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The Cyber Queens Podcast
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The Cyber Queens Podcast

Author: Maril Vernon, Erika Eakins, and Amber Devilbiss

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“WHERE ARE THE WOMEN IN CYBER?”

The Landscape

In 2022 the cyber security field still consists of 24% women and only 2.2% LGBTQ+ minorities. Long-perpetuated gender, age, and demographic biases held by the ‘Baby Boomer’ and Gen-X groups have led to a severe gap in the representation and advancement of women and minorities in this field. Millennials entered the workforce and attempted to forge a new way by asking for small changes; but definitely  conceding others. Currently the Boomers/Gen-X accounting for more than 55% of the workforce are on their way out.

There is a new perspective shift happening industry-wide in tech because Gen-Z has arrived, and they don't ask for change - they command it. Millennials and Gen-Z currently make up only 35% of the workforce but that will grow to more than 75% by the end of 2030.

The Solution

We are not here to simply identify a diversity problem, we are here to solve it. Head-on. It is our mission to close this gap by inspiring and empowering Gen-Z women and minorities to seize their place in the cyber community. Breaking molds to choose careers inherently designated for us by gender bias. Branding cyber as lucrative and exciting. Nurturing a curiosity in tech where it was conditioned out of us. Dispelling the myths surrounding different niches and avenues into cyber and highlighting the success and fulfillment that can be achieved here. We are going to bestow strategies for navigating the mindsets we encounter on a daily basis and how to overcome the challenges they present. We're going to do this fueled by bold, raw, unfiltered insights to propel new talent forward and challenge managers to join the train of progress.

WE ARE THE CYBER QUEENS AND WE'RE BUILDING THE SISTERHOOD OF CYBER.

WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?

1) RADICAL TRANSPARENCY

We will never let ourselves, our message, or the value we give be censored or watered down to make a buck on this podcast or its audience. We will also provide truthful, value-driven insights according to our own experiences.

2) SUPPORT & EMPOWER

We advocate for women unequivocally supporting other women. Eliminating sexist mindsets, toxic competition and leadership between women and minorities. We get enough of that from everyone else. 

3) SOCIAL INTEGRITY

We are not here to lift women by bashing on men. We don’t believe success is pie and that more for us means less for someone else. We're here to educate and uplift anyone with an interest in getting into this field who may be at a disadvantage to do so.

4) INSPIRING ACTION

We offer practical advice that can be implemented immediately for listeners to further themselves and gain traction in their cyber education or career. We foster mutual collaboration and give our audience a platform to take action and be supported in those pursuits.

5) CREATE LASTING IMPACT

We curate content and speakers who deliver unbridled value to our listeners and their perspectives. We do not cater to guests and influencers whose message is limited to their own agenda or whose values do not directly align with our own and our mission.

6) INVEST INTENTIONALLY

We want to invest in ourselves by paying it forward as much as we can. We will buy from, monetize with, collaborate with, and promote working with other minority-owned small businesses FIRST wherever they can fill the need. 

