Canadian Women in Cybersecurity: Fostering Diversity and Leadership in the Cyber Sector
The Canadian Women in Cybersecurity event provided a vital forum dedicated to promoting diversity, leadership, and knowledge sharing among female executives and professionals in the security field. Held at the The Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto, the forum brought together influential figures from finance, government, technology, and academia to discuss the industry’s most pressing challenges and future opportunities.
Core Themes and Highlights
The central theme was the empowerment and advancement of women within the technology and cybersecurity domains, coupled with high-level discussions on complex security topics. Key highlights included:
Diversity and Talent Pipeline:
Discussions focused on addressing the talent gap and building a more inclusive industry, featuring leaders like Rola Dagher (Cisco Canada) and insights from organizations like YWCA Canada and Cybersecure Catalyst.
Privacy and Governance:
Sessions on data protection were critical, with contributions from privacy advocates like Dr. Ann Cavoukian and experts in strategy and policy, including Cat Coode and Sherry Rumbolt (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat).
Financial and Critical Infrastructure Security:
With strong representation from major financial institutions (RBC, BMO, CIBC, Scotiabank) and energy/utility sectors (OPG), the event heavily featured insights into defending large-scale, critical enterprise environments.
Venue, Speakers, and Sponsors
Venue: The event was hosted at The Westin Harbour Castle, a significant venue that facilitated a large gathering of industry executives and provided a professional setting for collaboration.
Speakers:
The speaker roster was extensive and highly distinguished, featuring an impressive balance of both women and men in senior roles. Notable women leaders included: Diana Kelley (Microsoft), Olivera Zatezalo (OPG), Melissa Carvalho (RBC), Vicky Laurens (BMO), and Dr. Gina Cody (Concordia University). Policy and political perspectives were provided by David Piccini, MPP, Jill Dunlop, MPP, and Mayor Shaun Collier, emphasizing the importance of public sector involvement.
Sponsors:
The forum demonstrated immense industry support through its broad range of sponsors. Key technology sponsors included major players like AWS, BELL, IBM, JUNIPER NETWORK, and ZSCALER. Financial and professional service firms such as MNP, PwC Canada, and ISACA Toronto Chapter were prominent. The robust regional support from organizations like the Durham Region, Town of Ajax, and City of Oshawa highlighted a strong local commitment to cybersecurity awareness and education.
YouTube Playlist
While the recap article is provided here, attendees and interested parties can find related video content, event highlights, and session recordings by checking the official YouTube channel playlists provided by the organizer, siberX, at:
