An has been a marketing and communications professional for over 15 years. She has experience in managing high-profile campaigns under tight timelines that build and strengthen brands while delivering aggressive revenue targets. She is adaptable and highly accountable, with a strong ability to lead and motivate team members under high-pressure scenarios.
An is a Security Transformation Associate Director — Identity Security Business Group Lead at Accenture. She was an Advisory Board Member of Canadian Cybersecurity Network, a Founder of Toronto IAM Community, Co-Lead of the Leading Cyber Ladies Toronto Chapter, and a graduate of Catalyst’s Mastercard Emerging Leaders for Cybersecurity Initiative, ELCI, and a passionate Ambassador at Catalyst.
The Photo That Says It All
In a recent group photo of cybersecurity leaders, one detail stands out: An Nguyen is the only woman in the frame. Not only that, but she is the only woman in the room. And this, for An, is the status quo in the field of cyber.
Male-Dominated Rooms
As she entered the cybersecurity field, An was often the only woman at the table. There simply weren’t many women at the events or meetings she attended, and this spurred an urge to be surrounded by women who worked in the industry. So, armed with a passion to change this, she applied to be a part of the Catalyst’s long-running program for women — the Mastercard Emerging Leaders for Cybersecurity Initiative (ELCI) — and took on the role of Co-Lead of Toronto’s chapter of Leading Cyber Ladies. She’s never looked back.
A Slow Convert, Moved by Change
An is a Security Transformation Associate Director at Accenture and Co-Lead at Leading Cyber Ladies Toronto Chapter. She refers to herself as a slow convert, having started her career in telecommunications but transitioning into cybersecurity only in the latter half. Driven by curiosity, she was captivated by the speed of change and innovation in cyber.
Redefining Learning and Leadership
ELCI changed the way An thought about learning and leadership environments. The impact lingers, and she has enrolled her two daughters in team sports for girls and is considering whether to send them to a single-gender school. She wants them to experience the kind of all-female confidence she found in ELCI, a program supported by Mastercard and designed to empower women and non-binary leaders seeking to advance into executive-level positions in cybersecurity or related fields.
A Second Chapter in Cybersecurity
As someone who came to cybersecurity mid-career, An says, “If I were to cut up the chapters in my career, I would say this is like a second chapter in cyber. And I think the program provided me with a network; it provided me with a deeper foundational understanding.” Not only did ELCI give An’s classmates confidence, but it also produced tangible growth in their careers. Many have been promoted. “We have more confidence, and we have each other to lean on,” says An.
From Skills to Presence
An says the program has two streams: functional knowledge and soft skills. Functional knowledge is related to business acumen, while soft skills focus on building executive presence. An says soft skills include knowing how to introduce yourself, how to walk into a room, body language, and personal branding.
“I think many of the women may have progressed through their careers by putting their heads down and doing the best work they can, and some have been able to be with organizations that have given them that investment to get some professional coaching and development, and some haven’t.” An feels that the stream around communication and personal branding really helped to polish up communication style and made them more focused on their executive presence.
Our stride is different coming out of the program.
Holding Onto Hope
An says, “I think women inherently, and I don’t know what the stats are, but they generally don’t speak up as much as men, and when they do, there are countless studies that speak to how often a woman is interrupted when she’s speaking versus a man.” The communication styles taught in ELCI empower women to challenge these standards. “It gives us the tools to speak up,” says An.
In the past, An might have let such a moment slide, but now, with the tools she acquired in ELCI, she would name the interruption in a respectful, constructive way, without letting it rattle her. She would speak up for the topic that she’s passionate about without letting it faze her.
Building Rooms of Her Own
An has nurtured her passion project, the network known as “Leading Cyber Ladies” in Toronto. The endeavor mirrors the principles of the Catalyst Community, a dynamic network of hundreds of individuals who have engaged with the Catalyst in various capacities, including program graduates, mentors, founders, entrepreneurs-in-residence, corporate-in-residence, academic and industry fellows, board members, team members, partners, and stakeholders.
The goal of Leading Cyber Ladies is to foster a sense of community for women in the industry. They meet monthly over pizza and pop in the evening, and usually have a woman within the community speaking about a topic that is an area of expertise or about which she is passionate.
The goal is to support through local mentorship. There are chapters in Israel, New York, the UK, Spain, and Japan, and the global leadership team shares tips and ideas through a WhatsApp group. For An, this overlap between local grassroots groups and formal programs is what makes the Catalyst ecosystem so powerful. “You broaden your horizon to other folks within the Catalyst network, but you also continue to get that tight-knit interaction with the folks that went through the program with you.” Despite the inequality in cybersecurity and beyond, An is encouraged.
People want to do good. And that sort of keeps my hope alive.
Despite the inequality in cybersecurity and beyond, An is encouraged.
She has claimed her seat at the table, and other women are following.