One for the books

I can vividly remember the first time I heard about Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC). It was during an in-person interview with Lisa Jiggetts, the Founder & Former CEO, for a PBS Documentary Life Hackers. Her candid nature and member-focused nonprofit allowed me to form an instant connection with her and Cyberjutsu. As a non-white female grad student, I did not feel like I fit in technically nor socially (most of my classmates had 25+ years of experience and I hadn’t even lived those number of years on this planet). #CyberjutsuTribe allowed me to enhance my technical chops and soft skills in a safe space.

From attending one of the first workshops on the West Coast, to creating the Chapter Framework, to starting a chapter, to lately serving as the COO, my journey with Cyberjutsu continued through the years to ensure no other ‘Mansi’ felt alone in this industry. I take pride in the culture of sustainable impact-driven expansion we cultivated.

• With 6+ chapter leadership teams, we evolved our physical presence from a basement in Northern Virginia to 6+ national chapters. This allows WSC to offer customized opportunities to Network-Empower-Lead our 3000+ membership base.
• With a webinar team, we built upon our Career Conversations to offer A Day in the Life of and soon to release Cert Survivor Stories. With over a dozen under our belt, these webinars provide deeper insights into and help our members navigate the plethora of roles and certifications in the Information Security Industry.
• With a dedicated Advisory Board & Leadership, we developed new technical initiatives such as Wicked 6, the first ever cybersecurity meets e-sports for a cause. The college participants have a chance to test their skills in a collaborative manner on a global platform.
• With a social media team, we transformed our digital communication from adhoc posts to a cohesive strategy that pans social media platforms and tools. The increased followers & engagements with the content, speaks for itself.

See a pattern yet?

You did this, Cyberjutsu! As we enter our 10th year in 2022, it’s time to pass the COO torch. While we identify the next visionary, Mari Galloway (mari.galloway@cyberjutsu.org)  will assume the additional responsibilities effective July 1^st, 2021.

Among the long list of individuals, I would like to thank for these years are Lisa for taking a chance on a n00b and Mari for trusting me to be your right-hand all these years.

I could have not asked for a more supportive Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team, and Volunteer Leads. I value the friendships I have cultivated with each one of you. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your COO these last three years.

To my CyberjutsuTribe, the level playing field for minorities in tech is evolving faster than it has ever before and I’m beyond excited to see how you grow and thrive. As always, I’m just a text or Twitter DM away if you need me.