Author: Charley Nash

For some time now, there has been a worrying lack of the requisite skills around cloud security, data security, and application security. Especially within the mid and senior level. Part of the reason is that cloud architectures and the ever more distributed systems we are now used to today has created new attack surfaces that require specialised skills to secure. Here, there is a real shortage of engineers who are well-versed in techniques like cloud access security, cloud encryption, and micro-segmentation.

With vast amounts of sensitive data now being collected and analysed, skills in data security governance, database activity monitoring, and data loss prevention are more important than ever before. Unfortunately, entry-level cybersecurity hires often lack the soft skills needed for organisational collaboration, communicating cyber risks, and enabling behavioural change. At the same time, due to advanced persistent threats evolving so rapidly, mid and senior level professionals skilled in threat intelligence gathering, dark web monitoring, and understanding the attacker mindset are also rare. Shortages also exist in digital forensics and incident response skills like log analysis, reverse engineering malware, and determining root causes.

Failing programmes

The rapid pace of technological change has expanded the scope of vulnerabilities beyond recognition. Cloud, mobile, IoT and AI adoption have all massively increased risk, vastly expanding the expertise required to secure a modern organisation.

Educational programmes are, unfortunately, failing to keep students’ skills current with technological change. More public-private partnerships, certification programs and continuing education are needed.

Why diverse perspectives work

There is no doubt that more diverse perspectives promote more innovative solutions. It is, therefore, important to encourage them. Homogenous teams only end up reinforcing the blind spots that attackers can look to exploit. Whereas teams incorporating diverse backgrounds provide much more cognitive diversity to imagine novel defensive approaches.

The industry needs to tap into underrepresented talent pools through inclusive hiring initiatives. Unfortunately, many women or minorities with aptitude for cybersecurity roles still face unfair barriers to entry. This needs to change. Intentional, equitable hiring is vital for the industry to access and develop previously untapped talent.

A diverse age range should also be encouraged. Blending junior energy and new approaches with senior experience creates vibrant, balanced teams that nurture skills development and help to secure the business.

How to fill the gap

To help fill the skills gap, organisations should look to cross-train staff to handle multiple roles. Employees skilled across functional areas can improve response coordination while reducing costs. Not being afraid to employ remote workers can also help to access wider talent pools cost-effectively. Such remote models provide access to skills globally without relocation costs, improving diversity too.

Organisations should also look to invest in upskilling current staff on the latest technologies. After all, it always costs less to upskill internally than replace staff. Prioritising continuity and growth of institutional knowledge will pay dividends. Finally, make sure that the business prioritises spending on the highest risk areas. With limited resources, focus should be on securing the most critical business assets and processes first.

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Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2024’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words with minor edits made by the editor for readability and where relevant, supplemented with additional commentary by their nominator.

In 2024, the awards were sponsored by BT, Think Cybersecurity Ltd. and Plexal, with Eskenzi PR, Assured and Women in Cybersecurity UK & Ireland Affiliate as partners.

Lauren Zink, Manager of Security, Culture and Awareness at Indeed

What does your job role entail?

Being the Manager of the Security Culture Awareness and Training team at Indeed entails creating and delivering security information needed to develop a culture of secure behaviour across the organization. This includes tailored training, security communications, social engineering simulations and so much more.

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

I actually started out as an educator, both at the high school and college level, and through that I started to take courses in information technology. A position opened up at a large, global organisation with the title “security awareness analyst” and I applied because it married by two passions- adult learning and technology. The hiring managers saw something in me that gave me my chance to get my foot in the door of the security industry. From there I became like a sponge, trying to learn from all the intelligent people I was surrounded by and I never looked back. I fell in love with the cybersecurity industry, but more specifically the human risk side of the house and the passion for that remains and continues to grow stronger.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

I would be lying if I didn’t say there were a few. Some of the biggest and most difficult ones I have encountered include being either the only, or one of a very small subset, of females on the team. Another is ensuring that my voice was heard even though I had a seat at the table- not allowing the voice of others being loud to drown mine out. And of course I, along with most women, have experienced imposter syndrome in this field where I questioned whether I belonged and/or what I brought to that seat at the table.

While these are just a few of the challenges I’ve faced I’ve tried to look at it through the lens of not being a roadblock, but instead a small hurdle that was creating an opportunity to challenge myself, learn from the situation and grow. I tried to create my own confidence if I wasn’t always getting it from within my work environment and advocate for myself when others wouldn’t. I also always try to find time to reflect and create lessons learned from everything, not only so that I can remember how far I’ve come, but also so I can share my story so that it will hopefully help others.

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I actively try to become involved and advocate for both women and minorities through various non-profits, speaking engagements and other efforts such as #sharethemicincyber.

I also think continuing to share our stories and support each other goes on a long way in this industry. If women can’t find support in their team at work, they should know there are networks of women out there cheering them on from afar. If there is ever an opportunity to celebrate a woman or minority in cyber and their accomplishments I believe we should all take it and cheer them on all along the way. Though we’ve made great strides there is still so much more to do to create a more diverse tech/cyber industry for the future.

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Take the leap. Dive in head first and immerse yourself in it and learn as much as you can. Share you passion, grow your network and get involved beyond just what is required at work. Don’t be afraid to apply for positions if you don’t meet 100% of the listed requirements. You never know who may see something in you and give you a chance. Everyone started somewhere, so therefore so can you. Cyber is really an amazing field to be in as it is always ever changing due to new risks and you get to make a difference every day making the world a safer and more secure place.

 

 

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ISACA has announced its participation in the Erasmus+ program’s SHE@CYBER project. This initiative, under the EC Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training, is a concerted effort to address the cybersecurity skills gap in Europe, with a particular focus on empowering women and underrepresented groups in the field.

The SHE@CYBER project, coordinated by Vernian RTI – Research, Technology and Innovation, is a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing Europe’s cybersecurity resilience and championing diversity within the sector. The project’s objectives include developing a roadmap for vocational education and training (VET) in cybersecurity, creating open-access professional training programs, and promoting a cybersecurity mindset across Europe.

Chris Dimitriadis, Chief Global Strategy Officer at ISACA, stated, “Our involvement in the SHE@CYBER project is a testament to ISACA’s commitment to closing the gender gap and building a diverse cybersecurity workforce,” said Chris Dimitriadis, Chief Global Strategy Officer of ISACA. “By leveraging our expertise in education, training, and certification, we aim to empower individuals—especially women—from non-technical backgrounds  to thrive in this critical field.”

The project is set to deliver sustainable VET training programs in five European countries, utilising innovative online curriculum and industry-oriented training approaches. It will also address the specific need to attract female trainees and support their understanding of the professional opportunities within the digital landscape.

Pambos Pantziaros, Director, Vernian RTI (Cyprus) commented, “The collaboration between ISACA and the Erasmus+ program through the SHE@CYBER project is a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and secure digital Europe. The initiative’s focus on education and training will not only fill the cybersecurity talent gap but also ensure that the workforce is equipped to handle the challenges of our increasingly digital world.”

ISACA’s unique position as the only organisation of its type involved with the European Union on such initiatives underscores the importance of this partnership. With more than 50 years of experience and a presence in 188 countries, ISACA brings a wealth of knowledge and resources to the SHE@CYBER project, aligning with its mission to support IT education and career pathways for under-resourced and underrepresented populations.

The SHE@CYBER project aligns with the Erasmus+ program’s policy priorities, including addressing digital transformation, adapting VET to labour market needs, and increasing the attractiveness of VET. By creating synergies across different fields of education, training, youth, and sport, the project has the potential to make a significant impact on these areas.

This announcement is the latest made by ISACA in its continued efforts to reduce the cybersecurity skills gap. Last year, the association offered 20,000 free memberships for European students to access ISACA’s network and thus its resources, credentials, training materials and events. This includes connecting organisations with potential candidates to complete their workforce. In addition, ISACA pledged to increase the reach of its training and credentials in Europe and to surpass 46,000 individuals certified under the European Cybersecurity Competency Framework mapping.

 

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Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2024’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words with minor edits made by the editor for readability and where relevant, supplemented with additional commentary by their nominator.

In 2024, the awards were sponsored by BT, Think Cybersecurity Ltd. and Plexal, with Eskenzi PR, Assured and Women in Cybersecurity UK & Ireland Affiliate as partners.

What does your job entail?

I founded Cyber for Schoolgirls, a volunteer-led non-profit organisation that helps to educate young schoolgirls about starting a career in cybersecurity. As the Founder, I spend most of my time reaching out to secondary schools across Ireland. As well as seeking opportunities for collaboration with the industry and other technology non-profit organisations. I volunteer with a group of women in the cybersecurity industry, spread across Ireland. I usually find opportunities to visit secondary schools for the sole purpose of running cybersecurity workshops with the schoolgirls, like escape rooms, phishing tests and ethical hacking to generate awareness of security. I also attend exhibitions and speak at events to promote our cause.

As a Senior Information Security Manager, my work focuses on the field of governance, risk and compliance (GRC). As organisations move through increasing levels of security maturity, I help them establish policies, processes and systems to cover key areas of information security within the organisation. I conduct periodic risk assessments and compliance audits to help the business leaders of the organisation understand the state of information security within their organisation. I run cybersecurity awareness programs to build the security culture of the organisation. My expertise is further backed by relevant certifications, including CISM and CISA, and two Master degrees in the Cybersecurity field.

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

11 years ago, while I was in university studying telecommunications engineering. An old friend mentioned to me that he had just enrolled in a cybersecurity training course and asked if I was interested. I had always been intrigued by the movies and how hackers could extract information from computers in seconds. Looking back now, I realise that the movies were very exaggerated. I decided that I wanted to understand how data is transferred and protected on digital systems.

So I said, “why not?” I had some money, so I paid for the summer training course. It was on Ethical Hacking; Information Gathering, Reconnaissance and Social Engineering. That summer I learned about cybersecurity. I learned how to gather information about a person or organisation and how to exploit them using the information acquired. Naturally my skills grew, especially my skills in ethical penetration testing and email harvesting. By the time, I graduated, I knew I wanted a career in cybersecurity. I wanted to be one of the good guys in cybersecurity. To take things further, I moved to Ireland to study a master’s degree in Information and Network Security Engineering.

