DEF CON Scholars
Women in Security and Privacy (WISP) is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with DEF CON, one of the world’s most iconic hacker conferences. For DEF CON 33, taking place in Las Vegas this August, DEF CON has generously donated 30 conference badges to support WISP scholars, providing them with full access to the event and the unique, community-driven experience it offers.
This partnership is more than a badge—it’s an investment in the future of cybersecurity.
At WISP, our mission is to advance women and underrepresented communities in the fields of security and privacy. By giving our scholars a seat at the table (or in this case, a badge to the con), DEF CON is helping to break down barriers to access and create meaningful opportunities for emerging professionals to learn, connect, and thrive.
Why DEF CON Matters
DEF CON is more than just a conference; it's a space where technologists, researchers, policy folks, and curious minds from around the world come together to share ideas, learn new skills, and push the boundaries of cybersecurity. For newcomers and seasoned pros alike, it’s a chance to grow their network, experience cutting-edge research firsthand, and get inspired.
Many of our WISP scholars are first-time attendees, young professionals, career changers, or students eager to find their place in this field. Attending DEF CON gives them visibility, confidence, and a sense of belonging in a space that can often feel hard to break into.
What Our Scholars Are Excited About
We asked our DEF CON 33 scholars what they’re most looking forward to this year. Check out what they had to say below!
Again, thank you DEF CON for your continued support! Without you, what we do wouldn’t be possible!
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Amelia Hough-Ross
Through the WISP scholarship, Amelia is especially excited to explore AI-powered threat detection, cloud identity and access management strategies, and the ethics of surveillance technologies in critical infrastructure. She looks forward to engaging with the DEF CON community on how these areas intersect with real-world privacy challenges and national security use cases. Amelia hopes to bring insights back to her work supporting high-compliance environments and mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.
Ana Minoso
Ana is excited to learn more about GRC, OSINT, and cybercrime investigation as she transitions from a background in healthcare operations. Through the WISP scholarship, she hopes to build practical skills in fraud detection and cybersecurity. She’s especially looking forward to connecting with and learning from other women in the field at DEF CON.
Moo Deng Diplomacy
Moo Deng Diplomacy is excited to expand her knowledge of space systems security and deepen her interests in cross-sector government partnerships in emerging technologies. Through WISP, she is especially eager to connect with a trailblazing community of women in cybersecurity at DEF CON.
Jennifer Peterson
Jennifer is excited to strengthen her hands-on skills in vulnerability assessment and incident response, dive deeper into the fundamentals of ethical hacking, and connect with other women of color in cybersecurity to build community and mentorship at DEF CON this year.
Mattie D
Mattie D is excited to expand her network through the DefCon scholarship, learn more about how to break into penetration testing, and how to car hack at DefCon CHV.
Viana Butler
Viana is eager to advance her skills in designing secure, scalable systems to protect children online through Clair de Lune. She hope to strengthen her knowledge of threat intelligence and explore red teaming techniques as one of many tolls to test and improve system resilience. By connecting with a diverse network of woman leaders through the WISP scholarship, Viana aims to grow her technical expertise, ethical decision-making, and strategic vision for building safer digital spaces.
Tia Kayo
It's Tia’s first time at DEF CON. She is looking forward to visiting Cloud Village and deepening her cloud security knowledge, connecting with other women in cybersecurity, and participating in workshops that will strengthen her understanding on real-world adversary techniques.
Kris Yun
Kris is excited to explore advancing domains in offensive security and gain hands-on experience. She looks forward to connecting with fellow members in the WISP community and expand her professional network at DEF CON. Happy hacking!
Sara
Sara is looking forward to upskilling in threat hunting, lock picking, and learning more about social engineering at DEF CON this year!
Santina
Santina is eager to deepen her understanding of hacking, especially in social engineering. She's interested in attending DEFCON and competing in cybersecurity challenges—even if it means getting a little embarrassed along the way. She's ready to step out of her comfort zone and give it her all.
Khushbu
Khushbu is excited to get hands-on exposure to real-world reverse engineering, and live incident response, Pentesting — all taught by top experts in the field at Defcon. It's the perfect blend of practical learning and cutting-edge cybersecurity knowledge.
Gayathri Penumur
Gayathri is excited to deepen her skills in threat detection and incident response, enhance her expertise in Security Operations Center (SOC) tools, and connect with fellow women in cybersecurity at DEF CON this year.
Nuran Gizem Guven
Nuran is excited to deepen her expertise in cloud security, enhance her incident response skills, and actively contribute to highlighting women’s strength and leadership in cybersecurity at DEF CON this year. She is especially eager to connect with and learn from inspiring women professionals, believing that increased representation and visibility are key to empowering the next generation. Through this experience, she hopes to both expand her technical abilities and help create a more inclusive cybersecurity community.
Kerlyn Manyi
@kerlynmanyi
Kerlyn is excited to step into the world of live social engineering through her first vishing competition at DEF CON SEC village. She looks forward to sharpening her communication and improvisation skills while gaining hands-on experience in human-focused security. She is especially eager to connect with and learn from the incredible women at WISP who are leading the way in cybersecurity.
Mariya Oliferovskaya
Mariya is excited to deepen her knowledge of threat modeling, red vs. blue team tactics, and real-world incident response. She’s especially looking forward to learning from hands-on villages, and hearing from leaders like Rachel Tobac and Keren Elazari.
Maria Singh
Maria is eager to accelerate her expertise in AI security and cybersecurity, master adversarial testing techniques, and engage with global leaders at DEF CON 33. Backed by the WISP scholarship, she looks forward to translating these insights into strategic foresight, guiding leadership in securing intelligent systems, reducing organizational risk, and championing diversity in cybersecurity leadership.
Cynthia Taylor
Cynthia is excited to return to Black Hat and Defcon as a mid-career cybersecurity professional. While there she'll be volunteering with the Biohacking Village and other communities throughout both conferences. She's also be catching panels and workshops on hardware hacking, weaponization of cellular/IoT networks, and aerospace-focused vulns.
Lynn M.
Lynn is most excited to develop her understanding of how the cybersecurity climate has adjusted to the growth in the AI industry and specifically explore areas where she can bridge the knowledge gap between AI-based and traditional Incident Response practices. Beyond this, she is Beyond this, she is eager to explore OT security villages and absorb all she can from other enthusiasts and experts this year at DEFCON!
Shadè Alcine
Shadè Is excited to deepen her knowledge on cybersecurity, data protection and its disruptors. She's also eager to meet likeminded women in the industry and grow together.
Timorra Rogo
Timorra is excited to deepen her understanding of cloud security architecture, expand her skills in ethical hacking, and gain hands-on experience in threat detection and response. She looks forward to connecting with other women in cybersecurity to exchange knowledge, collaborate on ideas, and be inspired by their journeys. Through the WISP scholarship, she hopes to strengthen her voice and confidence in an industry where diverse perspectives are essential.
Nikita
Nikita is excited to deepen her understanding of AI risks, privacy governance, and the technical foundations that support secure systems. She looks forward to exploring how emerging technologies challenge traditional compliance frameworks and how to build more resilient, responsible programs. Most of all, she’s excited to connect with other women in cybersecurity and learn from their diverse experiences and perspectives.
