CyberTech Top Voice: Interview with Shawnee Delaney, CEO at Vaillance Group

Hello, CyberTech community. Welcome to part #24 of the CyberTech Top Voice interview series with Shawnee Delaney, CEO and Founder at Vaillance Group.

I am the CEO and Founder of Vaillance Group, established in early 2019. With experience spanning both the public and private sectors, I recognized a striking intersection between espionage and cybersecurity—two worlds that operate on deception, exploitation, and the pursuit of critical intelligence.

Previously, I served as a clandestine case officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), conducting human intelligence operations across the globe on behalf of the U.S. government. Later, during my time with ICS-CERT at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), I had a pivotal realization: the very tactics I once used as a threat actor—targeting individuals and organizations worldwide—were the same techniques cyber adversaries were using every day.

Driven by a deep commitment to national security and corporate resilience, I founded Vaillance Group to help organizations safeguard their intellectual property, trade secrets, and workforce from malicious actors. My mission remains the same—protecting people and critical assets—but now, I’m fighting on the other side.

You are among the top women leaders in the cybersecurity industry. Could you tell us about your journey over the last four years that has led you to success?

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.

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How does Vaillance Group fit into a modern cybersecurity technology stack? What are your core offerings?

Vaillance Group plays a critical role in the modern cybersecurity ecosystem by helping organizations assess, understand, and mitigate their human risk—an area often overlooked but just as crucial – if not more so — as firewalls and endpoint security. Many companies underestimate the complexities of insider threats and human risk, leaving themselves exposed to vulnerabilities they don’t even realize exist. The bottom line is, though, if you employ humans, you have human risk. 

We focus on three core pillars to bridge this gap:

Human Risk Assessments – We conduct in-depth evaluations of an organization’s culture, employee lifecycle management, morale, governance, and unique vulnerabilities. This process includes dozens of confidential stakeholder interviews and results in a comprehensive report outlining strengths, weaknesses, and a strategic roadmap for reducing risk.

Program Development & Enhancement – Many organizations know they need human risk management programs but have no idea where to start. We help clients build, refine, and optimize insider risk programs—whether it’s enhancing existing frameworks or creating turn-key solutions from the ground up.

Training & Awareness – Employees are often the biggest attack vector, but with the right education, they can become an organization’s first line of defense. We provide keynotes, webinars, and eLearning solutions designed to drive engagement, improve awareness, and reduce unintentional security risks.

By integrating human risk management into a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, we help organizations move beyond just detecting threats—we empower them to prevent them and stay “left of boom”.

How do you define Human Risk Management from a cybersecurity perspective? 

Human Risk Management (HRM) is the missing piece in cybersecurity that most organizations don’t realize they need—until it’s too late.

Cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls and software—it’s about people. That’s where Human Risk Management (HRM) comes in. It’s a proactive approach to identifying, understanding, and reducing security risks caused by human behavior—whether that’s negligence, insider threats, or simple mistakes that open the door to cyberattacks.

HRM isn’t just about training employees not to click on phishing emails—it’s about changing behaviors, building awareness, and integrating security into everyday decision-making. Here’s what it includes:

• Identifying Risks – Understanding what behaviors or situations create security gaps (think insider threats, careless mistakes, and social engineering attacks).
• Assessing Human-Related Security Risks – Not all risks are equal—HRM helps evaluate which human factors pose the biggest threats to an organization.
• Behavioral Analysis – Looking at how employees think, work, and make decisions to understand where security awareness is strong—and where it’s weak.
• Tailored Training & Awareness – One-size-fits-all security training doesn’t work. HRM delivers targeted, role-based education to make security second nature.
• Continuous Monitoring – Using real-time behavioral analytics to detect potential threats before they turn into full-blown security incidents.
• Flexible Security Policies – Policies that evolve with emerging threats and observed employee behaviors—not just something employees click “agree” on and forget.
• Security-First Culture – Making security a habit, not a hassle, so employees instinctively think before they click, share, or grant access.
• Technology + Human Risk Integration – HRM works alongside security tools like SIEM, EDR, UEBA, Email Security, and DLP to connect behavioral insights with technical defenses.

At its core, HRM is about turning employees from a security liability into a security asset. Instead of waiting for a breach to happen, it builds a proactive, human-centric defense—because the strongest security strategy isn’t just about stopping hackers, it’s about empowering people to make smarter security decisions.

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How does cybersecurity training solve the human risks in the modern organizations?

Cybersecurity training is one of the most powerful tools for reducing human risk, but only when done correctly. Too often, organizations treat it as a compliance exercise—an annual slideshow, a forgettable phishing quiz, or a box to check. But in reality, effective cybersecurity training transforms employees from security liabilities into the first line of defense.

Cybersecurity training alone won’t solve human risk—it has to be part of a larger Human Risk Management (HRM) strategy that includes:

– Leadership Buy-In & Security Culture – If executives don’t take security seriously, employees won’t either.
– Technical Safeguards – Security awareness is critical, but so is zero-trust architecture, strong identity controls, and real-time threat monitoring.
– Behavioral Risk Assessments – Understanding which employees are most vulnerable and tailoring training accordingly.

Studies actually show that:

• Security awareness training can reduce cyber risks by up to 70%
• 68% of breaches involve a non-malicious human element—most of which can be prevented with better training 
• Organizations with strong training programs experience fewer breaches, lower compliance fines, and significant cost savings.

Cybersecurity training alone won’t eliminate human risk, but when paired with a broader HRM strategy—including leadership buy-in, behavioral analytics, and strong security policies—it becomes a game-changer.

Because at the end of the day, technology won’t stop employees from making security mistakes—but education, culture, and continuous reinforcement can.

What kind of feedback have you received from security leaders across the industry about your courses? How do these compare and perform against other certifications and courses?

Our training courses have consistently received outstanding feedback from security leaders across the industry. While there are several certifications in this space, many tend to be too high-level, failing to address the intricacies and nuances of human risk—such as organizational culture, morale, and behavioral patterns that directly impact security.

What sets our training apart is its customization and real-world application. Rather than delivering generic, one-size-fits-all content, we work one-on-one with clients to understand their unique vulnerabilities, workforce dynamics, and risk factors. This allows us to develop bespoke training and awareness programs that go far beyond what traditional certifications offer.

Security leaders value our approach because it’s practical, deeply relevant, and immediately actionable—helping organizations not just educate their employees, but fundamentally shift security behaviors in a way that standard courses simply don’t achieve.

As a cybersecurity leader, what recommendations would you make to young professionals regarding security certifications and upskilling? 

Certifications and technical skills are important, but if you want to truly excel in cybersecurity, you need to go beyond the coursework. My biggest piece of advice? Find your niche and own it. Cybersecurity is a massive field—threat intelligence, cloud security, digital forensics, human risk management (like I did)—so figure out what excites you and dive in.

Stay informed by reading cybersecurity news daily, especially in your chosen niche. The landscape is constantly evolving, and the best professionals are the ones who stay ahead of emerging threats, trends, and real-world case studies.

Certifications can help meet job requirements, but real-world experience will always set you apart. Hands-on work, problem-solving, and learning how to think critically under pressure will prepare you for real-life cyber incidents far better than memorizing test answers.

Also—network like your career depends on it. Because it does. Connect with professionals on LinkedIn, engage in meaningful conversations, and find a mentor (or several). But be mindful—respect their time, come prepared, and ask thoughtful questions. The best way to grow in this field is to learn from those who have already been where you’re trying to go.

And most importantly? Stay curious, stay adaptable, and never stop learning. Cybersecurity isn’t just a career—it’s a mindset.

Tag a leader in the industry you would like to recommend for the “CyberTech Top Voice Interview Series”: 

Dorene Rettas

Thank you, Shawnee, for speaking to us. We look forward to speaking to you again.

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