I joined a managed security service provider in Ireland. At the time I had just graduated from the Information and Network Security Engineering course. My dissertation was an in-depth comparison of the top open-source Security Information & Event Monitoring software. It impressed the CEO so much that I was hired on the spot. That was my first role in the industry, I became a Security Analyst. Everything went onwards and upwards from that point.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

It’s a combination of being undermined, doubted, distrusted and intimidated with regards to my ability to perform at the level that is expected in an organisation. I’ve faced this many times with mild to extreme experiences. I had to learn to advocate for myself and to believe in myself. I don’t get rattled anymore, and I have learned and still learning to operate within different types of power structures at a high level.

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I believe that I am a next-generation leader in the cybersecurity industry, so I take my role as an advocate in the industry quite seriously. Currently, I am the Founder of Cyber for Schoolgirls, which is exist to bridge the gender gap and prepare the next generation of young women for the world of cyber. I’ve gathered a passionate group of like-minded women, and together we spread the gospel of cybersecurity careers to girls in secondary schools everywhere. It’s been my long held belief that one of the ways we can address the lack of women in cyber, is helping young girls take an interest in the field and support them throughout their education.

In 2019, I co-founded a non-profit organisation called Cyber Women Ireland, which aimed to support women in cybersecurity and women trying to enter the cyber industry. We ran a mentorship program during the 2020 lockdown and successfully helped two women land a cybersecurity role. I also dedicate my time to speaking/mentoring women across the world who seek guidance in starting a career in Technology & Cybersecurity.

I show up everywhere I can, being the representation of diversity in the cybersecurity industry for those who do not have anyone to look up too.

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Cybersecurity itself isn’t hard, and it can be a lucrative and secure career path for young girls and working women everywhere. There is more freely available cybersecurity knowledge and training now than ever before, there are also mentorship programs just for women. Don’t be afraid. As much as you want to work in cyber, the women who are already in cyber are just as eager to have more women to call friends and colleagues in cyber. You will not be alone. You will always have support because people like me are building a community that you can be part of.

Cybersecurity is interesting, there’s always room for career growth, there’s always new things to learn, and no two days are the same. There’s just so much to know between the constant updates of frameworks, emerging cyber threats and innovations in cyber defence. You belong here!

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Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2024’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words with minor edits made by the editor for readability and where relevant, supplemented with additional commentary by their nominator.

In 2024, the awards were sponsored by BT, Think Cybersecurity Ltd. and Plexal, with Eskenzi PR, Assured and Women in Cybersecurity UK & Ireland Affiliate as partners.

Rosie Anderson, Head of Strategic Solutions at Th4ts3cur1ty.Company

What Does Your Job Entail?

My role as Head of Strategic Solutions, or Magic Genie Person, is to work with customers to help to solve their problems. I am customer-focused, helping customers of all shapes and sizes identify their security challenges, and looking to provide the right security solution.

For example, one morning I could be speaking to a scientific organisation who have a tech roadmap, but security is new to them. For that business, we may discuss a risk and maturity assessment, which helps them identify where they are in terms of cyber maturity, where they want to be, and a plan to get to that point. On the next call, I could be speaking to a customer about our PocketSIEM SOC solution, on either a 24/7 (Platinum) basis, or 1 hour a day (Silver) service.

That same day I might be scoping out a penetration test, with one of our Security Consultants, and pulling together the proposal and SoW as part of that sales process. Another popular piece of work is a Cyber MOT, which is a smaller high-level security assessment that assesses a business’s processes and makes recommendations. My days are full and varied, and I am constantly learning which I love.

How Did You Get Into The Cybersecurity Industry?

Prior to this role I spent 20 years in tech recruitment, with the last 10 years focusing on helping businesses to attract, hire and retain cyber security staff. I have also been assisting Capslock for the last 18 months as head of mentoring, helping people to transition into cyber security from other careers. I have also helped to set up BSides Lancashire as a brand new cyber security conference, and bring back BSides Leeds, last year, which are annual cyber security conferences that brings together the technical cyber security community. I have been on the periphery of the industry for some time, and, when I saw an opportunity with Eliza-May Austin to come and join th4ts3cur1ty.company I initially recommended a few people for the role. A couple of weeks later we spoke after an event, and although I wasn’t actively looking for a new role, the position at th4ts3cur1ty.company sounded ideal for me, and would allow me to grow and develop within cyber security. It was a great example of recruitment done right – the advert went viral and attracted lots of candidates. The rest as they say is history!

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

Mainly my own confidence – I have pushed myself to overcome the natural self doubt, and regularly think “oh crap, how am I going to do this!” Setting up a conference (with a great team of us) was an “ok, how hard can it be?” moment – setting up two in short succession was madness! However I would rather grab an opportunity and take it, than regret what I didn’t try!

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I run the mentoring programme for Capslock, which is a bootcamp reskilling people from a wide variety of careers into cyber security roles. I bring together mentors who volunteer their time to help groups of the cohort, and regularly offer career advice, cv coaching, interview techniques and tips etc.

The BSides events that I organise are inclusive spaces – and safe places for people to learn and ask questions. I also run different meetups – one in Manchester and one in Cheshire on a monthly basis.

I also run a podcast – Bee in Cyber, which showcases the different career options not just for entry level talent, but for people mid career who are wondering what is next.

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Find your tribe of people who will encourage and support you, and push you to be the best version of yourself. You might find you enjoy Ladies Hack Society, or BSides, or ISACA events or OWASP, but find a community that you love and can continue to learn from.

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The 20 winners of the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards were announced at a ceremony held at the prestigious BT Tower in London on the 27th February 2024. The awards celebrated the achievements of women working in cybersecurity around the globe – whether recognising personal achievements, efforts to close the gender divide in the industry or those mentoring the next generation of women in cyber. The award ceremony was organised by Eskenzi PR, sponsored by BT, ThinkCyber and Plexal, in partnership with the IT Security Guru, Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) UK & Ireland Affiliate, and Assured Intelligence. Due to the international nature of the awards, the event was also live streamed (available to stream now) for those who were unable to attend in person.

Alongside the top 20, five exceptional ‘Ones to Watch’ were crowned at the ceremony, as well as a Cyber Marketeer of the Year – won by Laura Reilly, Head of Digital Marketing at LT Harper.

This year’s winners were selected by an esteemed panel of judges, who had a difficult task whittling down a list of over 100 accomplished women down to just 20.

The judges were:

  • Eleanor Dallaway, Co-Founder of Assured Intelligence 
  • Yvonne Eskenzi, Co-Founder of Eskenzi PR 
  • Lorna Armitage, COO and Co-Founder of CAPSLOCK
  • Aurorah Cheney, Security Strategy & Growth Director at BT
  • Kate Wendelboe, Security Strategy & Growth Director at BT
  • Jenny Radcliffe, Author and ‘People Hacker’
  • Stephanie Itimi, Founder and CEO of Seidea
  • Lucy Finlay, Client Delivery Director at ThinkCyber
  • Diane Gilbert, Innovation Ecosystem Lead at Plexal

The evening also included an informal panel discussion, covering everything from how the panellists entered the cybersecurity industry to how leaders can champion and encourage allyship within their organisations. Chaired by Yvonne Eskenzi, panellists included: Aurorah Cheney, Security Strategy & Growth Director at BT, Stephanie Itimi, Founder and CEO of Seidea, Jessica Moffatt-Owen, Innovation Lead at Plexal, Lucy Finlay, Client Delivery Director at ThinkCyber, and Zoe Mackenzie, Volunteer Affiliate President of WiCyS UK & Ireland.

“It was such an honour to be in the company of so many incredible women at this year’s Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards at the BT Tower. I am continually blown away by the achievements of women in this industry and our ability to come together as a community to celebrate and empower one another time and time again,” said Yvonne Eskenzi, Director and Co-Founder of Eskenzi PR & Marketing. “Every woman nominated was exceptional and every winner thoroughly deserving. Congratulations all!”

Named as one of the top 20, Dr. Andrea Cullen, CEO and Co-Founder of CAPSLOCK, said: “What a fantastic event full of energy, support and positivity. I feel it is important to showcase the successes women have in the sector and how much they continue to bring. This visibility is so important for women at all stages of their career. The event was a chance to meet many of my role models and I came away feeling really inspired. It was an honour to be nominated amongst such amazing women and very humbling to win.”

Aurorah Cheney, Security Strategy & Growth Director at BT, noted: “This event is really a testament to the growing importance a diverse and inclusive culture brings to effective cybersecurity. Having a wide range of talent across a number of backgrounds enriches problem solving, gives diverse perspectives and most importantly drives solutions that allow us to remain at forefront of cyber security evolution. For me, being involved in this event is a career highlight. Events like this evening really symbolise why I love my job, this industry, and the work Kate [Wendelboe, joint Security Strategy & Growth Director] and I do at BT.”

Tim Ward, CEO of event sponsor ThinkCyber, said: “This was an amazing and inspiring event to attend. Really the “most inspiring people in cyber” based on achievements and in many cases structural and cultural industry obstacles to overcome. I and Think Cyber Security Ltd feel privileged to have been part of it, and also inspired to do more to promote the underlying message here more broadly. That message isn’t really for the people who were in the room, but to potential allies that even small steps like challenging all male panels; changing the way you speak, checking in with people and learning about these issues can and will make a difference.”

Jessica Moffatt-Owen, Innovation Lead at Plexal and panellist at this year’s event, added: “As a passionate advocate for women in cyber, Plexal was proud to be a supporting partner of the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards this year. The event is arguably one of the most influential industry moments to platform and champion women in the sector and the 2024 awards were no exception. It was fantastic to be surrounded by so many like-minded, creative and engaging women who are changemakers in their field. Congratulations to all!”

