ISC2 is the world’s leading membership organization for cybersecurity professionals. It runs and supports certifications (notably CISSP), which professionals earn by proving their knowledge and skills through exams and ongoing education. These certifications help people advance at every career stage and demonstrate their expertise to employers. ISC2 also engages in advocacy and workforce development to strengthen the cybersecurity profession and promote good practices, aiming to create a safer, more secure online world. The company differentiates itself through its large global community (over 265,000 certified members and associates), its authoritative certifications, and its focus on advancing the profession and its diversity and influence. Its goal is to improve cyber safety and security worldwide by empowering professionals and shaping the cybersecurity workforce.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Clearwater, Florida
Founded
1989
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ISC2, the world's leading nonprofit organisation for cybersecurity professionals, has appointed Brionne Dawson as Executive Vice President for Advocacy. Dawson will lead global advocacy efforts, engaging with policymakers and industry leaders to advance the cybersecurity profession. Dawson brings over 20 years of experience in technology policy and government affairs. She joins from Google, where she led international government affairs for emerging markets across more than 120 countries and served as Head of Middle East and Africa. At ISC2, Dawson will serve on the Executive Leadership Team, reporting to CEO Scott Beale. Her focus will include bringing cybersecurity professionals' perspectives into policy discussions on AI security, cyber resilience, and workforce development. She previously held senior positions at the US Department of State and US Chamber of Commerce.
ISC2 appoints Brionne Dawson as Executive Vice President for Advocacy. New advocacy leader will ensure cybersecurity professionals have a strong voice in policy discussions shaping AI adoption, cyber resilience and workforce development Alexandria, VA., Sept. 28, 2026 - ISC2 - the world's leading nonprofit member organization for cybersecurity professionals - today announced the appointment of Brionne Dawson as Executive Vice President for Advocacy. Dawson will lead ISC2's global advocacy efforts, strengthening engagement with policymakers, industry leaders, members and partners. She also will guide ISC2 strategy to advance the cybersecurity profession by helping to shape the policy environment for a safe, resilient and inclusive digital economy. "Cybersecurity professionals are on the front lines of protecting our economies, communities and daily lives, yet their perspectives are not always reflected in the policies that shape their work," said Scott Beale, CEO, ISC2. "Brionne understands how to bring people together across government, industry and partner ecosystems, and her leadership will help ISC2 advocate for the policies and partnerships needed to grow, support and strengthen the global cybersecurity workforce." This position is particularly important as government, industry and the workforce debate how to keep society safe from the cyber risks of AI. Beale added, "AI safety promises are only as strong as our ability to put them into practice. Cybersecurity professionals are essential to testing, securing and monitoring these systems, and they need a stronger voice in the decisions shaping how AI is built and deployed." Dawson brings more than two decades of experience across technology policy, government affairs, international relations and commercial diplomacy at a time when policymakers are increasingly focused on strengthening cyber resilience, addressing the cybersecurity skills gap and ensuring the profession has a voice in decisions shaping AI, digital trust and the future of secure innovation. She joins ISC2 from Google, where she led international government affairs for emerging markets across more than 120 countries and later served as Head of Middle East and Africa. Her work included artificial intelligence policy and adoption, cybersecurity, cloud computing, digital trade, cross-border data flows and digital infrastructure. "As AI reshapes our economies and societies, the professionals responsible for securing these systems must have a seat at the table when the rules governing them are written," said Dawson. "I'm excited to help bring the cybersecurity workforce's expertise into closer dialogue with government and industry - and to build the skills, institutional capacity and trust needed to ensure technological progress creates opportunity and security for all." At ISC2, Dawson will serve on the Executive Leadership Team and report directly to the CEO. Her work will focus on advancing practical pathways into cybersecurity, promoting globally recognized skills-based credentials, supporting continuous professional growth and ensuring policy reflects the realities of the people doing the work to build a safe and secure world. She will be an advocate for the workforce to governments worldwide and cybersecurity employers. Dawson will bring cybersecurity practitioners' perspectives into policy discussions on securing AI systems, defending against AI-enabled threats and equipping cybersecurity professionals to turn AI governance principles into everyday practice. Earlier in her career, Dawson served as a Senior Advisor in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and as Senior Director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's U.S.-Africa Business Center. She also held leadership roles at USAID and the National Democratic Institute, building partnerships across government, industry, international institutions and civil society. Dawson serves on the Advisory Board of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. She is a Fellow of the International Career Advancement Program, and she was named by New America among 35 Black American experts in U.S. national security and foreign policy. