Sector Chiefs & Programs

The InfraGard Sector Chief Program was created to aid in the protection of the nation’s critical infrastructure by establishing a network of members with sector-specific expertise to facilitate timely information sharing between the FBI and the private sector. These are the pillars of our national infrastructure. This exchange of information enhances the ability of the FBI and partnering federal agencies to address threats to the sixteen recognized sectors of our nation’s critical infrastructure. The sectors are based on the DHS 16 critical sectors. These are the pillars of our national infrastructure.

Sector Chiefs are expected to be the “tip of the spear” for InfraGard South Florida. They are leaders who provide the greatest value proposition to our chapter’s stakeholders for sector-specific expertise and service.

Sector Chief Qualifications and Responsibilities

• Motivated and active leaders within the InfraGard membership.
• Subject matter experts with comprehensive knowledge and experience in one of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors.
• Serves as an ambassador/spokesperson for InfraGard.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for collecting and sharing sector-specific information to assist the FBI, and other law enforcement and emergency management agencies.
• Promote two-way information sharing and collaboration among sector members and across other sectors (regular meetings, etc.)
• Initiate training, exercises and continuing education on a regular basis.
• Build effective relationships within their sectors and with partner agencies and organizations.
• Provide tips, leads and subject matter expertise to the FBI, and other law enforcement authorities as needed.

Sector Chiefs:

Filled Positions

Sergio Piñon is currently the senior vice president and director of security for Ocean Bank. He is a former Intelligence Officer with expertise in terrorism and espionage. He is a former US Army Specialist war veteran who earned the Bronze Star Medal for bravery during a special Rescue operation in the Republic Vietnam.

He is a graduate of the US Army Missile & Munitions School at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama where he trained in Improvised Explosive Devices. He is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, US Secret Service Miami Electronic Crimes Task Force and currently Sector Chief of the Financial Sector of InfraGard South Florida Chapter.

Yair Levy, Ph.D. is a Professor of IS and Cybersecurity at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), the Director of the Center for Information Protection, Education, and Research (CIPhER), and chair of the Cybersecurity Faculty Group at the college. He earned BS.c. in Aerospace Engineering (Technion), MBA and Ph.D. in Management Information Systems from Florida International University.

During the mid to late 1990s, Dr. Levy assisted NASA to develop e-learning platforms as well as manage Internet and Web infrastructures.He heads the Levy CyLab, which conducts innovative research from the human-centric research areas of: cybersecurity, social engineering, and cyber threat mitigation. He authored numerous peer-review publications and his publications were cited over 4200 times.

He was trained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on various topics as part of the Citizen’s Academy, and actively serves as a Board Member and the Education Sector Chief of the FBI/InfraGard South-Florida chapter, as well as consults local, state, and federal agencies on cybersecurity topics. He advices the National Security Agency (NSA) on cybersecurity education matters and recently received $128K grant from NSA. He is frequently invited as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on cybersecurity topics to provide keynote talks at national and international meetings, as well as regular media interviews in print, radio, and TV. Click Here to find out more about Dr. Levy and his research lab.

Sanjay Deo combines over 25 years of Cyber Security and Compliance experience. At 24By7Security, the corporate mission is to assist clients with building a “defensible platform” in the face of rising Cybersecurity incidents and increased Regulations and Legal Action.

Company clients include healthcare, financial services, media & entertainment, travel and cruise and industrial companies.

• Designed various assessment methodologies for HIPAA, GLBA and Cyber Security.
• Assisted in the implementation of EMR, Population Health and Patient Engagement Solutions.
• Conducted HIPAA-HITECH readiness audit, and risk assessment for a multi-center healthcare provider organization based in South Florida with over two hundred and forty centers located nationwide.
• Conducted HIPAA Security Risk Assessment for a major South Florida medical center and participated in the subsequent remediation and implementation of enhanced security measures and comprehensive ongoing risk management program.
• He currently serves on the Board of the South Florida CIO Council, he is also Co-Chairs the South Florida CISO Forum.
• Sanjay is a member of the South Florida FBI-InfraGard Alliance and Sector Chief for the Information Technology track.

Michelle Ramim, Ph.D., MBA serves as the Healthcare Sector Chief of the South Florida InfraGard Chapter. She is an Assistant Professor at Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University. Additionally, she serves as the Interim Director of the Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics (BSHI) Program. Dr. Ramim has over 25 years of experience in both the healthcare and information technology fields, serving in various roles across the medical insurance industry, nursing home and assisted living facility industries, information technology industry, and academia.

Her research, teaching, and consulting work resonant in security and privacy of wearable and implantable medical devices, data privacy and ethics, system design and implementation, risk assessment, information security governance and medical education simulations. Dr. Ramim published over 33 papers in peer-review journals and conference proceedings as well as provided presentations and keynote in academic and industry events. Dr. Ramim has been actively contributing to the community and has been serving in numerous academic committees and professional associations including serving as a Board member also of the South Florida Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (SoFL HIMSS).

Mr. Island retired from the F.B.I. in 2002 and founded the Inquesta Corporation, a risk/threat intelligence and solutions company. As an F.B.I. special agent he investigated terrorism, espionage, financial crimes, drug trafficking, and Russian/Eurasian organized crime groups, with collateral duties as a hostage negotiator and crisis manager. Before the FBI, he was a regional security officer (attaché) with the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service at various posts in Latin America and a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer in Vietnam and Germany. He is the author of “Your Plan Is Your Parachute: A Simplified Guide to Business Continuity and Crisis Management” (paperback and eBooks) and an expert in personnel and information security. Among Inquesta’s services are background screening and investigations to mitigate insider threats through robust personnel integrity programs, and identity theft prevention (FACTA Red Flags), and continuity of operations planning and exercises.

Tyra Phillips
Agriculture and Food

Tyra Phillips is the Executive Director of the Dade County Farm Bureau. Tyra brings her professional mix of working in the non-profit sector, being former law enforcement and running her own farm in Homestead as key additions to Miami Dade’s oldest and largest agricultural organization. Tyra thrives on community outreach and is excited to continue that with the farmers of Dade County. One of her many goals is to unite the farming community even tighter, making sure to include the many smaller farms that dot the landscape of unconventional farmland. Ensuring farmland in Dade County is preserved for future generations of farmers to provide a sustainable way of living is another goal of Tyra’s. Tyra enjoys her horses, kayaking and family gatherings on her farm.

Vacant Positions