WiCyS - Women in Cybersecurity

WiCyS AI Affiliate | “Meet An AI Practitioner”: J. R. Santos
2026-04-30 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Virtual
Join Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) AI Affiliate for the next episode of Meet an AI Practitioner in which Luciano Santos (J. R. Santos), Chief Customer Officer at the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) will be presenting on “From Curious to Contributing—Your On-Ramp to AI Security”. In this session, you’ll get a practical walkthrough of what CSA has built, what’s coming next, and—most importantly—how to plug in. They will cover the frameworks and tools available to you right now, the career pathways that didn’t exist two years ago (including the TAISE certificate and hands-on working groups), and why this moment is uniquely suited for women in cyber to lead.
Meet the AI practitioner
J.R. Santos is the Chief Customer Officer at the Cloud Security Alliance, where he leads global initiatives focused on member engagement, training, and the advancement of secure cloud and AI practices. With more than 20 years of cybersecurity experience, he has helped shape CSA’s research programs and global community efforts, supporting organizations and professionals working to secure emerging technologies. J.R. is a frequent speaker on AI governance, cloud security, and workforce development in cybersecurity.

Learn more and attend HERE

Webinar | Dark Web – A Guided Tour by John Hammond
2026-04-30 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | BrightTALK
What exactly is the dark web? How do I get there? How is it different from the web we browse every day, and why is it so popular with the bad element of society? Should I be scared?
Join cybersecurity researcher and expert, John Hammond, on a personally guided tour of the seedy under-belly of the Internet. Having done extensive research on the dark web, John shares a number of his findings (even some shenanigans) on his popular YouTube channel and even has a dedicated playlist on Cybercrime Investigations.
Now you get to learn directly from the master himself.
WiCyS is proud to provide members the opportunity to earn CPE/CEU credits for attending WiCyS Webinars live. To earn CPE/CEU credits with the following providers, you must meet the minimum requirements:

GIAC/(ISC)2: attend for a minimum of 45 minutes or the entirety of the webinar
CompTIA: attend for a minimum of 60 minutes or the entirety of the webinar (webinar topic must relate to the certificate being renewed)

Attendees who meet the requirements can log into BrightTALK to print out their attendance certificates to submit for CPE/CEU credits.

Register for this webinar and view the recording if you are unable to join live.

WiCyS Nigeria Affiliate | Introduction to Data Protection and Privacy
2026-04-30 14:00 - 15:30 (Europe/Paris) | Virtual
The WiCyS Nigeria Affiliate, in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and is organizing a virtual foundational training on Data Protection & Privacy on April 30, 2026.
The training will:

Equip participants with an understanding of data protection laws,
Provide privacy frameworks, and practical skills for securing personal and organizational data
Ensure compliance with regulations & enhancing the ability to mitigate risks related to data breaches amongst others.
Obtain e-Certificate of attendance at the end of the training.

It is a complimentary training because it is part of WiCyS’ mission to recruit, retain and advance women in cybersecurity.
Register HERE

WiCyS Austin Affiliate | Board Monthly Meeting
2026-05-02 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-06-06 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-07-04 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-08-01 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | Virtual
Conduct the monthly Board Meeting to review organizational performance, address open action items, approve next steps, and coordinate upcoming events and strategic initiatives.

Connect with WiCyS Austin HERE

WiCyS Sierra Leone Affiliate | Building Cyber-Aware Communities
2026-05-02 16:00 - 17:00 (Africa/Freetown) | Virtual
Join the WiCyS Sierra Leone Affiliate for the Building Cyber-Aware Communities virtual session.

Learn more about the event and register HERE

WiCyS Professional Affiliate Leaders Only Meeting
2026-05-05 19:00 - 2026-05-06 13:00, 2026-06-02 19:00 - 2026-06-03 13:00, 2026-07-07 19:00 - 2026-07-08 13:00 UTC | Virtual
WiCyS Professional Affiliate Leaders-Only Meeting: We are all Stronger Together. As WiCyS professional affiliates trailblaze through their regional, specialty, or corporate affiliate programs, we collectively meet monthly in a leadership capacity to sync up on WiCyS global updates, best practices, upcoming events, and Q&A.
Affiliate meetings are held on the first Tuesday at 7:00 pm CT and the first Wednesday at 1:00 pm CT of the month.

WiCyS Professional Affiliate International Leaders Only Meeting
2026-05-06 08:00 - 09:00, 2026-06-03 08:00 - 09:00, 2026-07-08 08:00 - 09:00 UTC | Virtual
WiCyS Professional Affiliate Leaders-Only Meeting: We are all Stronger Together. As WiCyS professional affiliates trail blaze through their regional, specialty, or corporate affiliate programs, we collectively meet monthly in a leadership capacity to sync up on WiCyS global updates, best practices, upcoming events, and Q & A.
International Affiliate meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 8:00am CT.

