The IT Services Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Women Leaders in Cybersecurity IT Services of 2021. These women leaders represent some of the most prominent IT organizations that provide clients across the public and private sectors with ongoing cybersecurity services. They have amassed decades of experience in the industry resulting in a multitude of achievements distinguishing their services as best-in-class. As cybersecurity remains a pressing concern across the board, their expertise has enabled their firms to effectively identify and mitigate clients’ cyber threats, while also advising on overall cybersecurity strategy and implementation.
Amid a talented pool of nominees, these women set themselves apart through their insights into customer needs, ability to drive new business partnerships, depth of industry experience, and contributions to the field. Within a competitive market, their companies have solidified themselves as leaders across quality assurance, consulting, network security, backup and disaster recovery, and other areas. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 25 Women Leaders in Cybersecurity IT Services of 2021.
1. Chua Sock Koong
Company: Singtel
Title: Group Chief Executive Officer
Until the beginning of 2021, Chua Sock Koong was the Group Chief Executive Officer for Singtel, a multinational telecommunications conglomerate. After announcing her retirement near the end of 2020, Chua will be taking on the role of Senior Advisor to the Chairman to aid in the transition. Headquartered in Singapore, Singtel has 140 years of operating experience and even played a pivotal role in the country's development as a major communications hub. Singtel is currently the largest mobile network operator in Singapore, serving over 700 million mobile customers around the world. With a global staff exceeding 23,000, Singtel is also the second-largest company by market capitalization to be listed on the Singapore Exchange.
Appointed Group CEO in 2007, Chua has become one of Asia's most powerful businesswomen. With the advent of the digital economy in recent years, she has been driving Singtel's ongoing transformation from a traditional telco into a communications technology company. Before helming Singtel as Group CEO, Chua served in various key capacities within the company, most notably CEO international and group CFO, after first joining as treasurer in 1989, giving her an impressive tenure of 31 years at the company. In 2019, she became the first woman to join Singapore's Council of Presidential Advisers when she was made an alternate member by President Halimah Yacob. She was appointed a full member of the council in 2020. Chua holds a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from the University of Singapore, having graduated with first honors.
2. Laura Nielsen
Company: Ankura
Title: Managing Director
Laura Nielsen is a Managing Director at Ankura, a consulting firm that provides insights in multiple domains, from government issues to complex business challenges, to legal proceedings. The Washington, D.C.-based firm significantly increased its profile and gained a global footprint in 2018 when it acquired Navigant's disputes, forensics, and legal technology (DFLT) segment and transaction advisory services (TAS) practice for $470 million. Launched in 2014, the company has grown to a workforce of 1,500 employees in over 30 offices, with annual revenues of more than $500 million. In 2019, Ankura was recognized as one of the five fastest-growing consulting companies for 2019 by Consulting Magazine. The Washington Business Journal also ranked Ankura #8 on its list of Fastest Growing Companies in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. This was the second consecutive year that Ankura had been recognized in this category.
Nielsen brings to her role over 19 years of experience performing complex data management and analysis, including database design and development, data conversion, and data analysis services. She has led hundreds of cybersecurity investigation and data mining analysis incidents and has analyzed complex financial and accounting issues for corporate clients. She has worked with companies in numerous industries, including finance, healthcare, utilities, government, and construction. She previously worked in senior roles in consulting with both Tucker Alan, Inc. and Navigant Consulting. Nielsen received her Bachelor of Science degree in international business from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver.
3. Lisa Schreiber
Company: Forcepoint
Title: Chief Customer Success Officer
Lisa Schreiber is the Chief Customer Success Officer at Forcepoint, a global software company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Launched in 1994, the company has undergone many significant changes over the years, eventually going public in 2000 at the peak of the dot-com bubble. They offer their clients protection against security threats and data breaches through web and email. Forcepoint, which is now Raytheon’s wholly-owned business, saw its 2019 full-year net sales rise 4% to $658 million. Currently, the company protects data and identities for thousands of enterprises and government customers in more than 150 countries.
As Forcepoint’s CCSO, Schreiber is responsible for Forcepoint's global customer capabilities, overall customer experience from acquisition to retention, as well as sustainable growth of the global portfolio. With more than twenty years of professional experience, Schreiber has a proven track record in driving and scaling success and she consistently delivers improved customer experience and growth for Fortune 500 and high-growth start-up software enterprises. Most recently, she was vice president of North America customer support services at Oracle. She also held executive positions at GoldenGate Software, Schwab, and U.S. Trust, among others. Schreiber also serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information, while regularly speaking at schools on the importance of STEM careers. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Pittsburgh.
