Division chiefs, program managers, and other senior staff members working in CISO organizations frequently find themselves needing to stay current on technologies while, at the same time, leading and managing segments of the IT security program and assigned staff. Attending conferences is one way that these senior level personnel can learn about new technologies, tactics, techniques, and practices which can be adopted by an enterprise. Over the course of two or three days, a busy manager or executive can attend a large number of briefings while also developing business relationships by networking with others in the field.

Find an IT Security or Cybersecurity conference that will be offered in the next six months and research the types of presentations and workshops which will be offered. Research the costs associated with attendance (conference fees, meals, lodging, travel). The conference venue must be within the continental United States. The conference itself should be one that you are interested in and would attend if the funding were made available.

Write up a travel request which includes a summary of the conference, a justification which explains the benefits of attendance (many conferences will provide a template), and an estimate for the costs that includes the following categories: conference or workshop fees, meals, lodging, travel. Format your travel request as a 1 – 1/2 page business memorandum (no more than 7 paragraphs) addressed to the Padgett-Beale CISO.

Your travel request should include links (URLs) for the conference and venue (including the hotel where you would stay). If meals are included in the conference fee then you should state that and not include those meals in your estimate. Use this GSA website to obtain estimates for meals that are not included in the conference fees: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

Instructions

Create an MS Word document containing your “short paper” (response) for the discussion topic. Use MS Word to spell check and grammar check your work!

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!<

Step-by-Step Guide for Writing Your Travel Request Memorandum:

Step 1: Select a Conference

Find a cybersecurity or IT security conference happening in the next 6 months within the continental U.S.
Make sure it aligns with your professional goals. Good examples include:

RSA Conference (https://www.rsaconference.com)
Black Hat USA (https://www.blackhat.com)
SANS Institute events (https://www.sans.org)

Step 2: Gather Information

For your chosen conference, collect:

Conference dates, location, and official website
Topics/workshops of interest
Registration fee
Hotel options and rates
Travel cost estimates (airfare or mileage)
Meal costs (use GSA per diem site if meals aren’t included)

Step 3: Format as a Business Memo

Use professional business memo format and address it to the Padgett-Beale CISO. Organize it into 5–7 concise paragraphs, covering:

To, From, Date, and Subject line
Conference overview: what it is, when and where
Justification: how attending will benefit you and the company
Workshops and sessions that align with your responsibilities
Networking opportunities and professional growth
Estimated costs broken into:
- Registration fee
- Lodging
- Travel
- Meals
Links to the conference and hotel websites

Step 4: Write Clearly and Professionally

Keep paragraphs concise and focused on value and cost justification
Avoid unnecessary technical detail — write for an executive audience
Ensure spelling and grammar are checked in MS Word

Step 5: Submit as a Word Document

Save your file as .docx
Double-check formatting and include clickable URLs
Submit according to your course’s instructions

Cybersecurity Conference Travel Request for Professional Development