Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is a global nonprofit membership organization focused on strengthening the cybersecurity workforce by recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in the field. What began as a conference has grown into an international community with more than 11,000 members, hundreds of student chapters, and dozens of professional affiliates. Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) combines community building with practical career enablement, helping members access mentorship, technical education, networking, and job opportunities across career stages.
Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) operates at the intersection of workforce development, professional community, and industry collaboration. Its model blends conferences, leadership development, training cohorts, mentoring, and employer engagement to support both entry into cybersecurity and long-term advancement within it. The organization serves as a connective platform for students, practitioners, educators, executives, allies, and employers that want to improve representation and progression in cybersecurity.
Offerings, Capabilities, and Integrations
Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) delivers a mix of community-led and cohort-based offerings that span technical upskilling, leadership development, mentoring, and career access. Its capabilities include member communities, student and affiliate networks, virtual and in-person programming, career fairs, scholarships, and year-round employer visibility through its hiring ecosystem.
The organization is especially strong in building structured pathways for different career stages. It supports early talent through chapters, mentoring, and certificate-based learning; helps professionals deepen technical and governance skills through focused training programs; and provides senior leaders with peer networks and executive development experiences. Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) also works closely with corporate and institutional partners to translate sponsorship into hands-on learning, hiring access, and community engagement.
Products and Services
- WiCyS Annual Conference: Flagship conference that brings together students, professionals, allies, employers, and community leaders for technical sessions, workshops, networking, career development, and recruiting.
- Job Board++: Year-round career platform where members can upload resumes, signal job-seeking status, explore partner booths, and apply for internships, part-time roles, and full-time positions.
- Professional Affiliates: Affiliate network model that enables regional, corporate, and specialty communities to organize local engagement, networking, mentoring, and outreach under the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) umbrella.
- AI Learning Series: Multi-module learning program that helps cybersecurity professionals build practical understanding of artificial intelligence, including AI fundamentals, governance, risk, and secure AI product development.
- AI Security Accelerator Program: Hands-on accelerator focused on securing AI systems and workflows, combining technical instruction, regulatory context, mentoring, and career advising for participating members.
- Executive Leaders Network: Invite-only peer network for senior cybersecurity leaders to exchange perspectives, discuss leadership challenges, and support the broader Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) mission.
- Google Cybersecurity Certificate Program: Cohort-based access program that gives eligible members entry to the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate on Coursera, along with community engagement and digital credentialing.
- Mentorship Program | Aspiring Professional: Group-based mentorship track for undergraduate student members that builds career readiness, confidence, and workforce preparation through structured guidance from experienced mentors.
- Rising CISO: Leadership development experience for senior-career cybersecurity professionals preparing for CISO-level responsibility, with an emphasis on executive presence, influence, and decision-making.
- Target Cyber Defense Challenge: Hands-on cyber defense program created with Target that gives members practical exposure to incident response, threat detection, threat intelligence, and team-based problem solving.
- Student Chapters: Campus-based chapter program that helps schools build local cybersecurity communities through mentoring, training, networking, leadership experience, and access to industry and academic supporters.
- Professional Mentorship Program: Extended mentorship program for professional members focused on advancement topics such as leadership, negotiation, communication, influence, and work-life integration.
- GRC Intensive Training Program: Structured 14-week training program for early- to mid-career professionals covering governance, risk, and compliance using the NIST Risk Management Framework.
- Create Your Leading Edge: Mid-career leadership acceleration program designed to help members strengthen leadership presence, build sponsorship relationships, and move past career plateaus.
- Stage Ready Public Speaking Fellowship: Public speaking and storytelling development program that helps mid- to senior-career members improve presentation skills, executive communication, and visibility as industry speakers.
Target Customers
Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) serves a broad cybersecurity talent audience, with especially strong fit for undergraduate students, early-career professionals, career changers, and women seeking community and advancement in a field where representation remains uneven. Its programming also reaches mid-career practitioners who want to deepen technical or governance skills and senior leaders preparing for executive roles.
The organization also serves educators, faculty advisors, researchers, veterans, allies, and supporters who contribute to workforce development. On the employer side, Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) appeals to strategic partners, sponsors, and hiring organizations that want access to a mission-aligned cybersecurity talent community through branding, recruitment, mentoring, and community engagement opportunities.
Key People
- Lynn Dohm: Executive Director
- Dr. Dawn M. Beyer: Chair of The Board
- Marian Merritt: Vice Chair of The Board
- Dr. Costis Toregas: Treasurer
- Dr. Ambareen Siraj: Founder
- Michele Tomasic: Deputy Director
- Mary Jane Suarez Partain: Program Director
- Peter Baldwin: vCFO
- Morgan Garland: Operations Manager
- Rasheeda Clements: Business Development Manager
- Quiana Oates: Program Manager
- Quintana Patterson: Cybersecurity and Technology Manager
Key Facts
- Headquarters: Cookeville, Tennessee, United States
- Employees: 2-10 employees
- Annual Revenue: $5.38M
- Parent Company: None
- Subsidiaries: None
- Publicly Listed: No
