What women are saying…

 

” International Women in Cyber Day allows women to be recognized! IWCD will help us to alert, inform, educate, share, celebrate and move forward for building a better future.”​

What IWCD Means to me…

“Cybersecurity is key in our society today to protect our fundamental rights through the protection of the data, information, systems, assets which are building our world and day-to-day. The International Women in Cyber Day is the opportunity to speak about the issues, the success and the challenges of women in this field. This day is important to step back and have these conversations to acknowledge the situation and work together to find solutions. As other international days are recognized, it will help us to alert, inform, educate, share, celebrate and move forward for building a better future.”

Violaine, Data Protection & Privacy Professional, Vancouver, BC Canada

“I am grateful to have Lisa as my mentor. Before I met Lisa, I was just out of college feeling lost and didn’t know where to start. I wouldn’t apply for the jobs feeling like I’m not qualified. Lisa provides so much value to the mentoring sessions. She helped me remake my resume, she provided me with a scholarship for attending a Cyber Security conference, gave me a chance to co-host a meeting, opportunity to participate in panel discussion and meet some incredible people. She pushes me to be better and gives me confidence. Thank you, Lisa, and WCS2 for what you do and what you did for me.”

Hari

Systems Access Analyst, India

“In this day and age, it’s no secret that women are underrepresented within the field of cybersecurity. IWCD provides an exciting opportunity to spread inclusion and equality throughout the cybersecurity landscape. Engaging more women within the field of security will offer a wonderful window of opportunity for us to raise up diverse and unique perspectives in our businesses. Though there is a clear gender divide within the cybersecurity field as a whole, I look forward to continuing the IWCD mission to bridge this gap and grant more women access to the incredible opportunities that a job in technology can provide.”

Keavy

Manager of Cyber Risk and Compliance, Boston, MA, USA

“Helping the cybersecurity field to get more diversity.”

Wadiha

Cybersecurity Consultant, France

“Women are highly underrepresented in the field of cybersecurity with 10% of women making up the cybersecurity workforce in Canada. Acknowledging and celebrating IWCD demonstrates support and recognition of women in the cybersecurity industry, and brings awareness to the challenges women face which will help address the widening cybersecurity workforce gap. To build strong and adequately staffed teams we need to make cybersecurity a rewarding and welcoming career for everyone.”

Nancy

Manager of Security and Audit, St. John’s, NL Canada

“Being a member of WCS2 has proven to be invaluable. If you are seeking assistance to enter into the cybersecurity workforce, being a part of this organization is the best place to begin. The workshops and personal support that you receive as a member are outstanding!”

Stacey

Web Designer and Online Marketing Specialist, Brampton, ON Canada

“The WCS2 has been instrumental in providing guidance and propelling me forward in my career. I can’t stress enough just how connecting with other women in this field made me more knowledgeable and confident in my role. It can be isolating as a woman in tech, and in cybersecurity especially, which is why it is so vital that organizations like this one are supported. Cybersecurity has become even more vital in our society this year, so it is critical that we encourage all people who are interested to enter and thrive in this field.”

Julia

Security & Compliance Lead, Vancouver, BC, Canada

“International Women in Cyber Day is a great celebration to showcase women and the need for diversity in the industry. Thank you, Women Cybersecurity Society, for all you do!!”

Anahita

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Specialist, Vancouver, BC Canada

“It’s time to make some noise about Cyber Security as a career path for women.”

Joanne

Cybersecurity Education, Ireland

“Empowering women who are underrepresented in male-dominated fields motivates me to join the global community.”

Raquel

Security Consultant, Philippines

“Celebrating women in cybersecurity is empowering them to blaze new trails for future women. Through recognition, these women feel valued and motivated to pursue their efforts and excel in a male-dominated environment and allow girls to find representation in the field. It is the essence of tipping the scale – it makes for better experts and leaders in the field, and it paves the way for new generations. It is both good for the field and the right thing to do.”

Charlotte

Event and Outreach Coordinator, Ottawa, ON Canada

“A day to celebrate all women’s achievements and hard work in the cybersecurity industry. Also, a day to highlight and recognize women’s voices. Equality, diversity and inclusion. Solving problems and finding the best solutions. Together we are stronger. Happy International Women Cybersecurity Day!”

Anna

Graphic Designer & Co-Founder, Dublin, Ireland

“Break the glass ceiling, raise awareness for women in tech/security… awareness to the mental health issues surrounding women in security, anxiety, and impostor syndrome.”

Lizzy

Cybersecurity Analyst, UK

“I love working in cybersecurity and in this industry. I feel it’s important to encourage collaboration over competition among women. I want to be that woman that brings as many other women to the table as possible, that is how growth happens!!”

Jenny

Security Professional, Ottawa, ON, Canada

“Happy International day to all women working in Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility not just for those of us working in IT.”

