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2017
Women
in Security
Awards

Sponsored by Duo Security

We’re recognizing the contributions that women are making to inspire a new generation to transform the security industry.

we’re looking for:

  • Significant contributions to the fields of information security and privacy
  • Exceptional knowledge, leadership, and professionalism in technical, academic, or commercial domains
  • Community involvement in the security industry beyond day-to-day employment
  • Sharing knowledge, providing mentorship, and encouraging the empowerment and success of women in the security industry and related causes
Nominations are Now Closed

Awards & Prizes

  • Registration, flight, and hotel
    accommodations for RSA Conference
  • A $2,500 stipend

Academic Award

for full-time students or staff members in an academic institution

Industry Award

for professionals in the security industry

2017 Award
Winners

Whitney Merrill headshot

Industry Award

Whitney Merrill

Federal Trade Commission

More about Whitney

Whitney Merrill is an attorney at the Federal Trade Commission. She received her master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she explored issues associated with the intersection of technology, information security, privacy, and the law. During her time at UIUC, she was an Illinois Cyber Security Scholar and member of the Illinois Security Lab. Whitney also runs the Crypto & Privacy Village, which appears at DEF CON & other conferences each year.

Katelyn Coberley headshot

Academic Award

Katelyn Coberley

More about Katelyn

Katelyn's pursuit of her B.S. in Information Assurance at Eastern Michigan University sparked a passion for cybersecurity and encouraging involvement in the field. Throughout her time at Eastern, she co-founded a Women in IA student group and led multiple sessions of the Digital Divas program for hundreds of young high school and middle school girls exploring STEM careers. She graduated magna cum laude in December 2016.

2016 Award
Winners

Industry Award

Scotland Symons

Senior Security Architect,
Microsoft

More about Scotland

At Microsoft, Scotland brings her skills of Security Architecture and Design to the company’s new products and services. She created secure applications and processes in Windows, Xbox, and the back end architecture of Microsoft's online presence. Scotland was also a chair director for Microsoft's Diversity driving LGBTQ policy both inside and outside of the company.

Academic Award

Jennifer Granick

Director of Civil Liberties,
Stanford's Center for Information & Society

More about Jennifer

Jennifer studies, writes, and practices in the areas of computer crime and security, electronic surveillance, consumer privacy, data protection, and free speech. In addition to being known as an academic and policy professional of the highest caliber, she has also remained incredibly connected to the practicing privacy and information security communities.

2015 Award
Winners

Industry Award

Parisa Tabriz

Chrome Security Manager,
Google

More about Parisa

Parisa received her B.S. and M.S. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and was advised by Nikita Borisov. She manages Google's information security engineering team at Google, which is responsible for improving Google's product security.

Academic Award

Rachel Sitarz

Graduate Assistant,
Purdue University

More about Rachel

Rachel is a PhD student at Purdue University, studying Cyber Forensics in the College of Technology. She currently works at Purdue University as an IT Security Analyst where she builds analytical and intelligence products for security threats and concerns to Purdue University.

2017 Judges

  • Scotland Symons,
    Senior Security Architect / Manager, Microsoft
  • Parisa Tabriz,
    Princess of Security, Google
  • Rachel Sitarz,
    CEO, Cyber Inform
  • Wendy Nather,
    Principal Security Strategist, Duo Security
  • Dug Song,
    CEO, Duo Security
  • Jon Oberheide,
    CTO, Duo Security

Nominations are Now Closed

Nominations are open to the public. Nominees are then narrowed to a pool of finalists by judges who are leaders in security. Winners will be notified in November 2016 and publicly announced at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, February 13 - 17, 2017