WiCyS Minnesota Affiliate | HERoic Hacks
2026-05-07 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co, 600 Malcolm Avenue Southeast, Minneapolis, 55414, United States
Join WiCyS Minnesota affiliate at HERoic Hacks its one of the best ways to participate in the local cyber community — a welcoming, hands-on cybersecurity experience built for women and nonbinary technologists who want to explore, experiment, and grow.
Whether you’re brand new to cybersecurity or looking to sharpen your skills, this event creates space for curiosity, confidence, and community. We’d love to see you there.
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Overview
HERoic Hacks: Empowering Female Leaders with Tools, Insights, and Connections to Champion Cybersecurity Excellence!
Join WiCyS Minnesota for HERoic Hacks, an exclusive event designed to empower women CXOs and Directors who are leading the charge in cybersecurity.
Set against the stylish backdrop of O’Shaughnessy Distillery, this all-day experience on May 7, 2026, offers you more than just cutting-edge insights and impactful discussions. It’s a day of networking, collaboration, and inspiration, dedicated to celebrating the bold, brilliant women shaping the future of information security.
Expect dynamic sessions, thought-provoking workshops, and real-world strategies you can bring back to your teams and companies.
Space is limited, and this is your chance to meet and connect with a like-minded league of HERoic leaders. Don’t miss out on a day that promises empowerment, innovation, and maybe a martini (or two)!

Secure your spot today—because the future of cybersecurity is HER. Register HERE

Webinar | From Data to Defense : Building an Intelligence-Driven Security Ecosystem
2026-05-07 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | BrightTALK
Threat intelligence is no longer just about collecting indicators – it’s about enabling better, faster decisions. This webinar explores a unified approach to delivering high-fidelity, actionable intelligence directly into security and product workflows.
Kasturi Dalvi, senior cyber threat researcher at Adobe will discuss how organizations can operationalize threat intelligence across detection, vulnerability management, red teaming, and product security, helping teams move from reactive defense to proactive risk reduction. Attendees will gain insight into how curated intelligence feeds, context-driven vulnerability prioritization, adversary-aligned testing, and dark web monitoring can significantly improve security outcomes while reducing noise and accelerating response.

WiCyS is proud to provide members the opportunity to earn CPE/CEU credits for attending WiCyS Webinars live. To earn CPE/CEU credits with the following providers, you must meet the minimum requirements:

GIAC/(ISC)2: attend for a minimum of 45 minutes or the entirety of the webinar
CompTIA: attend for a minimum of 60 minutes or the entirety of the webinar (webinar topic must relate to the certificate being renewed)

Attendees who meet the requirements can log into BrightTALK to print out their attendance certificates to submit for CPE/CEU credits.

Register for this webinar and view the recording if you are unable to join live.

WiCyS NE Ohio Affiliate | Resume Building Workshop
2026-05-11 18:00 - 19:30 UTC | Fairview Park Library, 21255 Lorain Rd, Fairview Park, OH, 44126, United States
Join WiCyS NE Ohio for this interactive, hands-on session for cybersecurity job seekers who want to strengthen how they present their experience to hiring managers. During the workshop, experienced cybersecurity practitioners will be onsite reviewing resumes, providing direct feedback, and helping attendees interpret real job descriptions so they can better tailor their resumes to the roles they’re pursuing. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of what cybersecurity and tech hiring teams actually look for and how to position your skills to stand out.
To ensure meaningful conversation and individualized feedback, the workshop is limited to 20 attendees. Registration is required. Pre-requisite: Attendees will come with a completed resume for review.
If you work in — or are actively pursuing — a role in cybersecurity and want practical, practitioner-driven guidance on your resume, this session is for you.
Register HERE

WiCyS | Cyber Forum: Threat Intel
2026-05-12 | Virtual
Join WiCyS Executive Director Lynn Dohm as a Featured Speaker for SentinelOne’s Cyber Forum: Threat Intel on May 12th. A virtual cybersecurity forum for today’s security leaders. Discover how AI-driven intelligence and expert action come together to stop threats and keep business moving. Lynn’s session will draw from the recent ROI of Resilience report, and will explore why the future of AI must be human-centric and how women leaders are shaping the era of automation through ethical AI, Inclusion, and sustainable hiring.

Learn more about the speakers and register HERE

WiCyS | Tenable x AWS "Exposure Quest Edition" Capture the Flag (CTF)
2026-05-12 08:00 - 2026-05-14 17:00 UTC | MD
Join us for the “Exposure Quest Edition,” an exciting 3-day virtual Capture the Flag (CTF) challenge co-hosted by Tenable, AWS and Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS). In addition to the tournament, participants can expect to attend a virtual Women’s Leadership Panel featuring women leaders in the cybersecurity industry.
The 3-day event will be virtual ONLY from May 12 – May 14, 2026.
Participants will work through engaging challenges in OSINT, Cryptography, Vulnerability Scanning, Wireshark Forensics, Reverse Engineering, Cloud Security, Web Exploitation, Binary Exploits, and AI-Driven Security, using free tools such as Nessus Essentials, Wireshark, Nmap, and more.
Learn more, view details and timeline HERE.

