Gary S. Chan
Security Strategist, Mentalist, and Conference Keynote Speaker
Experience a mind-bending journey where psychology meets mystery. Each demonstration blends impossible feats of influence with real-world security insights to expose human vulnerabilities and empower leaders to drive meaningful change.
What is Security Mentalism®?
Security Mentalism is the use of psychological techniques to influence people without them even knowing it. Where traditional security training relies on slides and lectures, Gary uses live demonstrations to make abstract cybersecurity concepts fun and memorable.
Nobody Saw Security Mentalism Coming
Gary spent decades mastering mentalism and building a career in cybersecurity before he realized they were two sides of the same coin: understanding how people think, predicting what they'll do, and influencing the outcome.
1997
The Spark of Magic
It all started in New Orleans. A magician in a shop stunned Gary by finding the card he chose, and then he was hooked. He begged his mom to buy his first magic trick, took it back home, and wore it out showing anyone who would watch.
A rare Chinese kid in a Louisiana public school, Gary went from never fitting in to being the center of the group while everyone cheered at his amazing talent. The rest came from books and practice, the beginning of a lifelong love of performance, human psychology, and bringing people together.
2004
Think Like a Machine
Like many kids at the time, Gary had a passion for computers. After years of exploring technology, he graduated from MIT with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. They trained him to think with logic, systems, and reason... a stark contrast to magic and mystery.
2008
Security Entry Point
Gary stepped into his first security role, building anti‑identity fraud systems that blended machine logic with human psychology. It was where he learned how people and organizations actually think and began the journey from individual contributor to CISO, FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association leader, certified security professional, and mentor to cybersecurity startups.
2021
A New Kind of Magic
When live shows came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gary decided to rethink the art of mentalism from the ground up. His two areas of expertise merged into a performance of psychology and cybersecurity beyond the limits of general entertainment. Inspired by a request from the FBI, a new interrogation-themed experience was born. Security Mentalism evolved around influence, perception, and investigation tactics to shine new light on how people think.
Today
And for My Next Trick
Today, Gary brings Security Mentalism to audiences around the world. His performances blend live demonstrations of influence and human behavior with real-world cybersecurity insight, making abstract concepts tangible and impossible to forget.
Whether at corporate events, conferences, or leadership summits, Gary's approach is the same: educate through entertainment. Audiences leave with a deeper understanding of how trust is built and broken, how decisions are influenced, and how psychology shapes every interaction.
Select Appearances
Security Training People Actually Remember
Gary performs Security Mentalism for corporate events, conferences, and leadership summits globally. His live demonstrations engage audiences, reveal how attackers think, and highlight the power of subtle influence. After they hear from Gary, your team will be better prepared to spot manipulation, resist social engineering, and prevent breaches.
