Categories: Americas - Projects, Cyber Security, Events

WOMCY and WISECRA launch “Top Women in Cybersecurity – Latin America 2021”

March 11, 2021
9:43 am

James Thorpe

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LATAM Women in Cybersecurity (WOMCY) and Women in Security & Resilience Alliance (WISECRA) have announced the launch of the 2nd edition of ‘Top Women in Cybersecurity – Latin America 2021’.

Following the success of the 2020 edition when 50 prominent women in cybersecurity across the Latin American region who have made significant contributions were recognised, this 2nd edition promises to continue to showcase professionals who have advanced the industry and shaped the path for future generations of professionals among other vital contributions. This initiative officially opened for nominations on International Women’s Day, 8 March, 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced rapid changes in the world of cybersecurity. Adding to the pressure, security professionals have had to address the transition to remote work within extremely short timelines, according to ISC². Despite COVID-19 and economic pressures, organisations plan to increase cybersecurity staffing over the next 12 months, while gender disparities continue to be evident. WOMCY’s programs target the development of talent in order to help close the cybersecurity shortage and promote more diversity in the industry.

As stated by Leticia Gammill, President and Founder of WOMCY: “Continuing to promote diversity in cybersecurity is the priority for our organisation. Throughout the last year, we have made an impact on thousands of individuals who attended our programs and completed the cybersecurity courses and certifications promoted by WOMCY. We are making cybersecurity accessible to more women and positively impacting their growth in Latin America.”

The organisers encourage you to recommend those women who deserve the honour of leading the future of cybersecurity in Latin America. As Bonnie Butlin, International Coordinator of WISECRA, a global network of professional women in the security & resilience disciplines, stated: “It is more important than ever to recognise the successes among us, which serve to bring us together and encourage us to reach greater heights.”

Nominations opened to the public effectively on 8 March, 2021 and must be made by submitting an application in Spanish, English, or Portuguese by 8 May, 2021. To apply or submit an application, please go to Top Women in Cybersecurity 2021: https://rb.gy/m16icq

A diverse panel of judges consisting of ten executives from Latin America and the US will evaluate the candidates following a criteria to determine the social and professional scope of their contributions in cybersecurity. WOMCY and WISECRA Regional and Country Leaders are ineligible. The ‘2021 Top Women in Cybersecurity – Latin America’ judges include:

Leticia Gammill, Founder & President of WOMCY

https://www.linkedin.com/in/letigammill/

Lieutenant Colonel Milena Realpe Diaz, Head of Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity and Cyberdefense at the Escuela Superior de Guerra, Colombia

https://www.linkedin.com/in/milena-elizabeth-r-7250901a3/

Victoria Beckman, Lead Digital Crimes Unit Americas, Microsoft

https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabeckman/

Gabriel Bergel, Chief Security Ambassador of ElevenPaths, (ISC)² Board of Directors

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielbergel/

Mariana Cardona, Program Officer, Cybersecurity Program, OAS – Organization of American States

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariana-cardona-clavijo/

Elisa Ball, Director of Human Resources, Latin America of Fortinet

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ballelisa/