Today is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” calls on us to take purposeful steps toward breaking down barriers and creating more inclusive opportunities for women in every industry. Each year, we are reminded of the pressing need to accelerate gender equality in the workforce. We decided to feature top women in the cybertech industry who shared their insights on their current role and vision for 2025.
Why did we choose to focus on “accelerate action” in security with women tech leaders?
According to our Cybertech analysts, organizations with diverse cybersecurity teams consisting of at least 10% women executives are 40% more likely to identify and mitigate risks effectively. The participation of women in cybersecurity leadership roles has been linked to stronger security measures and more robust threat response strategies, driving better business continuity and minimizing risks.
Despite the rise in funding for female-led cybersecurity organizations, women continue to be significantly underrepresented in top leadership roles within the cybersecurity industry. In 2023, women held only 17% of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) positions at Fortune 500 companies, highlighting the persistent barriers they face in advancing to high-level decision-making positions. This disparity underscores the need for more focused efforts to create pathways for women to rise to leadership positions and influence the strategic direction of cybersecurity in major organizations.
Moreover, women in cybersecurity organizations experience exclusion at twice the rate of men. Accelerate action in security is impossible without addressing this trend. Many women encounter a glass ceiling around the 6-10 year mark in their careers. They are five times more likely to identify their direct managers and peers as sources of exclusionary behavior.
What Open-source Web Data Says about Women in the Cybersec Industry
Women currently make up an average of 22% of cybersecurity teams globally, according to various industry reports. This trend is reflected across multiple studies, including data from LinkedIn and ISC2. LinkedIn’s analysis of 14 countries reveals that the proportion of women in cybersecurity ranges from 26.7% in Italy to just 14.6% in Germany, with the U.S. at 18.3%, Canada at 21.2%, and the U.K. at 17.9%. These figures align closely with ISC2’s findings, which report women representing 19.2% of the cybersecurity workforce in the U.S. and 21.6% in Canada.
Additionally, the Global Cybersecurity Forum’s 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Report further supports these numbers, showing that women make up 24% of the global cybersecurity workforce. While the representation of women in cybersecurity has seen growth, these statistics highlight the need for continued efforts to increase female participation and leadership in the field.
Looking to build a diverse cybersecurity team?
Our analysts recommend the ISC2 toolkit as a very helpful asset to choose women in cybersecurity tech teams.
We spoke to women leaders ahead of the IWD 2025. The speakers include:
- Poornima DeBolle, Cofounder & General Manager, Data Security at Menlo Security
- Kris Bondi, CEO, Mimoto
- Sapna Capoor, Director of Global Communications at Infinidat
- Danielle West, Head of Corporate Marketing, Nutrient
- Mye Bahamonde, EVP of People at Deepwatch
- Supriya Goswami, VP Product Marketing at Whatfix
- Aditi Gupta, Sr. Manager, Professional Services Consulting, Black Duck
- Ksenia Peguero, PhD, Director of Software Engineering, Black Duck
- Joy Burkholder Meier, General Counsel & Chief Human Resources Officer, Black Duck
- Amanda Fitzsimmons, Head of Legal, Salt Security
- April Lenhard, Product Manager VMDR – Qualys
- Shawnee Delaney, CEO and Founder at Vaillance Group
Here’s what each of them had to say to our cybersecurity analysts.
The Next Generation of Women Will Break Barriers and Make Gender Equality a Non-Issue!
Poornima DeBolle, Cofounder & General Manager, Data Security at Menlo Security
“International Women’s Day is the day we should pause and reflect on our actions throughout the year to support and accelerate women’s participation and success in the workforce. As I reflect on the year, unfortunately, I have to acknowledge multiple occasions where I observed inequality in both opportunity and equity. It reinforced my desire to fight harder and work with colleagues and industry leaders to address the challenges women face every day. “Accelerate Action” is the perfect theme for a year when things seem to be sliding backwards. I commit myself to calling out inequality when I see it, mentor younger women, and counsel my daughter to own her place at the table. I am proud of the next generation of women who are forging a more confident path and I hope this will be a non-issue for my daughter’s generation.”