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Master of Arts in International Business from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Dawson also holds certifications in AI governance and agentic AI, including from Harvard University and the International Association of Privacy Professionals. About ISC2. ISC2 is the world's leading member organization for cybersecurity professionals, driven by its vision of a safe and secure cyber world. Its more than 270,000 certified members, and associates, are a force for good, safeguarding the way ISC2 Inc. live. Its award-winning certifications - including cybersecurity's premier certification, the CISSP(R)- enable professionals to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities at every stage of their careers. ISC2 strengthens the influence, diversity and vitality of the cybersecurity profession through advocacy, expertise and workforce empowerment that accelerates cyber safety and security in an interconnected world. Its charitable foundation, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, helps create more access to cyber careers and educates those most vulnerable. Learn more, get involved or become an ISC2 Candidate to build your cyber career at ISC2.org. Connect with ISC2 Inc. on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. (C) 2026 ISC2 Inc., ISC2, CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, HCISPP, ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP, CC, and CBK are registered marks of ISC2, Inc. Media contact: Jarred LeFebvre Senior Director, Global Communications
ISC2 launches ACTion Rooms to turn member insight into action. Sep 01, 2026, 06:00 ET Series of interactive sessions will give Security Congress attendees a forum to exchange ideas with each other and ISC2 leaders to help shape the future of the profession ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - ISC2 - the world's leading nonprofit member organization for cybersecurity professionals - announced the addition of ACTion Rooms at its 2026 ISC2 Security Congress, taking place in Denver, Oct. 24-28. The new interactive sessions are facilitated discussions that place attendees at the center of the conversation, allowing them to share their experiences, perspectives and ideas on issues facing the profession. ACTion Rooms are where ISC2 members can explore ways they can help bring about positive change in the field by learning how to get involved in standard setting, shaping the Code of Professional Conduct and ethical practices, and understanding how research generated by the membership body influences activities and how ISC2 advocacy influences policy on their behalf. "The future of cybersecurity cannot be shaped from the sidelines. It requires the insight, experience and engagement of the professionals protecting our digital world every day," said ISC2 CEO Scott Beale, CC. "Through ACTion Rooms, we are creating a more direct path for members to contribute their expertise to the work ISC2 is leading across standards, ethics, AI, workforce readiness, public policy and national security, helping turn conversation into collective action for the profession." A Closer Look at the ACTion Room Topics The six ACTion Rooms will explore a range of timely issues shaping and impacting the cybersecurity profession: * Standards Setting in a Turbulent Cyber Landscape: Building Trust Through Evidence, Transparency and Consensus - How professionals can help shape standards that guide accountability, align expectations and support the future of the cybersecurity profession. * The Voice of the Profession: Research That Drives Action - How ISC2 conducts research to uncover workforce trends, emerging challenges and industry insights that help shape the future of the profession. * Code of Professional Conduct in Practice - How the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct helps cybersecurity professionals apply ethical principles to real-world decisions and professional challenges. * Connecting the Cyber Dots: How the Profession Learns, Evolves and Advances - How research, standards, ethics and professional experience work together to transform real-world cybersecurity challenges into actionable guidance that strengthens the profession, workforce development and lifelong learning. * Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop Defended: The national security considerations of the water sector's cybersecurity investments. - How cybersecurity, operational and national security risks impact the need to strengthen the resilience of water infrastructure. * City on a Hill: What Workforce Pathways Should Exist in Ten Years? - How to reimagine scalable pathways that develop the next generation of cyber professionals through education, apprenticeships, military transitions and skills-based workforce models. Through pulse checks, real-world scenario prompts, guided reflection, curated member questions, live word clouds and closing takeaways, ACTion Rooms will capture the collective expertise of cybersecurity professionals and create a dynamic dialogue that evolves in real time. These interactive elements will invite attendees to contribute practical insights from their work on the front lines of cybersecurity, while learning from peers and ISC2 leaders navigating similar challenges. Along with the previously announced AI Incident Rooms, the ACTion rooms will continue to evolve ISC2 Security Congress from a presentation-centric conference into a more community-driven, dynamic forum for thought leadership and peer engagement. ISC2 Security Congress was recently named 2026 Cyber Security Community of the Year by Cyber Security Awards and won gold in the Conference category of the Titan Business Awards. Early Bird registration rates are available through September 9, 2026. For more details on the 2026 Security Congress, please visit 2026 ISC2 Security Congress. About Security Congress Security Congress brings together cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals