Mastin Enlow Sponsors the 2024, Fourth Annual EmpoWE-R Women of Information Security Gala

On Friday night, September 27th of 2024, hundreds of men and women lined up to attend the Women Of Information Security Gala. The evening was a formal, black-tie affair with men and women alike wearing their best and looking spectacular. Doors opened at 5:30 PM to guests who were greeted by light music, many friends from the cybersecurity community, and refreshments from the bar.

At 6:30, the Board of Directors took to the stage and addressed the room as folks found their seats. As Connie Mathews and other board members spoke, the staff served steak and lobster dinners to the crowd who ate and listened intently.

At 7pm, the keynote speaker of the evening, Tia Hopkins took to the stage to deliver a powerful and timely address to the crowd. She urged the women in the crowd to define success for themselves and emphasized that, "No one does you like you do you, so do YOU the way that you want to do YOU!" Tia is a Cybersecurity Executive with over 20 years of experience. She has been a driving force in IT and IT Security, including a decade in managed services. Her work focuses on helping organizations achieve cyber resilience through a strategic blend of people, process, and technology. Beyond her role at eSentire, Tia is an adjunct professor of Cybersecurity at Yeshiva University and is currently pursuing her PhD in Cybersecurity Leadership.

After the keynote address, several of the evenings notable guests received awards.

💡 The Light That Shines award shows appreciation for those who donate their time to further the missions of non-profit organizations and schools.

🎓 The Shaping the Future award showcases contributions to the Information Security community that are paving the way for other women.

🏆 The Champion for Women award honors the incredible men who advocate and support the women of our community.

Awardees included Nicole Beckwith, Jenna Fullencamp, Gena Moss-Watson, Kate Tomallo, Willow Patch, Greg Cordle, Aanvi Dogra, Marianne Brown, Jay Bobo, Jennifer Bleen, Tre Smith, and Souad Omar.

By 8:30PM, over $100,000 had been raised during the silent auction. Proceeds of the auction are used in large part for scholarships to help women in cybersecurity with their professional path by enabling continuous learning in the form of college, technical certification, and leadership training.

The evening culminated with dancing, networking, and celebration. A few guests remained at their tables but most were up and about, to catch up with friends or move on the dance floor. Outside the ballroom, friends and colleagues lined up for photographs to commemorate the evening.

Mastin Enlow was a proud sponsor of the EmpoWE-R Gala alongside partners and well-known names in cybersecurity including: Crowdstrike, Palo Alto Networks, GuidePoint Security, Splunk, and many others! Supporting the EmpoWER Gala and the remarkable thought leaders in the female infosec community is part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

We look forward to seeing YOU at next year's Gala. It is the best event of the year - truly!