2014-15 Awardees

Award presentations at ACSAC 2014, New Orleans LA, December 2014.

From left: Jeremy Epstein (ACSA), Christa Cox (Bradley Univ), Joy Forsythe (HP)

From left: Jeremy Epstein (ACSA), Trang Nguyen (Columbus State Univ), Joy Forsythe (HP)

From left: Jeremy Epstein (ACSA), Nicholette Fortune (RIT), Joy Forsythe (HP)

From left: Jeremy Epstein (ACSA), Nick Manfredi (Wellesley College), Joy Forsythe (HP)

ACSA and CRA-W are pleased to announce winners of the 2014-15 Scholarships for Women Studying Information Security.

Kira Ullman, Columbia University Kira is a senior at Columbia University majoring in Math and Computer Science. She grew up in Washington, DC, and attended Sidwell Friends High School. She is hoping to get a job in cybersecurity and is thrilled to be an SWSIS awardee!	Veronica (Nick) Manfredi, Wellesley CollegeNick Manfredi is a senior at Wellesley College, majoring in computer science with a focus in information security. After graduation, Nick plans to attend graduate school.	Nicholette Fortune, Rochester Institute of Technology Nicholette is a rising senior at Rochester Institute of Technology. She is a double major in Information Security and Forensics, and Criminal Justice. After graduation she hopes to find employment doing either Cyber Security or Digital/Network Forensics. Although originally from Trinidad in the Caribbean, she is a native of Brooklyn, NY where she attended Midwood High School at Brooklyn College.
Katareena Geller, University of North Carolina at Charlotte	Victoria Lentz, University of Maryland Baltimore County Victoria Lentz is a senior at University of Maryland, Baltimore County studying computer science with a concentration in information assurance. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in digital forensics. She is a native of Ellicott City, MD where she attended Howard High School.	Trang Nguyen, Columbus State University Trang Nguyen is a graduate student at Columbus State University, where she is working towards her Masters in Computer Science, with a focus in information assurance. Her bachelor’s in biochemistry was received from the Georgia Institute of Technology. After graduation, she is looking into working in industry or pursuing a PhD where she could focus on biometric cyber security. She’s a native of Columbus, GA, where she went to Columbus High School.
Sherri Pearlman, National University Sherri Pearlman is a senior at National University where she is majoring in Cyber Security with a focus in Information Assurance. After graduation she plans to get a job in the industry, where she hopes to work in Network Security.	Jessica Pease, California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo/ Jessie is a Senior at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is majoring in Computer Science with a focus in security. This fall she will be studying abroad at KTH in Stockholm, Sweden in the School of Computer Science and Communication. After graduation, she plans to work in industry where she hopes to work on privacy engineering. She’s a native of Elk Grove, CA where she went to Laguna Creek High School. Jessie is a Senior at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is majoring in Computer Science with a focus in security. This fall she will be studying abroad at KTH in Stockholm, Sweden in the School of Computer Science and Communication. After graduation, she plans to work in industry where she hopes to work on privacy engineering. She’s a native of Elk Grove, CA where she went to Laguna Creek High School.	Abisola Togunde, Eastern Michigan UniversityAbisola Togunde is a senior at Eastern Michigan University. She is majoring in Information Assurance, with a concentration in Management. After graduation, she plans to get a job in industry, where she hopes to focus on network security and risk management. She’s a native of Ithaca, NY, however she attended Eaton Rapids High School in Eaton Rapids, MI.
Christa Cox, Bradley University/	Geneva Capos, California State University, Northridge Geneva Capos is a senior at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She’s majoring in Information Technology and minoring in Sociology. Her hometown is Granite Bay, California where she went to Granite Bay High School and competed in varsity swimming and water polo. She was recruited to CSUN to play water polo. Interests in crime, computers and helping people lead her to the Information Security world. She is the president of the computer security club Layer 8 on her campus. Geneva is rejoining the water polo team after a 2 year retirement taken primarily to focus on schoolwork and studying computer security. That time off allowed her to become more involved with the Layer 8 club. With Layer 8 she has attended several security conferences and conventions, competed in several security competitions such as picoCTF, NCL (National Cyber League), CCDC (Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition) qualifiers, CCDC invitational, and attended the USCC (US Cyber Challenge) San Jose Summer Camp. Currently she is an intern at the Aerospace Corporation in the Information Security Department. After graduating from CSUN, she plans on going to graduate school to expand her security knowledge. Following that, she hopes to pursue a career in cyber security and help protect people against technological threats.