The Cyber Guild Honors Eight Capital Region Cybersecurity Leaders at Third Annual Cybersecurity Awards Ceremony

TYSONS CORNER, Va., Dec. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cyber Guild, the only Virginia cybersecurity trade association, honored eight Capital Region cybersecurity leaders at this year's third annual Cybersecurity Awards ceremony held on December 8 at Refraction.

"The Cyber Guild is helping to advance the criticality of cybersecurity and workforce diversity among cybersecurity professionals," said Debbie Sallis, Executive Director for The Cyber Guild. "We know that it takes a village to make cybersecurity a priority and with help from this year's awardees, we are well on our way to achieving our mission."

This year's honorees were selected from nominations across six different award categories and represent the best of the cybersecurity industry in the nation's capital region, including innovative supply chain practices in security, intelligence community veterans, community and alliance experts, and security technical leaders that have been impactful on the cyber community.

Cybersecurity is the largest growing threat to national security and commerce in our country.

The 2021 Cyber Guild award winners are:

Emerging leader - Individual
Alison King, Legislative Affairs Advisor, CISA
An individual with an entrepreneurial mindset who through their leadership and advocacy is rapidly becoming an influencer within the Cyber community.  

Emerging leader –Company
David Maskeroni, CEO and Co-founder, Aquia Inc 
An organization role modeling the advancement of cybersecurity, and diversity, in the broadest sense; investing and delivering new technologies, ways of working and dynamic partnership to help safeguard organizations impacted by cyberattacks and to grow a sustainable cyber workforce.

Changemaker
Brian McMahon, CEO, Bandura Cyber
A leader who is advancing the cybersecurity ecosystem by setting new standards, implementing new technologies and/ or educating organizations and the greater community about the importance of cyber. 

Warrior
Jennifer Bisceglie, CEO, Interos
An energetic personality who creates trusted relationships to get ahead of adversaries and who solves current and emerging threats by applying innovative technology and sustaining robust networks.  

Ambassador
Bryan Ware, CEO, Next5
A respected advocate and powerful connector in the sector, who activates leaders and decision makers to enable positive change across the private and public sectors.

Luminaires
Teresa Shea, Vice President, Cyber Offense and Defense Experts, Raytheon Intelligence and Space
Honorable Ellen Lord, former Undersecretary Acquisition and Sustainment at the U.S. Department of Defense
Trailblazers who emulate the importance of cyber as "part of the fabric of everyday living" in their leadership of their organization/sector/community and a role model in advancing "opportunities to be as universal as talent".

Alliance leader
Esther Lee, CEO Refraction
An individual disrupting business as usual, educating organizations and the greater community about the importance of cyber hygiene, implementing security standards and advocating for engagement.

"I am humbled to be recognized by the Cyber Guild whose work to convene and communicate national security issues related to cybersecurity is truly making a meaningful impact to our nation," said Ellen Lord, Cyber Guild honoree and former Undersecretary Acquisition and Sustainment at the U.S. Department of Defense.

The mission of the Cyber Guild is to continually advance cybersecurity by attracting diversity to all levels of the industry, unifying allies across the private and public sector, and ensuring opportunities are as universal as talent. Now more than ever, the Cyber Guild is working to build awareness to fill the skills and talent shortage with partners and collaboration in a focused trade association.

"I am honored by the recognition and happy to play a small part in the Cyber Guild's work to promote cybersecurity and workforce diversity," said Bryan Ware, Cyber Guild honoree and CEO of Next5."

This year's awards were sponsored by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority Leidos, NeoSystems, and Verisign.

Contact
Debbie Sallis
Executive Director
[email protected]

About The Cyber Guild
The Cyber Guild is the trade association representing the national capital region's cyber security sector.  Founded in 2019 as a 501 c6 and c3, with deep roots in promoting cyber security sector diversity and inclusion with Uniting Women in Cyber, www.unitingwomenincyber.com. The Cyber Guild serves companies from all sectors of the industry, from small businesses and startups to Fortune 100 companies, as well as service providers, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations by advancing cybersecurity as part of the "fabric of everyday living", within their communities, network and or organization (private, public, not for profit, federal). 

SOURCE The Cyber Guild, Inc.