Original subtitles

(graphics buzzing)

(sirens blaring)

.

- [Narrator] Security is the invisible thread

that holds our lives together.

.

It watches over us in airports,

at data centers, (keys clicking)

(bell ringing) on school yards,

behind the scenes. (camera whirring)

(slide whirring)

But look closer,

(dramatic music)

and you'll see the women,

the ones who have stepped into danger,

into silence, into responsibility,

who fought to be seen in spaces built to keep them out.

Women for a millennia were integral to security.

- [Narrator] So long, ladies,

and history will remember,

when your country called, you answered.

- [Narrator] Safeguarding communities

and developing strategies,

rooted in pattern recognition,

relationship-building, and holistic thinking,

these talent, honed through generations as mothers,

wives, workers, and warriors,

(gun bangs) laid the groundwork

for modern security principles.

As women enter the professional sphere,

forward-thinking leaders recognized something critical.

Their collaborative instincts, empathy,

and ability to access complex systems weren't soft skills.

They were survival skills.

In an age where security is digital, physical, global,

and personal, more women are stepping forward.

And it raises a powerful question.

How will their unique strengths reshape

and revolutionize our understanding of protection

in the 21st century?

Who are the women leading today's security movement?

How did they get here? And where are they taking us next?

(hopeful music)

(hopeful music continues)

(hopeful music continues)

(hopeful music continues)

Many pioneering female security professionals didn't set out

to enter the security field.

Instead, they found their way through personal interest,

chance encounters, or the encouragement of male mentors,

who recognized their potential.

Whether it was a fascination with the investigation,

a knack for risk analysis,

or simply being in the right place at the right time,

these women's stories reveal how serendipity

and passion converged,

and continue to shape their careers.

The daily life of a security professional demands vigilance,

quick thinking, and the ability to expect the unexpected.

But beyond the challenges and pressures,

there's something deeper that draws women to this field

and keeps them there.

- I started my career in the banking industry.

And that's where I got exposed to fraud

and criminal activities.

That really drove me towards risk and cybersecurity.

- When I was in high school and bought my first computer,

and paid way too much money,

because I never wanted to write any of my reports

and things like that on a typewriter.

And that's when I really fell in love with technology.

- It was my experience at the United States Military Academy

at West Point that introduced me into national security

and the concept of security,

and protection of the country at large.

- Many, many years ago, in one of my first jobs,

I found myself in the office of the managing director,

and noticed that he had left his screen

without a screensaver,

confidential information on his screen

about the future of the company

and the plans for the company.

And that was sort of my first exposure

to the need for simple security operations.

- I was working night shift at an IHOP,

International House of Pancakes, as a waitress.

And I was starting to look for a job,

it was the end of my master's.

And this guy used to come in every night

around one in the morning,

and he'd sit, and he'd be doing work.

And I sat down with him one night and said,

"What do you do for a living?"

And he said, "I'm the manager of a security company."

And I sat down with him again, and I said,

"Okay, I wanna come work for you."

So I decided to go to work for him.

It was designing and selling security technology,

customizing it for commercial and residential applications.

It wasn't what I wanted to do,

but it was a great way of being 22 years old and female

to start in the industry.

- When I went into the military,

then my first duty station was Korea.

And in Korea, I worked in a SCIF.

So I can't go into the details,

but what inspired me to stay in security at that time

is because technology was being used to hurt humans.

And I was not okay with that.

- 9/11, I was pregnant,

I was working in the corporate world at the time.

I just remember seeing those first responders

and the work that they were doing.

And outside of feeling sorry

for what was happening at the time, and how tragic it was,

I just remember feeling, "I wish I was there.

I wish I could do something. I wish I could help."

(building rumbling)

(first responders shouting)

- I had just started the AIB IT graduate program

as a Lotus Notes developer.

And September the 11th was my 10th day

into the graduate program.

Following that, the business needed to make it easy

for their capital markets teams to travel.

And so the security team needed somebody to research

how they could secure mobile devices.

And I came up with a secure way

to get your Lotus Notes email on devices.

And that really sparked my passion around cybersecurity.

- I was at high school sophomore year in class,

and the bell rang,

and it was a lot earlier (bell ringing)

than normal.

So we were all a little confused.

I remember I see my dean of students come running through,

telling us we have to get back into class,

and to lock the doors.

Our Spanish teacher that morning, who was fired,

came back onto campus,

went straight through our football field

and right into the headmaster's office,

where he shot and killed her, (gun bangs)

and turned the gun on himself.

(dramatic music)

So this is a direct moment

of my passion in ensuring that threat management

and proactive security measures are implemented

in educational systems and others alike.

- So I majored in criminal justice

with a minor in accounting.

I was working at the time

for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice

as a correctional officer

in a maximum security men's penitentiary.

There was a gentleman by the name of Joe Wojcik,

who's still in the industry today.

He introduced and opened my eyes

to the opportunity for the private sector.

- I had actually been studying serial killers,

'cause I loved crime, I was in the criminology program,

but I also loved computers.

My father was a mechanic, whether of cars,

if not computers. (engine rumbling)

He would bring computers home,

we would put them together.

I shifted to bring those two together.

- I was a visual information specialist

for an intelligence agency.

And I got some exposure to cybersecurity incidents

and different types of events going on around the world

that really intrigued me and had me interested.

- I just kind of stumbled across cybersecurity.

And the cybersecurity workforce initiative space

is really a space that landed with me, it resonated with me.

Over 15, 16 years ago,

I was a consultant for National Science Foundation grant,

and it was all about cybersecurity educational solutions.

- I experienced, witnessed, and observed security incidents.

And I had a in-tune feeling

about understanding the slowdowns

and where we could improve.

And I wanted be a part of that to keep my community safe.

I started in the security industry,

physical security specifically,

and grew into a private sector role

as a security and loss prevention professional

- Raised in what was considered back then

a developing country.

I always had safety and security

at the forefront of my mind.