Poornima DeBolle, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Menlo Security, has been recently recognized as a winner of the 2025 Tech Innovation CUBEd Awards by SiliconANGLE Media, in the category of Innovative Women in Tech Leadership.
Why Every Woman Needs to Speak Boldly, Mentor the Next Generation, and Own Her Seat at the Table
Sapna Capoor, Director of Global Communications at Infinidat
“Your voice counts − make everyone around you count and make you count! Be bold, stay bold, be yourself, and believe in yourself! Although women have come a long way in the corporate world, we still need to mentor and be trailblazers for the next generation of women, so there can be the opportunity for more women to have a ‘seat at the table’ at board and executive levels. Communicating strategically is paramount − it’s not only what you believe in, but it’s also about being mindful of how you express it and how it’s received. It’s like an art within a science.”
From Outsider to Game-Changer: How Women Are Shaping the Future of Accelerate Action in Security & Driving Global Innovation
Danielle West, Head of Corporate Marketing, Nutrient
We’ve come a long way since I entered the tech space 10 years ago, when I was often the only woman in the room. Today at Nutrient, women make up nearly 30% of our organization, from countries around the globe, representing every team, including product and engineering. In a world where technology is evolving by the day, having a diverse group of people at the virtual table is critical for creativity and ideation, allowing businesses to continue to transform at speed. This includes women of every age, background, culture, and experience.
Remote working, access to the internet, and more inclusive education have opened up opportunities for women globally, and with changes in working trends, we need to ensure these opportunities don’t disappear.
We need to continue to push for education not only in technical skills, but in all areas of business, from negotiating salaries and benefits, to asking for a promotion, or to just feel empowered to speak up or stand up for ourselves in traditionally male-dominated roles. This International Women’s Day, we are reminded that it’s our responsibility as leaders – both women leaders and our male allies – to continue to fight for accelerated gender equality.
Accelerating Change: How We Can Turn Conversations into Action for Gender Equality in Tech and Cybersecurity
Mye Bahamonde, EVP of People at Deepwatch
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, this year’s theme—“Accelerate Action for Gender Equality”—reminds us that progress requires intention, not just today, but every day. In the fast-evolving world of tech and cybersecurity, we must go beyond conversation to drive real, lasting change—creating inclusive workplaces, championing women in leadership, and investing in diverse talent. Equally important is building a strong network of mentors, allies, and personal boards of directors—those who empower, challenge, and support us to know our worth and break barriers. Let’s commit to intentional action that fosters equity, amplifies voices, and accelerates the future we want to see.
This International Women’s Day, Let’s Make REAL Progress for Women in Tech
Supriya Goswami, VP Product Marketing at Whatfix
This International Women’s Day, the theme of “Accelerate Action” is a powerful call to drive tangible progress in gender equality. In the tech industry, this means not only recognizing the contributions of women but actively creating pathways for their advancement. Companies must prioritize initiatives that accelerate the inclusion of women in leadership roles, support their professional development, and ensure equitable growth opportunities. By fostering a culture of action, we can break down barriers and create a more inclusive and innovative industry.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s crucial to focus on actionable steps that make a real difference. This includes implementing mentorship programs, providing access to continuous learning opportunities, and promoting policies that support work-life balance. Let’s commit to making 2025 a year of significant progress, where every woman has the chance to achieve her full potential.
Why We Can’t Wait Until 2158: The Urgent Need for Gender Parity in Cybersecurity
Aditi Gupta, Sr. Manager, Professional Services Consulting, Black Duck
When I entered the technology workforce in India over 15 years ago, women made up roughly 12% of the STEM workforce. Growing up in my small Indian town, my exposure to professional women was primarily limited to teachers and bank employees, even though countless women contributed invisibly to the economy through informal labor. As one of the fortunate 8% of women enrolled in engineering programs then, I learned early on to pursue the less traveled path.
After transitioning to the United States in 2014, I found the landscape somewhat similar, though the context was different. Here, women’s representation in tech has marginally increased from about 25% in 2009 to roughly 28% in 2024, highlighting a universal challenge in achieving gender parity.
