Matthew RosenquistFounder & CISO Advisor, Cybersecurity Insights · CISO, Cybersecurity Strategist, & Industry Advisor

AYA Ally of the Year Awards 2021 - Video Challenge

23 Feb 2021 · 2 min

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In this video submission for the AYA Ally of the Year Awards 2021, Matthew Rosenquist, a veteran CISO and cybersecurity strategist, defines what it means to be an ally in the security field. He emphasizes that allyship involves recognizing systemic bias that hinders women and underrepresented minorities from entering or advancing in cybersecurity, and actively advocating for equality and equity. Rosenquist argues that diverse teams bring a strategic advantage against attackers, as varied experiences and viewpoints foster innovative problem‑solving. He highlights the underrepresentation of women, calling for their inclusion, and cites Grace Hopper as a personal inspiration—celebrating her technical brilliance, tenacity, and advocacy for equality. The statement concludes that embracing diverse contributions will make the industry, and consequently society, safer.

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I'm Matthew Rosenquist, CISO, cybersecurity strategist, influencer, and 30-year veteran in the security industry. To me, to be an ally is not only to recognize that some groups of people, through no fault of their own, experience bias and obstacles in joining or advancing their cybersecurity career, but to also act and advocate for equality and equity. The cybersecurity industry needs all the incredibly talented people it can get, And those teams which possess a diverse set of experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints to meet the ever-evolving challenges of the threats, well, they have a distinct advantage. The attackers, they benefit from such diversity. We too must recognize this advantage. Women, they are underrepresented in our industry, and that must be fixed. They embody a wealth of knowledge and capability, creativity that teams need in order to approach problems problems in novel and better ways. One of my inspirations was Grace Hopper, also known as Amazing Grace. Her contributions are legendary, as was her talent, tenacity, and drive. She broke through barriers, ignored naysayers, and accomplished great things throughout her career. She also spent time teaching and advocating for equality. Her story continues to be an inspiration to myself and others, and I think everybody should have her tenacity to identify biases, remove obstacles, and proactively welcome women and underrepresented minorities into the cybersecurity field. We will all be safer by openly including and embracing their contributions.