WiCyS Austin Affiliate | Monthly Social
2026-05-16 09:00 - 11:00, 2026-06-20 09:00 - 11:00, 2026-07-18 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Varies, Austin, TX, United States
Join the WiCyS Austin Monthly Social! It’s a relaxed, casual, and family-friendly meetup where good conversation and great connections come easy. The hosting spots vary across Austin to better accommodate different areas of town, and it’s always come-and-go, so you can stop by for a quick hello or stay and hang out. Whether you’re brand new to cyber or a longtime pro, you’ll find a welcoming community and an Austin vibe that feels effortless.

Connect with WiCyS Austin HERE

WiCyS Chicago Affiliate | SecureWorld Chicago
2026-05-20 | Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL, 60018, United States
Join our Chicago Affiliate at SecureWorld Chicago to connect with WiCyS members. Please stop by our booth to meet our affiliate, snag some swag, and learn more! Don’t miss WiCyS Executive Director Lynn Dohm moderating a panel of exprerts.
Join your fellow InfoSec professionals for high-quality training and collaboration, whether virtual or in-person. Earn 6-18 CPE credits through 20-40 educational elements, learning from nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. Evaluate top vendor solutions and meet with local chapters of security associations. Learn more about SecureWorld Chicago HERE
Scheduled Speakers:

Bruce Coffing: CISO, City of Chicago, Dept of Technology & Innovation
Joe Mariscal: Sr. Director, Cybersecurity & Risk Management, Rich Products Corp.
Troy Stariwalt: Board Member, The Center for Critical Infrastructure Security
And MORE!

WiCyS | Executive Leaders Network
2026-05-27, 2026-06-24, 2026-07-22 | Virtual
The Executive Leaders Network brings together top cybersecurity leaders to share insights, solve challenges, and build a trusted community of peers. In a field that is constantly changing and where leadership can often feel isolating, this network offers a space for open dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and strategic support. It also serves as a platform to identify and elevate mid-career professionals into senior roles, advancing the broader mission to strengthen and diversify leadership across the cybersecurity workforce.

Criteria: Cybersecurity C-Suite, President, VP, or Director

Meeting Cadence: Monthly, Invite-Only

You must meet the criteria outlined above to join this network. Please complete the form HERE only if you are a cybersecurity C-Suite, President, VP, or Director.

WiCyS South Carolina Affiliate | Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference
2026-06-02 - 2026-06-04 | Myrtle Beach Sheraton & Convention Center, 2101 N Oak St, Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577, United States
Join the WiCyS South Carolina Affiliate at the Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference to connect with WiCyS members. Please stop by the booth to meet us, snag some swag, and learn more! The 27th edition of the flagship Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference will take place June 2—4, at the Myrtle Beach Sheraton & Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. Join
for a unique education experience focused on the most active, urgent, and evolving areas of digital investigations impacting both the public and private sectors. The program is designed to address today’s challenges while preparing professionals for the future of DFIR. Educational sessions cover topics within the following primary tracks from which CPE credits can be earned: Digital Forensics, Incident Response, Financial Cyber Crimes, ICAC & Human Exploitation, AI and Emerging Tech in DFIR and eDiscovery, Compliance & Legal Technology.

For additional event details and to register, visit HERE. Use Code WICyS26 to save 10%

WiCyS | Identiverse 2026
2026-06-15 - 2026-06-18 | Mandalay Bay Convention Center, 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, 89119, United States
Join WiCyS and Deputy Director Michele Tomasic at Identiverse 2026 to connect with WiCyS members. Please stop by our booth to meet our team, snag some swag, and learn more!
Identiverse, the world’s largest event dedicated to digital identity, unites the global identity community to accelerate innovation and strengthen the foundation of digital trust. Through expert-led sessions and hands-on learning, participants gain practical skills, actionable strategies, and fresh perspectives they can immediately apply to strengthen their own work and elevate their teams. At Identiverse, where identity leaders learn what is next, build relationships that fuel collaboration, and walk away with clarity on how to drive growth, enable innovation, strengthen security, and safeguard privacy.

Secure your spot now and enjoy a 30% discount with code IDV26-WICYS30%
Register HERE

Email cameron@wicys.org for an exclusive 50% discount.

WiCyS | Rising CISO Leadership Development Program
2026-07-20 - 2026-07-21 | Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
The Rising CISO Leadership Development Program, in partnership with Optiv, is a bold commitment to shaping the next generation of cybersecurity executives. This is an exclusive opportunity for hand-selected, senior-career WiCyS members and security leaders to master the influence required to step into a CISO-level role. It is a transformative, 2-day, in-person event, held in Chicago on July 20-21, 2026, that leaves behind slides and lectures for fully immersive, hands-on creative experiences. The program enables participants to discover authentic leadership, understand their ‘why,’ and build confidence through action, reflection, and genuine human connection. Guided by Jason Weiss’s philosophy, it provides the clarity, challenge, and connection necessary for emerging leaders to explore authentic leadership, master influence, and build confidence.

WiCyS | BlackHat USA 2026
2026-08-01 - 2026-08-06 | Mandalay Bay Convention Center, 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, 89119, United States
Join WiCyS at BlackHat USA 2026 to connect with WiCyS members. Please stop by our booth to meet our team, snag some swag, and learn more about WiCyS.

Full details to follow.