Valeen Oseh-Ovarah, CEO of TisOva and recipient of a ‘One to Watch’ award at this year’s event, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been named as ‘one to watch’ at the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards 2024. This recognition comes at a perfect time, coinciding with my one-year anniversary of relocating from America to the UK to launch TisOva, my cybersecurity start-up. My passion for advocating for diversity and inclusion within the tech and cybersecurity industry has always been a driving force behind my work, and I am deeply committed to mentoring and supporting the next generation of women in their cybersecurity journey. Being recognised for my contributions to the cybersecurity ecosystem is incredibly validating and motivates me to continue making a difference.” 

Full list of winners: 

TOP 20

  • Rosie Anderson, Head of Strategic Solutions at Th4ts3cur1ty Company
  • Blessing Usoro, Information Security Manager at Cyber for School Girls
  • Lauren Zink, Manager of Culture, Awareness and Training at Indeed
  • Jennifer Fernick, Senior Staff Security Engineer and Encryption Lead at Google
  • Jan Carroll, Managing Director at Fortify Institute
  • Zinet Kemal, Cloud Security Engineer at BestBuy
  • Melissa Chambers, CEO of Sitehop
  • Lisa Ventura MBE, Founder of Cyber Security Unity Limited
  • Samantha Humphries, Senior Director of International Marketing and Strategy at Exabeam
  • Zoe Mackenzie, Information Security Manager at TSG and Volunteer President at WiCyS UK&I Affiliate
  • Chelsea Jarvie, CISO and Director of Neon Circle
  • Stephanie Luangraj, CEO and Founder of WomenWhoSecure
  • Nikki Webb, Global Channel Manager at Custodian360
  • Lianne Potter, Head of SecOps at Asda
  • Hazel McPherson, CISO of ALD Automotive and Director of 4FOX Security
  • Rebecca Taylor, Threat Intelligence Knowledge Manager at Secureworks
  • Illyana Mullins, Founder of WiTCH (Women in Tech and Cyber Hub)
  • Chiedza Kambasha, Senior Partner and Lead Crisis Consultant at AKG Global
  • Andrea Cullen, CEO and Co-Founder of CAPSLOCK
  • Iretioluwa Akerele, Co-Founder of CyBlack

CYBER MARKETEER OF THE YEAR

  • Laura Reilly, Head of Digital Marketing at LT Harper

 ONES TO WATCH

  • Ellie Calver, Cybersecurity Apprentice at BT
  • Valeen Oseh-Ovarah, Founder and CEO of TisOva
  • Jasmine Eskenzi, Founder and CEO of The Zensory
  • Nicole Borbely, BISO Senior Associate at PwC
  • Jenny McCullagh, Graduate Cybersecurity Engineer at Leonardo/Director and Co-founder of CyberWomen Groups C.I.C

 

The post Exceptional Women Recognised for Contribution to Cyber Industry at Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards 2024 first appeared on IT Security Guru.

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Plexal work with some of the UK’s most exciting start-ups, entrepreneurs and scale-ups who are building emerging technologies and operating across multiple sectors. Plexal help build community, foster talent, and launch graduating companies and professionals into success.

They work in conjunction with the government and industry to deliver programmes that support the next generation of promising young companies, including its Cyber Runway programme.

This year, 14 of Plexal’s esteemed Cyber Runway alumni were nominated for Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards. The awards are peer nominated and each nominee was recognised for their exceptional contribution to the cybersecurity industry.

Diane Gilbert, Innovation Ecosystem Lead at Plexal, says: “I’m thrilled to see so many familiar names from the Plexal ecosystem featured among the nominees. The breadth of their individual businesses is validation of the entrepreneurial drive, innovative spirit and diverse skills possessed by these trailblazing women and further reinforces the need to shine a light on this often-underrepresented group. The fact over a dozen leaders are from our alumni community is the icing on the cake and I speak on behalf of the whole Plexal team when I say we’re proud of their accomplishments.”

The Plexal alumni nominees are:
–         Shelley Langan-Newton, CEO of SQR Group
–         Emma Humphrey, CEO of KURO
–         Jemma Davis, Founder and CEO of Culture Gem
–         Jean Mcleod, Founder and CTO of Abri CS
–         Vivian Dufour, CEO and Co-Founder of Meterian
–         Melissa Chambers, CEO of Sitehop
–         Rebecca Taylor, Threat Intelligence Knowledge Manager at Secureworks
–         Amy Stokes-Waters, CEO of Esc (The Cyber Escape Room)
–         Dr. Andrea Cullen, CEO and Co-Founder of CAPSLOCK
–         Lorna Armitage, COO and Co-Founder of CAPSLOCK
–         Dr. Iretioluwa Akerele, Co-Founder of CyBlack
–         Clare Ryan, CEO of ITUS Security
–         Valeen Oseh-Ovarah, Founder and CEO of TISOVA
–         Jasmine Eskenzi, CEO and Co-Founder of The Zensory
Many of this year’s Plexal-affiliated nominees are alumni of the Cyber Runway Ignite cohort of 2023-2024, which is designed for the most exceptional leaders in cyber who also want to make a positive impact on the sector. The cohort’s startup founders, half of whom are women, come from a range of diverse backgrounds with varied experiences, spanning everything from military to education.
Part of this cohort is Emma Humphrey, CEO of KURO, who came to cyber as a military veteran who specialised in open-source research and analysis. As the CEO of KURO, her mission is to put secure cloud capability in the hands of those protecting our national and regional interests. Emma wants to encourage veterans, women, and girls to consider careers in cyber and cloud technologies as well as encourage employers in the sector to consider how they might make their organisations more inclusive for those groups.
Andrea Cullen, CEO and Co-Founder of CAPSLOCK, and Lorna Armitage, Co-Founder and COO of CAPSLOCK, were also part of this cohort and nominated for a Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards. CAPSLOCK is an award-winning, female-led educational organisation that reskills adults into cyber security professionals. The company is all about increasing accessibility to life-changing education, with all welcome and learners not needing degrees to qualify for a place.
Additionally, Shelley Langan-Newton, CEO of SQR Group, also part of the 2023-2024 Ignite cohort, was nominated for the prestigious award. Shelley started her career in performing arts and then secondary school teaching before changing her career entirely with a move to telecoms. Today, Shelley is the CEO of SQR Group, which is on a mission to create a safer world by enabling trust and eliminating fraud.
Dr. Iretioluwa Akerele, Co-Founder of CyBlack, received over 30 nominations. CyBlack’s sister company Fezzant were part of the 2022 NCSC For Startups programme, which Plexal deliver in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Iretioluwa received exceptional praise from her peers and was hailed as a ‘selfless leader’, a ‘shooting star’, and someone who ‘paves the way’ for other people wanting to get into the industry.
Also nominated is Valeen Oseh-Ovarah, Founder and CEO of TISOVA. Valeen is a graduate of the the Cyber Runway Launch programme and is currently enrolled in the Digital Security Hub (DiSH) initiative, based in Manchester, run by Plexal alongside Barclays Eagle Labs. TISOVA is on a mission to safeguard students from online scams and fraud, which is particularly relevant given that a third of UK students have been targeted by fraud.
Other nominees, including Clare Ryan, Co-Founder and CEO of ITUS Secure Technologies, and Melissa Chambers, CEO of Sitehop, were graduates of the Launch cohort of Cyber Runway 2.0 2022. Clare continued her Plexal journey and is currently on the ‘Grow’ stream. Melissa also went through the ‘Ignite’ and ‘Grow’ streams. Both of whom are now thriving within the cybersecurity sector and actively championing women within the industry. ITUS Secure Technologies, for example, were named in ‘Ireland’s Top 100 Most Ambitious Companies’ (2022) list by Spark Crowdfunding.
Women currently enrolled on the 2023 ‘Grow’ and ‘Scale’ streams of the Cyber Runway programme have also been nominated, representing organisations including Culture Gem, The Zensory, Meterian and ITUS.

The Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards 2024 will be held at the BT Tower on the 27th of February. This year’s awards are sponsored by ThinkCyber, BT, and Plexal. They are hosted by Eskenzi PR in partnership with Assured, WiCyS UK&I Affiliate, and the IT Security Guru.

The post MIWIC24: Plexal Alumni Receive Multiple Nominations From Peers at This Year’s Awards first appeared on IT Security Guru.

The post MIWIC24: Plexal Alumni Receive Multiple Nominations From Peers at This Year’s Awards appeared first on IT Security Guru.

At the IT Security Guru we’re showcasing organisations that are passionate about making cybersecurity a healthier, more mindful industry. This week, Aaron Webb, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Jamf, spoke to the Gurus about how leaders can approach the burnout crisis in cybersecurity, what the future of the industry looks like if nothing changes, and why now is the time for change.

How can business leaders best approach the burnout crisis?

Aaron tells us three key things leaders can do to recognise and remediate the burnout crisis:

Recognition and Awareness: Recognising that burnout and mental health issues are prevalent in the cybersecurity field is the first step. Creating awareness within the industry about the signs and symptoms of burnout and mental health challenges is crucial. This includes understanding the unique stressors faced by cybersecurity professionals, such as high-pressure work environments, long hours, constant threat of cyber attacks, and the need to stay updated with rapidly evolving technology. Encouraging open conversations about mental health and reducing the stigma associated with seeking help are vital aspects of this approach.

Supportive Work Environments: Creating supportive work environments can significantly mitigate the risk of burnout and promote better mental health among not only cybersecurity professionals but every employee. This involves implementing policies and practices that prioritise employee well-being, such as flexible work arrangements, reasonable workloads, opportunities for skill development and career advancement, and access to resources for managing stress. Additionally, fostering a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and support can help individuals feel more connected and less isolated in their roles. After all, cybersecurity is on every employee, not just the security professionals.

Self-Care and Stress Management: Encouraging individuals to prioritise self-care and adopt healthy stress management techniques is essential for preventing burnout. Providing education and resources on stress reduction strategies, mindfulness practices, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance can empower cybersecurity professionals to take proactive steps towards maintaining their mental well-being. Employers can also offer employee assistance programs or mental health resources to provide additional support when needed.

Why is now the time to change? 

