Overview

The Black Women in Cybersecurity Initiative (BWiC) is a new initiative to promote gender and racial equity in Tech by working to increase the number of Black women in Cybersecurity. In partnership with The Links, Incorporated, the Black Women in Cyber Initiative by OHUB works to advance the number and proportion of Black women in the field of cybersecurity. The initiative provides early exposure, expert-led training, employer-recognized certificates, and resources that will prepare women for the high-growth field of cybersecurity.

Why Now?

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the global cost of cybercrime is expected to reach $10.5 trillion dollars by 2025. Even as companies boost their digital security teams to stay safe online, there are still disproportionately fewer women and people of color in cybersecurity roles. This initiative provides women of color greater access to cybersecurity training, empowering them to be job-ready and become strong contributors to the field.

The Masterclasses at Glance

In BWiC’s masterclass series, we offer fresh perspectives on breaking into the field. No two professionals are alike, but there are a lot of guidelines and winning strategies that can help you to be successful. What skills and certifications are highly valued? What career paths can you pursue? These questions and many more will be answered during these sessions.

Thu | Sept 28| 6P ET

Michelle Hercules

Founder & CEO | Hercules Innovative Technology Solutions

Michelle Hercules is the Founder & CEO of Hercules Innovative Technology Solutions (HITS). Michelle launched Hercules Innovative Technology Solutions as a cybersecurity consulting and mentorship engagement company focused on creating technology pathways for success. Michelle is also a former Senior Information Technology Compliance & Privacy Program Manager and currently works in the Information Technology Workforce Development space where she is building out a comprehensive IT Workforce Upskilling framework and providing subject matter expertise in meeting cybersecurity regulatory mandates and industry best practice standards. Providing STEM mentorship and workforce development training are passions that she holds near and dear to her heart and she looks forward to sharing 20+ yrs of industry insight.

Erica Cunningham

Vice President | (ISC)2 East Bay Chapter

Erica Cunningham has served the Security Community in several areas recently as a Northwestern Regional Sales Manager for ColorTokens (Zero-Trust) Platform. She has also been a Cyber Security Sales Director for the past 20 years helping Enterprise Companies meet their Security and Compliance goals. She has served on the ISSA SF Chapter board for 7 years. She is currently the VP of the ISC2 East Bay Chapter. Erica holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and a Master of Science in Cyber Security. She currently holds a Bachelor of Science in IT , and a Master’s in Cyber Security.

Previous Speakers

Crystal C. Grant, MSISA, CISM, GSLC

Head of Information Security | LegalBadge

As an experienced information security leader, with over 16 years of expertise in senior leadership roles, Crystal has a strong background in developing and implementing security solutions for Fortune 100 companies. With hands-on experience in both start-ups and established organizations across multiple industries – including fin-tech, technology security, e-commerce and education – she’ll be sharing her journey into the field and providing some behind-the-scenes tips on how to build and navigate the field.

Jasmine Owens

Information Security Audit and Compliance Specialist

World Wide Technology

Jasmine loves helping her community stay safe from cyber threats and believes that everyone has the opportunity to make a positive impact through cybersecurity. She currently works as an Information Security Audit and Compliance Specialist for World Wide Technology, while also giving back to the community through speaking engagements, participating on a cyber advisory board, and teaching at Savvy Coders. For Jasmine, it is all about making sure her community can thrive and create lasting legacies for their families and future generations.

Janine Byas

Senior Manager

Marriott International’s Global Information Security Awareness Program

Janine Byas has a passion for ensuring people are empowered to use technology as a multiplying force for getting work done effectively and securely. In her current role as the Senior Manager for Marriott International’s Global Information Security Awareness Program, she is responsible for leading strategy and roadmap development for program maturity, marketing and communications, and embedding information security. Her 10 years of work experience in cybersecurity also includes leading incident response and crisis management efforts both in the private and public sector. Janine will share helpful insight related to the skills you need to obtain a job in cyber.

LaToya Staten

Director of Impact | Fearless

LaToya C. Staten is the Director of Impact at Fearless, a Baltimore-based tech firm whose mission it is to build software with a soul. A Certified Agile Scrum Master and graduate of Michigan State University, LaToya also holds additional certificates in Black Tech Ecosystem Investments, Technology Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity for Leaders, Small Business Consulting and I.T. programs. She pours back into her community through service to Maryland Tech Council Board (Inclusivity-Chair), AAWDC IT Collaborative, I.Invest Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Mentor, Visit Baltimore Education and Technology Board and BDPA-DC STEM Advisory Board. LaToya looks forward to sharing her industry background and passion in the cyber learning and development space.

