WiCyS Fellowship Program

Sponsored by Okta

The Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) Fellowship Program is a multi-disciplinary leadership accelerator designed to advance women in cybersecurity. Running from January through September 2027, the 9-month program expands access to WiCyS initiatives while equipping 35 high-potential, mid-career members with the strategic, technical and communication skills needed to reach executive roles within three to five years. Through technical training, advanced public speaking and professional mentorship, participants build lasting networks, establish thought leadership and track their growth using pre- and post-program assessment.

Available To:

The program strictly targets a select cohort of 35 WiCyS members who meet the following criteria:

• Professional Experience: Mid-career professionals with 5 to 10 years of dedicated experience in cybersecurity or closely related technology sectors.
• Career Trajectory: Individuals demonstrating strong leadership potential with the explicit objective of reaching executive or C-suite positions (e.g., CISO, CIO, CTO) within the next 3 to 5 years.
• Initial Target Cohort: The first cohort of participants will target our international members; specifically UK and Ireland.

What you get:

• Professional Mentorship: Fellows will participate in the mentorship program and cover targeted subjects including: Goal Setting, Strategic Influence, Executive Branding, Advanced Negotiation, Sustainable Work-Life Integration, Modern Leadership Philosophy, Radical Candor/Feedback Systems, Executive Presentations and High-Impact Communications.
• AI Learning Series Access: Fellows will participate in the AI Learning Series and develop a comprehensive understanding of core AI security concepts, risk frameworks, governance and regulatory policies.
• Stage Ready: Fellows will gain public speaking training through a transformative, three-part public speaking and technical storytelling curriculum designed to build boardroom presence and keynoting capability.
• Capstone Experience: Taking place at the conclusion of September 2027, the Capstone Event serves as the formal culmination of the program. Participants are required to deliver a high-level strategic presentation to an invited panel of senior corporate executives and industry professionals. This presentation merges the technical insights gained during the AI Learning Series with the storytelling, delivery and command developed throughout the Public Speaking Program.

Tentative Timeline

October 15th: Applications Open

October 29th: Applications Close

November 13th: Acceptances Sent Out

January 4 – June 30: Mentorship

June – July: AI Learning Series

July – August: Stage Ready, Public Speaking

September: Executive Capstone Presentation

*Participants will also be responsible for submitting biweekly reflections