Episode 55: Merike Kaeo, FIRSTCON26 Program Chair

The FIRST Impressions Podcast returns for FIRSTCON26! This kick off episode brings Program Chair, Merike Kaeo, to the table to discuss the vision behind the 38th Annual FIRST Conference program and the goals and challenges faced. Centered around the theme “Peak Defense: Building Adaptive Systems for Modern Threats,” Merike shares how this year’s program was carefully designed to balance technical depth, operational strategy, incident response, and AI security topics while ensuring diverse perspectives and skill levels. The episode highlights the importance of community collaboration, knowledge sharing, and making cybersecurity capabilities more accessible for smaller and underserved organizations through automation, practical incident response planning, and stronger global cooperation.