Today, as a cybersecurity professional in the U.S., I stand on the shoulders of pioneering women from both cultures. However, the World Economic Forum’s projection that workforce gender parity won’t be achieved until 2158 serves as a sobering reminder of the work still ahead. While organizations strive to balance DEI initiatives with meaningful changes, research shows that companies with diverse leadership outperform their peers financially by 25%.
At Black Duck, our everyday advocacy helps to bridge these gaps. Our women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG), supported by leadership, provides mentorship, sponsorship, and networking opportunities and works to increase the visibility and representation of women in the industry.
From ERGs to ‘Girls Who Code’: The Powerful Movement Advancing Women’s Accelerate Action in Security!
Ksenia Peguero, PhD, Director of Software Engineering, Black Duck
Having grown up in the Soviet Union, International Women’s Day has always been important for me. Firstly, it was and still is a federal holiday in my home country and in many other countries. It was declared a holiday in Russia by Vladimir Lenin as a day to celebrate gender equality in labor and voting rights more than a hundred years ago. Secondly, although the agenda of the holiday has changed throughout the years, its main focus on women’s rights and the advancement of women in the workplace and in all spheres of life is as important today as it was a hundred years ago.
I’m glad this day is getting more traction and publicity in the United States in the last few years. The inequalities that women experience today, such as the pay gap, the glass ceiling in career advancement, and the inequality of mental load and the burden of household tasks at home, needs to be highlighted and addressed by our society at large.
In the technical field, women and allies have been working hard over the last few years to advance the success of women. This is evident in the workplace through employee resource groups (ERGs), “women in tech” conferences and events, removing gender bias in the hiring process, and through supporting organizations for younger generations like “Girls Who Code”.
Although it seems that the priorities of the federal government in the U.S. are changing, we should stay the course and continue putting in the work to advance the careers and equality of women in the workplace. This is reflected at Black Duck, where we have a Global Women’s Network that works on building a space for networking, coaching and learning opportunities for women.
At the end of the day, making our workforce more diverse is beneficial for all organizations because it unlocks the full potential of current and future employees, contributes to making the workplace fulfilling and rewarding, and adds to the overall success of the organization.
From Lifelong Learning to Global Leadership: How I’m Shaping the Future of Cybersecurity and Human Risk Management
Shawnee Delaney, CEO and Founder at Vaillance Group
“Over the past four years, I have been dedicated to expanding my expertise, building my brand, and continuing my education—currently pursuing my third master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. I firmly believe that learning is a lifelong pursuit, and I continually challenge myself to deepen my understanding across multiple disciplines.
At Vaillance Group, I have assembled an exceptional team, and I am incredibly proud of the work we have done for Fortune 500 companies, nation-states, and government agencies. In parallel, I have also cultivated a global public speaking career, delivering nearly 400 keynote speeches around the world to raise awareness on human risk management, insider threats, and cybersecurity.
My mission remains clear: to educate, protect, and empower organizations against evolving security threats—both human and technological.”
Read more about Shawnee in this CyberTech Top Voice interview HERE
Want to Get Noticed at Work? Here’s the Secret to Climbing the Ladder—Solve Problems, Not Just Present Them
Joy Burkholder Meier, General Counsel & Chief Human Resources Officer, Black Duck
Looking back, I believe some of the key relationships I have had in my career were less about formal mentorship and more friendships where leaders I looked up to would share feedback with me and provide encouragement when I was unsure of the next step. Much of what led me to the C Suite involved me paying attention to the key actions other successful leaders took to rise to the top and incorporating those behaviors into what I did – being highly responsive, attending to detail, building trust and consensus, being your own best advocate, and really hard work.
I believe the best way to be successful is to work hard to solve problems. If your leaders see you stepping up to solve issues that make their jobs easier, then they will give you more and more responsibility. If you are someone who simply brings problems to your manager or says “That can’t be done” – they will find someone else who can do it. Be the person who will get it done. If you are working hard, making others’ lives easier and making them look good, you will get noticed for what you do.
On International Women’s Day we aim to raise awareness about, and provide education to help eliminate, stereotypes, discrimination and bias. We embrace the idea that diverse viewpoints lead to the best results and that everyone, regardless of gender, deserves equal opportunities to succeed.