4. Svetlana Pravdina
Company: A1QA
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Svetlana Pravdina is the Chief Executive Officer of A1QA, a company that provides independent software Quality Assurance (QA) and testing services across multiple industries. Headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, the company has testing labs placed throughout Europe, where over 800 A1QA engineers have already completed more than 1,500 projects worldwide. Since 2003, the company has earned a reputation as a leading international quality assurance provider, whose impressive client list includes Fortune 500 organizations. The ISO/IEC 27001 certified company continues to grow and gain industry recognition. A1AQ was included in the "20 Leading Software Testing Providers" by TEST Magazine in both 2018 and 2019, while earlier this year Pravdina's company was announced as a finalist for the 2020 Deloitte European Software Testing Awards.
Since 2008, A1QA has flourished under Pravdina's guidance as CEO. With a creative and complex approach to her leadership, she has ensured the expansion of her company by balancing her focus on the profits of today with the landscape of tomorrow. Previously, Pravdina launched programs such as the "QA Academy," a training center that advanced skills for interns and employees at the company. In 2011, Pravdina also started "A1QA Summer," a software testing forum where testing gurus and QA practitioners could hone their skills. Pravdina received a degree in Applied Mathematics as well as her Master of Business Administration degree from Belarusian State University.
5. Elaine Bellock
Company: ProSys Information Systems
Title: President
Elaine Bellock is the President of ProSys Information Systems, a leading provider of advanced IT solutions and professional services for the past 23 years. Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, the company has a robust workforce of 300 employees that generate over $60 million each year. The many offerings ProSys provides to its partners include data center and virtualization, unified communications, wireless networks, enterprise security, and contact center solutions. In addition to holding some of the highest-level certifications with many of the industry’s leading manufacturers, ProSys has racked up numerous awards over the years. Most recently, the company was recognized as Cisco Customer Experience Partner of the Year in 2018.
In 2020, Bellock joined the ProSys team, bringing with her more than 30 years of professional experience. Before that, Bellock was the president of Applied Computer Solutions, which thrived under her ability to balance executive direction with daily operations in all facets of the business. Bellock has also served in vital leadership positions at tech companies such as Star Solutions and Mitchell International. She is a graduate of South Tyneside College and the Putteridge Business School.
6. Carolyn Labatt
Company: Computer Solutions
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Carolyn Labatt is the Chief Executive Officer of Computer Solutions, a leading provider of complex technology business solutions throughout the South Texas region. Since 1984, when Labatt purchased the company, Computer Solutions has evolved from an Apple retail store to a diverse IT powerhouse, with a client base that has grown to approximately 300 companies across San Antonio and South Texas. Today, the company's staff provides IT infrastructure solutions to corporate and public sector customers that include routing and switching, wireless, unified communication – voice and video, and security and data center solutions. It has top-level partnerships with Cisco Systems, H.P., EMC, Lenovo, VMware, and Microsoft. Under Labatt's leadership, Computer Solutions has been recognized as a top achiever with many awards and is regularly listed as one of the "Top 50 Private Companies" and "Best Places to Work" in San Antonio, where the company is headquartered.
Labatt briefly worked in sales for Information Resources Inc. and ComputerLand of San Antonio before beginning her 36-year tenure with Computer Solutions. In addition to being CEO of Computer Solutions, Labatt serves on numerous community boards including Broadway Bank, the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, CTRC, the Southwest Research Institute Board of Advisors, and the World Affairs Council. Labatt has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance from Southern Methodist University and has received many honors including Outstanding Small Business Leader in San Antonio, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award from NAWBO.
7. Payal Kamdar
Company: VSolvit
Title: Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Payal Kamdar is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of VSolvit, an award-winning technology services company that provides government agencies with fully screened, security-cleared, and qualified professionals. Based in Ventura County, California, the company gained momentum in 2010 when it was awarded a five-year, $14.5-million contract to provide geospatial and information technology services to the USDA's Rural Development Agency. Under Kamdar's leadership, VSolvit (pronounced: "We Solve it") has won multiple awards at a national level, successfully executed a single-award contract with a $500 million ceiling value, and has grown from a modest 2-person company in 2006 to an over 200-person organization today.