Now is the time to change because the mental health crisis in cybersecurity is reaching critical levels, impacting individuals’ well-being, productivity, and overall effectiveness in combating cyber threats. Several factors contribute to the urgency of addressing this issue:

    • Increased Demand for Cybersecurity Professionals: The demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to rise as organisations recognise the importance of safeguarding their digital assets. However, this demand also means that cybersecurity professionals are often overworked and under immense pressure to keep up with the evolving threat landscape.
    • Growing Awareness of Mental Health: There is a growing awareness of mental health issues across various industries, including cybersecurity. As conversations around mental health become more mainstream, there is a greater acknowledgment of the need to address burnout and other mental health challenges in the workplace.
    • Impact on Security Posture: Burnout and mental health issues can significantly impact an organisation’s security posture. Fatigued and stressed employees are more prone to making errors, overlooking vulnerabilities, and experiencing decreased performance, which can ultimately compromise the effectiveness of cybersecurity defences.

How can organisations support their cybersecurity employees to circumvent the risk of burnout. Any general advice?

Aaron says:

  1. Training and Skill Development:
    • Continuous Learning: Invest in ongoing training and professional development to keep employees up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity threats and tools. This not only enhances their skills but also keeps their work engaging.
    • Cross-Training: Encourage cross-training among team members, allowing them to learn from one another and be more versatile in handling different aspects of cybersecurity.
  2. Mental Health Support:
    • Access to Resources: Provide access to mental health resources, such as counselling services and employee assistance programs. Ensure that employees are aware of and comfortable using these resources.
    • Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage a healthy work-life balance and discourage long working hours. Ensure that employees have time to rest and recharge.
  3. Workload Management:
    • Prioritise Tasks: Help cybersecurity professionals prioritise tasks and focus on the most critical issues. Ensure they are not constantly bogged down with low-priority or repetitive work.
    • Workforce Planning: Adequately staff your cybersecurity team to distribute the workload more evenly. Overburdened staff are more likely to burn out.
    • Incident Response Planning: Develop clear and efficient incident response plans. When security incidents occur, having a well-structured plan can reduce the chaos and stress associated with handling emergencies.

Importantly, Aaron notes that: “These strategies should be tailored to the specific needs and culture of your organisation. Open communication with your cybersecurity team is key to understanding their challenges and tailoring support effectively.”

Finally, what do you think the future of cybersecurity looks like if nothing changes?

If nothing changes, the future of cybersecurity could be fraught with even greater challenges and risks. Here are some potential scenarios I can see if we don’t address this:

    • Increased Cyber Attacks and Breaches: Without significant changes in cybersecurity practices, the rise of Nation State threats, and the evolution of AI, organizations will remain vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Hackers will continue to exploit vulnerabilities in systems and networks, resulting in more frequent and severe data breaches, financial losses, and disruptions to business operations.
    • Escalating Cybersecurity Skills Gap: The shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals will worsen, exacerbating the cybersecurity skills shortage. Although I see a future where AI plays a huge part in the protection of businesses, but also on the side of the threat actors, leverage AI attacks that evolve to allude detection. AI is currently only responsive to the data available, whereas skilled cybersecurity professional have the ability to envision, anticipate, feel, and evaluate changing situations, which allows them to shift from the immediate need to long-term concerns. Without the skilled humans to work alongside AI it’s going to be a very different war on security we are facing.

Jamf are currently sponsoring The IT Security Guru Cyber Mindfulness Corner. They were early pioneers of The Cyber Wellbeing Movement, also sponsoring last year’s Wellbeing Corner at the International Cyber Expo.

The post Cyber Mindfulness Corner Company Spotlight: Jamf first appeared on IT Security Guru.

The post Cyber Mindfulness Corner Company Spotlight: Jamf appeared first on IT Security Guru.

The nominations for the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber awards are out! It’s always wonderful to read about the incredible women in our industry, who are making fantastic contributions and paving the way for others. This year we had so many exceptional nominees.

MIWIC24 is sponsored by ThinkCyber, BT and Plexal, in partnership with WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate, Assured Intelligence, and the IT Security Guru. It is hosted by Eskenzi PR.

In no particular order, here is PART 2 of the 2024 shortlist along with snippets of what their nominators had to say about them!

Nikki Robinson, STSM/Lead Security Architect, IBM

Dr. Nikki Robinson is a Security Architect with IBM and serves as an Adjunct Professor for Capitol Technology University. Her research is focused on blending psychology and cybersecurity. She has a background in IT Operations and Engineering and moved into the Security field several years ago. Her areas of expertise are in vulnerability management, security architecture and design, as well as integrating human factors into security engineering practices. Dr. Robinson holds two doctorate degrees from Capitol Tech: Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Cybersecurity and Ph.D. in Human Factors, as well as several industry certifications (CISSP, CEH, MCITP, etc). She is also an Advisory Board Member for the Center for Women in Cyber at Capitol Tech.

“Nikki continues to provide an example for young women in this industry that they can do anything they want and be anything they want. They can have a family, work, achieve whatever level of education they want, all while still being a powerful force in the community. She encourages other women in the industry to be bold, keep pushing, and never accept no as an answer.”  

 

Jurgita Lapienytė, Chief Editor at CyberNews

Jurgita’s mission is to bring the most complicated cybersecurity topics to a broader audience, secretly hoping that more and more people will find themselves chatting about ransomware over dinner. Before joining Cybernews, Jurgita spent over a decade in business journalism. Her investigative pieces have brought more justice and transparency to the transport, showbiz, retail, and catering sectors.

“As the chief editor of the cybersecurity online publication, Jurgita is an example of successful female leadership. Jurgita’s dedication to educating the public on cybersecurity aligns perfectly with her mission to spread awareness and understanding of intricate topics in the field, hoping that more and more people will talk about ransomware over dinner.” 

 

Valeen Oseh-Ovarah Founder and CEO of TISOVA

Through her cybersecurity start-up, TisOva, not only is she creating technological solutions but also fostering awareness and empowerment within student communities across the UK. Her commitment to making a positive impact in cybersecurity broadly, but also for women and the younger generation, makes Valeen an inspiring figure in the industry, deserving of recognition and celebration.

“Her three best attributes are her doggedness, impact-driven mindset, and passion. Her resilience fuels the determination to overcome challenges, while her commitment to impact drives Valeen to make a positive difference in the lives of others regardless of location. Passion is at the core of everything she does. Her unwavering dedication to her work and causes reflects these attributes, shaping me into a dynamic individual who leaves a lasting impact in both cybersecurity and broader spheres.”


Anna Rowe, Founder of Catch the Catfish and Co-Founder of LoveSaid

Having been targeted by a scammer, Anna has campaigned to make online dating safer for all. Anna has provided support and education for over 5 years for victims of online initiated emotional fraud. Anna’s actions help those affected by cybercrime in this way. LoveSaid aims to educate and empower individuals to make informed cyber decisions. 

“Anna and Love Said taken cyber training outside of the classroom/office. Their support and advice helps people in their personal time, bridging a gap between classic awareness training and victim support. They’re striving to remove blame from victims and safeguard against attacks. Alongside Co-Founder Cecile, she is campaigning for dating apps to do better when it comes to safeguarding app users.”


Cecilie Fjellhoy, Co-Founder of LoveSaid

Cecilie Fjellhoy is an inspiration to audiences around the world as she first came into the public eye when coming forward with her cheating story, widely recognised as the Tinder Swindler case. With over 200 countries viewing her story on the popular Netflix series, she aims to utilise her admirable reputation to help support others who have been through a similar situation and educate society on the dangers of online scamming. Now the proud Co-Founder of LoveSaid CIC, Cecilie has developed a remarkable career and is now highly sought-after to share her expertise with audiences at speaking events.

“Cecilie is always happy to sit down and talk about her mission. She’s exceptionally driven and down to earth. I am truly inspired by her mission of making it safer for people to date online, holding sites accountable and making real change. She has changed the way I personally look at fraud and online scams. She’s also great at fostering community.”

 

Camellia Chan, CEO and Co-Founder of Flexxon

Camellia Chan is the CEO and founder of X-PHY, a Flexxon brand. Since its inception in 2007, Camellia has grown Flexxon into an international business with a presence in over 50 cities. With Camellia’s passion for innovation and tech for good, Flexxon continues to expand its essential suite of cybersecurity services through its flagship X-PHY brand.

“Camellia is a leader who embodies servant leadership. She is always trying to better herself, those around her and the industry as a whole. Yet, with all the accomplishments under her belt, she remains humble, personable, and authentic. 2023 was an extremely hectic year for her and Flexxon, as she set up the company’s new corporate and R&D office in the US. She did this while leading the engineering and research efforts for the company’s two new solutions, giving her time and guidance to all aspects of the business. I find her to be inspirational on a daily basis, for the largest and smallest aspects of business and life.” 


Sophie Powell, Co-Founder of CyberWomen

Sophie Powell is a Graduate from the University of Warwick in Cyber Security and is currently working with CyberFort Group in a rotational role. Her interests lie with OSINT techniques and its effects on individuals and businesses, which was the speciality of her dissertation on her undergraduate degree. She is also the Co-Founder and Director of CyberWomen Groups C.I.C, which is a community built to inspire learning, networking, and positive change towards diversity in STEM subjects.

“Sophie is a true champion of women in the industry, which I find incredibly exciting. She did most of the work as a student herself! She’s grown it to four branches at unis across the country.”


Jasmine Eskenzi, CEO and Co-Founder of The Zensory 

Jasmine has been at the forefront of a global cyber mindfulness movement! She’s a champion of wellbeing in cyber and on a battle against burnout. The Zensory app has been developed by Jasmine and team specifically to help users boost their mood and avoid burnout. The app has been piloted by huge corporations, including one of Africa’s biggest banks, and the results have found that mindfulness reduced phishing, which is pretty revolutionary! 

“Jasmine is genuinely determined to help make cyber a healthier place for all. She’s responded to a real problem that isn’t getting better. Action is important!  She leaves lasting change that goes beyond people’s jobs. She helps people’s lives and in some cases, may even save them.”


