NextGen Cyber Talent Expands Governing Board with Industry Leader Dave DeWalt
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, December 28, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- NextGen Cyber Talent Inc. (“NextGen”), a nonprofit organization focused on creating cyber security career opportunities for underserved, underrepresented and diverse candidates, today announced it has added respected industry luminary Dave DeWalt to its Governing Board, where he will apply his decades of experience towards furthering the organization’s mission to increase social mobility and lifetime earnings for its beneficiaries while improving diversity and closing the skills gap within the cyber security industry.
DeWalt is a veteran executive, advisor and investor who has served as CEO and President of impactful technology and cybersecurity companies such as Documentum, McAfee and FireEye, and has been a strong advocate for increasing industry talent and diversity. He now serves as the Founder and Managing Director at NightDragon, a dedicated cybersecurity, safety, security and privacy investment and advisory firm, where he also launched ND Talent year to support its portfolio companies in addressing high priority areas such as talent hiring, diversity and retention
“The NextGen Cyber Talent program is seeded by the principle of connecting successful leaders from industry with tomorrow’s up and coming talent,” said Founder & Co-Chair Krishnan Chellakarai. “We are excited to welcome experienced and well-connected industry leaders like Dave to our Governing Board to help bring further expertise, network reach and insights to make the NextGen vision a reality.”
Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is expected to grow by 350%, from one million positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021. NextGen seeks to help close this gap, while also providing an avenue into cybersecurity careers for women, minorities and other underprivileged segments through education and mentoring. The organization partnered with Bay Area community colleges, other non-profit and enterprise organizations and conducted several cohorts of training programs to 240 candidates in 2021. In addition to the training program, NextGen initiated a grant program in 2021 by partnering with Bay Area community colleges and offered grants to a diverse group of 20 students. The organization will continue to offer the grants in 2022 and will begin its mentoring program in early 2022.
“Our industry faces a crisis of talent, while also being one of the most promising and exciting career paths available to up-and-coming generations. I look forward to adding my own experiences and expertise and seeing what impact we can have together on closing the talent gap, while also supporting and expanding this immense career opportunity to more women, minorities and other underprivileged segments,” said DeWalt.
Previously announced Governing Board members include Krishnan Chellakarai, Chief Information Security Officer, Gilead Sciences; Gary Gauba, Managing Director & Founder of The CXO Fund; Tony Blevins, Vice President of Procurement, Apple; and Phil Cox, Chief Operating Officer, Silicon Valley Bank.
About NextGen Cyber Talent
NextGen Cyber Talent Inc. is a non-profit providing a platform to increase diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity industry. It brings together cybersecurity experts, solution providers and enterprises to make a difference in this community and address a mounting cyber skills shortage and talent gap. Our overall approach will focus on successfully attracting underserved, under-represented and diverse students and educating them in cybersecurity, privacy and compliance technology, as well as providing them mentorship and opportunities to jump start their careers in the industry. NextGen was founded by Krishnan Chellakarai (CISO, Gilead Sciences) and Gary Gauba (Founder & MD, The CXO Fund).
To learn more about NextGen, please visit our website and Linkedin:
WEBSITE: https://www.nextgencybertalent.com
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nextgen-cyber/
DeWalt is a veteran executive, advisor and investor who has served as CEO and President of impactful technology and cybersecurity companies such as Documentum, McAfee and FireEye, and has been a strong advocate for increasing industry talent and diversity. He now serves as the Founder and Managing Director at NightDragon, a dedicated cybersecurity, safety, security and privacy investment and advisory firm, where he also launched ND Talent year to support its portfolio companies in addressing high priority areas such as talent hiring, diversity and retention
“The NextGen Cyber Talent program is seeded by the principle of connecting successful leaders from industry with tomorrow’s up and coming talent,” said Founder & Co-Chair Krishnan Chellakarai. “We are excited to welcome experienced and well-connected industry leaders like Dave to our Governing Board to help bring further expertise, network reach and insights to make the NextGen vision a reality.”
Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is expected to grow by 350%, from one million positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021. NextGen seeks to help close this gap, while also providing an avenue into cybersecurity careers for women, minorities and other underprivileged segments through education and mentoring. The organization partnered with Bay Area community colleges, other non-profit and enterprise organizations and conducted several cohorts of training programs to 240 candidates in 2021. In addition to the training program, NextGen initiated a grant program in 2021 by partnering with Bay Area community colleges and offered grants to a diverse group of 20 students. The organization will continue to offer the grants in 2022 and will begin its mentoring program in early 2022.
“Our industry faces a crisis of talent, while also being one of the most promising and exciting career paths available to up-and-coming generations. I look forward to adding my own experiences and expertise and seeing what impact we can have together on closing the talent gap, while also supporting and expanding this immense career opportunity to more women, minorities and other underprivileged segments,” said DeWalt.
Previously announced Governing Board members include Krishnan Chellakarai, Chief Information Security Officer, Gilead Sciences; Gary Gauba, Managing Director & Founder of The CXO Fund; Tony Blevins, Vice President of Procurement, Apple; and Phil Cox, Chief Operating Officer, Silicon Valley Bank.
About NextGen Cyber Talent
NextGen Cyber Talent Inc. is a non-profit providing a platform to increase diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity industry. It brings together cybersecurity experts, solution providers and enterprises to make a difference in this community and address a mounting cyber skills shortage and talent gap. Our overall approach will focus on successfully attracting underserved, under-represented and diverse students and educating them in cybersecurity, privacy and compliance technology, as well as providing them mentorship and opportunities to jump start their careers in the industry. NextGen was founded by Krishnan Chellakarai (CISO, Gilead Sciences) and Gary Gauba (Founder & MD, The CXO Fund).
To learn more about NextGen, please visit our website and Linkedin:
WEBSITE: https://www.nextgencybertalent.com
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nextgen-cyber/
Robert Lee
Next Gen Cyber Talent Inc
+1 650-930-4768
contactus@nextgencybertalent.com
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