“My journey with WiCyS has truly been life-changing, both as a mentee and a mentor. The mentorship I’ve received has significantly shaped my professional growth, while mentoring others has given me the chance to give back and strengthen this incredible community. Being a part of WiCyS has deepened my passion for cybersecurity, empowered me to step into leadership and given me a real sense of belonging.”
—Mariana Ruiz de Streuhofer, Principal Consultant, Devoteam
Mariana Ruiz de Streuhofer’s journey into cybersecurity wasn’t linear; it was a bold career pivot driven by her passion for lifelong learning and sustained through the support of a strong community. With over two decades in IT, a background in Computer Science Engineering and an MBA, Mariana was a seasoned professional. Yet despite her extensive qualifications, stepping into the cybersecurity world felt unfamiliar and at times, isolating.
Even with her extensive technical background, Mariana was entering a space that was still new to her. She had the skills, the education and the drive, but she didn’t yet have the roadmap. What she did have, thanks to a classmate at her university, was an introduction to the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) organization, which made all the difference.
“When I started exploring cybersecurity, I didn’t know exactly where to go or how to find my place,” Mariana recalls. “But I didn’t have to figure it out alone.”
Through WiCyS, Mariana found more than just a network. She found a support system. The mentorship program provided her with guidance on certification prep, career negotiations and how to overcome the niche challenges of breaking into cybersecurity. The resources were practical, but just as importantly, the community offered her something she didn’t know she needed: belonging.
As an international student with roots in Germany and Mexico, and having lived in Sweden, Austria, France and the U.S., Mariana knew what it was like to start over in a new place. “Even when you speak the language, it’s a different world,” she says. “You miss home. You sort of feel like you don’t belong. But with WiCyS, I felt welcomed. I got that sense of belonging that’s so important when you’re starting over.”
WiCyS helped Mariana bridge the gap between experience and opportunity. It gave her the confidence to claim space in a field where she once felt like an outsider. And it empowered her to keep building even as she was still learning.
Today, Mariana isn’t just a mentee; she’s a mentor. She gives back through WiCyS, Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D and Blacks in Cyber (BIC), helping others navigate the same uncertainty she once felt. Her leadership extends even further as she currently serves as a USG Student Ambassador and Treasurer for the USG Student Council at UMBC, and she previously served as Secretary for the IEEE Women in Engineering Forum USA East 2025 Organizing Committee.
Her contributions to the cybersecurity field have not gone unnoticed. Mariana was shortlisted for the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards, highlighted during IEEE’s Mentorship Month and awarded a scholarship to attend the 2025 WiCyS Conference in Dallas. She was also selected as a local lead for the NASA Space Apps Challenge and received the AWS Cloud Institute Full Learner Grant Award from Amazon Web Services.
Despite her decades of experience in IT, Mariana is the first to acknowledge that cybersecurity is still a relatively new chapter in her career. “I have over 20 years of experience in IT, but only three in cybersecurity,” she shares. But that didn’t stop her; it motivated her. With the support of WiCyS, she found the confidence, knowledge and sense of community she needed to keep moving forward. “Being part of this great community has made me feel like I can succeed, be myself and continuously grow.”
In December 2024, Mariana graduated with her Master’s of Professional Studies in Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. And now, she’s paying it forward. She regularly encourages other women to join the community that helped shape her journey. “Whenever I meet women interested in cybersecurity, I tell them, ‘I belong to this amazing community. Please become a member right now.” She especially urges new members to take full advantage of the mentorship program, which played a key role in her success.
Mariana continues to build on the solid foundation WiCyS helped her establish, using her experience to lift others as she climbs. Her story is a powerful reminder that no matter how seasoned you are in one field, starting something new doesn’t have to be lonely. With WiCyS, Mariana found the tools, the community and the confidence she needed to thrive, and now she’s making sure others can succeed too.
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