Jade Eskenzi, COO of The Zensory

Jade is pretty exceptional and works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that cyber wellbeing is being taken seriously. She’s at the forefront of a global cyber mindfulness movement and yet she’s not one to shout about her involvement! 

Jade and The Zensory team are on a mission to reduce burnout in cybersecurity. The Zensory app has been developed specifically to help users boost their mood and avoid burnout. The app has been piloted by huge corporations, including one of Africa’s biggest banks, and the results have found that mindfulness reduced phishing. 

“Exceptionally humble, compassionate, driven, Jade is always genuinely looking for ways to make the industry (and beyond) better.” 


Teresa Rothaar, GRC Analyst at Keeper Security

Teresa Rothaar is a governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) analyst at Keeper Security. In this role, she spearheads employee cybersecurity awareness training; maintains the company’s RFP response library; creates and maintains internal security policies; develops automated GRC processes to achieve robust risk management and compliance results; performs external vendor risk assessments; and facilitates third-party certification audits.

“Teresa has a story, like many of us, where she seemed to land in cybersecurity and thrived in the industry. Prior to attending university, she’d worked as a general copywriter. Teresa decided to keep leaning on copywriting skills and began offering technical copywriting services as a freelancer. This opened up a side door into the tech industry and, ultimately, cybersecurity.”

 

Lottie MacCallum, Head of Marketing at Trident Search
​​As Head of Marketing at Trident Search, Lottie supports the brand through developing marketing communications and delivering events to attract and drive candidate and client engagement.

With seven years of marketing experience across a range of industry sectors, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our marketing processes and will help to drive growth and development in line with the company’s vision.

“Lottie has fully immersed herself in the industry and it’s constantly creating events that brings the community together. Events that foster innovation through diversity and collaboration. She is an exceptionally hard worker and puts her job first … she is one of few who genuinely cares about her output and the effect she has in the industry. Lottie works tirelessly to deliver the best work across the organisation. From overall branding of trident search to personalised marketing for each individual brand for our consultants. She also hosts, organises and delivers cyber events monthly without fail.” 

 


Desiree Young, Executive EVP of Global Partnerships & Strategic Innovation, ThriveDX

Desiree D. Young has more than 20 years of experience in higher education in credit and non-credit learning environments. She worked with a private college as the director of education for seven years. Young managed and developed associates and bachelor-level degree programs. For the past 14 years, Young was the executive director of programs and enrolment management at the University of Miami. She created, implemented, and managed professional certificate programs and corporate/customized training. 

*Desiree is the most inspirational mentor and leader. She is a prime example of the person we all strive to be. She reaches out to others to uplift them and fills us with hope for the endless possibilities we can achieve through her example. Desiree does this with much humility and selflessness.

 

Kadesha Henry, Teacher at Kadhack

Dr. Kadesha Henry is a prominent figure in the field of cybersecurity, known for her extensive expertise and contributions. As the owner of “KADHACK,” a distinguished cybersecurity consulting firm and training school, she has been at the forefront of safeguarding digital landscapes. Her impressive academic journey and professional accomplishments speak volumes about her dedication to the field.

“Kadesha Henry’s significant contributions as a cyber teacher, CEO, AI master teacher, and author make her a deserving candidate for recognition, as she exemplifies excellence, leadership, and dedication in the field of cybersecurity education and innovation.”

 

Helen Patton, Strategic Cybersecurity Advisor at CISCO

With more years working in the Security, Risk, Privacy and Resiliency professions than she cares to say, Helen Patton advocates using information risk, security and privacy to enable the mission of organizations and to support society at large. Helen is an Advisory CISO at Duo Security (now Cisco), where she shares security strategies with the security community. Previously she was the CISO at The Ohio State University where she was awarded teh ISE North American Academic/ Public Sector Executive of the Year, and an Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase. Helen actively encourages collaboration across and within industries to enable better information security and privacy practices. She believes in improving diversity and inclusion in the workforce, and mentors people interested in pursuing careers in security , privacy and risk management.

“In summary, Helen Patton is not just a cybersecurity professional; she is a catalyst for positive change, a mentor, and a champion for diversity, making her a truly inspiring figure in the cybersecurity community. Her advocacy for more “naps” and aversion to “bagpipes” adds a delightful touch to her vibrant and impactful personality and makes me smile!” 

 

Iretioluwa Akerele, Co-Founder of CyBlack

Iretioluwa is the Co-Founder of CyBlack, a non-profit that’s on a mission to build and support the next generation of black cybersecurity talent. She has mentored and supported many students, launching them into careers in cybersecurity.

“Iretioluwa is a shooting star.  One that is guiding millions to secure this dark world.” 

 

Rosie Anderson, Head of Strategic Solutions at Th4ts3cur1ty Company

She’s been hailed as the ‘unofficial Angel of the North’ because of her commitment to the community of cybersecurity practitioners in the North. She organises local meet ups, has arranged not one but three BSides events and is also a member of the CAPSLOCK community. 

“She’s constantly looking for ways to help people, whilst excelling in her career and always learning. All with the cheeriest disposition, and an infectious passion to do good in the world.” 

 

Laketta Hawkins, Leader of an Inclusive Workforce Enablement Team in the Security and Trust Organisation at CISCO

Laketta has made significant contributions to the cybersecurity community through her role as the Talent Planning Program Manager and Leader of the Inclusive Workforce Enablement Team at CISCO. Her innovative ideas have transformed programs into award-winning initiatives with a global impact. 

“Laketta’s ability to connect with individuals, identify their unique talents, and foster collaboration is a standout attribute. She brings people together, creating a supportive and inclusive environment and is able to help others see talent, skill and ability that the individual didn’t see before.”  

 

Charlotte Smith, Skills Growth Lead and Cyberfirst Regional Engagement Lead at CyNam

Charlotte works for Cyber Cheltenham (CyNam), a not-for-profit Community Interest Company based in Cheltenham. The goal of CyNam is to bring together the best technology minds from local SME’s and Startups to fully harness the rich cyber security ecosystem that flourishes around Cheltenham, the home of the National Technical Authority for Information Security, GCHQ. Charlotte has also worked tirelessly to promote the Cyberfirst for Schools Programme with high schools and colleges. 

“Her level of passion and enthusiasm hold no bounds embracing technical experts and non tech to better the sector as a whole.”

 

Nicola Huskie, Chief Commercial Officer at i-Confidential

Nicola has moved up in seniority through several roles and is now the Chief Commercial Officer for i-confidential, which is a cyber and risk consulting company.  She previously headed up the Talent Acquisition Team. i-confidential is an employee-owned company and Nicola has been nominated by the company’s employees to be their representative on the Board of our Employee Ownership Trust. Nicola has committed her time and her team to understanding the diversity challenges facing the cyber security industry.  Nicola is also working with Saturday School to form a STEM education funding partnership. 

“Nicola is helping to change perceptions of who is in the industry and the career pathways available.” 

 

Natasha Harley, People and Culture Manager at Cyber Chain Alliance

Natasha has a career of helping individuals find their dream career in cybersecurity, and is now responsible for people and culture within a cybersecurity business. She is also a lead mentor with Capslock, and gives her time freely to help others into the industry. She also (Co-Founded and previously served as VP of) WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate. 

“I am inspired by how she helps people find their first roles in cyber, inspiring others, and helping businesses to build inclusive practises.”

 

Kayleigh Sallows, Product Manager, at ISMS.online

For the past four years, Kayleigh has been product manager for ISMS.Online’s information security SaaS product. She consistently volunteers to speak at company events to encourage other women to step up and join the conversations. She has helped craft and talk on our webinar series, including a highly popular webinar on supply chain security, in which she also delivered a live demo. 

“The care and ethics emerging in Kayleigh’s work hold promise for her continued impact as her cybersecurity career progresses. Her achievements to date as an inspiring woman showcase intellect and values vital for the next generation. I sincerely believe Kayleigh deserves recognition to fuel her future contributions with this encouragement.”

 

Jinal Patel, Security Engineer 2 at Amazon

Jinal completed a Masters degree in computer software engineering at Arizona State University. After graduating she started work as a Security Engineer at Amazon, where she has worked for over three and a half years. She also mentors others, imparting knowledge and wisdom on those entering the industry.

“Jinal’s contributions through mentorship are what truly inspire everyone. By taking the time to impart her knowledge and experience, she has strengthened security culture industry-wide. The ripple effects of her work to foster others’ success will help safeguard our community’s future resilience.”

 

Yemurai Rabvukwa, Cyber Security Specialist/Influencer at SB Content LTD

Yemurai is a dynamic force at the intersection of Chemistry and Cyber Security, she stands as a trailblazer in navigating unconventional career paths. She’s a Chemistry graduate at the forefront of analysing cyber threats within the Financial Services. Yemurai is also the content creator behind the social media account STEM Babe on TikTok. Her brand STEM Babe aims to provide resources for people to get into the field of STEM/Tech and help share tips, advice, and resources for people to succeed in their career journeys, regardless of what career stage they are in. With over 55,000 followers across the brands various social media platforms, STEM Babe has shared opportunities for people across the world to kick start their careers within the corporate world. 

“Yemurai is a dynamic force at the intersection of Chemistry and Cyber Security, she stands as a trailblazer in navigating unconventional career paths.”

 

Jan Carroll, Managing Director at Fortify Institute

Jan Carroll is a Cybersecurity Lecturer and course creator at UCD Professional Academy. Jan founded Fortify Institute, with the aim to close the cyber skills gap by providing flexible cybersecurity training to professionals. Jan has a passion for teaching and mentoring and aims to bring more women and underrepresented groups into the security industry. 

“What is most inspirational about Jan is her unwavering dedication to making the digital world a safer place, not just through technological advancements but also by empowering individuals.” 

 

Ellie Calver, Cyber Security Apprentice at BT 

Coming from a background of limited knowledge in Cyber Security and Technology as a whole, Ellie has made significant strides in upskilling and becoming an early professional in the industry. Ellie continues to support in operational work, ensuring that key infrastructure is protected from malicious actors and keeping BT’s customers safe. Additionally she has not hesitated from getting involved with volunteering activities, promoting cyber security as a career to the next generation within both schools and scout groups.