I developed a huge sense

and a need for security and self-defense.

I started practicing martial arts.

I believed that that could bring me that sense of security,

surrounded pretty much by service men and law enforcement.

And that gave me a glimpse of what the industry was like.

- So I graduated in financial economics,

I completed my course.

I worked in the UK for a not-for-profit educational charity

as the membership manager.

Still didn't think about cybersecurity as a career.

And it's only when I moved to Canada in 2004,

that's when I was looking for jobs, I started networking,

I started reaching out

to several different recruiting agencies,

and I connected with someone.

And she said, "Hey, there's an opportunity here,

and it's for an antivirus company."

And I said, "I know antivirus because of my university,

and my disc was infected, and I lost my project."

And at that moment,

it reminded me of how important it would be saving people

from losing their work or losing their information.

- I grew up with three brothers,

so I'm the second child of four.

My brothers were wrestlers.

Then by default, so was I,

whether or not I wanted to participate.

I recall coming home from college one afternoon,

I had a bag on my shoulder

once I crossed the threshold of the door,

and I was immediately taken to the ground

to grapple. (laughs)

It was their way of showing love. (laughs)

I think having the influence

of just being in a male-dominated environment

probably was something that had an influence on me

going into the security industry ultimately.

- It was a Tuesday morning,

I was a student at the University of Toronto.

And getting ready for class,

saw the news out of the corner of my eye,

and it was the Twin Towers crumbling.

(building rumbling) (people shouting)

I heard the fear and surprise in the newscaster's voice.

It really saddened me to think about the number of people

who started to live in fear.

And I really wanted to try

to think through ways I could operate in the world

to reduce that feeling of fear in people.

- Throughout my life,

I learned that I love solving problems with technology.

And I had a career in IT,

and I was kind of a Jack of all trades, master of none,

kind of wanted to be something when I grew up.

And I looked at my options, and they were, at the time,

like cloud security and software development.

And I chose security, and it chose me back.

And we've been choosing each other ever since.

- I decided to join the security industry

when an opportunity

to join Amazon Security organization came available.

I didn't a connection with security.

Other than being a woman,

there are certainly unique and significant threats

that can pose challenges for all women.

I knew that that would be a great place to fit,

that aligned with my values.

And as I contemplated the security industry,

I found that it was very similar to that mission-driven work

to prioritize the safety of people,

and make sure that we're ultimately taking care of everyone.

- I was home, and my husband had traveled to Nigeria.

And I was home studying in the night.

I heard a noise on the porch.

I now asked, "Who is there?"

And they said, "Come and see."

That scared me. So I went to call 911.

And I decided that I should hide in the pantry,

and I found a hammer.

So I held the hammer and stayed in the pantry,

closed the door, awaiting in anticipation.

Thereafter, we went to court,

and the guy was later incarcerated.

With that event, we decided

that we were not going to let it happen to someone else.

So we installed the security system in our home.

And, you know, we said, "We're going to also assist others."

(cheerful music)

- [Narrator] In 1856,

when women were expected to sew, serve, and stay silent,

Kate Warne chose something radically different.

She became the first lady detective.

She proved that a woman's presence

could be her greatest asset,

gathering secrets behind closed doors,

and going unnoticed in places no man could enter.

Her work helped stop crimes, foil plots,

and even protect President-elect Abraham Lincoln.

Kate Warne didn't just make history, she challenged it.

And in doing so, she opened a door

that countless women would one day walk through.

(cheerful music)

- Kate Warne was living in Chicago.

She was a widow at the age of 23.

And finding a need to secure employment,

she found an employment ad in the newspaper,

went into the Pinkerton Detective Agency,

and met with Allan Pinkerton in hopes to secure a job,

a role as a detective. - Pinkerton, Mr. Pinkerton,

I wish to speak with you- - Miss,

please. - Not your secretary.

- Wait for my secretary, please.

- I want to apply for the detective position.

- Miss- - Kate Warne.

- Ms. Warne, the notion

of a female detective is unprecedented.

Now, please, I insist that-

- A woman is the perfect detective.

- I beg your pardon, Ms. Warne?

- Consider this,

who would suspect a woman of such an endeavor?

Servants permit us passage without second thought.

Gentlemen confide freely,

assuming our interest lies solely

in matters of fashion and frivolity.

And women, well, women confide in us.

They reveal secrets

that they wouldn't dream of telling a man.

A woman observes what men ignore.

We listen, but we also understand what we hear.

And we can act without raising suspicion.

A man hailing another man draws attention.

A woman doing the same,

she is running errands or visiting a friend.

It's the truth.

We've learned to adapt, outthink,

and survive without drawing attention.

Imagine what we could do once we step out of the shadows

and into the role of detective.

With your support,

I intend to prove a woman's place isn't just in the home,

it's wherever the truth needs uncovering.

(cheerful music)

- Ms. Warne, I shall expect you in my office tomorrow

at the hour of two.

I shall render my decision then.

(cheerful music)

- She was determined. She demonstrated her independence.

She clearly understood the value proposition

and what she was able to bring to the table,

how she could help him and the agency be successful.

And she was persistent.

She was able to point out those things.

She understood that Pinkerton was a man

of logic and reasoning.

And all of those things are important for women, even today,

to recognize and to walk into a role

that typically is dominated by males.

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] The security landscape

has long presented unique challenges for women entering

and moving within the field.

Limited professional networks, scarcity of women mentors,

and misconceptions about physical requirements

often created invisible barriers.

Many women found themselves blazing new trails

in security operation centers,

executive protection details, and investigation units.

While some of these challenges persist today,

the industry has evolved significantly.

Forward-looking organizations

have implemented mentorship programs,

family-friendly policies,

and professional development opportunities.

The result is an increasingly global workforce

that leverages different perspectives

to create more comprehensive

and effective security solutions.

But cultural resistance remains an issue,

and to this day, threatens the advances women have made

in the security profession.