VSolvit's success is largely the result of its entrepreneurial CEO, who is involved in all aspects of her fast-growing tech firm. She is both PMP and GISP certified. Before she started her company, Kamdar honed her expertise as director of database development at California Lutheran University. She is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. In 2014, Goldman Sachs recognized the CEO as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs that year. Other awards include being selected as the 2012 Minority Businessperson of the Year by the SBA and receiving the award for Los Angeles Minority Businessperson of the Year in 2013. Kamdar received her Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from California State University-San Bernardino, and later her Master of Science degree in geographic information systems from the University of Redlands.
8. Margi Shaw
Company: Nitel
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Margi Shaw is the Chief Operating Officer of Nitel, a national telecom management service provider. Based in Chicago, Nitel's clients benefit from next-generation telecom services that are managed through the company's proprietary mobile application. Included in the company's robust portfolio of services are MPLS, Ethernet, Internet, private line, voice, and managed security. Launched in 2004, the company hit a major milestone in 2017 when it pulled in more than $100 million in annual revenue. In addition, the company is regularly featured in the Inc. 5000 list for America's fastest-growing private companies, on top of their established reputation as being one of the best companies to work for in the Chicago area.
Throughout her career, Shaw has demonstrated the ability to lead high-growth technology companies by balancing strategy and innovation with customer-centric operations. When Shaw joined Nitel as COO earlier this year, she brought over 30 years of technology and leadership experience to the company. Most recently she served as the president and CEO of First Communications, LLC. Shaw also served as COO at CIMCO Communications, using her leadership and customer-first approach to drive aggressive growth for nearly a decade. In addition, Shaw has shown a strong commitment to philanthropy. She is not only the Co-Chair of Advocacy for the Alliance of Channel Women, but she also volunteers as a mentor. The high-powered executive received her degree from Bowling Green State University.
9. Rebecca Andino
Company: Highlight Technologies
Title: Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Rebecca Andino is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Highlight Technologies, a woman-owned government contracting firm that has been providing technology consulting services since 2007. Based in Fairfax, Virginia, the company helps federal agencies modernize their technology systems by providing IT development and transformation, secure IT operations, and mission support services. As a testimony to the company’s growth and success, Highlight Technologies has been repeatedly acknowledged in the industry for its specialized expertise. In recent years, the company has landed numerous recognitions, including spots in the Washington Business Journal's Top 30 Small Technology Companies list, Virginia’s Fantastic 50 Awards, and Washington Technology's Fast 50 list.
More than just a successful CEO, Andino has supported federal agencies for over 20 years, both as a database developer and as a project manager. Since launching her company, she has led Highlight Technologies to achieve steady, profitable growth, currently managing numerous prime contracts across a large number of government agencies. Known for her passion for innovative technology, Andino is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and is Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations certified. In 2018, she was named AFCEA International Small Businessperson of the year. Andino has a Bachelor of Science degree in linguistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Science degree in computational linguistics from Georgetown University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the George Washington University.
10. Jeanette Prenger
Company: ECCO Select
Title: Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer
Jeanette Prenger is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of ECCO Select, an award-winning technology company specializing in IT professional services and staff augmentation. Prenger started her entrepreneurial journey at ECCO Select over 25 years ago and has since built it up from the ground floor into a world-class firm with over 300 employees globally and offices in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. In 2015, ECCO Select was named a Champion of Business, previously winning the award two years earlier. As a growing and successful company, ECCO Select holds multiple prime and subcontracts with the federal government, including a Streamlined Technology Acquisition Resources for Services (STARS) contract by the General Services Administration.
Known for her phenomenal energy level, Prenger directs all facets of her company's internal operations, ensuring that ECCO Select maintains its strong reputation as a leader in the IT services sector. She is widely recognized for corporate, civic, and philanthropic work, serving on a long list of boards dedicated to helping the community. Consequently, Prenger is a recipient of numerous awards for her achievements in business and generosity in the community, most recently being selected by Enterprising Women Magazine as a "Top 20 in 2020" Award winner. She serves in an advisory position for The Latino Coalition, an organization serving the Hispanic business community. The tireless CEO is also on the board of the New York-based Orphaned Starfish Foundation, which provides technology to orphanages in Spanish-speaking countries and Ethiopia. Prenger received her Bachelor of Science degree in management information systems from Park University.
11. Lisa Alferieff
Company: TCG, Inc.
