Marci McCarthy - CEO & President of T.E.N.

Marci McCarthy is the CEO and President of T.E.N., an information security executive networking and relationship-marketing firm. With nearly 30 years of business management and entrepreneurial experience, McCarthy founded T.E.N.’s flagship program, the Information Security Executive® of the Year (ISE®) Program Series, which is lauded by the IT industry as the premier recognition and networking program for security professionals in the U.S. and Canada.

A 2012 recipient of a 4th Congressional District of Georgia Citation, McCarthy was lauded for fostering greater visibility and professionalism for the IT security industry, naming March 13th “Marci McCarthy Day.” McCarthy was listed as one of IFSEC’s Global Security and Fire Influencers for 2018 as #3 of 20 total leaders in their Cybersecurity category; she was also the highest-ranking woman on the list. In 2022, Marci received a proclamation from the Georgia State Senate recognizing her leadership and dedication to improving security in the State of Georgia, both in our information technology systems and at the ballot box, ensuring trust both by the people of Georgia.

Marci serves in multiple capacities on several corporate, academic advisory and non-profit boards to include Spirion’s Board of Directors, the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse Cyber Executive Board of Advisors and Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group (EBCS). Most recently, Marci was the Inaugural Advisory Council Chair for the National Technology Security Coalition (NTSC), was the longest serving TechBridge Board Member, served on Cyversity Board of Directors and the Atlanta Girls' School Board of Trustees

McCarthy is also a former member of the Board of Directors for the Cyversity and partnered with the organization to create “The Marci McCarthy Cybersecurity Certification Scholarship Program,” which provides $5,000 over a two-year period to help talented women and minority students advance into cybersecurity and obtain their CompTIA Security+ Professional Certification. Eight deserving individuals have been awarded this scholarship to date.

McCarthy has been a guest lecturer, speaker, and moderator at national conferences such as the ISE® Summit and Award Program Series, many ISSA Local Chapter and International Conferences, and more, speaking on cybersecurity, women in technology/security/business, STEAM, entrepreneurism, and leadership topics.

Honors and Awards

• ATP Impact Award Finalist 2018
• TAG Diversity Leadership Award of Excellence - Small Business (Individual) 2018
• IFSEC Global Security and Fire Influencers - #3 in Cybersecurity 2018
• Top Women Entrepreneurs in Cybersecurity 2017
• Top Women Entrepreneurs in Cybersecurity 2016
• CompTIA DC Fly-in: Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Delegate 2016
• TiE Atlanta Top Entrepreneurs - Middle Market Entrepreneurs 2015
• CompTIA DC Fly-in: TechAmerica Georgia Delegate 2015
• Congressional Citation and Distinguished Service Award 2012

For more information on Marci's honors and awards, please visit her LinkedIn profile.

Speaking Engagements

Keynote Address: Becoming a Cybersecurity Enabler: How Community Colleges Can Bridge the Diversity and Workforce Gap
August 2019
2019 Community College Cyber Summit

Leaders in the cybersecurity industry recognize that there is a lack of women and diversity among their teams. Even though women and minorities nearly comprise half of the general workforce, they only make up a small portion of cybersecurity professionals despite millions of jobs going unfilled and rising cyberattacks. In the past, employers have maintained a structured mindset about candidates’ qualifications to include four-year or advanced degrees, proven industry experience and like-minded thinking. However, due to the shortage of qualified cybersecurity talent, we are experiencing a paradigm shift in how we view these hiring requirements. We now need candidates who are gamechangers, who can bring much needed soft skills, passions and differing opinions that can take team thinking to the next level. With their various perspectives, women and minorities must be encouraged to enter the field as early as possible, but it’s also crucial that they maintain a passion to learn and succeed by cultivating the necessary skills to stay there. Fortunately, they can obtain technical skills and certifications by pursuing specialized training, work-study programs and apprenticeships, such as those offered by cyber boot camps, technical schools and community colleges. Currently, though, community colleges and similar establishments experience challenges with marketing themselves as security partners who enable cybersecurity professional development. To connect upcoming, diverse talent with employers who need them, community colleges can adapt and enhance the way they interact with both groups. Join us as we share our insights about the challenges community colleges face in becoming cybersecurity enablers, facilitating job readiness and contributing to solve the industry’s diversity and workforce shortage.

Speaker Session: Building for the Future: Inspiring the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals
May 2019
2019 ISSA-LA Summit XI

It is important for young professionals to know they can have successful and impactful careers in the tech sector. However, to get more young minds interested in choosing careers in technology, the narrative needs to change to show that women and minorities have a future in the industry. Join Marci McCarthy as she discusses the importance of nurturing and growing the next generation of professionals in technology through mentorship opportunities, STEAM programs and other education opportunities.