(dramatic music)

- (sighs) In security, I have faced many challenges

throughout my 10 years in this profession so far.

I have been yelled at. I have been bullied.

I have had a guy who believed

that he should have had my position,

despite not applying for it

or having anywhere near close the credentials

to be a fit for the position.

None of these challenges had anything to do

with my competency,

my ability to be an effective contributor to a team.

It all had to do with personality,

with tone, with misogyny in the workplace.

And these challenges have been really difficult to overcome.

But I take some solidarity

in the fact that for better or for worse,

I'm not alone in these challenges.

There are other women out there who have experienced it too.

And that camaraderie, even though it's not right,

continues to give me the hope,

the resilience, and the energy to keep going.

- In my career in the security profession,

then I have dealt with sexual harassment,

I have dealt greatly with discrimination,

I have dealt with violence, I have been assaulted.

That is not because I'm a woman in the security profession,

but just because I'm a woman, period.

I served 20 years in the Army.

All I did was encryption and risk management,

and security and information systems,

information technology, information assurance,

information security.

And once I retired in 2013, I could not find a job.

And when I applied for my first job out of the military,

the CEO told me,

"If you go get, you know, A+, Network+, Security+,

I'll give you a job today."

And of course, me being a overachiever,

I went to a bootcamp,

and I earned 21 security certifications.

And this was in a six weeks' time.

And when I went back

to think that I was about to get my job,

then the guy said, "I can't afford you."

And so then after that,

I was chronically homeless with two kids for eight months.

- If I ever write a book, it's gonna be titled

"Decisions Need to Be Made by Hairy Technical Men."

And there's gonna be a man's hand,

fist like that. (fist thuds)

And maybe with AI,

who knows, in the future, even believe in buying the sound.

Back in the day,

I was given the task to implement a security system

for an online gaming company.

And Splunk was the tool that we picked.

Back then, we didn't have security architects.

It was, you know, you did everything,

from selecting the tool to the implementation,

to rolling it out across the business,

implementing the alerts.

So I had architected it out.

And it was a meeting with key decision holders.

The business, the technology, the security team was there.

And I presented on the architecture

and what we were gonna do,

as well as the project plan.

And one of the business stakeholders

in the room asked me a question,

what was, you know, a decision point around.

And I think it was to do with the costing

and the technical architecture.

And I immediately answered.

The next thing,

one of my peer colleagues jumped up, banged the table,

and said, "Decisions needed to be made

by hairy technical men."

(fist thuds)

I didn't say anything.

I just took a deep breath, and the meeting went on.

And now, I was the only female in the room at the time.

But it kind of stood out to me in my career.

- I think the challenges, really,

when I first started my career was being taken seriously.

You know, having the opportunity to take on the roles

that I wanted to take on.

There was a lot of stereotyping and bias.

I would constantly be pushed towards a more common position

that a woman would have,

such as project management, or maybe doing more policy,

you know, paperwork-type of activities.

That's not what I wanted to do.

I wanted to be a technical security engineer.

I wanted to do the work.

And that meant that I had to prove myself.

So it just took time.

And I'm very grateful that I was committed.

I focused on self-study, taking on the hard,

you know, assignments, volunteering where I could,

and then just constantly proving yourself.

- I brought my team together, and I told them, I said,

"Johnson & Johnson is going to create a vaccine.

That is gonna put us on the national stage

like we've never been.

And every fraudster, hacker, cracker, you name it,

is going to come after us, as is foreign government."

Knowing we were up to the challenge,

and as the vaccine was created,

and was rolling out of our Kentucky Distribution Center,

and my team was watching it on video,

we had tears that were rolling down our eyes

as we realized that we had done it.

We had accomplished our mission in security.

The vaccine was rolling out not only to the United States,

but also to the world and underserved populations

to bend the curve on COVID.

That's what security's all about and why it is so important.

- Some of the challenges

that I've faced since joining the profession,

I mean, they kinda all center on microaggressions,

if I'm being honest.

It's the walking into a room

and having to spend the first 10 to 15 minutes

of your conversation establishing credibility

when you don't see your male counterparts

have to do the same.

I like to say I have not imposter syndrome,

I have inverse imposter syndrome.

So I have all these credentials

and certifications behind me.

So I'm not gonna be worried

about whether or not I belong in the room,

but there's also no way you're gonna tell me

that I don't belong in the room.

So I really do think it's just,

"Hey, you know, we don't know what to make of her,"

sort of, I wouldn't even call it a preconceived notion,

but there is no preconception.

But that also leads to, like I said,

just having to establish that credibility

when you walk into the room,

or maybe just having to go so much further

and do so many more things

to be viewed at the same level as male counterparts.

I feel like women typically have to have more education,

have to have more certifications,

have to have done more things in their career

to prove their value when compared to our male counterparts

in the industry, which can be challenging.

But I see the challenge as an opportunity

just to continue to shatter glass ceilings

and inspire those coming in behind me.

- It was very important for me at the time to be successful

and to be included, be credible in the industry.

So I worked probably harder than most people.

I didn't want to focus on the fact I was a minority,

which I was.

I was one of the first women to get my CPP,

my first job managing 60 people.

There were only two that were female in every organization,

same thing, very small numbers of women.

And I can talk more about that. That was difficult.

I was a senior executive for a security company,

and all of the other people in my level were men,

there had never been a woman.

And I was doing very well,

frankly, better than some of them had done.

And one day,

we were all meeting to discuss a particular common account.

We were meeting for drinks at the end of the day.

And I was a little bit late 'cause I had been meeting

with our boss for my performance appraisal.

And when I got to the restaurant, one of them asked me-

- How did your performance appraisal go?

- It went fine. Thanks.

- Well, gentlemen,

I guess if you take your boss to the motel

for the afternoon, you get a good performance appraisal.

(co-workers laughing)

- I remember being mortified.

I couldn't move. I was frozen in time.

I wanted to hit him, I wanted to scream,

I wanted to strangle him.