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Lisa Alferieff is the Chief Operating Officer of TCG, an award-winning contractor that provides custom IT solutions and consulting services to the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in the DC metropolitan area, the company has grown from a one-man operation, into an industry leader with a workforce north of 100 employees. During its over 26 years of operation, the firm has helped save the U.S. government hundreds of millions of dollars by restructuring technological processes to improve cost and efficiency. The multiple awards that TCG has received demonstrate the benefits of its innovative approaches. Notably, TCG's steady upward growth curve has caused it to land on the Inc. 500/5000 list on several occasions. While in 2019, the government contractor was ranked No. 11 out of 25 companies on the Washington Business Journal’s Top-Performing Small Technology Companies in Greater D.C. list.
A PMP-certified project manager, Alferieff uses her over 23 years of IT management experience to oversee TCG’s operations, particularly engagements at the Executive Office of the President and Treasury of the United States. In 2012, Alferieff was recognized as an FCW Rising Star, a federal award program that recognizes top employees who have precociously made a mark in the government information technology community. Four years later, the COO was a recipient of the 2016 Brava Award, which celebrates the achievements of 40 Greater Washington "powerhouse female business leaders." Alferieff has a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from the State University of New York at Geneseo. In addition, she holds a certificate from the Columbia Business School Executive Education program.
12. Heather Surber
Company: RiskIQ
Title: Vice President, Customer Retention
Heather Surber is the Vice President of Customer Retention for RiskIQ. The company draws from a 10-year history in the application and network space to fuel security intelligence to detect and respond to cyberattacks and precisely identify clients’ attack surface. Furthermore, its security intelligence platform adds context and insights by automating data assembly from IPs, domains, services, ports, hashes, components, and code across the enterprise and third parties. In her current role, Surber is responsible for ensuring customers are successful using their RiskIQ solutions. She has more than 20 years’ experience driving value for customers through their technology platforms, including 11 years of building and leading a customer success organization in the network security software space.
Surber has a strong background in customer success, previously serving in client operations at NeuAnalytics. She was also formerly the VP of customer success at FireMon, where she was the architect and first leader of a customer success organization that was responsible for retaining a customer base of 800+ logos and more than $18 million in annual recurring revenue. At FireMon, she also led a global team of employees who exceeded the targeted customer retention rate and attained a 98% customer satisfaction score by delivering a comprehensive post-sale customer experience. Surber received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
13. Sharon Jimenez
Company: ERP International
Title: Chief Strategy & Growth Officer
Sharon Jimenez is the Chief Strategy and Growth Officer for ERP International, a nationally respected provider of health science and technical services to the DoD and federal civilian agencies in more than 40 states. Founded in 2006, ERP is headquartered in Laurel, Maryland, and is known for its exceptional customer service. The company currently ranks in the top five percent of all companies receiving the independent Dunn and Bradstreet rating. Both Washington Technology and Inc. Magazine also previously ranked ERP among the fastest-growing firms in the nation.
As an executive at the company, Jimenez has had a profound impact on ERP's ability to drive growth in the information technology services industry. Upon her arrival in 2017, she brought over 28 years of experience in bringing information technology and business process management services and solutions to the federal, state, and local government markets. In particular, Jimenez has developed and led capture teams that span from 5 to 40 people to pursue and win $500k to $10 billion in opportunities. On top of her many corporate responsibilities, Jimenez is a benefactor to a number of charitable organizations, most notably the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization, the National Foundation for Cancer Research, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Jimenez attended Tri-State University in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
14. Lisa Parcella
Company: Security Innovation
Title: Vice President of Product Management & Marketing
Lisa Parcella is the Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at Security Innovation, a pioneer in software security. Leveraging interactive training modules, reinforcement assets, and optional integrated phishing solutions, Security Innovation is dedicated to securing and protecting sensitive data in the most challenging digital environments. Since 2002, companies such as Microsoft, Sony, IBM, FedEx, GM, Disney, and Dell have relied on Security Innovation's world-class expertise. In 2019 the company reached several notable milestones, including licensing its computer-based training products to nearly 3 million users, while also being named a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Security Awareness Computer-Based Training.
With a passion for helping others excel in the security space, Parcella's primary role at Security Innovation is to work with customers, prospects, and industry experts to ensure that the company is developing creative solutions that address the needs of a fast-moving global workforce. Recently, Parcella spearheaded the company's Security Awareness 365 program, an innovative mix of computer-based training, multimedia assets, and programmatic tools. On top of that, she currently serves on the Women in Security and Privacy (WISP) Management Team, an organization dedicated to advancing women in the software security field. Before joining Security Innovation, Parcella served as vice president of educational services at Safelight Security. Parcella received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Vermont, before earning her Master of Arts degree from Boston College.