Mari Galloway

CEO & Founding Board Member | Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu

Mari Galloway is the CEO and a founding board member for the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC), one of the fastest growing 501c3 non-profit cybersecurity communities dedicated to bringing more women and girls to cyber. The inaugural ISC2 Diversity Award winner for 2019 and with over 12 years of Information Technology, 10 of which are in cybersecurity, her experience spans network design and security architecture, risk assessments, vulnerability management, incident response and policy development across government and commercial industries.

Tina C. Williams-Koroma, Esq., CISSP, PMP

CEO & Founder | TCecure & CyDeploy

Tina C. Williams-Koroma, Esq., CISSP, PMP, is a serial entrepreneur – Founder/CEO of TCecure, and most recently, Founder of CyDeploy. She is a Maryland licensed attorney and possesses a BS in Computer Science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), an MS in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a JD from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. This cybersecurity expert is extremely community-minded, having partnered with local institutions and contributed to several boards.

Tina Williams-Koroma is excited about her entrepreneurial ventures, and looks forward to continued growth, as she continues to equip the next generation of cybersecurity experts by supporting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education initiatives.

Chavaughn Gibson

Healthcare & FINTECH Portfolio Manager

McKesson Pharmaceuticals

Chavaughn Gibson is a seasoned professional in the B2B contracting and reimbursement sectors of the Healthcare industry. She currently serves as FinTech Product Portfolio Manager at McKesson Pharmaceuticals. She leads efforts with software engineers, data analysts, healthcare business leaders, and government affairs teams to deliver innovative solutions, that help thousands of pharmacies across the U.S. to manage complex payer contracts, reimbursements, and financial reporting.

She is a co-founder of The Daughters Den non-profit organization dedicated to innovative approaches to intergenerational healing for Black women and girls, and currently serves on the board for the Central Ohio chapter of the National Association of Health Service Executives, PrimaryOne Healthcare Justice Awards, and McKesson Pharmaceutical’s Black Employee Resource Group.

She was named as one of Northeast Ohio’s top 20 under 30, received the American College of Healthcare Executives Northeast Ohio’s Regent Award for Future Healthcare Executives, the ColumbusCEO’s 2021 Healthcare Achievement Award, and McKesson’s 2022 Team Mate of the Year for Community Pharmacy and Health.

C. Nicole Gaither

Founding Co-Partner | SageHaus Legal, LLC

Meet Nicole, a trusted legal advisor, a native New Orleanian, and a passionate advocate for the arts. With a lifelong love for music, her journey began with formal piano lessons at 5. She showcased her musical talent throughout high school by competing and reaching the finals in several piano competitions.

Nicole witnessed the struggles of creatives trying to navigate the complex world of music, entertainment, and business and was driven by a desire to make a difference. She observed how many creatives lacked access to quality legal assistance, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and undervaluation. Motivated by this injustice, Nicole pursued her legal education.

Nicole enrolled at Loyola University of New Orleans School of Law and embarked on a mission to support artists and creatives needing legal knowledge and support. She took every intellectual property course possible! Nicole knew she had found her true passion during her first copyright law class. The intricacies of copyright cases ignited her enthusiasm and turned her into a self-proclaimed copyright nerd.

Today, Nicole is dedicated to addressing racial inequities in intellectual property ownership and use. She has witnessed how agents, managers, and even their attorneys have taken advantage of people from socially marginalized communities. Nicole seeks to change the narrative by educating her clients about their rights and empowering them to own their intellectual property to generate wealth and build a legacy.

Dr. Marge Sendze, PH.D, CPDC, PMP, CCP

Career & Inclusion Coach, Speaker, Consultant

The People Champion

Marge Sendze is a leader and cultural influencer with more than 25 years of delivering value in the technology sector. Dr. Sendze is the founder of the People Champion, a coaching and consulting organization, focused on helping current and aspiring STEM practitioners and leaders actualize through their career journey. She is also an avid advocate for creating environments that promote the inclusion, participation, and retention of women and people of color in STEM. Marge holds a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology. She serves on Workforce Advisory Boards and is an active member of various STEM initiatives in the Kansas City STEM community. When not championing people in STEM, Marge loves to travel with her family around the world.

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