Improving Diversity and Accessibility in Cybersecurity – Laurie Salvail – BSW #313
CYBER.ORG, in partnership with CISA, is helping create a diverse cyber workforce by breaking down the barriers to cybersecurity education by improving access for all K-12 students nationwide. CYBER.ORG’s HBCU feeder program Project REACH was recently highlighted in CISA’s 2022 Year in Review as part of the agency’s commitment to improving diversity and accessibility in the field.
Laurie Salvail, Director of CYBER.ORG, joins BSW to discuss: - Why the expansion of K-12 cybersecurity education is the first step toward building a diverse talent pipeline. - How CYBER.ORG has implemented initiatives to drive diversity in cybersecurity including: - Project REACH, the HBCU feeder program launched across the country to build the next-gen workforce, and its plans to expand kickoff events in 2023. - Project Access, a program for the blind and visually impaired who are in pre-employment transition (Pre-ETS), and the summer camps on the horizon. - CYBER.ORG’s plans to expand diversity and inclusion efforts in the coming year to Hispanic-serving institutions.
Segment Resources: To learn more about CYBER.ORG or to get involved, visit: https://www.cyber.org
Guest
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Laurie Salvail is the Executive Director of CYBER.ORG, a cybersecurity workforce development organization that targets K-12 students with cyber career awareness, curricular resources and teacher development funded by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program grant. With over 12 years of classroom experience, Laurie works to bring cyber education to K-12 teachers across the country through innovative, impactful research-based education strategies.
Laurie received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from McNeese State University, a teaching certification from Louisiana State University in Shreveport, a Master of Education in Education Leadership and Administration from Louisiana State University and is currently working on her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at Louisiana State University.