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Secure Technology Alliance Names Industry Luminary Christina Hulka as New Executive Director

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  • Secure Technology Alliance Names Industry Luminary Christina Hulka as New Executive Director
Secure Technology Alliance Names Industry Luminary Christina Hulka as New Executive Director

Hulka, who previously served as executive director and COO of FIDO Alliance, succeeds Jason Bohrer

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 19, 2024 – The Secure Technology Alliance is proud to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Christina Hulka. She succeeds Jason Bohrer in heading up the organization, as well as its associated U.S. Payments Forum and Identity and Access Forum. Hulka brings more than 25 years of cross-industry leadership, membership building, technology development and project management experience to the role, having served most recently as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of FIDO Alliance.

In addition to deep domain knowledge of identity, access control and compliance standards for authentication and device attestation, Hulka was also heavily involved in the implementation and interoperability of EMV and contactless payments through her past work at Visa and the board of EMVCo.

“The Secure Technology Alliance is a premier hub for fostering cooperation, advancing education, and promoting best practices within the realms of identity, access and payments technology,” said Hulka. “I’m genuinely excited about the opportunity to contribute to these organizations and their impactful projects. I am committed to building upon the foundation laid by Jason’s leadership. Looking ahead, the dynamic landscape of instant and contactless payments, AI, biometric authentication, mobile driver’s licenses and other emerging technologies will continue to evolve rapidly. The Alliance and its Forums are poised to lead the charge in shaping the implementation of these initiatives. There is an abundance of exciting work ahead. I eagerly anticipate diving into this new role!”

As the Alliance welcomes Hulka aboard, Jack Jania, chair of the Alliance’s Board of Directors, highlights the organization’s adaptability amidst today’s transformative technological environment. “In recent years, the Alliance has demonstrated its resilience,” Jania states. “First, our members collaborated to navigate the payment and security challenges presented by a global pandemic. Subsequently, we identified and addressed a significant ecosystem gap by launching the Identity and Access Forum and played a pivotal role in the successful deployment of digital IDs. Moreover, we established the first working committee within a member organization dedicated to progressing electric vehicle open payment interoperability. With Christina’s fresh perspectives and strong industry relationships, we are confident in her ability to advance our mission of stimulating understanding and accelerating the adoption of secure technologies in the U.S. and beyond.”

Those interested in participating in upcoming Alliance projects are invited to visit https://www.securetechalliance.org/membership-information/ to explore membership benefits. By joining the Alliance, members will have access to activities within its affiliated U.S. Payments Forum and Identity and Access Forum, including the development of industry-driven white papers, standards, webinars, statement documents and more.

About the Secure Technology Alliance

The Secure Technology Alliance is the digital security industry’s premier association. By collaborating on education and guidance, the Alliance helps enable efficient, timely and effective implementation of large-scale, disruptive technologies. Its U.S. Payments Forum is the only non-profit organization bringing together merchants, issuers, payment networks, acquirers, processors and technology makers on neutral ground to develop resources for the betterment of the payments industry. The Alliance is also strengthened by its Identity and Access Forum which is dedicated to advancing the adoption and development of secure identification, including physical and digital technologies. This includes mobile drivers’ licenses, access control and various forms of identity authentication. For more information on the Alliance’s activities, please visit https://www.securetechalliance.org.

Contact

Sherlyn Rijos-Altman
Montner Tech PR
203-226-9290
[email protected]

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About the U.S. Payments Forum

The U.S. Payments Forum is a cross-industry body focused on addressing issues that require broad cooperation and coordination across many constituents in the payments industry. The Forum is an affiliated organization of the Secure Technology Alliance, founded in August 2012 as the EMV Migration Forum, and renamed in the U.S. Payments Forum in 2016 to include other new and emerging payments technologies in the United States.

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Session 4: Tuesday, August 12th at 9am PT

Crypto & Stablecoins: Unpacking the Future of Digital Value in Payments

Wrap up the U.S. Payments Forum Summer Education Series with a timely deep dive into one of the most talked-about trends in the financial world: cryptocurrency and stablecoins.

In this final, member-exclusive session, industry experts will demystify the fundamentals of these digital assets and explore their potential impact on the payments ecosystem. From definitions and use cases to regulatory considerations and real-world adoption, this conversation will provide clarity on where crypto fits—and where it’s headed—in mainstream commerce.

If you’re curious about how digital currencies may reshape transactions, settlement, and consumer expectations, this session is your chance to get informed and stay ahead.

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Session 1: Tuesday, June 24th at 9am PT Agentic Payments

Agentic Payments: The Next Evolution in Seamless Transactions

Kick off the U.S. Payments Forum Summer Education Series with a forward-looking conversation on agentic payments—a transformative approach where devices, apps, or digital assistants initiate and complete transactions on behalf of users.

In this member-exclusive session, Visa and Mastercard will share insights into their agentic payment strategies and real-world applications, exploring how AI-driven automation is reshaping customer experiences and the broader payments ecosystem. Joining the conversation is Firmly, a company building the agentic commerce infrastructure powering frictionless AI-native checkout across digital channels.

Moderated by Andrew Gordon from Discover, this discussion will unpack the opportunities, considerations, and future outlook for autonomous commerce.

Moderator: Andrew Gordon, Discover

Panelists: Sukh Dev, Mastercard; Reed Bouchelle, Visa; Kumar Senthil, Firmly

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Session 2: Tuesday, July 8th at 9am PT

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Join us for the second installment of the U.S. Payments Forum Summer Education Series, where industry experts from SHAZAM and Mastercard, will break down the complexities of tokenization—a foundational technology for securing modern payment ecosystems.

This members-only session will cover the critical role tokenization plays in reducing fraud, protecting data, and enabling secure digital commerce. Attendees will gain clarity on the different types of tokens—network, acquirer, and card-on-file—and learn when issuer involvement is required, when it isn’t, and why that distinction matters.

Whether you’re building, managing, or modernizing payment systems, this session will equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate tokenization with confidence.

Panelists: Manish Nathwani, SHAZAM; Sukh Dev, Mastercard

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Session 3: Tuesday, July 29th at 9am PT – 90 minutes

Merchant and Issuer Special Interest Group (SIG)

Join industry leaders Joe Vasterling (Best Buy) and Sara Walsh (Bank of America) for the third session of the U.S. Payments Forum Summer Education Series—a collaborative conversation between merchants and issuers focused on solving shared challenges and accelerating innovation. This member-exclusive session offers a neutral space to explore evolving regulations, customer experience expectations, and the adoption of new payment technologies. Whether you’re working to optimize transaction flows, enhance security, or better align ecosystem priorities, this session is your chance to engage directly with peers, exchange insights, and help shape the future of payments.

Led by: Joe Vasterling, Best Buy; Sara Walsh, Bank of America

Register Now