The rush to embed generative AI into everything has left most teams skipping the part where they ask, “Can we trust what we’re building?” This session walks through a playbook for building resilient, secure systems from the first whiteboard sketch, not as a compliance afterthought. Drawing from 20+ years of leading AI architecture and backend infrastructure for institutions like JD Power, University of Minnesota, and MyFitnessPal, Rakia Finley shares threat modeling techniques, DevSecOps practices, and high-impact system patterns for engineering teams under pressure to ship fast and scale smart. If you’ve ever been asked to deliver innovation without compromising trust, this session is for you.