for an annual conference designed to enrich careers and enable advancement so that attendees may excel in their profession. Since 2011, ISC2 has hosted this annual conference around the United States, with this year's event taking place in Denver, Colorado (U.S.) from October 24-28 at the Gaylord Rockies. For more information on Security Congress, visit https://www.isc2.org/Congress or follow us on LinkedIn. About ISC2 ISC2 is the world's leading member organization for cybersecurity professionals, driven by our vision of a safe and secure cyber world. Our more than 270,000 certified members, and associates, are a force for good, safeguarding the way we live. Our award-winning certifications - including cybersecurity's premier certification, the CISSP(R)- enable professionals to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities at every stage of their careers. ISC2 strengthens the influence, diversity and vitality of the cybersecurity profession through advocacy, expertise and workforce empowerment that accelerates cyber safety and security in an interconnected world. Our charitable foundation, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, helps create more access to cyber careers and educates those most vulnerable. Learn more, get involved or become an ISC2 Candidate to build your cyber career at ISC2.org. Connect with us on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. (C) 2026 ISC2 Inc., ISC2, CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, HCISPP, ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP, CC, and CBK are registered marks of ISC2, Inc. SOURCE ISC2
ISC2 launches ACTion Rooms to turn member insight into action. September 01, 2026 Series of interactive sessions will give Security Congress attendees a forum to exchange ideas with each other and ISC2 leaders to help shape the future of the profession ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - ISC2 - the world's leading nonprofit member organization for cybersecurity professionals - announced the addition of ACTion Rooms at its 2026 ISC2 Security Congress, taking place in Denver, Oct. 24-28. The new interactive sessions are facilitated discussions that place attendees at the center of the conversation, allowing them to share their experiences, perspectives and ideas on issues facing the profession. ACTion Rooms are where ISC2 members can explore ways they can help bring about positive change in the field by learning how to get involved in standard setting, shaping the Code of Professional Conduct and ethical practices, and understanding how research generated by the membership body influences activities and how ISC2 advocacy influences policy on their behalf. "The future of cybersecurity cannot be shaped from the sidelines. It requires the insight, experience and engagement of the professionals protecting our digital world every day," said ISC2 CEO Scott Beale, CC. "Through ACTion Rooms, we are creating a more direct path for members to contribute their expertise to the work ISC2 is leading across standards, ethics, AI, workforce readiness, public policy and national security, helping turn conversation into collective action for the profession." A Closer Look at the ACTion Room Topics The six ACTion Rooms will explore a range of timely issues shaping and impacting the cybersecurity profession: * Standards Setting in a Turbulent Cyber Landscape: Building Trust Through Evidence, Transparency and Consensus - How professionals can help shape standards that guide accountability, align expectations and support the future of the cybersecurity profession. * The Voice of the Profession: Research That Drives Action - How ISC2 conducts research to uncover workforce trends, emerging challenges and industry insights that help shape the future of the profession. * Code of Professional Conduct in Practice - How the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct helps cybersecurity professionals apply ethical principles to real-world decisions and professional challenges. * Connecting the Cyber Dots: How the Profession Learns, Evolves and Advances - How research, standards, ethics and professional experience work together to transform real-world cybersecurity challenges into actionable guidance that strengthens the profession, workforce development and lifelong learning. * Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop Defended: The national security considerations of the water sector's cybersecurity investments. - How cybersecurity, operational and national security risks impact the need to strengthen the resilience of water infrastructure. * City on a Hill: What Workforce Pathways Should Exist in Ten Years? - How to reimagine scalable pathways that develop the next generation of cyber professionals through education, apprenticeships, military transitions and skills-based workforce models. Through pulse checks, real-world scenario prompts, guided reflection, curated member questions, live word clouds and closing takeaways, ACTion Rooms will capture the collective expertise of cybersecurity professionals and create a dynamic dialogue that evolves in real time. These interactive elements will invite attendees to contribute practical insights from their work on the front lines of cybersecurity, while learning from peers and ISC2 leaders navigating similar challenges. Along with the previously announced AI Incident Rooms, the ACTion rooms will continue to evolve ISC2 Security Congress from a presentation-centric conference into a more community-driven, dynamic forum for thought leadership and peer engagement. ISC2 Security Congress was recently named 2026 Cyber Security Community of the Year by Cyber Security Awards and won gold in the Conference category of the Titan Business Awards. Early Bird registration rates are available through September 9, 2026. For more details on the 2026 Security Congress, please visit 2026 ISC2 Security Congress. About Security Congress Security Congress brings together cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals