Women in Cyber: It’s Hard to Be What You Cannot See

The second annual Women in Cyber Summit welcomed cybersecurity professionals, high school students, and Champlain College alumni to campus for a day of inspiration, professional development, and community-building in cybersecurity careers. Held on October 25, this summit coincided with Champlain Weekend and began with a candid panel featuring three recent alumni, who shared their experiences as young women in cybersecurity.

Mackenzie Marsocci ’20, Emily Platz ’20, and Samantha Moench ’17 opened the event by reflecting on the progress made toward gender equity in cybersecurity roles. They discussed how, although gender bias persists, it often stems from clients rather than within their companies. “I’ve been very lucky to work at organizations that have my back and value my well-being over retaining clients who treat employees disrespectfully,” shared Marsocci, a SOC architect at Hurricane Labs.

Their insightful discussion set the day’s tone and was followed by sessions from speakers at the FBI, the Center for Internet Security, CrowdStrike, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, and Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Executive Director Lynn Dohm, the keynote speaker.

Dohm described cybersecurity work as “problem-solving, puzzles, fast-paced, mission-focused, ever-evolving, rewarding, finding evil, and solving crime.” She emphasized that cybersecurity is a rapidly growing and lucrative field, citing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections that cybersecurity careers will grow by 32% over the next decade. Despite this growth, however, only 24% of cybersecurity professionals were women as of 2019.

As Executive Director of WiCyS, Dohm leads a global network with more than 10,000 members across 99 countries, over 70 partner organizations, and 300+ academic chapters. WiCyS works tirelessly to recruit, retain, and advance women in cybersecurity careers. “I know it’s hard to be what you cannot see,” Dohm told attendees, “but I assure you, you are not alone on this journey.”

The summit welcomed back several familiar faces, including Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, who discussed her mission to use legal tools to protect public data and challenge unethical practices by corporations. New additions this year included campus tours and hands-on workshops designed for high school students. Professor Mariam Khader led four separate sessions that introduced students to mobile forensics, demonstrating how data from mobile devices can be used in court—a critical skill in digital forensics and cybersecurity careers.

Reflecting on the event, Dean of the Division of Information Technology & Sciences Scott Stevens described the summit as “unforgettable.” Champlain College aims to become a premier destination for women studying cybersecurity, and Stevens expressed gratitude for the efforts of Champlain’s WiCyS chapter and the Women in Cybersecurity Leadership Council in organizing the event.

“It was an absolute honor to host the Women in Cyber Summit 2024 at Champlain College,” Stevens said. “Watching over 160 students, alumni, and professionals come together to learn, share, and inspire one another shows just how powerful and diverse our cybersecurity community is. This summit is more than an event; it’s a space for the next generation of cybersecurity and digital forensics professionals to connect and grow.”