Our Team

PROGRAM DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Dr. Ambareen Siraj is the founder of the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) non-profit organization and serves as a board member in her personal capacity and time. She is a program director at the National Science Foundation. As the Emeritus professor of computer science, she served as the founding director of the Cybersecurity Education, Research, and Outreach Center at Tennessee Tech until June 3, 2022. Dr. Siraj’s research areas of interest include smart grid security, sensor alert fusion with alert correlation and alert clustering, security metrics, security education and workforce development. She has authored/co- authored more than fifty journal and conference articles in these areas. She has led National Science Foundation projects including: “Tennessee Cybercorps: A Hybrid Program in Cybersecurity”, “Tennessee Tech Gen-Cyber Camps”, “Capacity Building in Cybersecurity: Broadening Participation of Women in Cybersecurity through Women in Cybersecurity Conference & Professional Development”, “CyberWorkshops: Resources and Strategies for Teaching Cybersecurity in Computer Science”, and “Security Knitting Kit: Integrating Security into Traditional CS Courses”.

Learn more about Dr. Siraj

FACULTY, RICE UNIVERSITY

Dr. Janell Straach has a diverse background including academic and industry experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree from Angelo State University, a Master of Computer Science degree from Texas A&M University, an MBA from The University of Dallas and a Masters and PhD from UT Dallas.  Her PhD research was in intelligent systems and recent work has focused on CyberSecurity.  Prior to her current assignment with Rice University, she was a member of the faculty at UT Dallas in Richardson, TX.  Before her academic assignments, she worked in industry for IBM and a large electric/gas utility organization. She has taught at the college, university and corporate level.  Janell’s passion is recruiting and retaining females into technology careers.

Video Link: Dr. Janell Straach – Meet the Prof

DIRECTOR, CYBER SECURITY AND PRIVACY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Dr. Costis Toregas is the Director of the Cyber Security and Privacy Research Institute at The George Washington University, where he manages scholarship programs and research projects in cybersecurity. His research interests include workforce development, the role of insurance in cyber risk management, and exploring a fuller utilization of Community Colleges in the cybersecurity work force strategies.  He is the IT Adviser to the Montgomery County MD County Council, a board member of the National Cyber League and a consultant for the National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center. He is a respected consultant to national governments and intergovernmental organizations, and a much sought-after speaker on the impact of technology in government and society. Dr. Toregas has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Systems Engineering from Cornell University.

CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AT UNITEDHEALTH GROUP/OPTUM

Allison Miller serves as the Vice President of UnitedHealth Group’s Global Enterprise Information Security Office. Allison has accountability for the Enterprise Information Security Officers for the Group, Security Incident Response/Technical Investigations, Security Policy and Global Cyber Regulatory Programs. In her existing role, Allison has developed a global security framework for the enterprise with a focus towards patient safety, security of clinical operations and a global cyber crisis response plan.

Prior to her role with the Global Enterprise Information Security Office, Allison served as the Director of National Healthcare Compliance for UnitedHealthcare, Chief Privacy Officer for OptumHealth and Deputy Privacy Officer, National Privacy Director for UnitedHealthcare.

In addition to privacy and security, Allison has over 20 years of experience in health information systems and crisis management. During her tenure at UnitedHealth Group, Allison developed systems to identify the gaps in care and predict health outcomes for individuals with chronic conditions. Allison is a volunteer EMT and first responder in the State of Louisiana serving residents during Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac. Most recently, Allison had the privilege of serving refugees in Greece providing healthcare support to the clinics on the frontlines.

Allison’s undergraduate (BA) studies were in Political Science and Sociology; she has completed Executive Education & Management post-college at Wharton, Kellogg Executive Education and MIT Sloan. She was part of the cohort that authored and attained the ISC2 Healthcare Information Security and Privacy Professional Certification and holds her HCISSP, in addition to holding certifications from GIAC, ISACA, HCCS and other technology areas of focus beyond security.

Allison continues to volunteer her time across organizations to help raise the level awareness regarding emerging cyber security landscape and the threats they present to patient care globally.