And I said, "Excuse me."

And I left, and I went into my car,

and cried my eyes (sniffles) out all the way home.

(Bonnie sighs)

And then the next day, there was a retreat.

So I had to see this gentleman again.

And saw him at the retreat, it was a several-day retreat.

And I called him over,

and I talked to him about it, and I said,

"I'm going to be very clear.

So listen carefully,

what you said was completely illegal,

inappropriate, hurtful, and astoundingly stupid.

And if you ever say that to me again in any way,

publicly or privately, you will not have a job,

and you will have a lawsuit.

Are we clear?"

- You're crazy. (laughs)

I was just joking. - Told me how much

he was kidding, and I was being ridiculous.

But I said it again with a very serious controlled emotion,

and he never did,

and we actually wound up becoming friends over the years.

- Being the only female in the room,

coming in and asking a lot of questions.

You know, I used to get told, "You have to smile more."

I learned how to smile while giving people bad news.

It was very odd. I've often been questioned.

I've had my work co-opted. I've had people harass me.

I've been harassed out of roles.

I've had other people get my quals,

so that they can get fantastic jobs.

(dramatic music)

You know, I love this field, and I know I do great work,

and my track record and the programs

that I've gotten to build have been really fulfilling.

And I know they have an impact on my neighbors

and the citizens of Ontario, the Canadians that I work with.

I've had a hand in building the security framework

and protecting their assets, their information.

I know how important it is,

and I know that what I do is meaningful and contributes to,

I know it sounds really trite,

but contributes to the greater good.

- The then chairman,

the guy who was running for chapter chairman, Chief Walker,

he, in fact,

did invite myself and my husband for dinner in his house.

And he appealed to my husband,

that since my husband was living the position

of program chairman,

for him as a chapter chairman

to have a very successful tenure,

he wanted me to take over the position of program chairman.

And my husband said, "For the wife," that's me, woman,

"to hold that position,"

that it was going to be too visible, and he wasn't for it.

The guy appealed that he knew my capability

when I was a secretary.

And for the chapter to be successful,

they needed the program to be also very powerful.

And he knew I could do that.

- I would say probably the biggest challenge

was overcoming things internally,

and really getting the confidence

over the years to take chances,

and realizing that you can't specialize in so many topics.

Now, we really looked

to security practitioners as generalists.

And I was always worried

about not having the answer for everything,

until I started to develop great teams

and rely more on people around me

to really help me along the way,

and to ask for help when I needed it.

So we're going to shift gears a little bit now.

And I'm going to ask two of our panelists

about some of the challenges they've faced,

whether small or big, or plentiful,

just at various points in their career.

So I'd like to start out with Connie.

- So I remember when I first got into sales,

there was my management team, we had a shared bathroom,

and I overheard them talking about me,

and they basically said no one would buy anything from me

because of the way I looked,

'cause I've always been a full-figured person.

And I went up to them,

and I had a couple of choice words

that I probably shouldn't say up here

(audience cheers and applauds) and told them that,

I was like, I told 'em all honestly to (beep).

(audience cheers and applauds) And I said, (laughs)

(audience cheers and applauds)

and my next thing to them was,

"You will never define who I am.

I define who I am."

And when I mentor young women, I say that all the time,

but there's a caveat, you need to be self-aware,

because if you're not self-aware, you can't improve.

And if you can't be honest with yourself

where your strengths and weaknesses are,

I think it's hard to grow.

- [Narrator] Security challenges know no borders.

Yet the role of women

in addressing adversities varies dramatically

across regions and industries.

In some regions,

women security professionals build trust

in situations where male counterparts cannot.

While in others,

they must carefully balance traditional expectations

with professional demands.

This interplay of cultural awareness

(phone ringing) and security expertise

has proven invaluable,

as threats increasingly demand solutions

that transcend conventional approaches

and social boundaries.

- Women are part of our society,

and we interact with technology

in different ways than men do.

The threat vectors that women present

are not gonna be considered or seen

or understood unless you have women thinking

and part of defining what the threats and the solutions are.

- So one of my best friends in graduate school,

who still one of my best friends,

entered the industry when I did,

and we went to a big ASIS seminar.

We were, I think, two of the only women

in a room of probably a hundred or more.

But I kept noticing that throughout the seminar,

and there were lots different speakers,

she would keep jotting down one, two, three, four, five,

with a cross through, one, two, three, four, five.

I thought she was just doodling.

I wasn't sure what she was doing.

And when the facilitator asked for final comments

or any feedback, she raised her hand, and she said-

- I've really enjoyed this seminar,

but I just need to state

that during this whole four-day period,

there were 564 mentions of the male gender pronouns,

assuming that there were only males in this industry.

- Frankly, at the time, I wanted to crawl under the table.

I was mortified. I was embarrassed.

I admired her for doing that.

In retrospect, I think it was the wrong thing

to do publicly.

I think she could have talked to him privately,

she could have told the people that ran the conference,

but it was extremely upsetting to her.

And I'm sure that people in that room

had very different reactions to her doing that

and saying it publicly.

On the other hand,

in lots of people doing that over the years,

it's probably changed,

people using the male gender pronoun a lot.

- When you're on a team,

then every team member should be respected the same,

should be treated the same, should be valued the same.

You're not valued by how much you bring to the table.

You are valued by what you bring to the table.

And that is where the difference is going to be.

So in cybersecurity,

we have threats, and we have vulnerabilities.

So our threat actors are not taking a break,

(dramatic music)

not one day.

The different threat actors we have,

they pop up with different scenarios all the time.

And so you need this 19-year-old on your team.

You need this person who's been in security for 30 years

on your team.

You need the ideas of a male.

You need the ideas of a female.

You need the ideas of people from different countries,

because bringing all those ideas together

help you fight the threat.

And that is the purpose of your field,

because there are threats that you need to counteract,

there are threats that you need to stop.

