Leire Arbona Puértolas, Arielle Thomas Chosen as 2024 SIA Industry Advocate Award Honorees

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has recognized two industry leaders – Leire Arbona Puértolas and Arielle Thomas – as the 2024 winners of the SIA Industry Advocate Award. This award is presented to individuals making an extraordinary contribution of professional time, leadership and resources to position SIA and its members to address the public policy challenges impacting the security industry. Arbona Puértolas and Thomas were recognized with the awards at the 2024 SIA GovSummit conference.

Leire Arbona Puértolas serves as legal and compliance director for Veridas, providing expertise in biometric identity verification and data protection laws since joining the company in 2017. Arbona Puértolas’ efforts extend beyond corporate compliance; she actively contributes to the legislative process in various countries, advising on laws that shape the future of digital identity verification.

“Leire Arbona Puértolas played a critical role in guiding SIA’s advocacy throughout the last year related to the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act and continues to assist on matters related to AI, data privacy and biometrics,” said Jake Parker, SIA’s senior director of government relations. “The success of SIA’s work on behalf of the industry heavily depends on the willingness of key members to volunteer their time and subject matter expertise.”

Arbona Puértolas has played a crucial role in legislative developments in Spain and the European Union, and her expertise is frequently sought in international forums on privacy, biometrics and identity management. She holds dual degrees in law and business administration from the Public University of Navarre, Spain, bringing a unique blend of legal insight and business acumen to her role at Veridas. Furthermore, she firmly believes in the necessity of deep technical knowledge to create coherent and updated laws.

Arielle Thomas serves as a government relations manager on NEC Corporation of America’s Government Relations and Public Policy team. In this role, she manages relationships with elected officials and staff in the U.S. Congress, in addition to tracking relevant legislation and policy developments at the federal and state levels that could impact NEC businesses, technologies and services.

“We deeply appreciate the assistance that Arielle Thomas consistently provides to SIA’s advocacy and events, on many levels that benefit the industry, from her leadership on AI and technology policy to devoting her time to assist other members in navigating Capitol Hill during our Security Hill Day event,” said Parker.

Before joining NEC, Thomas worked at the Greater Washington Partnership, a regional business organization, where she focused on building relationships with governmental and business leaders across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Prior to this role, she was on the government affairs team at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation, for over half a decade, where she led the Chamber’s cybersecurity lobbying engagement with the U.S. Congress. Thomas earned a B.A. in international studies from American University, with a primary focus in U.S. foreign policy and national security, in addition to a special certificate in advanced leadership studies. She is also very active with the Women in Government Relations organization, where she co-chairs the Telecommunications, Technology and Intellectual Property Task Force.

“SIA is thrilled to recognize Arielle Thomas and Leire Arbona Puértolas as the 2024 Industry Advocate Award winners – they have provided crucial contributions to SIA’s legislative and regulatory initiatives, particularly around AI, privacy, biometrics and technology policy, said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “We commend Arielle and Leire for their leadership and service, thank them for volunteering their time and subject matter expertise on key industry issues and look forward to continuing to collaborate with them on the issues most important to our members and promoting greater safety and security around the world.”

Featured

  • The Impact of Convergence Between IT and Physical Security

    For years, the worlds of physical security and information technology (IT) remained separate. While they shared common goals and interests, they often worked in silos. Read Now

  • Unlocking Trustworthy AI: Building Transparency in Security Governance

    In situations where AI supports important security tasks like leading investigations and detecting threats and anomalies, transparency is essential. When an incident occurs, investigators must trace the logic behind each automated response to confirm its validity or spot errors. Demanding interpretable AI turns opaque “black boxes” into accountable partners that enhance, rather than compromise, organizational defense. Read Now

  • Seeking Innovative Solutions

    Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. You may recognize these terms as the “5 Phases” of a grieving process, but they could easily describe the phases one goes through before adopting any new or emerging innovation or technology, especially in a highly risk-averse industry like security. However, the desire for convenience in all aspects of modern life is finally beginning to turn the tide from old school hardware as the go-to towards more user-friendly, yet still secure, door solutions. Read Now

  • Where AI Meets Human Judgment

    Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days. It is driving business growth, shaping consumer experiences, and showing up in places most of us never imagined just a few years ago. Read Now

  • Report: Only 44 Percent of Organizations are Fully Equipped to Support Secure AI

    Delinea recently published new research on the impact of artificial intelligence in reshaping identity security. According to the report, “AI in Identity Security Demands a New Playbook,” only 44% of organizations say their security architecture is fully equipped to support secure AI, despite widespread confidence in their current capabilities. Read Now

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.