15. Julie Gable
Company: TBConsulting
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Julie Gable is the Chief Operating Officer of TBConsulting, a company that specializes in helping organizations leverage technology to boost performance. Founded in 1996, the company has achieved substantial growth through a series of strong leadership decisions, occasional rebranding, and strategic shifts. To date, they provide a full range of IT offerings, including hosted networks, web development, networking, data recovery, information technology, and systems design services. The Arizona-based company is recognized as a leading MSP in the Southwest, supporting clients across the nation.
As COO of TBConsulting, Gable is responsible for driving traction against strategic goals by providing organizational clarity and keeping the executive leadership team focused and accountable. She is a senior IT and business leader with almost 20 years of experience in directing sustained growth in the technology sector. Previously, she was an executive at Accenture, where she consistently demonstrated her ability to master a wide variety of roles, from team leadership to product development. Gable earned her Bachelor of Science degree in international marketing from Arizona State University.
16. Maria Mastakas
Company: Digital Shadows
Title: Vice President of Sales – Americas
Maria Mastakas is the Vice President of Sales – Americas at Digital Shadows, a market leader in digital risk protection that identifies unwanted exposure, protects against external threats, and minimizes digital risk. Its SearchLight product helps to minimize these risks by detecting data loss, securing online brands, and reducing the attack surface. The San Francisco-based company was founded in 2011 and currently counts major corporations such as Pret, Regeneron, National Australia Bank, and others among its customers. In her current role, Mastakas has demonstrated her ability to rebuild, grow, and create new market opportunities for products and services. She has successfully led two companies to acquisition over the past three years and was named as one of Utah Business Magazine’s 30 Women to Watch.
Mastakas joined the team from Datashield, an existing Digital Shadows partner. Prior to this, she took over Integrated Business Solutions, a value-added reseller founded in 1994, as an owner and president. She restructured the company and built a security division, increasing the revenues from $3 million to $14 million, which led to its acquisition by Datashield in 2015 and was part of the team that led the sale of Datashield to ADT in 2017. She is an experienced executive-level leader specializing in cybersecurity and information technology sales and team-building with a proven track record of increasing sales efficiency and customer retention. Mastakas received her Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Utah and her Master of Business Administration degree in finance and entrepreneurship from Babson College.
17. Karyn Schell
Company: DP Solutions
Title: President
Karyn Schell is the President of DP Solutions, an award-winning Managed Services Provider serving the Mid-Atlantic region. Throughout its 48-year history, the company has used its breadth of technology expertise to provide the benefits of a fully staffed IT department for businesses that don’t have internal IT staff. Backed by a technical team rich in certifications from many leading IT vendors, the company's offerings include managed IT services, managed cloud solutions, backup and disaster recovery, security and compliance consulting, project services, and a 24x7 service desk. The family-owned, multi-generational company is based in Columbia, Maryland. Over the years, DP Solutions has received industry recognition, including earlier this year when they were awarded the Top Winner for both the Best IT Outsourcing Firm and the Best Cyber-Security Company in Maryland by The Daily Record in its 2020 Reader Ranking survey.
Schell was promoted to president in 2018 where her passion for all things IT has had a vital impact on the company's current success. Before that, Schell joined DP Solutions in 2007 as a project manager and distribution applications specialist. Then in 2010, she was appointed as operations manager and took on responsibility for all of the product and service delivery aspects of the organization. In 2011, Schell was promoted to the role of vice president of operations, and in this capacity, she developed her executive skills in preparation for her future role as President. Currently, Schell has 27 years of experience supporting distribution and manufacturing efforts in operations, logistics, and account management. She received her degree from Stevenson University.
18. Jodi Lare
Company: Quotient Inc.
Title: Co-Founder and Board Chair
Jodi Lare is the Co-Founder and Board Chair of Quotient Inc., a woman-owned firm that recruits information technology professionals for placement as consultants at government agencies and private employers. Since 1999, the Columbia, Maryland-based company has seen tremendous growth. In the early days, Lare operated the business out of her home, financing it with personal savings and cash advances on her credit cards. Due in large part to its success in obtaining federal government contracts, the firm has since become a major player in the world of information technology. Today, Quotient has been widely successful in the space, generating more than $9 million in sales for 2018 alone.
