The energy was electric here at the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) 2026 Conference! In this fifth and final episode of the special “Live From” series, these interviews were recorded by Jackie McGuire in person at the Gaylord National Resort!
As over 2,000 women and allies gathered at WiCyS 2026, Jackie sat down with WiCyS leaders, researchers, partners, students, and industry leaders to discuss the power of the WiCyS Edge. Jackie and the guests in this episode, and throughout the series, explore how the community is tackling the industry’s most pressing shifts, how WiCyS is engaged in the cybersecurity workforce, and what WiCyS means to the industry workforce.
Learn more about WiCyS and join – https://www.wicys.org/
Episode 5 of this series features:
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Hazel Cerra, a retired Special Agent with the Secret Service for 25 years. Hazel has now shifted to working for Blackcloak, protecting high-profile executives’ digital lives. She spoke about the value of connecting with women in the industry and emphasized the importance of networking to overcome barriers in informal, male-dominated environments.
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Gloria Zayas, from Google, described the WiCyS Conference experience as an impactful, community-building event that provides opportunities to learn about industry trends she can bring back to her students. As a teacher, Gloria touches on AI and encourages students to use AI tools to counter threats, while a “human in the middle” remains essential for verifying information. Building through the conversation, she stresses the importance of women being fearless and brave in Cybersecurity.
Listen: