'Females Advancing in Security & Technology' Virtual Gala
We invite you to join the celebration to honour and show your support for young women who are advancing their careers in cybersecurity!
WCS2 Joins The Diversity Challenge
50-30 Diversity Challenge
The goal of the program is to challenge Canadian organizations to increase the representation and inclusion of diverse groups within their workplace, while highlighting the benefits of giving all Canadians a seat at the table. The government has always believed in seeking the best available advice when making decisions.
The challenge encourages #CdnBusinesses to commit to these two aspirational targets for their boards and senior management:
The 50 – 30 Challenge asks that organizations aspire to two goals:
- Gender parity ("50%") on Canadian board(s) and senior management; and
- Significant representation ("30%") on Canadian board(s) and senior management of other under-represented groups, including racialized persons, people living with disabilities (including invisible and episodic disabilities) and members of the LGBTQ2 community. The program and participants recognize that First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples as founding peoples of Canada are under-represented in positions of economic influence and leadership.
Since 2018, the mission of the Women CyberSecurity Society is to advance and retain women and marginalized groups in cybersecurity for a more diverse and inclusive industry.
In Canada, women make up only 10% of the cybersecurity workforce and 50% of women in Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) drop out within the first four years of their career. However, you can support a more inclusive and diverse community by signing our petition to recognize women in cybersecurity.
Learn More
The Women CyberSecurity Society (WCS2) is proud to be partnering with the Government of Canada to participate in the 50-30 Diversity Challenge which aims to increase the representation of under-represented groups on boards and in senior management positions. We are doing our part to increase diversity and inclusion through International Women in Cyber Day.
Advisory Board Appointment
Keavy Murphy
The Women CyberSecurity Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Keavy Murphy as an Advisory Board Member and Director, Community Outreach & Engagement.
Keavy is passionate about helping others and comes from a nonprofit background. She worked to strengthen communities and improve the lives of those in need. Reach out to Keavy regarding any opportunities or needs within the community.
Mosse Cybersecurity Institute
Training Partner
It is with pleasure we announce a new partnership with the Mosse Cybersecurity Institute which allows us to provide advanced online training to our professional members. One of three platforms that allows novices and advanced members of the community to learn new
For more information, visit our Membership offerings.
The City of St. John's, July 2019
Proclaims International Women in Cyber Day!
We are proud to announce the City of St. John's, NL has proclaimed September 1st as International Women in Cyber Day (IWCD)!
Thank you, the City of St. John's, Mayor Danny Breen for the warm welcome to the counsel chambers where Lisa Kearney and Nancy Johnsen witnessed the signing our International Women in Cyber Day proclamation.
Specail thanks to Janet Adams who championed the initiative and worked to make it a success!
The City of Vancouver, May 2019
Proclaims International Women in Cyber Day!
We are proud to announce the City of Vancouver has proclaimed September 1st as International Women in Cyber Day (IWCD)!
Thank you, the City of Vancouver and Mayor Kennedy Stewart for demonstrating your support for women in cybersecurity and to Lorraine Sebastian who prepared our proclamation.
Special thanks to Hon. Hedy Fry (M.P. Liberal Party - Vancouver Centre) and Melissa De Genov (City of Vancouver Councellor) for attending, speaking and presentation of proclamation at Canada's first Women in Cybersecurity conference.
A huge shout out to our partners, CASIS and BCIT for sponsoring our event and venue.
WCS2 launches a new chapter in St. John's, NL
The Women CyberSecurity Society Inc. (WCS2) welcomes Nancy Johnsen as Chapter Lead as it launches in St. John's, NL. WCS2 continues it's international mission to #recruit, #retrain and #retain more women for the new digital economy in the cybersecurity workforce.
Join the chapter, by visiting our Meetup group. https://www.meetup.com/WCSS-St-Johns/
#TipTheScale #cybersecurity #workforce #diversity #inclusion #IWCD #September12019
For Immediate Release
May 12th, 2019
The Women CyberSecurity Society is gearing up to expand global presence at the Canadian Export Challenge
Vancouver, BC | The Women CyberSecurity Society, a non-profit society will participate in the 2019 Canadian Export Challenge (CXC) at the Global Entrepreneur Cohort. CXC is a 1-day global accelerator and pitch competition tour presented by Startup Canada, in collaboration with UPS, Export Development Canada, and theCanadian Trade Commissioner Service.
As a member of the Global Entrepreneur Cohort, the Women CyberSecurity Society, will pitch to win $2,500 and an expense-paid trip to Toronto for CXC’s final showdown, where they will face-off against representatives from across Canada to win an additional $25,000 and up to $100,000 in in-kind scaling support.
“Women from around the globe lack necessary support in the cybersecurity industry. Outreach programs and services offered locally to communities, small and large will assist to retain and retrain women for cyber. Thereby, increasing diversity while closing the gender and skills gaps where the needs for a cyber workforce are the greatest!”
“As the most connected G7 country with the greatest ease of doing business, Canadian entrepreneurs have a global advantage out of the starting gate,” said Victoria Lennox, Co-Founder, and President of Startup Canada. We are thrilled to see companies like Women CyberSecurity Society in the Global Entrepreneur Cohort and we aim to provide them with an increase in export-readiness, accelerated access to global markets, and support to ‘own the podium’ globally.”
The Women CyberSecurity Society (WCSS) is a non-profit founded in 2018 by Lisa Kearney who resides in Vancouver, BC. She brings more than two decades of expertise from the cybersecurity industry. Her organization provides customized programs and services developed by a woman in cyber for women in cyber.
Support is needed throughout the lifecycle of a career and doesn’t end with that first job, next premonition or new certification. Women in the cyber ecosystem benefit from these services as they career and needs change.
In less than a year, WCSS has six chapters globally and more in the works, 3500 Followers and hundreds of global supporters and participants for the International Women in Cyber Day campaign. The demand is clear, women are asking for help!
For more information from Startup Canada please contact:
Maddie Stiles
Media Relations
613-627-0787 ext. 105
The City of Ottawa, August 2019
Proclaims International Women in Cyber Day!
We are proud to announce the City of Ottawa has proclaimed September 1st as International Women in Cyber Day (IWCD)!
Thank you, the City of Ottawa, Mayor Jim Watson for demonstrating support for women in cybersecurity.
A special thanks to Rima Aristocrat (WIllis College) who accepted this honour on behalf of the Women CyberSecurity Society.
Also thank you to Sonya Shorney (Invest Ottawa) , CAV Canada, for providing us the platform to receive this honour. We were thrilled to have the City of Ottawa's, councilor Laura Dunda present our international proclamation at to Rima at CAV Canada prestigious event!
Melanie and Veronica were also instrumental in making it a success!
Canada's 1st Women in Cybersecurity Conference
International Women in Cyber Day #IWCD2019
The Women Cybersecurity Society is proud to host Canada's first Women in Cybersecurity conference on September 12th, 2019.
IWCD Inaugural Celebration
2:00 pm – Networking (Food & Drinks)
2:30 pm – Opening Statement. Welcome Messagefrom IWCD Founder, Lisa Kearney. Reading of IWCD Mission Statement
2:45 pm – Keynote, Hon Hedy Fry
2:30 pm – Keynoter, Melissa De Genova Steward (Councilor)
3:15 pm – Guest Speaker, CASIS to speak about advocacy to increaser diversity and inclusion for women in cybersecurity.
3:30 pm – Women’s Panel
4:15 pm – Closing Statement
4:30 – 6:30 pm – Networking & Celebration
Location: BCIT
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