Allison is ranked #7 by IFSEC Global 

CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER (CISO), PROTECT AI

Diana Kelley is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Protect AI. She also serves on the boards of Cyber Future Foundation, WiCyS, and The Executive Women’s Forum (EWF). Diana was Cybersecurity Field CTO for Microsoft, Global Executive Security Advisor at IBM Security, GM at Symantec, VP at Burton Group (now Gartner), a Manager at KPMG, CTO and co-founder of SecurityCurve, and Chief vCISO at SaltCybersecurity.

She is a sought-after keynote speaker, the host of BrightTALK’s The (Security) Balancing Act, co-author of the books Practical Cybersecurity Architecture and Cryptographic Libraries for Developers, has been a lecturer at Boston College’s Masters program in cybersecurity, the EWF 2020 Executive of the Year and EWF Conference Chair 2021 and 2022, an SCMedia Power Player, and one of Cybersecurity Ventures 100 Fascinating Females Fighting Cybercrime.

SENIOR FELLOW, LOCKHEED MARTIN SPACE

Dr. Dawn Beyer is a Senior Fellow at Lockheed Martin (LM), with over 30 years of experience in cybersecurity, security engineering, systems engineering, and military intelligence. She leads the LM Cyber Technology Domain, one of 14 technologies that enable integrated capabilities for 21^st Century Security.

Dr. Beyer led the development of the LM Cyber Defense Technology Strategy for 2022, 2023, and 2024. She also leads the LM Cyber Technology portfolio, which includes the LM Cyber Strategic Technology Advisors; Cyber Community of Interest; the LM Cyber Operational, Research, and Engineering lab; and LM CyCADA^® (Cyber intelligence Capabilities for Autonomous Detection & defeat of Attacks). LM CyCADA^® is a comprehensive end-to-end cyber ecosystem of cyber resiliency capabilities which includes seven cyber independent research and engineering projects. Dr. Beyer led the development and implementation of the LM Cyber Resiliency Level^® (CRL^®) framework as a standard way to measure cyber resiliency maturity of defense systems.

As a strategic leader in LM and Industry, she provides leadership with the visibility into strategy, technology, capabilities, risks, opportunities, policy, process, and workforce talent. Dr. Beyer founded and was the first Chair of the LM Women’s Fellows Network with the goal to attract, develop, and retain women in top talent initiatives. She engages in industry exchanges and is on the Board of Governors with the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) organization, receiving the 2024 WiCyS Advocacy Award.

She is a retired Air Force Intelligence Officer with 24 years of service. Dr. Beyer earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems from Nova Southeastern University (NSU), a Master of Science in Information Systems from Hawaii Pacific University, and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland University College.

Dr. Beyer maintains the following certifications: Project Management Institute Program Management Professional (PMP)^®, (ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)^® and Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)^®, and ISACA Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)^®, as well as Six Sigma Black Belt.

She is the recipient of the NSU Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award for the College of Engineering and Computing. Dr. Beyer was recognized by SC Magazine as a “Women in Security: PowerPlayer” in cybersecurity and featured in Total Security’s “Faces of Security” profile.

CHIEF CYBERSECURITY SCIENTIST, IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY AND CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER, CYBERSECURITY MANUFACTURING INNOVATION INSTITUTE

Dr. Greg Shannon is a computer scientist with diverse experience and a leading expert in science, technology, and policy for cybersecurity. He recently served in the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy as the Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Strategy and has testified before Congress on cybersecurity, science for security, critical infrastructure, resilience, and cyber threats. He served as the first Chair of IEEE’s Cybersecurity Initiative and the General Chair for the 2015 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy.

Dr. Shannon received a BS in Computer Science from Iowa State University with minors in Mathematics, Economics, and Statistics. He earned his MS and PhD in Computer Sciences at Purdue University, with a fellowship from the Packard Foundation.

Marian has over 24 years of experience working in the cybersecurity industry, with experience in product management, corporate website management, family online safety programs and corporate philanthropy. She previously was with Symantec Corporation as their Director of Cyber Education and Online Safety Programs.

Marian attended Boston University’s Questrom School of Business for her undergraduate degree and holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Los Angeles, CA.

DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL CYBER THREAT INTELLIGENCE AT NIKE, INC.

