In a groundbreaking event last night at the historic Tampa Theatre, Cyber Florida at USF, in collaboration with Cisco and WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity), premiered the highly anticipated documentary “Do We Belong Here?” to an audience of over 200 attendees. The cybersecurity community came together to show their support, with partners and participants from out of town joining in person to witness the culmination of 18 months of planning, interviews, and relationship-building.
The 90-minute documentary, inspired by the popular “Do We Belong Here?” podcast, shed light on the experiences of women and other underrepresented groups in the cybersecurity industry. Attendees were deeply moved by the stories of resilience and triumph shared by leading female cybersecurity practitioners, executives, and CISOs from top companies and organizations who contributed to the project.
Despite the growing participation of women in the cybersecurity field, they still only make up about 20-25% of the workforce, according to ISC2. Sarina Gandy, co-producer of the documentary, expressed the sentiment that the film encapsulates the core values of cybersecurity – diversity, inclusion, and the belief that everyone has a place in this industry.
Following the screening, a dynamic Q&A panel was held with the podcast team, featuring notable figures such as Pam Lindemoen, Chief Information Security Officer Advisor at Cisco, Tashya Denose, Reality Labs Security Program Manager at Meta, Sarina Gandy, Cyber Communications & Marketing Analyst at Cyber Florida at USF, and Rex Wilson, Brand Manager at Cyber Florida at USF.
For those who missed the premiere, the documentary is now available on the Cyber Florida at USF YouTube channel. Interviews with documentary participants and the podcast team can be arranged through Cyber Outreach Manager Jennifer Kleman.
About Cyber Florida at USF, the Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida was established in 2014 by the Florida Legislature with a mission to position Florida as a national leader in cybersecurity. Through education, research, and outreach initiatives, Cyber Florida aims to inspire and educate cybersecurity professionals, advance research, and enhance cybersecurity awareness and safety for individuals and organizations.