The 2020 Women Leaders in Technology: Anne Bayerkohler

 "I truly enjoy watching this industry grow. I remember sitting in college talking about the new voting machines and how they would have to be hacker proof. Then, working for the Payments Card Industry Security Standards Council, I was able to see how the standards affect data security on a global scale," Bayerkohler says. "This all culminates into working at Coalfire, where I can work across all teams and divisions to make the world a safer place. Because we work across multiple spaces, I am in a unique position to make these business lines more effective."

Having served at both the regulatory agency level and in the consulting field, seeing the industry from both angles gives her an incredibly valuable perspective, she says. 

To that end, in the fall of 2016, she founded and created Coalfire R.I.S.E., the firm's Women's Association of Cyber Security and Leadership. R.I.S.E. stands for Recruit/Retain, Influence, Support, Educate. "Since our founding, Coalfire's female technical staff has grown from roughly 9 percent to more than 26 percent, close to twice the average in the cybersecurity industry for North America," Bayerkohler says. "Because of the impact of R.I.S.E., I am also now serving with our inaugural corporate-wide Diversity and Inclusion Council. Not too long ago, I was the only woman in the room, and I worked to change that. Now, we have internal initiatives to ensure no one feels alone regardless of gender, religion, race, or sexual orientation. I am most proud of R.I.S.E. and the movement we started."

As far as being recognized with the award, she says that honoring women in this field shows that their contributions are valued. "I was used to our voices being minimized, and now, our voices are now amplified. I'd like to reach a day where 50 percent of this workforce is women—when we will not have to call out women separately, and when it will not matter if a leader is male or female," Bayerkohler says. "Until that day, having awards like this proves to those girls currently in college and at the beginning of their career, there is a path forward. Cybersecurity is no longer a boy's club."

Have you experienced any unique challenges being a woman consultant in the technology field? 

Bayerkohler: "The answer to this is always, 'yes.' I have been asked to take on the role of 'secretary' and take notes more times than I can count, even when I am the presenter. Most people assume I am the assistant in the room instead of the director. I have been accused of being 'too loud' or 'too aggressive,' and to that I say, 'one man's aggression is another woman's assertiveness.' Once I was told I couldn't hold a position because my husband was also working in this field, and that felt like the ultimate glass ceiling. Bottom line is this: your gender should not affect your opportunities. There is still a long way to go, and I'm proud to be an initiator of this movement at Coalfire through R.I.S.E."