Noureen Njoroge is a passionate cybersecurity professional with vast experience in multi-faceted, complex, fast-paced environments in the public and private sector. She is a strategic thinker with vast knowledge of business management and cybersecurity practices. She has proven leadership experience on issues concerning security and data privacy. Noureen demonstrates consistent client and business success by delivering strategic solutions, applies creativity and judgement, to effectively negotiate mitigation solutions and proactive threats prevention. She thrives in leading high-performance teams and is currently the Global Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence at NIKE.

Noureen is an astute problem solver; an effective translator between technical and non-technical entities in Cybersecurity. She is a global keynote speaker, award winner of 2021 Cybersecurity Woman Supporter, listed among Top Global Influencers in Cybersecurity by Europe IFSEC, awarded Global Cybersecurity Ambassador by Rocheston, 2020 Cybersecurity Woman of the year, named 2019 Cisco Cybersecurity Champion, and is listed among the Top 30 Most Admired Minority Professionals in Cybersecurity in UK.

Noureen is a people leader and very passionate about mentoring others. She sets an example for others to follow in her hard work to keep ahead of the pack in a rapidly changing industry, her commitment to generously share insights on an ongoing basis, and her desire to help clients protect their business and their data in a complex and uncertain world. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) and is a graduate of the Cybersecurity program at (MIT).

Noureen is ranked #3 as Cyber Security Professionals by IFSEC Global (https://www.ifsecglobal.com/global/influencers-in-security-and-fire-2021/)

SENIOR DIRECTOR, INFORMATION SECURITY, PALO ALTO NETWORKS

Prajakta Jagdale (PJ) manages the Red Team program at Palo Alto Networks and is focused on ensuring the security of the company’s infrastructure. Her red teaming success can be attributed to the 7+ years as an application security researcher at Hewlett-Packard. During this period, her research on vulnerabilities in web technologies like JAVA, SQL, Flash, HTML5 and others contributed towards a software product designed to mimic a human hacker.  Then as a product security architect at Intuit, she spent her time identifying and demonstrating, to architects and engineers, the exploitable security flaws in designs of complex, large-scale network and software infrastructures responsible for delivering the financial, accounting and tax preparation services.

Over the years, Prajakta has had the opportunity to present her work at several security conferences including Black Hat Federal, RSA Europe, Shmoocon, InfoSec World and others.

SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, PRIVACY, SAFETY & SECURITY ENGINEERING, GOOGLE 

Sarah leads External Engagement for Google’s Privacy, Safety & Security Engineering team. She coordinates Google’s outreach efforts and engagements, which includes supporting conferences, organizations and industry partnerships. Sarah is a long time WiCyS member and helped to launch the Security Training Scholarship Program in 2020.  She is deeply committed to building a more diverse and inclusive cybersecurity industry, and collaborates with numerous community organizations on a range of efforts. Previously, Sarah worked on Google’s Consumer Support team and has held numerous community engagement roles across the tech and sustainability sectors.

Sarah graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science degree in Natural Resources. She lives in San Francisco with her family and is a proud Mom to two fast growing sons. 

TECH CAMPUS MANAGER, SILICON VALLEY, JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. 

Valerie is a creative solutions architect and interpersonal leader with 10+ years of experience in educational leadership, brand marketing, and events management within nonprofit, education, corporate and tech industries. Currently, she is empowering Meta personnel to work more safely and securely and is enabling security to scale expertise through embedding secure behavioral practices into the routine activities of products, services and teams.

Prior to joining Meta Security, Valerie worked in brand marketing for Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and spent nearly 10 years in the nonprofit education sector where she was recognized for her leadership towards educational equity for underserved communities and community learning development. Valerie also spent time as a non-public school teacher and behavioral specialist for individuals who had experienced some type of abuse and/or neurological and other related social and emotional challenges.

Valerie received dual bachelor of arts degrees in Communications and Humanities from Dominican University of California and received her Master of Business Administration degree in Leadership and Strategic Management from Western Governors University.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lynn Dohm’s area of focus is on the most valuable asset of cybersecurity: people.

Lynn is the Executive Director of Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), where she channels her passion for building a strong cybersecurity workforce into mobilizing the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in the field. With over two decades of experience, Lynn has become a key strategist, aligning businesses, nonprofits, and grant-funded initiatives to cybersecurity workforce initiatives and goals. Her dedication to advancing women in lucrative cybersecurity careers over the last 16 years has made her an influential voice in shaping the workforce of tomorrow. Lynn’s leadership has established WiCyS as a leading model of how a collaborative, multi-organizational ecosystem approach can strengthen the cybersecurity workforce.