Veronique

LAN Coordinator/Specialist, St. John’s, NL, Canada

“On International Women in Cyber Day, I am grateful for the women in cyber who have welcomed me with a seat at the table or taken me seriously when I said we could build a new table together. We owe it to the barrier breaking women before us. Without inclusion, justice, and equity in our industries, there is no security.”

Jessica

Youth Leaders Council, Washington, DC USA

“Women Cybersecurity Society has given important advice to Worldie.com while we build frameworks for Social Media for Good. Women are not in leadership at other social media companies with only 17% of women in leadership at major companies, and it shows with the lack of safety, equality, and cybersecurity we all experience. We need leadership by women in public safety too, which would decrease the inequalities that we see today of not having victim-centered, pre-emptive, or pro-active technologies for protections. In Canada, only 10% of the cybersecurity workforce is women which needs to change. Thank you for leading Women in Cyber Day!”

Christina

Entrepreneur, San Diego, CA USA

“Diversity is essential within the cybersecurity industry. I founded Data Connectors in 1999 to fuel the collaboration between cybersecurity professionals and solution providers. Our cybersecurity community has grown to over 650,000 members and 250 active vendor partners. Over the last 20 years, being a female cybersecurity leader has powered our growth– it never held us back. My team of 25 employees is 80% female, and consequently, the 40+ cybersecurity summits we host across North America frequently have the largest share of women and minorities.”

Dawn

Founder, Data Connectors, Largest Cybersecurity Community in NA, Missouri, USA

“Increase the number of people pursuing careers in security and staying in security. Connect, support, inspire people across the world about careers in security.”

Jacqui

AWSN, Australia

“IWCD is a very vital day to me because it provides the opportunity to celebrate women in cybersecurity and raise awareness for accelerating gender parity. I believe that when we celebrate this day, we will identify the problems women are facing and seek ways to end marginalization. This will achieve our goal of recruiting, retraining and retaining the feminine gender. A career in cybersecurity is one with unlimited growth potential. The inclusion of diversity is beneficial and will make the fastest growing industry thrive.”

Jennifer

Cyber Security Analyst, Calgary, AB Canada

“The CCTX recognizes affiliate member Women Cybersecurity Society (WCS2) and their initiative to set aside one day internationally to recognize women and other minorities for investing their careers in cybersecurity. Inclusivity is critical to addressing the global skills shortage in Canada and world wide. Encouragement, support and recognition will help to keep this group in the profession. Cognitive diversity can only add to the creative and different solutions needed as this challenge continues to grow in sophistication.”

Mary-Jane

CCTX, Toronto, ON Canada

“International Women in Cyber Day is about hope and realizing our true potential. I am hopeful that as an industry we can achieve true equity, inclusiveness, and retention. I challenge all men to embrace the role of positive change agents and to actively be anti-misogynistic. Our industry will never reach its full potential unless we stamp out the toxic masculinity and replace it with a beautiful equitable culture of fairness and empowerment. This is the hope that IWCD represents and why I advocate for it every single day.”

Dominic

Co-Founder of CyberSC, Vancouver, BC Canada

“Cyber crime has led to the loss of billions of dollars, the malfunctioning of computer systems, the destruction of critical information, the compromising of network integrity and confidentiality, etc. In view of these crimes committed daily, the security of computer systems has become imperative to minimize and possibly avoid the impact of cyber crimes and the need to build security systems which evaluate by benchmark datasets is growing every day. But due to the lack of adequate dataset, most of the solutions are suffering from accurate deployment, analysis and evaluation. In this session, I will talk about our Cybersecurity Data Repository in the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity (CIC).”

Arash

Cybersecurity Researcher, Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity, UNB, NB, Canada

“I have been working for the Government as a Cybersecurity Expert for over 16 years, in all that time I have only worked with a handful of Women in my field. I think it is about time we recognize Women and our extraordinary potential in the field of Cybersecurity.”

Yvonne

Cybersecurity Professional, USA

“I want to help spread the message that women are needed in cybersecurity.”

Jenny

Cybersecurity Freelancer, Canada

“Be part of a movement that will work for a fairer acknowledgement on women’s work.”

Violane

Cybersecurity & Privacy, Canada

“Improve/expose opportunities to qualified women in the field. “Reduce the barriers for entry for women in this field.”

Nada, Data Security Scientist, Canada

“Bring more awareness to the awesomeness of women and to continue spreading the word.”

Mari

Women Society of CyberJitsu, USA

“To help influence more females to enter the cybersecurity field. I had a career change in my 40’s to enter the field and believe it is never too early or too late! Exposure to the field for young females and acknowledgement for the knowledge level and many talents women bring to the field.”

Tanya

Cybersecurity Student, USA