Whether it is in physical security,

police officer, security guards, data loss prevention,

or whether it's in cybersecurity,

and that's all your cyber threats.

Your goal, your mission,

is to reduce the risk and stop the threats.

But if you don't know how they think,

then how are you going to do your job effectively?

And it's not on one person to do that,

it's on a team to do that.

And that is the reason that diversity is so important,

because you bring all those fresh perspectives,

you bring all of those perceptions,

you bring all of those scenarios to the table.

- So I think diversity and inclusion in the security space,

again, I always tie that back to our internal partners,

our customers that we're supporting.

So we need to understand everyone that we're supporting.

So we have to be mindful of the diversity.

We have to be mindful of inclusion.

For example, if we are planning to host a meeting,

we need to understand our teams

and the diversity of our teams

to ensure that that experience and that environment

is going to be comfortable for all.

Whether that's in the planning phases,

in real-time discussions,

it's important to understand who's on your team

and what they're about in order for them to be in a culture

where they feel safe, protected.

But I think also it helps us retain our talent,

by ensuring that not only are we recruiting

and bringing leaders in, attracting them into the roles,

but helping them develop, understanding who they are,

helping them stay engaged with knowing who they are.

And in doing so,

we'll ensure that we're retaining that talent.

- To this day,

I'm probably, in some situations, the only woman in a room.

And that's why, you know, being part of,

I've led many women in tech groups,

many women in cybersecurity groups,

and it's really working together.

So it's in making sure that these groups are open

to all genders and all backgrounds, all diverse backgrounds,

because we're all in it together.

So we learn from each other.

And having the true working experience representation

in these groups allows us to learn from each other

and grow together.

- When you look at diversity and inclusion

in different types of security,

it's imperative to have the different voices there.

And when I look at on the physical security side,

if I took people from one background,

and then I put them in a store or a scenario,

and they only came from their background,

it's not going to help me find the answers,

if there's theft going on, if there's drug trade going on,

because they're only gonna look at things

through their lens.

And so bringing in people of diverse nature,

diverse color, male, female,

you can find things out all the time.

You know, I go back to years ago, I was in the FBI,

and I was doing an undercover drug operation

outside of Newark, New Jersey.

And in that scenario, I had a female,

Hispanic woman, who was my undercover agent.

But nobody would think that Martha was an undercover,

because here she is a woman,

she was a waitress at a local restaurant.

And Martha actually helped me tap in to an organization,

bringing in over 10,000 kilos of cocaine.

- I've got something. Come back tomorrow, same time.

- I knew Martha could do the job,

and I knew she had the diverse characteristics I need.

She helped me in a way that I would've never been able

to do myself. Hi.

- Hi. They're meeting at the warehouse on Fifth Street.

That's where the shipment is coming in.

- Are you sure about the time and location?

- Yes. I overheard them.

- Warehouse on Fifth Street.

We'll coordinate with the state police for the takedown.

- Just be careful. These guys are dangerous.

If they suspect anything-

- We've got you covered.

Just by developing a relationship with her,

she wanted to talk to me

because I was a female agent versus a male agent,

and she could trust me.

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] Behind every successful security professional

stands a network of supporters and allies who saw potential

and open doors.

For women who entered the field in its early days,

these mentors were typically seasoned male professionals,

who recognize talent, regardless of gender.

They sometimes put their own professional reputations

on the line as advocates for non-traditional hires.

Their guidance, combined with the growing support

of professional associations and industry programs

that strengthened security teams,

created pathways for women to advance and thrive.

Today's current and emerging leaders

often credit their success to someone

who encouraged them to take on challenging assignments

or voice their insights.

These women also recognize the need to pay it forward,

to build a supportive environment for future generations.

- I believe that mentorship

and allyship are absolutely critical

to helping women advance in their careers,

especially in the security industry.

I've been really fortunate to have incredible mentors,

who have challenged me to be better and think bigger,

and feel that confidence in myself.

And when we have great allies who believe in us,

that makes it easier for us to believe in ourselves.

- One of the things I've dealt with throughout my career

is that I've not had a mentor.

So, you know, no one to really look up to,

no one to kind of bounce ideas off of,

which resulted in me making a lot of mistakes,

missing out on a lot of opportunities,

probably (laughs) wasting

and/or losing out on a lot of money as well.

But I think later in my career,

once I kind of established my footing

and moved up the ranks a bit,

I have run into some folks

that have sort of changed my view and helped me see things,

helped me make better decisions

to kind of move my career forward.

One of those was a leader at an organization

that I worked at.

And this leader saw something in me

that I just didn't see in myself.

And they made me aware of it,

and then went the distance to give me opportunities

or put me in positions where I could provide strategy

or solve problems to prove these things to myself.

And that just opened my mind up so much,

and caused me to have more confidence and believe in myself.

And it was the first time I really realized

that having someone believe in you

and tell you that you are doing the right things,

and you are thinking the right way can just go so far

for confidence and helping someone feel good

about the path they're on in their career.

- I have several mentors and allies,

so many leaders who have poured into my cup,

so that I can pour into others.

One leader, in particular,

was a direct manager of mine most recently,

who I actually onboarded and helped trained.

And it was a leader who thought of me, sponsored me,

made sure that my voice was, you know, being heard,

and also that my name was being stated

in the rooms that I wasn't in.

And that really translated over time,

even when I did not work with him directly.

He always made sure that he checked in with me,

understood what I was doing to progress in my career,

and also holding me accountable to my goals

and what I wanted to aspire to be as a leader.

So I've worked with him multiple times,

but it was really those moments

where I wasn't working with him directly

that he continued to stay connected to me

and really help me develop in my role,

even when I wasn't working with him directly,

just really inspired me

that he was so invested in my success.

- I would also like to see change is more male allyship.

There's a difference between allyship and friendship.

A lot of women in the industry have many male friends,

but are they true allies?

Are they courageous? Are they willing to stand up in a room?

Are they willing to make introduction

for women into the leadership circles?