In 2024, Lynn was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science & Technology from Champlain College and was recognized as one of CS Hub’s Top 25 Cybersecurity Leaders. Her accolades also include receiving two SANS Difference Maker Awards in 2024, the People’s Choice Award for Cybersecurity Woman of the Year, the Light that Shines award from EmpoWE-R Women of Infosec, and being named one of the Top 100 Women in Cybersecurity by Cyber Defense Magazine. Under her leadership, WiCyS was recognized as Ally of the Year in 2020 and 2021.

Lynn also serves on the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) AI Initiative and the UMGC CIT Advisory Board, shaping the future of AI and technology education. A passionate advocate for inclusion and equity, she participates in over 100 speaking engagements annually, including the White House, CISA, RSAC, Black Hat, SANS, and more. She contributed to “The Privacy Leader Compass” and “Stronger Together: Women in Cybersecurity”, and has served in a variety of advisory counsels and task forces.

Outside her professional commitments, Lynn enjoys spending time with her family, hiking with her dog, camping, listening to bluegrass, and sipping coffee on her front porch.

View Lynn’s Speaking Engagements

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Michele serves as the Deputy Director for Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS). Michele is a forward-thinking individual focused on fostering flexible, highly collaborative environments to improve and streamline operational activities, including developing long-term strategies and operational planning, implementing processes, programs, and associated metrics focused on increasing efficient operations.

With an impressive 30-year tenure at Carnegie Mellon University, Michele spent the last 19 years of her career supporting the Software Engineering Institute CERT program. With a focus on operational excellence, staff involvement, and leading initiatives to promote a more inclusive workforce. Michele has consistently driven positive change throughout her career.

View Michele’s Speaking Engagements

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Mary Jane serves as the Program Director for Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS). Her focus is on helping to facilitate programs that celebrate, nurture, and create a sense of belonging for women in cybersecurity.

She has over 20 years of experience in higher education. Her areas of focus have included assessment, curriculum development, diversity education, employer relations, leadership, student development and faculty relations. She is passionate about first-generation students, increasing women in stem fields, and providing an inclusive environment where all feel valued, welcome, and seen.

Mary Jane holds a Master of Public Administration in Non-Profit Management from the University of West Florida.

View Mary Jane’s Speaking Engagements 

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Adaeze Udoh serves as the Program Coordinator for the WiCys team. Her objective is to support and facilitate the programs of WiCyS that are aligned with the mission of recruiting, retaining and advancing women in the Cybersecurity industry.

Adaeze holds a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from California State University Fullerton. She has experience in broadcasting, the nonprofit sector, project management and marketing. Her focus has included ecommerce, web development, software as a service projects for innovative brands in fashion, beauty and the healthcare space. Adaeze is creative minded and is passionate about helping others make advancements in their goals and purpose.

EXTERNAL RELATIONS MANAGER

Cameron Mitchell serves as the External Relations Manager for WiCyS. His primary role is to identify and manage all WiCyS event opportunities, strategic planning, communication, and engagements to promote the organization’s mission and goals.  Cameron has a strong background in communications, operational skills and streamlining processes. 

Cameron joined WiCyS after serving the last seven years in different operation roles for the CERT Division of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.  In this position, he focused on developing and maintaining internal websites, planning and executing events, as well as promoting DE&I efforts to recruit a more diverse workplace.

He holds a master’s in journalism from Quinnipiac University. Prior to joining WiCyS in his current role,  he managed the volunteers for the annual WiCyS conference and served as the co-lead of the local host for the 2019 conference in Pittsburgh. 

Program Coordinator

Board Liaison

Morgan Garland brings a background in event planning and non-profit work to the WiCyS team. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Illinois University. Her undergraduate studies are in Psychology and Sociology. Prior to her work with WiCyS, Morgan worked for the American Cancer Society working with volunteers to help drive the mission and raise funds to end the fight against cancer.

vCFO

Peter is a pioneer and thought leader in the Fractional CFO Services Industry, having spent nearly 20 years upgrading the operational finance and accounting departments in over 32 privately held, family-owned businesses in a variety of industries including manufacturing, distribution, professional services, and entertainment.

