Kavya Pearlman

Well known as the “Cyber Guardian,” Kavya Pearlman is an award-winning cybersecurity professional and the Founder & CEO of the  X Reality Safety Intelligence (XRSI) – the world’s leading organization dedicated to providing intelligence and advisory services that are vital for the protection and well-being of emerging technology ecosystems. Kavya is the pioneer of the concept “Human Intelligence in the Loop,” a human-centric framework that emphasizes human wisdom, ethics, and agency in the oversight and governance of immersive and emerging technologies. Kavya is also the creator of the novel XRSI Responsible Data Governance™ standards and certification, XRSI Privacy and Safety Framework for the Immersive Technologies Domain, Metaverse Safety Week Annual Awareness Campaign, and various baseline security, privacy, and ethics standards for Emerging Technologies.  Kavya is also the founder & CEO of Cautelare, the principal Certifying Body for The Responsible Data Governance (RDG^™)

Her work has been featured on 60 Minutes+ (CBS) in a segment about creating a safer Metaverse, and she appears in the documentary “Dangerous Games: Roblox and the Metaverse Exposed,” which explores exploitation and safety risks in immersive digital worlds. Kavya’s thought leadership has also been recognized in The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Washington Post, Forbes, BBC, and other major global outlets.

Previously, she advised Facebook on third-party security risks during the 2016 U.S. presidential elections and served as Head of Security for Second Life, the iconic virtual world by Linden Lab. Today, she stands at the forefront of cybersecurity, privacy, and ethics for immersive technologies, exploring the intersections of 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), while shaping global safety and inclusion standards.

Kavya is a key member of the Global Coalition for Digital Safety at the World Economic Forum (WEF), former co-chair of the Privacy, Cybersecurity & Identity Working Group at the Metaverse Standards Forum, and former co-chair of the ITU Metaverse Focus Group on Data Protection and PII. She contributes to numerous international policy and safety advisory bodies, including INTERPOL’s Metaverse Experts Group (i-MEG), the OECD, and the United Nations Business and Human Rights Working Group.

Kavya currently advises over 60 governments and multinational corporations on cybersecurity policy, immersive tech governance, and responsible innovation. She is ranked among the Top 50 cybersecurity speakers globally, and frequently delivers keynotes, webinars, and strategic insights on cloud security, AI ethics, immersive risks, and the future of the internet. Her accolades include:

Kavya holds a master’s degree in Computer, Information, and Network Security from DePaul University, Chicago, and top-tier certifications including CISM and PCIP. Her global impact is grounded in a mission to uphold human dignity, safety, and enable responsible innovation in the age of immersive and intelligent technology.