25 Episodes
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In this episode, the queens are sitting down with the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) organization with none other than the Executive Director herself- Lynn Dohm. Discover the pivotal programs and initiatives WiCyS offers to support and advance women in the cybersecurity sector. Lynn shares success stories, insights on overcoming industry challenges, and how listeners can engage with WiCyS to forge a more inclusive future in cybersecurity. Listen in to gain valuable perspectives and lear...
In this episode, the queens are sitting down with the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) organization with none other than the Executive Director herself- Lynn Dohm. Discover the pivotal programs and initiatives WiCyS offers to support and advance women in the cybersecurity sector. Lynn shares success stories, insights on overcoming industry challenges, and how listeners can engage with WiCyS to forge a more inclusive future in cybersecurity. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives and learn ...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **Welcome to The Cyber Queens Podcast! The Cyber Queens are here to close the cyber gender ad diversity gap!In this episode, The Cyber Queens are joined by Catilin Sarian to discuss the importance of Cyber Security Awareness training, and how to make it more interesting and accessible for those outside the industry. The Queens and Caitlin d...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In cybersecurity, a remarkable transformation is taking place as women increasingly break down barriers and rise to leadership positions. Historically, this field has been predominantly male-dominated, but today, women are making significant strides in shaping the future of cybersecurity. Their contributions are not only challenging stere...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **Attending hacking conferences is essential for professionals in the field as it provides an opportunity to learn about the latest developments and technologies, network with peers, and stay up-to-date with current trends. However, attending these conferences can be costly, especially for individuals or small companies with limited budgets...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, building authentic relationships has become crucial for success in sales and marketing. In this age of impersonal communication and fleeting attention spans, establishing genuine connections with potential clients and customers can make all the difference in building trust and se...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **The world of cybersecurity has long been considered a male-dominated field, but that's slowly changing as more and more women are breaking through the glass ceiling. In this inspiring story, we'll take a closer look at the journey of a female entrepreneur who is not only making waves in the cybersecurity industry but is also empowering ot...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, The Cyber Queens are joined by Christa Weik who is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), GRC and Cybersecurity Policy and Program Manager. Christa’s educational background is in cyber so she did attend a bootcamp before entering the field. She can build, scale, and maintain the GRC and Privacy consideration...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **The Cyber Queens Podcast is back with an exciting episode focused on the business intelligence function featuring Maril’s amazing sister Camille Vernon who is a Business Intelligence (BI) Engineer. What is Business Intelligence? Why is this relevant to cyber? How does someone with no experience decide they want to work in BI?Camille Verno...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **The Cyber Queens Podcast is back with an exciting episode focused on breaking into the cybersecurity industry. Join the Cyber Queens as they chat with Mackenzie Wartenberger about her journey into the world of cyber and how she was able to make a successful career change. Mack shares her experience as the first recipient of the GRC Accele...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, we discuss the obvious….BREACHES, BREACHES, EVERYWHERE!!! Maril & Erika discuss two recent breaches at large organizations: Uber & LastPass. Maril breaks down how they happened from an offensive perspective & as always Erika her common sense of how to avoid being a victim of a breach. We also offer guidance on...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, we discuss the monster layoffs in tech and the hiring trends. We have seen numerous layoffs handled poorly and numerous handled properly. We walk through what we each have seen and our opinions on why the layoffs are happening. Your Cyber Queen Erika was part of a mass layoff in December 2022, so she shares her experience...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, The Cyber Queens go in-depth discussing navigating toxic & negative mindsets minorities sometimes encounter in the cyber field. and the strategies to help overcome them. We share personal & professional experiences we have all dealt with and the inherent cultural differences of being a woman or minority in cyber v...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, The Queens dive into the difference of being hired into cyber as the “diversity hire” or being “hired for talent.” Today’s featured guest is Amber DeVilbiss (@engineeramber) - Security Advisor at GuidePoint Security. Amber has spent the past 14 years in cybersecurity, she wrote and published a children’s cyber security bo...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, The Cyber Queens discuss the difference of how men act in the work vs how women act in the workforce. Women are often forced into limited roles born from a need to over-prove themselves or they are “mom guilted” into picking up more than their fair share of team slack. For decades women have been held back in their career...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In so many of our episodes we talk about what we love about Gen-Z and how they’re going to change the work scene. But there are some lost arts and skills crucial on them to recognize and adopt in working with and relating to older generations as well. To do that- we didn’t just comment on Gen-Z from afar we brought one of them in to give ...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, The Cyber Queens share the benefits of creating a personal brand and why it is important. What is a personal brand? A personal brand is the building blocks that will lead to success for your future! There are so many reasons to create one but always remember that a personal brand is how others perceive you. You will hear ...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, we hope that you learn a thing or two and we have a big surprise for you! This episode dives deep into the misinformation that in order to “break into cybersecurity” you must have a completed bachelor’s degree, or a certain certification, or frankly “3 years worth of knowledge” in several areas such as coding. We will dis...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **In this episode, we discuss the importance of finding your work/life balance and how to identify the signs of burnout. With October being ADHD Awareness Month, we felt it was necessary to touch on mental health overall. With so many people #QuietQuitting and so many open positions in cyber we cannot afford to avoid supporting people with ...
**DISCLAIMER: All of our opinions are our own. They do not represent, nor are they affiliated with the interests and beliefs of the companies we work for. **We probably had the most fun we’ve ever had recording this episode around why ADHD in cyber is relevant! Your queens had an amazing Gen-Z guest Sara Abrams (@blackjackhacker) who dives into her journey into cyber. Sara Abrams is a former social worker who transitioned into cyber to become a cybercrime investigator.In this episode, we dive...
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