He is the author of Profit Peak for Entrepreneurs and host of the show of the same name. His next book to be released in 2021 is titled: Winning in Business: Seven Leadership Secrets from the Battlefield. He is a former Big 4 management consultant and a frequent presenter at industry associations seeking his strategic finance and enterprise leadership expertise. Peter received his business degree from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from the University of Oregon.

He enjoys studying history with an emphasis on Central European History. He is fluent in Hungarian. Married with four children, Peter enjoys rugged outdoor activities as well as tennis and basketball.

PROGRAM MANAGER

Quiana Oates serves as Program Manager for WiCyS.  Her primary role is to design programs that align with the organization’s mission and support the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) goals to recruit, retain and advance women in cybersecurity. She works closely with student chapters, professional affiliates and other program stakeholders.

Quiana has more than 16 years of experience in higher education, a field she has been working in progressively since 2006. Throughout her career, Quiana has worked on college and university campuses, in the area of admissions, advising, student success, and retention, while developing strong mentoring relationships with a variety of students including first-generation and underrepresented students. Quiana has earned a Bachelor of Science in Counseling Psychology from Columbia Union College and a Master of Public Administration from Washington Adventist University.

CYBERSECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGER

Quintana has been in the IT industry for over 20 years. Her passions in the cybersecurity space have included ensuring organizations are compliant with information and data security frameworks; assisting with internal risk assessments; and working with teams to streamline governance, risk and compliance processes. Over the course of her career, she has had the opportunity to dabble in several aspects of the IT industry but discovered her love of cybersecurity and compliance over nine years ago. The ever-changing compliance laws and regulations keep the job from becoming mundane. The cybersecurity field is very male-dominated and she understands the importance of not allowing imposter syndrome to set in and is adamant about having a seat at the table. Being a black woman in the field, she has personally experienced racially motivated bias, stereotypes and being put into a box. She is passionate about giving others the knowledge needed to make it through situations like that and letting them know they are not alone in this space. Others must see themselves in areas that don’t seem feasible, professionally as well as personally.

As a Colorado native, Quintana is excited to be supporting local women in the security space. She believes the Denver metro area needs a space for women to network, information share and be reminded that we are all in this together. Outside of her professional life, she is an avid open water swimmer who enjoys (crazy enough) doing sprint triathlons, working out, line dancing and spending time with friends and family.

View Quintana’s Speaking Engagements

STRATEGIC PARTNER COORDINATOR

Rosalie serves as the Executive Assistant for Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS). Her journey includes earning a technical diploma in Aviation Maintenance from Northland Community and Technical College, alongside diverse experiences in aviation, and voluntary service with the military.

Committed to prioritizing individuals’ experiences, Rosalie ensures that every interaction is both meaningful and impactful. Her dedication is driven by a passion to support the growth of WiCyS and its members. With her strong background and unique perspective, she offers valuable insights and knowledge to the organization, contributing to its success.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Sanaa brings over a decade of experience providing exceptional support to C-level executives in the tech industry. Originally from Chicago, she pursued her studies in Network Security Engineering at DePaul University before making her home in Texas. Sanaa is highly skilled at managing complex priorities and driving operational efficiency, making her an indispensable asset to the teams she supports.

At WiCyS, she plays a vital role in advancing the organization’s mission to recruit, retain and advance women in cybersecurity. Her dedication to fostering excellence and supporting meaningful initiatives makes her an invaluable part of the team.

Outside her professional responsibilities, Sanaa has a passion for exploring diverse cuisines at local restaurants and traveling to experience new cultures—pursuits that inspire her creativity and connection to the world around her.

Affiliate Manager

Sarah’s career journey spans more than a decade of marketing and business roles in many different industries, ranging from wine to apparel, pet insurance to health and wellness, and more. During her career, she’s grown multiple affiliate programs, developed GTM campaigns for a billion-dollar global brand and helped small businesses reach their ideal customers.

She’s passionate about organizations that cultivate inclusive teams, empower individuals to lean into their unique strengths, and have excellent thought leaders to guide the way. Her favorite aspect of any role is when she gets to develop and nurture professional relationships to achieve common goals of the organization.

Sarah earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Idaho. She calls Boise, Idaho, home, where she lives with her husband and two golden retrievers. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, jigsaw puzzles, being in nature, and exploring new places