Speaker Session: From Coder to CISO, Developer to Director: How to Advance in Cybersecurity
May 2019
2019 Charlotte-Metro ISSA Summit

Panelists Included:
-Robert Allen, Senior Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer, Brighthouse Financial
-James Hillier, Associate CIO & CISO, Central Piedmont Community College
-Jim Nelms, Chief Information Security Officer, LabCorp

The cybersecurity industry is in desperate need of people with the skills and willingness to work in the trenches. Engineers, coders, analysts, developers, and others are crucial for any cybersecurity platform to succeed and flourish, but once security professionals find themselves in these positions, it can be hard for them to advance further up the ladder. It’s not a question of what position they would choose to advance to, but rather how they will advance into management and C-level roles. Success seems elusive only because it is rarely clear-cut, taking many forms and leading you down paths you don’t expect. That doesn’t mean you have to traverse the path alone, without any guidance to light your way, or stay stuck where you are. Join our conversation as leading security professionals discuss their insights, perspectives, and career experiences, exploring how they obtained their current positions and what advice they can give fellow security professionals about growing within the industry.

Speaker Session: Paying It Forward: Cultivating a New Cybersecurity Workforce
May 2019
2019 ISSA-LA Summit XI

Panelists Included:
-Galina Antova, Co-Founder, Claroty
-Marian Merritt, Lead for Industry Engagement, National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE)
-Wendy Nather, Head, Advisory CISOs for Duo Security, Cisco
-Jennifer Sunshine Steffens, CEO, IOActive

Women and minorities constitute half of technology users, making it only natural for current cybersecurity professionals to look to them as the next generation to carry the torch. Not only is it important to have a cybersecurity workforce that reflects the diversity of its tech users, but also it is a necessity to pursue at a time when both the growth and the talent shortage of the industry are at an all-time high. In order to obtain and mentor this next generation of skilled, ambitious young people, we must put in the work and pass on what we have learned to them. Join our conversation as our panel of leading security executives discuss how to develop and cultivate this next generation workforce and how to locate and inspire them. They will also share their personal success stories and insights on how to make new connections as well as tips for expanding your professional network.

Speaker Session: Leveraging LinkedIn to Jumpstart & Fast-Track Your Tech Career
Sep 2018 – Mar 2019
TechBridge & Goodwill of North Georgia’s Technology Career Program
(Due to the success at this class' debut in September 2018, Marci and Marva Bailer are regularly invited to teach this class to new groups of students.)

To be successful in any business, you need to have a distinct personal brand that allows you to stand out from the crowd. This means articulating a clear and concise statement of who you are and acting on that branding consistently. Personal branding has become a necessity for security and technology professionals. Career opportunities in InfoSec have become more dynamic than ever before. Security executives are now seeing more interest from their boards and a strong cybersecurity program is now a necessity instead of a luxury. Moreover, with the industry now facing a significant skills shortage, the ability to make a positive impact and first impression can give those looking to break into or move up in the world of Information Security a strong advantage. Join our panel as they discuss the value of creating a strong personal brand through social media building, power networking, and opportunities to continue improving your skills and talents as an Information Security professional.

Speaker Session: Building for the Future: Inspiring the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals
Jan 2019
2019 ISSA Chicago Chapter Meeting: January

It is important for young professionals to know they can have successful and impactful careers in the tech sector. However, to get more young minds interested in choosing careers in technology, the narrative needs to change to show that women and minorities have a future in the industry. Join Marci McCarthy as she discusses the importance of nurturing and growing the next generation of professionals in technology through mentorship opportunities, STEAM programs and other education opportunities.

For more information on Marci's speaking engagement history, please visit her LinkedIn profile.

Community Involvement

Member of The Board of Advisors
Avnos
November 2020 – Present

Avnos automates the discovery of workloads and mapping across all of corporate environments (on and off premise, hybrid and cloud data centers) by trusting a network through a holistic visualization of the infrastructure and all its dependencies.

As a member of the Advisory Board, I provide strategic advice and perspectives to Avnos’ CEO and Management Team.

Member of the Board of Directors
International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP)
March 2019 – Present

The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals is a 501(c) 3 non-profit association that is owned and managed by its members. The organization is dedicated to the academic and professional success of Minority Cybersecurity students and professionals. ICMCP offers our members undergraduate and post-graduate scholarships, leadership training, professional development, mentoring opportunities, career placement services and more.

The mission of the International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals is "to attract and develop minority cyber security professionals worldwide by promoting excellence in our tradecraft and facilitating educational opportunities and professional development for our membership"

The ICMCP strives to accomplish the following objectives for our organization:
-Increase the number of minority students studying cyber security at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
-Encourage members to seek advanced degrees in Information Assurance and to obtain professional cyber security certifications
-Promote public awareness of cyber security and the opportunities for minorities in that profession
-Function as a representative body on issues and developments that affect the careers of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals
-Develop and promote programs that will enhance ethnic pride and educational opportunities for Minority Cybersecurity Professionals
-Establish a mechanism for gathering and disseminating information for Minority Cybersecurity Professionals

Marci was previously a member of the ICMCP’s Advisory Board since its founding until she transitioned to the Board of Directors in 2019.