That's what's going to be important,

is the men that are not afraid

of what their male counterparts may say or joke,

or look at them as if they stand up for women

or push women forward.

It's going to be critical to continue

to see those allies for the advancement of women,

to be able to push past a lot of those challenges

and move us forward.

- I think, as a woman, in the security industry,

which is a male-dominated industry traditionally,

as women try to compete and make our way,

I know, as I was trying to make my way,

the opportunities weren't always there.

So you're always vying for them,

and you're competing with them,

your male colleagues as well.

And I think because you're constantly vying

for your position, trying to make your way,

get that experience, so you can continue growing,

I think we don't stop.

Later in my career,

I definitely looked over my shoulder and said,

"Timeout, I have something to give.

I've been through some rough experiences,

and I know how to navigate them now.

I have tenure, institutional knowledge,

and relationships to help others."

I did that personally

by becoming the Secret Service Agency president

to the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

FLEOA is a nonprofit organization

that represents 65 federal law enforcement agencies

and nearly 33,000 members.

My role as agency president was immensely rewarding,

because it afforded me that opportunity

to help others navigate difficult situations.

- We need more formal mentorship programs.

We need more creative recruiting.

A lot of people still have no idea

what this whole enterprise security, risk management,

security management, private security world is all about.

They have no idea the various arms of it,

that you can go into technology, you can go into cyber,

you can go into consulting, you can go into research,

you can go into data analysis,

you can go into executive protection,

you can go into investigations,

you can go into straight management,

that there's so many different ways to use your skill sets,

that it's lucrative, and that it's fast-growing,

still growing at a very double-digit rate every year.

And I've seen so many women love this field

and be successful in it, and other minorities too.

As we all know,

diversity is so critical to any good industry,

and having that, you know,

cosmopolitan of ideas and differences,

and backgrounds, and skill sets.

But I think we sometimes have to go after these people,

whether it be in graduate schools or other places,

and really help them to understand

what this world is all about.

I know that when I was teaching,

people often took the class

because it was a class they needed,

but they intended to go somewhere else,

in a different type of law enforcement.

And when they really understood the depth and breadth,

and amazingness of this field,

you can tell I'm very passionate about it,

they went into this field.

And I've seen so many of the men and women alike

who have done extraordinarily well

and just gone beyond anything I could have imagined.

- My time growing up

and participating in our high school robotics program.

And I had a mentor there, you know,

a gentleman who really put a lot of trust into me

at a young age, to do the fundraising for the team,

to manage the trips,

sometimes, you know, out of state, with flights and hotels,

with, you know, a rowdy group of 20 high schoolers.

You know, there was never a point where he said,

"Oh, I think we should let the adults deal with this,"

or, "Put that responsibility in someone else's hands."

He fully trusted in me

to be able to organize all of this stuff.

And I think that was really impactful and empowering,

because that showed me early on

that I can do important things.

- While I was still in the process of applying,

I went to a local police department,

and I walked in, filled out the paperwork,

and did a ride-along with a sergeant.

And that sergeant, to this day,

is not only a dear friend of mine,

but also, throughout my career, was my mentor.

His name is Rob Whelan.

Rob was, and has been, the person I go to to this day,

because I'm still in security,

when I need guidance, when I have questions about process,

or I just need somebody to listen to thoughts I'm having,

if I'm headed in the right direction,

or if I need basically any other career advice,

I still go to him to this day.

So yeah, Rob.

- We all have different individuals that believe in us

before we might even believe in ourselves.

And really early in my career,

that gentleman's name is Eric Spangler,

the late Eric Spangler.

And when I was working with him,

he saw something, and that passion in me,

that encouraged me to take on more clients

and continue working in this space.

And even at one point in my career,

where I had someone that wanted to hire me full-time,

get me out of the contractor world

and go into a full-time position,

he was the one that really just saw this spark in me.

And he's like, "Don't let that spark fade,

continue shining bright, and continue.

Like this space in cybersecurity needs someone like you."

- Prior to my joining the FBI,

there was 1% women in the FBI.

And a civil suit had just gone against the FBI,

and they had to raise the bar to a full 10% women.

And so now, as you see more women in law enforcement

and more women in the military,

which are all feeders to the security industry,

you're starting to see these great women,

who have had great military careers

or great law enforcement careers,

now coming out to be heads of security at corporations.

So what I saw, even going to a trade show or on security,

I was trying to find out some information

about airplane security.

The corporation I was with had two airplanes,

and I was looking at how to secure them.

Hi, I'm Marene Allison.

I'm with a corporation that owns two airplanes,

and I'm looking into security options.

- Well, you came to the right place.

We specialize in top-of-the-line airplane security.

What sort of solutions were we looking for?

Is it a single-engine Cessna, twin-engine Beechcraft,

or a vintage warbird?

Will you be using the aircraft mainly

for personal recreation,

flight classes, or commercial purposes?

As you can see, we have a lot of different options.

I would personally go

with option A- - Sir,

I need to hear more about airplane security.

- Well, you've come to the right place.

We specialize in top-of-the-line airplane security.

What sort of solutions were we looking for?

Is it a single-engine Cessna, twin-engine Beechcraft,

or a vintage warbird?

Are using it mainly for personal recreation,

flight classes, or commercial purposes?

- Excuse me.

I'm still trying to get information on my airplanes.

- (chuckles) Sorry.

As you can see, we have many different options.

So option A

is probably gonna be the best, - You know,

it was disappointing, but I walked on,

and, you know, there's another airplane security vendor

that was very happy because they wanted to talk to me,

and they got the sale.

I can make choices, and I don't have to buy.

You know, everybody sells the best security product,

but the reality is,

brand A and brand B are probably pretty close.

I buy the one that leads with diversity and inclusion,

and not the one that wants to just be a sale

because they think I should buy their product.

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- [Narrator] The security landscape of tomorrow

is being written today, not just through technology,

but through the people behind it.