As Board Chair, Lare is responsible for ensuring that the company meets the highest expectations. Whether she is approving strategic direction, or reviewing financial results, her mission has always been to help people through the use of technology. With a degree in pharmacology and over 20 years of technology and healthcare experience, Lare has been vital to the success story that is Quotient and is dedicated to building a company that would improve people’s health through technology. She also manages to volunteer at and support numerous non-profits in the region. Lare holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland.
19. Poupak Afshar
Company: Easy Dynamics Corporation
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Poupak Afshar is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Easy Dynamics Corporation, a federal and commercial technology services provider based in McLean, Virginia. As a woman-owned small business, Afshar's company delivers highly skilled expertise in the areas of cloud computing, cybersecurity, application development, identity management, and information sharing. Founded in 2006, the company provides the personal touch of a boutique agency, while working in alignment with their customers to solve challenges across complex cybersecurity domains. As Co-Founder, Afshar launched Easy Dynamics realizing that the paradigm shifts in the industry would demand a blend of policy, privacy, and cybersecurity to meet tomorrow's public sector IT challenges. Today, the company generates $18 million in sales.
As CEO, Afshar leads and oversees the delivery of highly secure and innovative technology services and solutions. She's helped U.S. Homeland Security, Navy, and Education pave early adoption of public cloud services while driving a culture of digital identity. Afshar’s focus on Identity, Credentialing, and Access Management (ICAM) has led Easy Dynamics to drive major strategic initiatives at SSA, IRS, DHS, GSA, and the Treasury, a critical component to advancing the adoption of secure cloud services and cross-agency shared services. Afshar studied at the University of Maryland.
20. Honey Shelton
Company: SBS CyberSecurity
Title: Chief Strategy Officer
Honey Shelton is the Chief Strategy Officer at SBS CyberSecurity, a premier cybersecurity consulting and audit firm. Since 2004, the company has been assisting organizations with the implementation of technological solutions that mitigate cybersecurity risks. To date, the tech firm has already worked with thousands of organizations across the United States and abroad, including financial institutions ranging in asset size from $12 million to over $130 billion. As of 2019, SBS CyberSecurity has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America for seven consecutive years. Presently, the company has offices in three locations - Little Rock, AR (Executive), Madison, SD (Corporate), and Nashville, TN (Sales and Operations) - and remote team members located across the country.
With more than 30 years of professional experience, Shelton sets the bar where training and quality improvement issues are concerned. Before joining the SBS team earlier this year, Shelton was the founder and president of InterAction Training, where she was recognized as an expert trainer and one of the nation's best speakers. Her substantial banking background includes spending three years as executive vice president/chief retail banking officer with a $1 billion south Texas bank. She is also certified in Reality Therapy by the William Glasser Institute and completed the Training and Development Program from Texas A&M. Shelton is a graduate of the School of Bank Marketing at the University of Colorado and has been a faculty member for banking schools around the country.
21. Lawana Brockwell
Company: Brockwell Technologies
Title: Chief Executive Officer and Principal
Lawana Brockwell is the Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Brockwell Technologies, a leading provider of cybersecurity, software engineering, and model-based systems and software engineering (MBSE) services. Founded in 1998, the highly regarded company is known for giving top-tier support to some of the industry's largest companies and government organizations. One of the company's biggest clients is the Department of Defense, which looks for support from Brockwell Technologies in the areas of system and software engineering process analysis, IT guidance, and support and technical data package development.
In 2018 Brockwell Technologies created a subsidiary, Brockwell Commercial Solutions, that focuses on providing the same top-tier support that is specialized to meet the needs of the commercial market. After decades of growth, Brockwell Technologies has 65 total employees across all of its locations and generates $6 million in sales. According to employees, Brockwell is a straightforward, humble, and generous leader in her role – virtues that allow the CEO to attract and retain some of the top talent in the industry. The company is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama.
22. Shana Cosgrove
Company: Nyla Technology Solutions
Title: Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer
Shana Cosgrove is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Nyla Technology Solutions, a woman-owned small business that specializes in software systems development for the U.S. government, specifically the Department of Defense. The company's services involve full-stack software engineering, data science and engineering, cloud-based systems administration, and cybersecurity tool development. Founded in 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland, Nyla currently holds three successful prime contracts with the government. In 2019, Nyla was recognized as one of Inc 5000’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies for 2019-2020. That same year, the company was listed among Baltimore Sun’s Best Places to Work.