“Coming from a group of friends that was made primarily up of girls I saw first hand how they believed that technology as a whole want an industry geared towards them. Ellie has managed to overcome this stereotype and has strived to become a professional in the industry, never letting her doubts get to her, continuing to show that cyber security is not a male orientated industry..”

 

Melissa Chambers, CEO and Co-Founder of Sitehop

Melissa is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sitehop, a company that delivers ultra-high speed, low latency, and high-grade cryptography solutions using FPGA hardware. With over 15 years of experience in founding and growing tech start-ups, a team of engineers and experts passionate about securing the backbone of the internet and communications. Sitehop has been selected as one of Yorkshire’s 50 Most Exciting Companies. 

“She set her sights high and knew she would have to work twice as hard to get there, but that only made her twice as good as those in the same position. The success she has felt and the difficulties she has surpassed are testament to her personal strength and are endlessly inspiring.” 

 

Holly Foxcroft, Head of Neurodiversity Consulting at Stott & May Consulting 

Holly is an experienced subject matter expert in neurodiversity, cyber crime, cyber security and mental health. She has over ten years experience in consulting and public speaking, leading and curating events, project management and business strategy.

“It’s hard to choose just one inspirational thing about Holly. It’s evident that she has done so much in the industry to make a difference. But above all, it is her passion for DEI and dedication to going above and beyond to make a difference. Few people possess the energy Holly has, and the cyber industry is very lucky to have her.”

 

Maril Vernon, Senior Application Security Architect at Aquila

Maril Vernon, known as the “One Woman Purple Team’,’ is an ethical hacker, co-founder and host of The Cyber Queens Podcast (recently acquired by Hackers in Heels), senior offensive security engineer and proven programme manager and pioneer in the purple teaming space — a niche in offensive security testing that has recently gained popularity demonstrating cyber resilience in the cyber threat landscape. Maril strives to make women’s voices heard.

“Maril is the future with her aspirations to improve the climate and increase accessibility and inclusion of women, encouraging authenticity and integration of each person’s unique talents.”

 

Stacey Champagne, Principal Cybersecurity Incident Response Lead, ASRC Federal/Hacker in Heels

Stacey Champagne is the founder & CEO of Hacker in Heels, a company on a mission to increase the number of women in cybersecurity and influence greater societal change. By transferring the skills she developed as a graphic designer to the increasingly important and lucrative field of cybersecurity, Stacey dramatically changed the trajectory of her life. Now she is helping others do the same through her community and programs that help women launch and grow six-figure careers in cybersecurity. She is also highly skilled in incident response and risk management.

“She is, in my opinion, the epitome of an inspiring and worthy practitioner to follow but also a voice on social issues.”

 

Jennifer Fernick, Senior Staff Security Engineer at Google

Jennifer is a computer scientist and Senior Staff Security Engineer at Google. She was previously the SVP & Global Head of Research at NCC Group, leading one of the largest and most prolific private-sector security research teams in the world, and was a founding Governing Board and Technical Advisory Committee member of the Open Source Security Foundation.

“Jennifer lives and breathes security and is passionate about using the scale of her influence to protect individuals’ privacy, security, and safety.” 

 

Zinet Kemal, Cloud Security Engineer at BestBuy, TEDx Speaker, 4x Author, LinkedIn Learning Instructor

Zinet Kemal is a woman of many talents, having changed career from the legal sector to cybersecurity. Zinet is also a TEDx speaker, an esteemed LinkedIn Learning instructor, and a 3x published award-winning children’s book author. She currently works for a Fortune 500 organization as a Cloud Security Engineer. Zinet is paving the way for the next generation of exceptional women in cyber.

“Through her words, Zinet empowers young minds to envision themselves as the cyber heroes of tomorrow.”

 

Samantha Humphries, Head of Security Strategy EMEA at Exabeam

Samantha has defined strategy for multiple security products and technologies, helped hundreds of organisations of all shapes, sizes, and geographies recover and learn from cyberattacks, and trained many people on security concepts and solutions. Samantha also set up the Embrace the Change event initiative to showcase women in leadership roles. 

“Sam’s love and passion for the industry is contagious.” 

 

Nicole Borbely, BISO Support at PwC

Nicole is an exceptional example of how skills can be transferable and how cybersecurity can be an industry for all. In the space of only three years, Nicole went from a career in jewellery to a full time BISO at a large consultancy firm. She also volunteers with the Biohacking Village to promote safe cybersecurity practices to healthcare manufacturers and workers. 

“Nicole always goes above and beyond to help people, not afraid to speak the truth, makes people feel confident and like they can achieve anything.”

 

Jasmine Gillard, Consultant Team Leader at Pentest People

Jasmine started her career as a cybersecurity consultant and now has been promoted to cybersecurity consultant team leader, managing and leading a team of seven consultants within just two years. Her skills as a penetration tester specialise in all areas of internal infrastructure. She is also a CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) and Registered Penetration Tester (CRT), plus a CHECK Team Member (CTM). She also works closely with Pentest People’s Academy to help train and upskill others. 

“Jasmine is passionate about helping other young women overcome imposter syndrome and the positive effects of mentorship – she also mentors the seven team members she manages.”

 

Zoe Mackenzie, Information Security Manager at TSG and Volunteer Co-President of WiCyS UK&I Affiliate

Zoe Mackenzie is an Information Security Specialist at TSG and the Vice-President of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) UK Affiliate. She has experience managing global vendor risk assessment programs and architecting risk platforms with a focus on automating and uniting business compliance and legal team processes. Zoe is an experienced public speaker and frequently talks on topics such as risk, strategy and cryptography. In her work at WiCyS UK Affiliate, she focuses on facilitating opportunities with strategic, media and corporate partners which result in the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in the security field.

“Zoe has worked tirelessly to build a free to access, vibrant support community in the U.K. to amplify the mission of the WiCyS Global organisation, supporting the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in cyber. This year Zoe has rescued the Affiliate organisation, recruited and led a volunteer team, saving it from near collapse, and achieved 4x growth of its member base, exceeded its following to over 4000 and as a result has given hundreds of women free training, networking and development opportunities that for many have been career changing.”

 

Saja Aljulaud, Senior Information Security Analyst at Mastercard 

Saja is an up-and-coming senior cyber security analyst currently working for Mastercard. Saja has volunteered for multiple community groups such as the ISC2 London Chapter and WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate. As a Community Lead for WiCyS UKI she has pioneered multiple very successful marketing campaigns, built their new website from scratch and continues to engage the community by running the organisation’s Linkedin page. 

“Working with Saja is an absolute joy. She works brilliantly in our team but also gets a huge amount of initiatives off the ground herself without much help from others! She’s a treasure to our leadership team and I’m inspired by her every day.”

 

Agata Samojlowicz, Deputy Challenge Director (Digital Security by Design), UK Research and Innovation  

Agata has over 15-years of experience in commercial digital activity. She started her career with T-Mobile International in their global Content Team. After this, Agata worked for a number of innovative content developers and technology companies such as Disney, Capcom, Shazam and Tapjoy. Since August 2019, Agata has been Deputy Challenge Director at DSbD. Within this role, Agata has been actively advocating for the development of cybersecurity policies at a government level.

“Agata is a skilled Cyber Professional Leader who promotes Cyber career pathways and connects industry, academia and government for the benefit of future cyber resilience and supports the career pathway for cyber skills development and the drive towards the commercialisation and innovation of more secure products and services.”

 

 Mollie Chard, Head of Cyber Delivery at Capgemini 

Mollie has been working in security for 10 years and has progressed from an Information Systems Security Officer to the Head of Cyber Delivery managing a team of over 50 senior security managers and junior staff. She is an influencer in the cyber security space and a top Linkedin leadership voice with over 13k followers. She spends a huge amount of time paying it forward to her peers and those looking to get into the cyber security industry by writing fantastic resources on her Medium blog. Mollie also volunteers with the WiCyS UKI Affiliate leadership team as a Chief Advisor.

“I’m sure many people would be lost without her contributing resources to the industry!”

 

Helen Oluyemi, Information Security Manager at Pollinate International Limited

Helen has had a broad and varied career so far. In 2021, Helen volunteered as a facilitator and mentor with Cybergirls, a year-long fellowship program designed to equip African girls and women with globally recognised cybersecurity skills. Between May 2017 and March 2022, she worked with TechHaven as a Career Coordinator to provide free tech training for Africans looking to transition to a career in tech. Since May 2023, she has volunteered as a facilitator for Cloud Security with Cyblack. She’s also a WiCyS mentor. She is now working as an Information Security Manager at Pollinate International Limited.

“Helen’s unwavering passion for empowering women to start a career in cybersecurity, my commitment to bridging the gender gap in this field and my ability to inspire and mentor others and see them grow inspires me about myself.”

 

Kalyani Pawar, Application Security Expert at Zipline

Kalyani is an AppSec engineer at heart and navigating the dynamic world of startups. After working for a couple of Fortune 500 companies, she now works at a Series F unicorn called ZipLine and their focus is to secure drones and infrastructure. She’s also a proud mentor. 

“Kalyani’s dedication to using her skills for the greater good, from securing life-saving drone deliveries to empowering underrepresented communities in STEM, is profoundly inspirational. Her ability to balance high-level technical work with meaningful community engagement exemplifies the impact one individual can have on both the field of cybersecurity and society at large. Her work ethic, discipline and will power to always wanting to help people grow is not something I have encountered a lot.”

 

The post Meet This Year’s Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Nominees: Part 2 first appeared on IT Security Guru.

The post Meet This Year’s Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Nominees: Part 2 appeared first on IT Security Guru.

The nominations for the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber awards are out! It’s always wonderful to read about the incredible women in our industry, who are making fantastic contributions and paving the way for others. This year we had so many exceptional nominees.

