Team8’s CISO Village, alongside prominent partners NYSE, AWS, SVB, Meitar, and Goodwin, has announced the inaugural Cyber25: Women of Impact List, spotlighting female leaders transforming the cybersecurity landscape.
The honorees, announced at an exclusive event held on the New York Stock Exchange trading floor, represent a diverse cross-section of cybersecurity talent across four categories: CISOs, Founders, Thought Leaders, and C-Level Executives.
Notable honorees include United Airlines’ VP and CISO Deneen DeFiore, Experian’s Global CISO Sara Andrews, and Amazon’s CISO for Corporate Services, Melissa Bishop. The list also acknowledges nonprofit leaders including Ruthe Farmer, CEO of Last Mile Education Fund, which has invested over $12 million supporting nearly 10,000 low-income tech undergraduates.
“I’m proud to be part of this distinguished group of women leading the charge in cybersecurity,” said Farmer during the ceremony. “Elevating women in cyber not only addresses our industry’s talent shortage but also brings diverse perspectives and vision to the field.”
The honorees were selected from hundreds of nominations by a distinguished panel that evaluated candidates based on leadership, industry impact, innovation, and commitment to advancing women in cybersecurity.
Judge Kaitlin Betancourt, Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity partner at Goodwin, emphasized the importance of recognition: “I am honored to be a judge for Cyber 25 Women of Impact to honor women who have, and continue to, shape the future of cybersecurity through their excellence, innovation, and accomplishments.”
The initiative comes at a critical time when the cybersecurity industry faces both talent shortages and increasing threats, with diverse leadership widely recognized as essential to developing comprehensive security strategies.
Team8’s CISO Village facilitates collaboration among chief information security officers from leading global enterprises, focusing on sharing information, discussing industry trends, and generating value for all participants.