Inaugural NTSC Advisory Board Chair
National Technology Security Coalition
Jan 2017 – Present

The National Technology Security Coalition (NTSC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that will drive the national dialogue on technology security in the United States. The mission of NTSC is to effectively forge a coalition of information security stakeholders to help reverse the accelerating pace of disruption to our nation’s information systems. NTSC’s primary initiative will be advocating on regulatory and legislative policies that impact the technology security industry. NTSC will conduct educational thought-exchange forums, and deliver professional development programs to equip members with innovative cybersecurity solutions.

Director, Board of Directors
TechBridge
2005 – Present

TechBridge is an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization with one mission – to help nonprofits use technology to do more and serve more people. TechBridge has provided IT consulting, hosting and outsourcing services to hundreds of nonprofits, helping them harness the productivity gains long since enjoyed by the corporate sector, by connecting the needs of nonprofits with the skills and financial resources of the technology community. The Digital Ball, TechBridge’s signature fundraising gala, brings together Atlanta’s technology community to celebrate the impact technology can have in strengthening our community. For more information about TechBridge, please visit www.techbridge.org.

Board of Trustees Member
Atlanta Girls' School
Feb 2016 – May 2019

Atlanta Girls’ School’s mission encourages students to expand their knowledge, find a sense of self, and craft the “voice” that will carry them confidently through an increasingly complex world. The school works through all areas—academic, social, and environmental—to teach girls they have the power and tools to influence change in the world and become capable, prominent leaders in any field. The AGS Board of Trustees is comprised of leaders across the Atlanta area who represent expertise within the business, philanthropic, legal, and education industries. They are committed to the mission and values of the Atlanta Girls’ School in educating and building up young women before they enter the world.

Council Member, Fulton County Chairman’s Council on Cyber Integrity
Fulton County
Oct 2016 – August 2019

The Fulton County Chairman’s Council on Cyber Integrity's purpose is to foster better internet-based security measures for public and private users. The work of the council will develop recommendations on how Fulton County can participate in the educative climate to ensure that the highest level of preventive and protective measures are known and made available to businesses and consumers, including and perhaps starting with the government itself. Its work shall include, but not be limited to:
-Evaluating the appropriate measures to combat economic loss to businesses and consumers.
-Determining the availability of adequate means for the protection of vital privacy information with specific emphasis on health and medical privacy.
-Assessing the relationship cyber integrity has to national and homeland security matters.

Contributions to Major Publications

Purchase CLIMB:
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CLIMB: Leading Women in Technology Share Their Journeys to Success

Women In Technology's (WIT) book, CLIMB: Leading Women In Technology Share Their Journeys To Success, features more than 60 profiles of leaders influencing Atlanta's business, academic and technology landscapes, including Women of the Year in Technology Award recipients, WIT presidents, and key WIT supporters and volunteers.

McCarthy, who was president of WIT in 2001 and a Woman of the Year in Technology Honoree in 2010, contributed a chapter in CLIMB titled, New, New and New - A Time of Firsts, which shares an inspiring message with readers on the power of relationships and on being a leader.

CLIMB also describes efforts by WIT and The WIT Foundation to support the next generation of women through pre-career programs encouraging girls to study and work in STEM-related careers (science, technology, engineering and math.) Net proceeds from book sales will provide additional funding for the WIT Foundation.

Purchase CISO Compass:
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CISO COMPASS: Navigating Cybersecurity Leadership Challenges with Insights from Pioneers

Todd Fitzgerald, an industry leader and cybersecurity champion, authored CISO COMPASS: Navigating Cybersecurity Leadership Challenges with Insights from Pioneers. CISO COMPASS is a comprehensive, soup-to-nuts book enabling security leaders to effectively protect information assets and build award-winning programs by covering topics such as developing cybersecurity strategy, emerging trends and technologies, cybersecurity organization structure and reporting models, leveraging current incidents, security control frameworks, risk management, laws and regulations, data protection and privacy, meaningful policies and procedures, multi-generational workforce team dynamics, soft skills, and communicating with the Board of Directors and executive management.

McCarthy, a longtime friend and associate with Fitzgerald through the ISE® Programs and beyond, contributed a “gray box” section in CISO Compass which you can find in Section 7: Skills wherein she discusses the importance of utilizing Emotional Intelligence in the workplace.

CISO COMPASS includes personal, pragmatic perspectives and lessons learned of over 75 award-winning CISOs, security leaders, professional association leaders, and cybersecurity standard setters who have fought the tough battle. The book is valuable to current and future security leaders as a valuable resource and an integral part of any college program for information/ cybersecurity.