for an annual conference designed to enrich careers and enable advancement so that attendees may excel in their profession. Since 2011, ISC2 has hosted this annual conference around the United States, with this year's event taking place in Denver, Colorado (U.S.) from October 24-28 at the Gaylord Rockies. For more information on Security Congress, visit https://www.isc2.org/Congress or follow Government Security Directory on LinkedIn. About ISC2 ISC2 is the world's leading member organization for cybersecurity professionals, driven by its vision of a safe and secure cyber world. Its more than 270,000 certified members, and associates, are a force for good, safeguarding the way Government Security Directory live. Its award-winning certifications - including cybersecurity's premier certification, the CISSP(R)- enable professionals to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities at every stage of their careers. ISC2 strengthens the influence, diversity and vitality of the cybersecurity profession through advocacy, expertise and workforce empowerment that accelerates cyber safety and security in an interconnected world. Its charitable foundation, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, helps create more access to cyber careers and educates those most vulnerable. Learn more, get involved or become an ISC2 Candidate to build your cyber career at ISC2.org. Connect with Government Security Directory on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. (C) 2026 ISC2 Inc., ISC2, CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, HCISPP, ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP, CC, and CBK are registered marks of ISC2, Inc. SOURCE ISC2
New ISC2 Express Course helps cybersecurity professionals put the Code of Professional Conduct into practice. Cybersecurity professionals are entrusted with protecting critical assets, managing sensitive information and helping organizations navigate risk. The new ISC2 Express Course, Code of Professional Conduct in Practice, helps professionals strengthen ethical decision-making and apply the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct in real-world situations. Trust is one of the most valuable assets in the cybersecurity profession. Security professionals are often granted access to systems, data and strategic information that require sound judgment and a commitment to ethical behavior. While the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct provides guiding principles for the profession, understanding how to apply those principles in everyday situations can be just as important as understanding the Code itself. To help professionals bridge the gap between principle and practice, ISC2 has launched Code of Professional Conduct in Practice, a new on-demand Express Course focused on ethical behavior, accountability and responsible decision-making. The course is available beginning August 19, 2026. Bringing Ethics into everyday decisions. The Code of Professional Conduct serves as an important foundation for cybersecurity professionals. The new course provides a practical exploration of the Code along with the Ethical Decision-Making Guide as a framework for decision-making, professional behavior and accountability in daily work. Rather than focusing solely on theory, learners are encouraged to consider how ethical principles influence common workplace situations. Through practical examples and guided reflection, participants examine how their decisions can affect colleagues, organizations, stakeholders and the broader cybersecurity profession. The course explores topics including: * Professional conduct * Ethical behavior and decision-making * Personal accountability and professional responsibility Learning through practical scenarios. Cybersecurity professionals routinely face situations that require both technical expertise and professional judgment. The course helps learners explore the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct through practical scenarios such as communicating risk, reporting concerns and supporting an ethical workplace culture. By working through realistic examples, learners gain insight into how professional conduct can guide actions, strengthen trust and help build positive organizational cultures. The course concludes with a 30/60/90-day action plan designed to help participants turn principles into lasting professional habits, team discussions and workflow checkpoints. Designed for cybersecurity professionals at every career stage. Whether someone is entering the field or has years of experience, ethical decision-making remains a core professional competency. This foundational Express Course is designed for cybersecurity professionals at all career stages who want to strengthen their ability to make responsible, trustworthy decisions and contribute to the reputation of the profession. No prerequisite knowledge is required. The course includes approximately 100 minutes of learning and is delivered on demand, allowing learners to engage with the content at their own pace. Learners receive 60 days of access from the date of enrollment. Earn CPE credits while strengthening professional practice. Upon successful completion, learners earn 2 Group B CPE credits and receive a Validation of Completion. The learning experience includes text- and video-based content, knowledge-check questions and an end-of-course evaluation. As an added member benefit, the course is available at no cost to ISC2 Members, Associates and Candidates. Non-members may enroll for U.S. $80. In a profession built on trust, ethical conduct is more than an expectation. It is a responsibility. Code of Professional Conduct in Practice provides cybersecurity professionals with practical tools and insights to help ensure that responsibility guides their everyday decisions. Related insights. * Ethics in Cybersecurity: Why Professional Conduct Matters * How Cybersecurity Leaders Build Cultures of Trust * Explore ISC2 Professional Development and Express Courses