Ebony Stevens, MSc, CISSP, SSCP shares her experience with Pride Month and working in cybersecurity, along with her advice for others.

Ebony Stevens, MSC, CISSP, SSCP

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ISC2.

As part of ISC2’s commitment to our community, we encourage all of our members to share their stories and highlight their successes year-round.

In this article, we celebrate Pride Month, an important part of our commitment to ensure the cybersecurity community is a welcoming place for everyone, by hearing from Ebony Stevens, MSc, CISSP, SSCP.

A Cybersecurity Career Jouney

Stevens is currently a Sr. Security Engineer at ISC2 and serves as a volunteer on behalf of ISC2 with WICYS. In six years at ISC2, she earned her master’s degree in cybersecurity and progressed from an intern to an associate role and now a more senior role. Throughout this time, she has given back by mentoring others.

I’m proud of the foundation I’ve built both in this field and with ISC2.”

Opportunities to Foster Inclusion

One of her most affirming career moments was attending and speaking at the SHEcurity conference in Boston, Massachusetts. She gives credit to her mentors for encouraging her to grow in her career. 

Since then, I’ve mentored 4+ sessions of learners for our [Certified in Cybersecurity] CC program reaching about 1,400 participants. I’ve also attended WICYS and UWIC events and spoke at a Google webinar on the challenges of entering a male-dominated industry.”

Stevens was inspired to volunteer for ISC2 because she knows first-hand the empty feeling of not being accepted or supported. “I felt largely inferior starting my degree as I was one of the few women and lacked the technical background others seemed to have as I didn’t find my passion for the subject until college. I felt a mile behind. A classmate changed everything when she reminded me that we all start at zero and even the most experienced professionals need a community to thrive. That was highlighted in my work that nothing strong is built in isolation – we ask questions, research and help each other. My goal is to make sure that others feel supported, the way I luckily have been, to grow their technical skills because I believe in our mission for a safe cyber world for all.”

Acceptance for All

Pride Month represents a time of acceptance for Stevens where in the cybersecurity industry, our value isn’t based on how well we fit in; it’s how passionately we show up.“This has been the first year that I have been socially out in my workplace – I was met with nothing but acceptance and a sense of normalcy that I greatly appreciated,” she said. “When I first started this career, I thought I needed to neatly fit in either a ‘suite or a geek’ role, a binary choice that queer people are all too familiar with. But our value isn’t based on how well we fit in; it’s how passionately we show up. Whether the rubber duck on your desk has glasses, a tie, bow, or is covered in glitter – it’s all valid. It reflects the problem solvers that we are."

Stevens added that the only way to design systems that account for real-world user behavior is to have diverse perspectives at the table. Cybersecurity is as much of a social issue as it is a technological one. “It’s easy to turn inward and hide from a world that doesn’t always feel like it has space for you. However, that started to change when I found members of my chosen family — people who didn’t just accept me but reflected a version of me that was whole. And with them, I started showing up not just as my most palatable self, but as my best self. That’s what Pride means to me — the courage to be seen, fully. The joy that keeps us alive. The strength to do hard things, even when it scares us. And the reminder that we don’t have to go it alone.”

Continued Commitment to Inclusivity

Committed to continuing to support inclusivity in cybersecurity, ISC2 is hosting a Women’s Summit virtually on September 18, 2025, bringing together women and allies across the cybersecurity ecosystem. Learn more and register for this free event and earn up to 4.25 CPE credits. 

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