As threats become more sophisticated

in both physical and digital worlds,

the industry demands fresh thinking

and innovative approaches

that go beyond conventional solutions.

Women security leaders are increasingly

at this intersection of challenge and opportunity,

bringing valuable perspective to complex problems.

For young women looking towards the horizon

of this dynamic field,

the path is clearer than ever before.

The voices of today's pioneers offer both a roadmap

and an invitation to reimagine security

in ways previous generations could only dream of.

- I believe in the future,

we are gonna see more women-owned security companies

in the industry.

I believe we are also gonna see an uptick

of security installers being women engineers.

I believe that the representation that we see today

in rooms and conferences is still alarming,

especially to some of the industries.

Like I mentioned before, I was very close to logistics.

And I still go to conferences today where of 130,

150 attendees, only 12 of them are women.

- Now, when I was in the military, this was not a problem,

because in the military, a soldier is a soldier,

and there's no delineation between male and female.

But being in the civilian world,

then I have seen where women have took a stance

in being assertive and being confident

in being in security positions.

And that really has propelled them

to a level more than what is typically seen,

where the woman is always working behind the scenes,

and she could give an idea and pass it on to a male,

and that male would be able to speak for her.

But women today are now speaking for themselves,

and they're standing up,

and they have that confidence to say,

"Yes, this is a good idea."

- The work that we do today with our associations,

I head up a Women in Cyber affiliate in Canada,

is great, but we're focusing on adults.

And what we don't have that other countries do,

and I think we really need to start investing more time

and resources, and thought into,

is building cybersecurity into education

for it to become a natural part of what our kids learn,

so that like English, like math,

cybersecurity can be done by everyone.

And that, I think, will have more of an impact

on shifting the culture than what we're seeing today.

- If you like to be challenged,

and you like to push yourself and see what you can do,

I think a young woman or girl should consider a career

in security, because it's so rewarding.

If you have that curiosity about yourself,

you have that drive,

if you have a bit of competitiveness in you,

I think this could be a wonderful career for you

in the security industry.

- I would love to see a change in the industry

that is already underway,

but continuing to deepen the understanding and recognition

that all of these different perspectives

ultimately make the security industry stronger.

I would love to see more women in positions of leadership.

I would love to see more people with different backgrounds

and skill sets being represented,

because only when we can all come together

can we really address the challenges and security threats

that are increasing in today's day and age.

- It's important to open opportunities up for women

and to help them feel included in every conversation.

The chair roles or the board positions,

or even internal roles at your own organization,

having the representation of women in those positions

will help keep women feeling like they're important,

and that they're heard, and that there's more to come.

And that inclusivity is important.

- [Narrator] For many women in security,

the work is more than a job, it's a calling.

It's the quiet pride of protecting lives,

the rush of solving complex problems,

the strength of knowing you made a difference.

Whether analyzing threats behind a screen

or leading teams in the field,

these women carry a deep sense of purpose.

In a world full of risk,

they bring resilience, insight, and heart.

- What's gratifying is the ability

to problem-solve and to help others.

And at the end of the day, what we do in security is,

it's a matter of life and death oftentimes,

it's life safety, and that's impactful.

Everybody has to find a way to make a living.

It's important that people go to work,

and they're able to come home to their families.

And being a part of that,

from whichever standpoint within the industry,

whatever role you have,

we all collectively attribute to that,

or contribute to that.

That's the part that I find most impactful

and gratifying in this role.

(dramatic music)

(explosion booms)

- [Reporter] Terror at the Boston Marathon,

(explosion booms)

turning a day of joy into a deadly nightmare.

- Nobody can prepare you

for what something like that is like.

You have a marathon with hundreds and hundreds

of thousands of spectators (bell ringing)

and thousands of runners.

(sirens blaring) - All doctors to the ER.

- We had 23 people in emergency surgery within 20 minutes.

After the explosions went off,

the whole city was trying to determine

if there were explosive devices other places.

There was mass pandemonium.

Many people came who thought they were hit

by the explosive device that weren't,

but they were in such immediate trauma.

We had massive amounts of media, we had National Guard,

we had a lot of law enforcement resources,

and it was very tough.

And the monsters that did this weren't caught for,

as you know, four or five days.

So we had numerous patients, numerous heartache,

significant people wrapped around the whole perimeter

of our six-block area, wanting to give blood,

and people that were exhausted,

physicians, nurses, other caregivers,

certainly security personnel,

who didn't go home for several days.

President Obama came on Thursday.

I was about to go home Wednesday night

after having been there three days.

And I got a call,

he would be there for many hours the next day

to meet with the patients and their families,

which was wonderful.

But we had to do a very, very quick advance

and get the place ready.

And I remember feeling very demoralized.

And I was walking up the main corridor,

and two nurses were walking in front of me,

they didn't see me.

And one was crying, and she said, "I just wanna leave.

I'm scared. I don't wanna be here, I don't wanna be here.

I'm really scared."

And the other one put her arm around her,

and she said, "You don't have to be scared.

We have the best police department of anyone in the world,

and they always take care of us and protect us."

And I remember thinking,

"Okay, what we're doing makes a difference.

What we're doing makes sense. This is important work."

I know that, I knew that in my head,

but hearing that was massive for me.

- As the security professional,

you can take your skillset and apply it to any industry.

You have best practices, you have skills, tools,

all those things that, you know, pick up along the way.

And as long as you're a practitioner of security,

now, you can work in an airport,

luxury hotel business, you can work in finance.

The fundamentals and the principles are the same.

- I think this industry is unique,

that there is openness to more women

and more diversity to come into this group.

There's such a focus and so many opportunities to come in,

create your own career path,

and really step into your whole,

getting out of your comfort zone,

constant learning and growing,

which I think is just rewarding for anyone.

- Now that I'm in the management side,

I see that the changes haven't really happened.

I see a huge number of men in management,

but I don't see so many women.

But I don't think that this is specific

to just cybersecurity.