Cosgrove’s success is largely based on her 20+ years of experience in the world of computer science and systems engineering. In addition to her many duties at Nyla, Cosgrove currently divides her time hosting the Outspoken Podcast, sitting on several boards, while also working as Managing Partner of VitalUP Marketing, a digital agency that brings together artists, influencers, and engineers. Prior to starting Nyla, she wrote software for the Navy's SH-60 helicopter's central control unit, among many significant accomplishments in the military sector. In 2019, she received the Maryland Woman Owned Small Business of the Year award for her leadership and community contribution. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science degree in systems engineering from George Mason University.
23. Lindsay Jencsik
Company: Infotek Consulting LLC
Title Chief Operations Officer
Lindsay Jencsik is the Chief Operations Officer of Infotek, a woman-owned business with an award-winning track record of designing, developing, and deploying best-of-breed technologies. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, the company has a staff of senior scientists and software architects that apply their highly specialized expertise to build innovative solutions for customers worldwide. Already, they have delivered over 600 successful Deltek implementations, 200 cloud migrations, and many other wins for customers. In response, Infotek has received a perfect rating in an independent survey of its customers by Dun & Bradstreet. Notably, the company has also grabbed multiple national awards from DARPA for its continued work in the government sector.
As COO, Jencsik has worked with Deltek products for over 20 years. Before becoming COO, Jencsik worked as a business application consultant with Deltek clients for over 15 years, leading or participating in projects that involved implementations, conversions, integrations, training, and even occasionally filling in as a CFO and controller for clients as requested. Jencsik believes that success starts with each individual. Her goal is to share her knowledge and expertise in government contract accounting and Deltek products with her clients to enable a more efficient and effective means for achieving corporate goals. Jencsik holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and MIS from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Auburn University.
24. Mairead Keaney
Company: Huntsman Security
Title: Head of Europe
Mairead Keaney is the Head of Europe for Huntsman Security, an Australian cybersecurity software developer that focuses on Security threat detection, verification, and resolution. Unique to Huntsman Security is their patented Behavioral Anomaly Detection (BAD) technology which automatically baselines and processes millions of log records to detect malicious activity in real-time to accurately prioritize security and compliance issues. Established in 1999, the company has offices in Sydney and London, with operations in Tokyo and the Philippines. Their extensive client base comprises government departments that include defense, intelligence, social welfare, and law enforcement as well as critical infrastructure organizations. Globally recognized for its innovations in the technology sector, Huntsman Security's Essential 8 Scorecard was the winner of two categories at the TEISS Awards in London earlier this year: Best Compliance Product and Best SME Security Product.
As head of EMEA for her company, Keaney's specialized skills in business have been pivotal in Huntsman Security’s growth during the past 11 years, from its early days to an established global player in the world of cybersecurity. Keaney has 25 years’ experience in senior management and IT roles with Vodafone, Optus, and Lend Lease. Her background working with high-end defense and intelligence sector customers means she sees first-hand where enhanced analytic and intelligent detection and diagnosis should be applied. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in engineering/industrial management from Rathmines College in Dublin, before earning her Master of Science degree in engineering science from the University of New South Wales.
25. Marcie Nagel
Company: Avint LLC
Title: Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Marcie Nagel is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Avint LLC, a computer security consulting firm based in Aldie, Virginia. As the self-described "face of Cybersecurity," the rapidly growing firm provides innovative solutions to federal agencies that are facing attacks on their security. Avint's core service offerings include cybersecurity strategy, engineering, operations, compliance, and management consulting. Founded in 2015, the company is both a federally certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOSB) and holder of the Women-owned Small Business (WOSB) accreditation, awarded through the Small Business Association (SBA).
As a forward-looking leader, Nagel has over two decades of experience across the information assurance and cybersecurity fields, steering cyber innovations within the federal and defense mission spaces. Before her CEO role, Nagel served as the principal and leader of Booz Allen's Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program. During her time there she helmed a team of 170 geographically dispersed cybersecurity experts, engineers, and support staff. Before that, Nagel served as the VP of Cyber Security Programs for VariQ Corporation. Nagel previously served in the United States Air Force where she led Information Assurance Programs within the Air Force Pentagon Communications Agency and overseas. Nagel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from the University of Phoenix and received her Master of Science degree in information assurance from Norwich University. She also holds both CISSP and PMP certifications.
