This is your group

 The success of Women in Security depends upon the involvement of its members.  Attending events, suggesting topics, volunteering to speak/assist/mentor or do a special project - all of these activities will make a strong group that will contribute to the well-being and success of its members.  If you have thoughts, contact one of the Women in Security SIG coordinators below:

Women in Security SIG Coordinators:

Theresa DeGroote (theresa.degroote@denverissa.org); Laurie Gray (lgailgray@yahoo.com); Heidi McDonald (heidi.mcdonald@acilearning.com)

Mary Haynes, CISSP, CISM

Group Vice President of Network Security Operations

Charter Communications

Mary Haynes, CISSP, CISM

Mary Haynes is the Group Vice President of Network Security Operations at Charter Communications. Mary currently leads the network security program for Charter’s core networks and Spectrum services, including High Speed Internet, Telephony, Video Mobile and Wi-Fi products. Mary is also responsible for Charter’s Customer Security Operations, Law Enforcement Response Team, Abuse management and botnet remediation programs.

Mary actively participates in a leadership role in numerous security organizations and associations, including the National Communications and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), Communications Information Sharing Analysis Center (ISAC), Communications Sector Reliability and Interoperability Council Working Groups and Infragard. Mary is currently serving as the Communications Deputy Sector Chief for Denver Infragard. She is the founding member of Women In Security – Denver, the largest ISSA Special Interest Group. Mary serves as mentor to many women in technology through WICT, WiCys and Charter’s LeanIn program.

Mary has been in the information security field since 1996 and has served in security leadership positions for Evergy, Lumen, Sprint, and AT&T. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Baker University. 

Gretchen Bliss

Director of Cybersecurity Programs

University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Ms. Bliss is the Director of Cybersecurity Programs at UCCS and has been involved in cybersecurity (and all it was called along the way) for over 25 years. At UCCS she is working to provide additional depth and breadth to the existing UCCS cybersecurity programs by expanding hands on experiences for students, bringing cybersecurity across the campus in academic programs and campus practices, increasing industry involvement, and meeting workforce demand. 

Most recently, she was at Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) for 5 years, where she led the college’s cybersecurity efforts through increasing the PPCC profile and footprint in cybersecurity. She developed Monthly Cyber Capture the Flag events with partner Secure Set; obtained for PPCC, through a Department of Defense Grant, the Center of Academic Excellence for 2 year schools (CAE2Y) designation by NSA; brought to PPCC, a DHS Champion, highly engaged members of industry, academia and K-12 for the Annual DHS National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) events for 2 years; developed a High School Summer Cybersecurity Internship Program “Cyber Prep” funded by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Regional Area Multistake Partnerships (RAMPS) Grant. Before coming to PPCC she worked for 25 years in the intelligence community, as the NORAD Deputy Senior Analyst and Chief of Plans, supporting the government’s efforts in understanding the evolution of cyber since the early 1990s on cyber, information operations and warfare, and computer network defense/attack.