Cybersecurity Community Celebrates Documentary Premiere at Tampa Theatre

PRESS RELEASE

September 11, 2024—Tampa, Fla— Cyber Florida at USF, in partnership with Cisco and WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity), proudly hosted the premiere of the Do We Belong Here? documentary last night at the historic Tampa Theatre. The cybersecurity community showed strong support, with more than 200 attendees, including Cyber Florida at USF partners and documentary participants who traveled from out of town, gathering in person to watch the production. The event culminated nearly 18 months of planning, interviews, and relationship-building.

The 90-minute documentary, inspired by the popular Do We Belong Here? podcast, highlights the experiences of women and other underrepresented groups in the cybersecurity industry. Attendees were moved by the inspirational stories of perseverance and success shared by leading female cybersecurity practitioners, executives, and CISOs from top companies and organizations who generously contributed to the project.

While women's participation in the cybersecurity industry is growing, women still only representation about 20-25% of the cybersecurity workforce, according to ISC2. 

“This film represents the heart of what we’re striving for in cybersecurity—diversity, inclusion, and the understanding that everyone belongs here,” said Sarina Gandy, co-producer of the documentary and a key voice in its creation.

Following the screening, a lively Q&A panel with the podcast team took place, featuring:

·    Pam Lindemoen, Chief Information Security Officer Advisor, Cisco

·    Tashya Denose, Reality Labs Security Program Manager, Meta

·    Sarina Gandy, Cyber Communications & Marketing Analyst and Do We Belong Here Podcast Producer, Cyber Florida at USF

·    Rex Wilson, Brand Manager, Cyber Florida at USF

The documentary is available to watch on the Cyber Florida at USF YouTube channel.

Interviews with documentary participants and the podcast team can be arranged with Cyber Outreach Manager Jennifer Kleman, APR, CPRC at [email protected].

ABOUT CYBER FLORIDA AT UF
The Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida, commonly referred to as Cyber Florida at USF, was established by the Florida Legislature in 2014. Its mission is to position Florida as a national leader in cybersecurity through comprehensive education, cutting-edge research, and extensive outreach. Cyber Florida leads various initiatives to inspire and educate both current and future cybersecurity professionals, advance applied research, and enhance cybersecurity awareness and safety of individuals and organizations.