MIWIC24 is sponsored by ThinkCyber, BT and Plexal, in partnership with WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate, Assured Intelligence, and the IT Security Guru. It is hosted by Eskenzi PR.

In no particular order, here is PART 3 of the 2024 shortlist along with snippets of what their nominators had to say about them!

Katherine Hutton, Product Manager (OT Security) at Fluence

Katherine is currently working as a Product Manager, OT Cybersecurity for Fluence, a renewable energy organisation. She is a Mum of 3 children and a military wife. Whilst moving from country-to-country she always volunteers for her nearest geographical cybersecurity initiative. In the UK she joined the WiCyS UKI Affiliate Leadership Team as Treasurer and most recently she was awarded the position of Fellow on the Veterans Advanced Energy Project run by the Atlantic Council. She has previously worked in project management, achieving an MBA at Duke University and working for the U.S. Secret Service. 

“Being a parent to three young children and working a high-stress cybersecurity job could be hard to juggle for most people, however Katherine truly takes this in her stride and still finds time to volunteer.”

 

Eliza-May Austin, CEO of th4ts3curity Company 

Eliza-May Austin is the CEO of th4ts3curity.company a tech start-up specialising in cyber defence through adversary emulation purple teaming and building corporate defences against cyber attack. She also Co-founded PocketSIEM, the world’s most cost-effective SIEM service, and is the Director of LHS (Ladies Hacking Society) the world’s largest community of female hackers! 

“Eliza-May is intelligent, brave and self-believing. Her constant drive and thirst for knowledge is inspiring.”

 

Beth Allen, Channel Manager at Flashpoint

Beth is an experienced Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst with 8+ years of proven success in providing high-quality intelligence and data analytics for clients globally. Formerly a key member of a managed security service provider (MSSP), where she provided threat intelligence services to multiple clients across various industries. She is now working as a Channel Manager at Flashpoint. She has also taken on the role of Affiliate Ambassador for WiCyS UK & Ireland affiliate. 

“Her work has not only been instrumental in safeguarding our digital assets but also in inspiring and empowering other young women in the field which I believe is evidence of her quick scaling growth and impact on others.”

 

Gabrielle Botbol, Offensive Security Consultant, Desjardins & C.S. by G.B.

Gabrielle is a pentester and a cybersecurity blogger. She has cultivated a community exceeding 90,000 members on LinkedIn and reached over 10 million readers globally, thereby solidifying her influence and reach within the field. Her work involves securing a company’s applications and systems by looking for potential vulnerabilities.

Gabrielle created a self-study program to become a pentester, which led her to focus her efforts on democratising information security. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of several organisations. In addition, she is a speaker/trainer from global events to universities.

“Her life is dedicated to making cybersecurity a mainstream culture. All her current and future projects are aligned with this goal.”

 

Lauren Winchester, Senior Vice President, Risk Advisory, Corvus Insurance

Lauren began her career working in a law firm, then pivoted to cybersecurity and risk management. Prior to joining Corvus, Lauren spent five years on the Breach Response Services team at Beazley. As Senior Vice President of Risk Advisory for Corvus Insurance, Lauren leads a team of cybersecurity and incident response experts who are dedicated to helping companies get the right risk mitigation strategies and security controls in place. Armed with actionable threat intelligence from research and aggregated claims data, she and her team alert insurance policyholders of emerging threats to prevent cyber-attacks as well as counsel them at the time of a claim to ensure a smooth incident response process.

“Lauren is not only inspiring because of her contributions in a cybersecurity leadership role but also because she serves as a role model and champion for women to enter and advance in the industry.”

 

Alex Keedy, Director of Strategic Operations at Zero Fox

Alex is a knowledgeable Director of Strategic Operations and Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) subject matter expert (SME) skilled in leading workstreams and managing global teams across sales and operations. Her educational background includes a Master of Arts (M.A.) focused in Security Studies from The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce and a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. 

“Alex is not only a professional powerhouse but also a champion for women’s success. She actively engages with universities, promoting diversity, and tirelessly uplifts women in various fields. Her dedication to seeing others succeed is truly inspiring, and her commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment is a testament to her leadership and advocacy.”

 

Blessing Usero, Information Security Manager, Cyber for School Girls 

Blessing Usoro is an Information Security Manager, with experience developing and managing security solutions for large-scale enterprises across a range of industries. Her background in telecommunications, security operations and risk management, as well as her unique perspective as a woman in cybersecurity, informs her measured approach. She’s passionate about diversity and inclusion, balancing the genders in the industry, and leads Cyber Women Ireland, as well as Cyber For Schoolgirls.

“What truly sets Blessing apart is her unique perspective as a woman in a field traditionally dominated by men. Her passion for diversity and inclusion is not just a professional stance but a personal crusade.”

 

Clare Ryan, Co-Founder and CEO of ITUS Secure Technologies

Clare has a PhD and MA in Governance, Compliance and Data Protection. She has extensive project management experience with specialism in IT governance. Clare has over 12 years of experience in the public and private sectors. She’s also a member of the Cyber Runway programme, where she’s inspired her peers by imparting knowledge and advice. 

“Clare knows the strength of the ecosystem and that its power comes from giving back. She is so well placed to impart this wisdom and is happy to do so.”

 

Chelsea Jarvie, CISO and Director, Neon Circle

Chelsea Jarvie is an award winning CISO (she became a CISO by the time she was 30!) and professional speaker, known for pragmatic cybersecurity leadership and fostering inclusive tech cultures. With a degree in Ethical Hacking, she has led transformative IT and cyber strategies across various sectors. She is the Director of Neon Circle, a cyber security company focused on supporting clients to efficiently reduce their security and information risks using a pragmatic and risk based approach. She has also chaired the Public Sector Cyber Security Conference in Scotland for the past 5 years.

“Each role Chelsea takes on is seen in her eyes as another opportunity to prove the old guard wrong and bolster the ambitions of the people around her. That’s why Chelsea is an inspiration to me and many others around her.”

 

Roisin McCarthy, CEO of Verifoxx

Roisin is CEO of Verifoxx, an Identity Verification as a service solution (powered by Zero Knowledge technology). Verifoxx was recently named as one of England’s top 15 IoT start-ups, for driving digital transformation. Roisin transitioned from a corporate career, where she managed multi-million dollar consumer brands, into managing her own cyber company. Roisin is also actively engaged with programs like Founders4schools and Access Aspiration London to empower girls from underserved communities who may be uncertain about pursuing careers in STEM and cybersecurity. She is also a member of various entrepreneur networks.

“My hope is that other women who are stuck in careers they have lost interest in, or women who want to move into cybersecurity but are not technical can draw inspiration from how I have managed to do this and build an award winning start-up that has both private and public investment, with a talented team.”

 

Kellie Stockham-Vasey, Cybersecurity Consultant at TSG

She has recently joined TSG after working as a management consultant for KMPG Australia. She has a masters degree in cybersecurity, intelligence, policing and counter-terrorism and worked with the Australian Border Force in Indonesia. Alongside her work she was the South Australia Co-Chapter Lead for the Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN).

“Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed in my job I have a call with Kellie and she calms the situation by rationalising the next steps. She’s the best person to go to for a pep talk. I find her very inspiring in the way she approaches work and gives back to her community.”

 

Amy Wong, Director of Engineering, IBM

Amy has diversified experience as software engineer and development manager in Collaboration, Information Management, Cloud and Security with upline responsibilities in Development, Quality Assurance, Release Management and Operations in Agile environment. Having worked at IBM for over a decade, she is currently Executive Director of Engineering, Data Security. 

“She has grown many women in her organization. She is humble and amazing at motivating her team into delivering great products.”

 

Alexandra Mercz, Founder of Synterra Asia

Alexandra Mercz is an accomplished cybersecurity and technology Chief of Staff with a strong track record in multinational financial institutions and start-ups. She has held senior positions at several CISO and COO offices and is well-versed in engaging and communicating with all C-level stakeholders, leadership, staff members and external parties. She is intimately familiar with standards, frameworks, and policies, as well as technical measures and protocols. She is the founder of Synterra Asia, a business and technology consultancy. 

“Alexandra Mercz’s three best attributes are her visionary leadership, innovative mindset, and her commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.”

 

Shelley Langan-Newton, CEO of SQR Group

Shelley has over a decade of experience in founding, launching, and scaling successful businesses. Before joining SQR she served as the Managing Director of a regulated mobile telecoms operator and co-founded ManxIX, the Isle of Man’s Internet Exchange. Her leadership experience spans across various sectors, including technology, telecommunications, and space.

“Shelley has a performing arts background and has had an unusual route into cyber, so she is a fantastic model for others who might not otherwise see themselves in the sector.”

 

Sophie Keats, Cybersecurity Content Writer at Proofpoint

Sophie is an experienced professional writer producing high quality content that ranges topics including Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, and Cryptocurrency. She started her career in cybersecurity at 50 years of age after working in education and has demonstrated her passion for this topic by writing a book for seniors and creating cybersecurity awareness materials to help people become safer online. She is a member of the Women in Cybersecurity Toronto chapter.

“Her greatest strengths are her determination, empathy, kindness and passion for driving human centred cybersecurity awareness for women.”

 

Shobitha Shivakumar, Cyber Security Consultant, IBM

Born and raised in India, Shobitha has always had a passion for technology and a thirst for knowledge. In Grade 9, she was awarded a scholarship by the Singaporean Government to study in Singapore’s top Junior College. She then decided to follow her dreams of pursuing her University studies in the UK and completed an MEng in Computer Science and an MBA. During her degree, she also did a placement year at IBM as a Cognos Technical Support Analyst providing application support to their EMEA and North American clients. Today, Shobitha is a Security professional specialising in Security, Consulting and Commercial skills. 

“Shobitha is very passionate about advocating the importance of women in technology and diversity and inclusion. During her time in IBM, she has taken every opportunity to fulfil this cause and make a difference to causes that matter to her.”

 

Rachel Gentry, Managing Director, RTG Commercial Services Ltd.

