WiCyS Australia Sister Affiliate and Member Spotlight: Urit Eshel-Sirton
Urit Eshel-Sirton is a founding member of the new WiCyS Israel community, and is an experienced member of the cybersecurity industry! Urit is a champion of women and girls in the cyber security industry, and is working with our new sister affiliate to further the cause of women and girls in the cyber industry.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career to date!
I started my journey at the intelligence of the Israeli army, where I served almost 4 years. I started my global career on a duty of the Israeli Trade office to South Africa, as a trade officer. The Foreign Trade Administration (FTA) at the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry manages and supports Israel’s international trade and trade policy, providing a wide range of services to Israeli companies and to the international business community. Following this role, I was offered a role at the Israeli satellite vendor AMOS Spacecom, as the VP Sales for West Africa. Later I moved back to intelligence, when I joined a company providing technology that helps government agencies prevent and investigate terrorism and crime to save thousands of lives around the globe.
In May 2021, I joined a Cybersecurity company called CYBERGYM, providing tailored cyber-training solutions to organizations around the world, as the VP Sales.
How did you come to start WiCyS Israel?
When I first joined CYBERGYM, I started looking for an added value that I can bring as a woman, joining the management of a cybersecurity company. Following a very short search, I found WiCys, and joined the organisation as a member, and joined the US branch.
In October 2022, I attended the CYBERCON conference in Melbourne, where I met the amazing Australian team and joined sessions. In one of the panels, I met Lynn Dohm, WiCys CEO. Following a very short discussion we decided to keep in touch and start moving the wheels for an Israeli affiliate. Lynn put me in contact with another lady from Israel who was also interested- Julia Kraut form Enso, and we both met and took it from there. It was last October, and we are now starting all our activities, where the first conference will be held in May 2023.
What are your goals for WiCyS lsrael?
The main goal of WiCyS Israel is to approach girls (from grade 6-7-8) raising the awareness, exposing them to Cyber studies and later on work opportunities so they will chose the right path for them, being able to make the right decision after being provided all the options so they know that they can, if they want! Our activities will focus on the next generation, with the support of the parents, so the girls will have the overall support, both from home and at school.
How can members of WiCyS Australia get involved with WiCyS Israel, and vice versa?
As the Australian government has published in the Australian Cyber Security Strategy 2023-2030, The Government is developing cyber security policy and initiatives. Part of Israel's success in this sphere is its cyber ecosystem, a close-knit community with stakeholders from the national security agencies, civilian regulators, academic research institutes, industry and cybersecurity professionals at large. Israel is an international high-tech hub and world leader in cybersecurity - operationally, technologically and industrially.
The strongest women of the Israeli Cybersecurity today are also the founders and Board members of the Israeli affiliate of WiCys; s.a. the VP Security Engineering, CSO at JFROG, CISO at AppsFlyer, VP Product at Wiz, CISO Honeybook and more. We see the exchange of ideas and collaboration of both affiliates as a great initiative and great value for both sides.
If you would like to connect with WiCys Israel, they have a presence on LinkedIn!
Urit was interviewed by Kevin Crowley, our Director of Communications