Embrace Accelerate Action in Security and Create Lasting Impact for Women in Cybersecurity
Amanda Fitzsimmons, Head of Legal, Salt Security
As a woman leader in the cybersecurity field, I’ve seen firsthand how much progress we’ve made. When I started in this field nearly a decade ago, there were few women in the field, and even fewer in leadership roles. But while we’ve broken barriers, the reality is that women are still vastly underrepresented in this industry.
This is why I love this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Accelerate Action.”
Progress doesn’t happen on its own—we need to actively open doors, advocate for inclusion, and ensure that the next generation of women doesn’t have to push as hard to get their voices heard. Real change happens when companies and their leaders commit to mentorship, create truly inclusive workplaces, and recognize the value of diverse perspectives in securing our digital world.
Kris Bondi, CEO, Mimoto, added, “International Women’s Day is not only about the accomplishments of women, but a reminder that everyone deserves an opportunity. What you do with that opportunity is how you should be measured.”
Unlock High-Risk, High-Reward Opportunities with Accelerate Action in Security
April Lenhard, Product Manager VMDR – Qualys
Be curious about everything, especially if it is outside your scope of knowledge and scope of practice: most of the time, the majority of high risk/high reward professional opportunities are in connecting those dots. This involves operating with little to no guidance or constraints, and proceeding until apprehended. It also gives you opportunities to learn about parts of a team or aspects of a company you otherwise would not have interacted with- which can open up pathways down the road for more connections and more partnerships.
Also, never hoard information: showing and teaching knowledge is such a critical component for ensuring organizations can function, but so few people actually take the time to pass on the intel they gain. Doing this both invests in your own presentation skills, and invests in others. In medicine we’ve learned “see once, do once, teach once”- for example, watching a sales pitch, giving a sales pitch, and then teaching how to give a sales pitch. Although this can be trial by fire, with the correct supportive team it is the best way to quickly increase your proficiency and become comfortable with almost anything you are responsible for.
Build out a strong technical foundation early on using freely-available online resources, and follow a few different cybersecurity blogs to develop a sense for what kinds of issues are most interesting to you- (advanced persistent threats? zero days? Incident response? risk and compliance? IoT security? critical infrastructure vulns?) etc. From this you can already develop a sharper focus for the type of mission you are looking for (example: offensive security versus defensive security, human security versus hardware security, etc).
Women in Cybersecurity Are Shaping Stronger, More Innovative Business Security In 2025
We are promoting “Accelerate Action in Security” with a strong action plan to reach more women in tech professionals in 2025. Women in cybersecurity are key to reshaping how businesses approach security preparedness. Their unique perspectives are leading to:
- Better Risk Management: Women bring a fresh, comprehensive approach to risk assessment, helping businesses stay ahead of emerging threats.
- Increased Innovation: Their diverse skill sets lead to more innovative cybersecurity solutions, keeping organizations protected from evolving cyber threats.
- Stronger Collaboration: By fostering inclusive teams, they promote collaboration across departments, resulting in more effective cybersecurity strategies that align with business goals.
Their contributions are more than just vital; they’re transformative. As we continue to accelerate action for gender equality in the workforce, it’s crucial to highlight the profound business results driven by women in cybersecurity, ensuring that organizations are secure, resilient, and future-ready.
In particular, women are making powerful strides in shaping the cybersecurity landscape, where their innovative solutions, leadership, and perspectives drive digital security’s future. As we celebrate their achievements, let’s shine a spotlight on the remarkable female leaders across industries such as cybersecurity, technology, software engineering, professional services, legal, and supply chain management, who are breaking new ground and setting trends.
This International Women’s Day, let’s honor their contributions and continue to champion the acceleration of change.
Thank you everyone for speaking to us. We look forward to speaking to every woman in the cybersecurity industry soon.
To participate in our interviews, please write to our CyberTech Media Room at shiraz@intentamplify.com
Sources:
- Women In Cybersecurity 2022 Report: https://cybersecurityventures.com/women-in-cybersecurity-report-2022/
- Survey: Women Comprise 22% of the Cybersecurity Workforce: https://www.isc2.org/insights/2025/03/women-comprise-22-percent-of-the-cybersecurity-workforce
- WiCys 2024 Annual Report: https://www.wicys.org/about/annual-report/
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