Rachel is a highly experienced SC and NPPV3 cleared information security leader with the practical knowledge and strategic insight to deliver positive business impact. Her remit typically focuses on:

  • Initiating and implementing security in digital and business change initiatives using recognised methodologies and frameworks
  • Managing cybersecurity and information security operations, anticipating and responding to threats and malicious behaviour
  • Leading and implementing Information Security and Assurance functions
  • Advising and overseeing the design, implementation and operation of information security management functions
  • Advising and mentoring leadership teams to ensure improved security control.

Rachel’s experience has spanned over 30 years in public and private sector organisations, advising and supporting board members and senior leaders. Current areas of expert delivery include digital transformation, information security, data privacy, cyber security and counter fraud strategy.

“Rachel has built a successful limited company delivering high quality information security services to security-focussed companies in the UK. She is personable, and delivery focussed, ensuring that her clients always achieve their security objectives in a pragmatic way.”

 

Isabel Scavetta, Product Manager & Co-Lead of Inclusive Cyber Project 

Isabel is a Product leader ensuring that the tech of the future is built with society in mind. She is currently addressing the human aspect of cybersecurity, using product development in cyber B2B SaaS to help people navigate their digital lives with confidence worldwide. Isabel headline talks, panels, podcasts and press as a top 100 voice in the UK technology sector (TechWomen100), UK Cybersecurity Council Role Model, and multi award-winning advocate for tech, AI and DEI.

Isabel cares about product management, the future of tech and growing opportunities for underrepresented talent in technology. I’ve been featured by organisations including BBC News, the UK Cybersecurity Council, Microsoft, Code First Girls, Brown Rudnick LLP and more.

As the Lead of the Inclusive Cyber project at the World Economic Forum Global Shapers, Isabel has introduced 100s of non-STEM students to cyber careers, and champion the youth voice for cyber to enterprises and policymakers.

“Isabel is a recognised industry advocate that helps women from underrepresented backgrounds to thrive in cyber and tech careers. Her multi-award-winning work to improve gender diversity and progress in the sector, which is currently less than 25% female, includes her voluntary role as the Co-Lead of the Inclusive Cyber project at the World Economic Forum Global Shapers, where she has successfully introduced hundreds of non-STEM students to cyber careers.”

 

Shana Dacres, Senior IAM Architect at Capgemini

Shana is an experienced and enthusiastic Senior Cyber Security Architect with subject-matter expertise across all Identity and Access Management topics as it relates to both cloud and on-premises enterprise technology, and the relationship between the architectures. She has helped to drive significant enterprise transformation, with the ability to quickly apply experience to new environments, architectures and technologies.

“Shana’s achievements stand as a testament to her commitment to excellence and breaking glass ceilings. She often goes beyond the call of duty for her clients, working in partnership to overcome challenges and develop secure scalable solutions. She has spearheaded community development initiatives such as Cyber Angels UK, a Capgemini community network focused on attracting, retaining and promoting female cyber talent through community events, knowledge sharing and mentorship.”

 

Emma Mackenzie, Information Security Governance Analyst at abrdn

Emma previously ran her own award winning hairdressing business for 10 years however in May 2022 she started a 16 week full time cyber security bootcamp in order to completely change her career. Emma graduated from the bootcamp in September having also achieved the CISMP and the ISO27001:2013 foundation certificate. In October 2022 she landed her current role as an Information security governance analyst with abrdn where she is utilising her communication, problem solving and team working skills gained from her previous career as well as building a deeper understanding of her knowledge and experience within a wide range of areas of cyber security. 

“Emma is a career changer into the industry. She was a hairdresser/makeup artist for 10 years, running her own award winning business, before making the change into Cyber via a 16 week intensive bootcamp. Emma graduated the bootcamp with her Ce-CSP , an ISO 27001 foundation certificate and also her CISMP. She advocates  that anyone can work in Cyber if they have the ambition and determination to get there and is proactively talking about her journey and trying to encourage and help others to make the change.”

 

Sudha Iyer, Senior Vice President, Citi 

Sudha is a results-driven Enterprise Cybersecurity Architect working in a specialised Enterprise Chief information security officer appointed team at Citi. She acts as a catalyst for driving data protection security architecture as a central program and promoting security of data by design from concept to completion. By building strong relationships and influencing people at various levels, she help safeguard Citi’s business assets, it’s interests and provide alternatives whenever consulted, so informed decisions can be made.

Sudha is well known for her expertise in developing data protection strategies for the CISO especially in complex areas of cryptography, key management, distributed and Decentralised architectures and cloud. Sudha is trusted for creating pragmatic, nimble pathways for effective alignment of policies, execution of strategies and running security programs successfully in general.

With international credibility and involvement in senior leadership working groups, Sudha remains dedicated to continuous learning and growth in the cybersecurity field.

Sudha champions equity at workplace and promotes talented technologists through Women in technology group, she chairs at Citi and a proud Women in CyberSecurity Ambassador.

“Sudha leads by example by pioneering and taking up challenging roles where only men have a majority.”

 

Jenny McCullagh, Graduate Cyber Security Engineer at Leonardo/Director & Co-Founder of CyberWomen Groups C.I.C

Jenny is the Co-Founder of CyberWomen Groups and a Graduate Cyber Security Systems Engineer. Through her time at university, it became clear that change was needed to support women in cyber security. Jenny was excited to start this company to inspire women and support students that have an interest in joining the cybersecurity industry. CyberWomen Groups C.I.C aims to provide support and resources for university students and provide a safe, inclusive community that will allow them to smoothly join the industry.  

“Jenny is the definition of a young, inspiring women that has recently entered the industry, doing so by storm.”

 

Neha Hudait, Security Product Manager at Nvidia

Hudait joined NVIDIA in 2022 as a technical security product manager after completing two internships at the company while studying electrical engineering, computer science and business administration at UC Berkeley. She and her team collaborate across the company to keep NVIDIANs safe in their everyday digital operations, analysing processes and developing security products. Their work reduces cloud security vulnerabilities for NVIDIA and the broader industry, and aims to increase security consciousness.

“Ms. Hudait’s dedication to continuous learning is commendable, and she consistently raises the bar for those around her in both technical expertise and leadership attributes.”

 

Anna Palmin, Head of Cybersecurity & Trust at Siemens AG

Anna Palmin, a cybersecurity expert and the head of the “Cybersecurity & Trust” group, has been driving, coordinating and shaping the development of holistic, innovative, system-wide concepts and solutions which allow optimal protection for industrial products, plants and factories for almost 20 years. At the same time, she always aims to ensure an optimal customer-friendly design. The invention she created with her former colleague Xin Xie in 2019 makes it possible to capture all the components in a network easily and comprehensively. It then verifies their identities using different appropriate methods and registers them in a central inventory. In this way, any fake or manipulated device will be immediately recognized. And all fully automatically!

“To me, Anna Palmin’s success as a leading innovator in cybersecurity at Siemens, breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated field, serves as a powerful inspiration for women in STEM.”

 

Lauren Zink, Manager (Culture, Awareness, and Training), Indeed

With over 10 years of experience in managing and executing world-class security culture programs, Lauren is passionate about the human aspect of cybersecurity and the importance of education, communication, and engagement. As the Manager of Security Culture, Awareness, and Training at Indeed.com, she led a diverse, global, and high-performance team that develops and delivers targeted, role-based, and interactive security information and training to over 10,000 employees worldwide.

Lauren is also a  LinkedIn Learning cybersecurity author and instructor, with a course on building a security awareness program with phishing simulations. She has been published in several industry magazines and websites, and recognised as an influential woman in tech by Crain’s Cleveland, a cyber educator of the year, and a power 100 women in security. Lauren enjoys giving back to the security community through mentoring, speaking, and volunteering, and advocating for women and diversity in tech. Her mission is to empower and enable people to be security savvy and to make a positive impact on the security posture of my organisation and the industry.

“Lauren Zink has an impressive track record of accomplishments that showcase her commitment to advancing cybersecurity and promoting diversity in the industry.”

 

Emma Humphrey, CEO of KURO

Emma is the CEO of Kuro, a cyber security start up lowering the barriers to trusted, secure cloud capability. Following a career in military intelligence and open source investigation, Emma was awarded a First Class Honours in Law at University of Birmingham. She had a particular interest in the regulated sectors, international commerce and ethics. LLM Masters of Law – how the law and ethics collided with data and technology during the Pandemic to create organisational risk. Drawing on an intelligence, investigatory and legal background, Emma joined Blacksmiths Group to help public and private sector organisations understand and mitigate against risk .She is particularly interested in insider risk, those threats associated with human actors and how to recognise, mitigate and react to incidents. Emma leads the commercial consultancy on a variety of projects spanning multiple sectors. Emma is passionate about defence, SMEs and innovation and as such, was an active member of the Security Board and the Defence SME Committee at ADS and a board member of the Three Counties Defence and Security Group (3CDSG). Shaping policies and regulation around technology and strategy is a key component of national security. She is now CEO of KURO. 

“Emma’s bravery when it comes to speaking up about inclusive policies, and the impressive way she has thrown herself into the investment drive of the company.”

 

Celine Pypaert, Security Transformation Manager at Johnson Matthey

Celine Pypaert is Security Transformation Lead at Johnson Matthey, a global sustainable technologies company. Part of the Security Leadership Team, Celine delivers new security projects to drive the cyber strategy aligned to overall business goals. In her spare time, Celine has been a co-founding member of a DEI Employee Resource Group and mentors women in cyber security.

“Celine drives cyber transformation and has a holistic, proactive and strategic approach to help her current business and to empower people.”

 

Jemma Davis, Founder and CEO of Culture Gem

Jemma’s goal is to help individuals stay safe online while providing opportunities for companies to protect themselves through security culture and behaviour change. She can be found supporting companies of all sizes to utilise the tools in their arsenal to profile appropriately and communicate with their people, not users, people.

“She’s a great asset to UK cyber and it’s inspiring to have individuals with her mentality in the sector.”

 

The post Meet This Year’s Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Nominees: Part 3 first appeared on IT Security Guru.

The post Meet This Year’s Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Nominees: Part 3 appeared first on IT Security Guru.