicholas, Ph.D. | Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Ph.D., Computer and Information Science, Ohio State University, 1988
M.S., Computer and Information Science, Ohio State University, 1982
B.S., Computer Science, University of Michigan – Flint, 1979

Dr. Nicholas’ recent work has been in the area of data science and machine learning to problems in cybersecurity. He served as Chair of CSEE from 2004-2010, and served five times as General Chair of the Conference on Information and Knowledge Management. He is a Senior Member of both ACM and IEEE.

Mallik Rao | Adjunct Instructor

M.P.S., Cybersecurity, UMBC
M.S., Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University
B.Tech., Computer Science, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University

Professor Rao has more than 20 years of experience leading teams and providing technical expertise in the design, implementation and operation of several Enterprise scale secure software solutions. Professor Rao completed his M. S. in Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University and currently he is a Chief Engineer for Enterprise Services, at MITRE. Also, Professor Rao is the co-author for eight U.S. Patents.

Gina Scaldaferri | Adjunct Faculty

M.S., Information Assurance, UMUC
M.B.A, Master of Business Administration, UMUC
B.S., Information Systems Management, UMBC

Gina Scaldaferri is currently Computer Forensic Examiner and Configuration Manager for the Air Force, where he is responsible for overseeing lab operations for the forensic laboratory of the Air Force, as well as conduct digital forensic examinations related to criminal investigations.

With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry and 10 years of experience with in Federal and local law enforcement, Gina has held roles and gained first-hand experience in positions ranging from system engineer, technical support, system, database, and network administration, incident response, cyber investigation and digital forensic investigations. In addition to teaching cybersecurity at UMBC, she also teaches classes for University of Arizona (UA) and consults with law enforcement and lawyers to assist in their cyber investigations.

She maintains numerous industry certifications including IACIS CFCE, as well as vendor specific certifications.

Alan T. Sherman, Ph.D. | Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Ph.D., Computer Science, MIT, 1987
S.M., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT, 1982
Sc.B., Mathematics, magna cum laude, Brown University, 1978

Dr. Sherman’s research focuses on Cybersecurity, security of voting systems, formal methods analysis of cryptographic protocols, cybersecurity education, cryptology, discrete algorithms.

Christina L. Smyre-Deloatch, Ph.D., CISSP | Adjunct Instructor

Ph.D., George Washington University
M.S., North Caroline A&T State University
B.S., North Carolina State University

Mike Stone | Adjunct Instructor

M.S., Telecommunications and Computers, George Washington University
B.S., Computer Science, University of Maryland

Mike Stone is a senior security analyst at the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The NCCoE collaborates with members of industry, government and academia to build open, standards-based, modular and practical example reference designs that address cybersecurity challenges in key economic sectors. The center benefits from formal partnerships with market leaders including several Fortune 50 companies.

Since starting at the NCCoE in August 2013, Mike has been the program manager for the center’s activities involving the financial sector. Mike collaborates with members of the financial sector and security vendors to develop solutions to complex cybersecurity problems.

Mike has been working in cybersecurity since 2000 and in other computer related fields since 1989. He has held positions in management, development, testing and support. Mike has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in Telecommunications and Computers from the George Washington University. Mike has focused on wireless network security since 2003 and has tested devices, written software, developed architectures and installed components.

Thomas M. Urquhart Jr. | Adjunct Instructor

M.S., Information Assurance, Capitol Technology University
B.S., Psychology, The Johns Hopkins University

Mr. Urquhart has been in the Information Technology field for over twenty years as both a defense contractor and a government employee. Mr. Urquhart began his career in 1998 as a Help Desk Specialist for BGE Home Products and Services. He is now a lead instructor and course manager at the National Cryptologic School for the Department of Defense, Ft. Meade, MD. He has also been an adjunct professor at Capitol Technology University. He is also a fiction author with books on Amazon.com and in the Baltimore County Public Library. He is currently working on a spy trilogy which will soon be published.

Mr. Urquhart’s other interests include jazz music, playing the guitar, bass guitar and drums, and of course, working on and with computers.

Roberto Yus, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Zaragoza, 2016
M.S., Computer Science, University of Zaragoza, 2011
B.S., Computer Science, University of Zaragoza, 2010

Dr. Yus was a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Computer Science department at the University of California, Irvine before joining UMBC. His research interests are in the fields of data management, knowledge representation, privacy, and the Internet of Things (IoT). His research focuses on the design of semantic data management solutions to empower IoT systems to understand user information requirements and user privacy preferences and adapt their operations taking those into account. He is broadly interested in IoT contexts spanning from smart buildings and spaces to smart water systems.

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