(PRWEB) September 16, 2016 -- The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) today announced the appointment of former NSA Director of Information Assurance Directorate Debora Plunkett to its Strategic Advisory Board. As a member of the Strategic Advisory Board, Plunkett will play a critical role in shaping the strategic objectives and direction of the organization.
Plunkett is a sought after cybersecurity leader with more than 30 years of experience in the U.S. intelligence community. Launching her own consulting firm, Plunkett Associates LLC, she culminated a career of federal service in 2016. In addition to providing organizations expert council on cybersecurity, she serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland University College Graduate School, teaching cybersecurity management and policy.
While cybersecurity has been identified as one of today’s most serious economic and national security challenges, the industry faces a significant shortage of skilled practitioners, expected to reach 1.5 million open and unfilled positions by 2020. This growing skills shortage is compounded by a lack of diversity within the cybersecurity workforce, with a significant underrepresentation of women, African Americans, and Hispanics.
Women currently represent only 10% of the cybersecurity workforce, despite an overall 48 percent workforce representation in the U.S. Further, African Americans, Asians and Hispanics represent less than 12 percent of information security analyst positions in the U.S.
In accepting her appointment, Plunkett said: “Cybersecurity deserves the rich environment of ideas and collaboration that come from having a truly diverse workforce. I look forward to the time when it’s no longer news to have women or minorities in key positions, because that is when our cybersecurity efforts can really soar – when we have learned to value everyone.”
“We are honored that someone of Debora’s caliber and experience will be a strategic voice in shaping the ICMPC as we move forward in our mission to close the cybersecurity minority gap,” said Devon Bryan, ICMCP's President and Co-founder.
About ICMCP
Obtaining official approval by the United States Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to be recognized as a Tax Exempt Non-Profit Public Charity organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in July of 2014, the International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) began official operations in September of 2014 and is organized exclusively for charitable educational purposes, more specifically to provide our members educational/technical scholarships, mentoring opportunities, professional development and networking.
Veda Woods, International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals, http://www.icmcp.org, +1 (800) 924-1458, [email protected]
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