I think that is kind of relevant

across practically all industries,

except for privacy.

In privacy, we see a lot of women

in senior management roles.

That would be the key change that I've seen taking place.

I also think the subject matter itself,

cybersecurity used to be about widgets and gadgets

and firewalls and gizmos, and very technical.

Cybersecurity is now about cyber resilience.

It's now about regulation.

It's changed in terms of subject matter.

It's a huge domain now that crosses

through so many different avenues of the business.

It's really about understanding how a business works

and where risks are rather than technology.

- You know, there are gonna

be some technical security skills

that are extremely important.

Those security skills,

understanding the laws of the nation,

understanding what you can and cannot do

in what states are very important.

But as a leader in security,

the most important

is having the leadership qualities necessary

to run a large, diverse organization.

And that is, the very first one is listening,

and it's compassion, it's having grit.

And when all others are ready to give up,

saying, "Hey, I got this.

I can make this happen," and pumping up your team.

Because there is so many times.

I remember as a second lieutenant,

wet and cold on some range somewhere,

and as soon as I said, "Oh my god, I feel miserable,"

my team was miserable.

As soon as I said, "We got this, we're gonna do it,"

and get that grit to make it happen,

everyone pumps up and gets it done.

So we talk about the technical skills of physical security,

IT security important,

but the best skills are leadership skills and tenacity.

(car whooshing)

- [Narrator] Security has always been

about protecting what matters most.

From boardrooms

to battlefields, (explosion booms)

from physical spaces to digital realms,

women have transformed this industry

by asking different questions

and helping find different solutions.

Their journeys, often unexpected and always remarkable,

reveal that security strength lies not in uniformity,

but in multiplicity of thought.

Alongside them stand the male allies and mentors,

who recognize talent, regardless of gender,

who open doors and champion change within organizations.

Together, they've created pathways that didn't exist before.

As threats evolve, so too must our approach.

This shared legacy isn't just about the past,

it's a blueprint for a future where security is strengthened

by the full spectrum of human potential.

- To any young women or girls out there

who are considering joining the security industry,

I would say you are welcome here.

The security industry needs different perspectives

to make sure that we're really addressing challenges

at the root cause.

So for anyone considering it, I would say lean in.

It's an industry where you can have a positive impact

on your team, your community, and ultimately, the world.

- The reason that I think women should seek positions

in the security field

is because we are trying to shift a paradigm.

And in order to do that, then we need you.

We need you to be in the field of security,

to break that glass ceiling

that we have been talking about for decades,

to get to that level of equity

that we seek to build here in this industry.

And we cannot do it without you.

- I think it's what makes us that much stronger

and that much more capable,

and really true leaders in this industry,

because of our world experiences,

because of how we have to navigate the world each

and every day as women with our identities.

And so I would absolutely recommend

that not only you get into security,

but please stay in security,

and please don't let other people deter you,

as they may try to do at points in your journey,

because we need you,

and we need more women in positions of power

in the security industry for the security of ourselves,

our families, our society, and the world.

- Really, what we're finding from our members

within the security profession is so ever-evolving,

it's so fast-paced.

No two days are ever the same.

And also the career growth and advancement opportunities,

they're so plentiful.

So there's so many spaces

that women could go within cybersecurity.

And then once they get in,

let their curiosity continue to navigate them

throughout their careers,

even up to, you know, leadership and executive roles.

That's really where we wanna see more women.

It's hard to be what you cannot see.

And we need that really strong female representation

at those higher-level positions as well.

So with us,

we're seeing a lot of individuals stepping into the space

because they are powerful, mission-focused,

and really moving forward, because they believe in it,

the good work that they're doing,

it's saving and protecting communities and families,

and individuals, and companies that they work for.

So it's a really powerful space to be in.

And they're stepping up

for the challenge each and every day for it.

- The one piece of advice

that I often give to younger professionals,

especially women, is when you begin to see success,

and you are awarded roles that you rightfully deserve,

oftentimes, when you look around,

those that you see that are successful

in that role are males.

And so oftentimes,

it's easy for women to then take a look at their game plan,

"How did the males become successful?

What was their playbook? What do they do?

How do I mirror that, because I wanna be successful too."

And that oftentimes

is not the direction that I recommend women take.

It's your uniqueness as a woman.

It's your different skill sets, your perspective,

your creativity, your attention to detail,

all of those things that got you the role to begin with,

all of those things

that people see as a value-add to the organization,

to the team, to the group, to the project.

Continue to believe in yourself,

be authentic to your strategy,

to how you problem-solve, for your contributions.

And not feeling like in order to be successful,

even though you may not see the representation

at the leadership level with women,

your playbook does not need to read the same

as your male counterparts.

So be authentic to who you are,

trust your process, continue to learn and grow.

And that's the value that you bring.

And that's so needed in the industry, again,

to support the diversity of thought

and really move us forward.

- I would say be curious as much as possible

around all the potential avenues and pathways

that come with the security industry.

There are so many challenges

and opportunities available to us.

And our future is bright in the space.

There's so much, you know,

changing and evolving over time as we experience challenges.

And so there's a great opportunity

for innovation and thought, and new ideas.

And I think that is one of the most exciting things for us

in the security industry, is to be able to come in.

And maybe we don't have the background of 30-plus years,

but we have fresh,

new ideas that can be brought into these discussions.

- I think we've made huge inroads, and I'll say that.

I don't think it's been enough, and I can't wait for more.

I taught in the graduate school part-time

at Northeastern University for 25 years,

you know, a lot of security management and technology,

and advanced leadership courses.

And my classes were, for the most part, men.

And the last class I taught a few years ago,

I walked into the room, and there was a room full of women.

And I actually turned around, true story, and walked out,

and said, "I'm sorry, I have the wrong room."

And one of them came out after me,

and she said, "Advanced security management?"

And I said, "Yes."

And she said, "You have the right room."

And that class was all women and one man.

And I thought, "Okay, my work is a little bit done here."

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