WiCyS Debuts GRC Intensive Training Program to Prepare the Next Generation of Risk and Compliance Leaders

The new training program equips early to mid-career professionals with hands-on governance, risk and compliance experience aligned to real-world enterprise needs.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is expanding its professional development offerings with the launch of the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Intensive Training Program, a 14-week cohort-based initiative designed to provide early to mid-career cybersecurity professionals with practical, in-demand skills and experience aligned with real-world enterprise needs.

As organizations increasingly prioritize risk management, security governance and regulatory compliance, GRC roles have become critical for assessing risk, communicating security posture and aligning technical controls with business objectives. The WiCyS GRC Intensive Training Program addresses this demand by offering participants applied, experiential learning grounded in widely adopted frameworks.

The program is designed and led by Mea Clift, Founder and Lead Instructor, who brings extensive experience guiding organizations through complex risk management and compliance initiatives. Through a structured, cohort-based model, participants gain exposure to GRC concepts and practical skills often difficult to acquire without direct on-the-job experience. The curriculum includes core GRC principles, NIST risk management, policy development, control implementation and supporting methodologies.

Reflecting on the importance of GRC education and hands-on learning, Clift shared:

"Cybersecurity has so many facets and components that touch all areas of technology, processes and business function. Understanding that interplay, identifying an organization's areas of strength and weakness, coupled with an understanding of explaining risk, is imperative for professionals in the space. GRC provides that. It gives that visibility, that ability to not only explain risks and roadmaps to mitigation, but provide evidence-based information on the evolving maturity of the organization," said Mea Clift.

"GRC is the gateway to so many opportunities in a myriad of avenues in cybersecurity; it can be one of the most enlightening educational paths to take in the field. Being able to provide hands-on experience for women in the space allows me to share my knowledge and experience with the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, helping them navigate a realm that has historically been challenging to understand without being ingrained in an organization and doing the work on a day-to-day basis. It is so energizing to me to see students go from only basic understanding at the beginning of the course to being able to present a security posture by the end, and the confidence they gain during that time keeps me excited for what's to come in cybersecurity at large," she shared.

The GRC Intensive Training Program is part of WiCyS's broader mission to expand access to high-impact professional development opportunities that support career mobility and leadership pathways for women in cybersecurity. The program targets early- to mid-career professionals looking to build and strengthen in-demand governance, risk and compliance (GRC) skills through collaborative, hands-on learning.

"The GRC Intensive Training Program reflects our commitment to making comprehensive cybersecurity education more accessible to women around the world," said Lynn Dohm, Executive Director of WiCyS. "By combining structured instruction, peer collaboration, industry feedback and real-world tools like Compyl, participants gain the confidence and practical understanding needed to excel in governance, risk and compliance roles."

Applications for the inaugural cohort will open on January 7, 2026, and close on January 26, 2026. The program will run from February 23, 2026, through June 25, 2026.

For more information on the WiCyS GRC Intensive Training Program, visit https://www.wicys.org/benefits/grc-intensive-training-program/ or contact [email protected].

Join WiCyS today to access this exclusive member opportunity: https://www.wicys.org/benefits/.

About Women in CyberSecurity
Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is a nonprofit organization with international reach dedicated to the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in cybersecurity. Founded by Dr. Ambareen Siraj through a National Science Foundation grant given to Tennessee Tech University in 2013, WiCyS offers opportunities, trainings, events and resources for its community and members. Strategic partners include Tier 1: Akamai Technologies, Amazon, Bloomberg, Cisco, Ford Motor Company, Google, Lockheed Martin, Optum, Palo Alto Networks, SANS Institute, SentinelOne. Tier 2: Abbvie, Adobe, Flare, Microsoft, Navy Federal Credit Union, PayPal, PSEG Services Corporation, Tenable, The MITRE Corporation, Workday. To partner, visit http://www.wicys.org/support/strategic-partnerships/.

SOURCE Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)