Meet the UK Cyber Security Association’s Advisory Board

LISA VENTURA – CEO & Founder

Lisa Ventura is an award-winning Cyber Security consultant and is the Co-Director and Founder of the UK Cyber Security Association (UKCSA). She has over 10 years’ experience in the cyber security industry which began in 2009 when she joined Titania Ltd as their VP of Operations and Marketing Director working alongside her then-husband who was the Founder of the company.

She and is passionate about raising awareness of being more cyber aware in business to help prevent cyber-attacks and cyber fraud. She is a thought leader, author and keynote speaker and has been published in various publications globally. Her first book “The Rise of the Cyber Women: Volume One” was published in August 2020 and her second book “The Varied Origins of the Cyber Men: Volume One” was published in November 2020, both to great acclaim.

Lisa is a Board Member of the Global Cyber Security Alliance, is on the Advisory Group of the West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre, sits on the board of Think Digital Partners, and is part of Cyber Security Valley UK. She is a strong advocate for women in cyber security, the cyber skills gap, and neurodiversity. In 2021 she was named as one of the Top 30 Women of Influence in Cyber Security During the pandemic by SC Magazine.

STUART SUMNER-SMITH 

His passion is to help create more diversity in the technological economy, while at the same time help communities and individuals overcome challenges, using tech to provide sustainable solutions.

Stuart has a a degree in Creative Arts and I’m currently completing a BSc in Computing.  He works with and manages a small team of coders/developers and have direct experience of coding in python, swift and using data analysis platforms. He is also a qualified Adult Learning Tutor and sits on the Advisory Board of the UK Cyber Security Association.

PROFESSOR LISA SHORT 

Professor Lisa Short is a preeminent authority and thought leader in frontier digital technology systems and security, design thinking, behavioural economics, education, transformational change, blockchain and crypto. As Founder of Mind Shifting, Co-Founder of P&L Digital Edge Ltd [UK] and Africa Agri Tech Ltd [UK] Lisa is continually at the driving force of technological change that delivers a better, safer, more educated place to live and work.

Professor Short is the appointed Chief Research Officer the Global Foundation for Cyber Studies and Research [GFCyber] and their Group Chair for CySME a special interest group focussing on cyber health for SME’s. Lisa is also a member of Peer Review Committee for The European Symposium on Usable Security (EuroUSEC) and on the Advisory Council for the International CyberExpo [London].

Lisa is recognised as one of the Top 150 Women B2B Thought Leaders in the World [2021], Top 100 B2B Thought Leaders You Should Follow [2020], Top 50 Thought Leaders and Influencers in the World to Follow for her work in digital technology, blockchain, crypto assets and EdTech. Lisa has a passion for SME’s being digitally resilient and advocacy for gender parity and Women in Tech and Security where she has presented at the United Nations and 65^th Commission on the Status for Women as a Delegate for UN Women UK, and sits on Special Interest Groups for The Security Institute and UK Cyber Security Council.

Professor Short’s work regularly takes her to present on the world stage including defining moments such as the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates and multiple invitations and media recognition, including UN TV; Westminster Parliament; podcasts and media recordings including A View from the Bar, The 36 Group, Cryptonites and universities around the world.

JAMES CASTLE 

James Castle started Terranova Defense Solutions in 2014, in the public safety and emergency management sectors. In 2018, James Castle was invited to speak as a Special Witness before the Tran Committee at the House of Commons Parliament in Ottawa as a subject-matter expert in unmanned vehicles and the future of drones in Canada. Terranova Defense Solutions was elected as one of Canada’s Top Defence Companies in both 2020 and 2021.

Today, Terranova Defense Solutions have expanded to provide a variety of cybersecurity solutions, which include cyber defense systems, software manufacturing of secured technologies, and specialized in a variety of defensive technology solutions.

Terranova Defense Solutions, through our quantum resilient encryption software, and working with our global technology partners, together we are quickly becoming the future of cybersecurity defense products and services globally. James Castle has been operating as a cybersecurity consultant and technology defense advisor in the commercial and military sectors within NATO and runs a cybersecurity talk show called “Cyber Defense In-Depth”.

James Castle is also the Executive Director of the Cyber Security Global Alliance (CSGA), a federally incorporated not-for-profit based in Ontario, Canada. The CSGA is a specialized group of people and organizations that have come together from around the world to create an alliance that will work toward developing and advancing cyber laws – demonstrating the need for key legislation from the global destruction being done through ongoing cyber attacks.

STEVE HOOD 

This is particularly true in Cyber Security, where businesses are often “caught in the headlights” because they find the subject confusing, or they’re bewildered by the technical jargon. 

Steve aims to help by focusing not on the technology, but on the business problem being described.  Currently, Steve is working with IT and Cyber solution providers and helping them to identify and qualify the right opportunities for their services.

SYLVIA HERBERT 

Sylvia Herbert is now retired after a 25 year cross-sector career in public relations and marketing, for some years trading as a freelance contractor. She was an elected director of not-for-profit membership organisations. Voluntary roles held include Board Chair of British Mensa Limited and Director of Administration on the Executive Committee of Mensa International Limited, a membership organisation of some 140,000 members in more than 40 national groups.

As well as travelling the world for meetings with a very diverse board of national chairs over a period of 14 years, she oversaw the development and launch of its first individual sign-in website back in 2010 and continues as a contact with the web developers and as a volunteer on its web user support team. She was a member of the international organisation’s Constitution Review Committee in a three year, major revision of its statutes. Sylvia’s particular interest within the UKCSA is in governance issues.

Sylvia, a history and economics graduate from Worcester, sits on the UKCSA’s Advisory Board.

SIMON NEWMAN 

Simon has held a number of senior management positions across Government, including at the Home Office.

Prior to joining PCPI, Simon worked as a Strategic Advisor to the Ministry of Interior in the United Arab Emirates where he led the development of several new crime reduction strategies and a major reorganisation of the Ministry.

PETE RUCINSKI 

Shortly after leaving the Royal Navy, Pete founded Assure Technical with the aim of providing technical security expertise and solutions to companies operating in the commercial sector.  Ten years on, it is now a leading Cyber Security Certification Body and has helped hundreds of companies of varying sizes strengthen their defences against the ever-present cyber threats.

As well as overseeing the day-to-day running of Assure Technical, Pete is actively involved in the East and West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centres and directly supports IASME, the NCSC Cyber Essentials Accreditation Body, with quality assurance and scheme development activities.

A keen adventurer, Pete recently pushed the boundaries of remote working by sailing trans-Atlantic with his young family whilst maintaining full business operations.  His cyber claim to fame is completing a Cyber Essentials certification 1000 miles off the coast of Africa!

CHRIS WINDLEY

Midlands-based Chris Windley is half English, half Welsh – but all British!  He previously had 2 stints in the Royal Navy as a Rating and as an Officer, but today has a global outlook having worked internationally with a variety of organisations to help them with their go-to-market and sales strategies.

He is the Founder of Cyber Security Valley UK and is passionate about Cyber Security and intelligence. In the last year he has been applying his military, nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare knowledge to the pandemic from a technological perspective.

Chris has started, built, and exited a variety of tech companies and is an angel investor and business advisory. He is over the 30k connections limit on LinkedIn and is a top global digital sales expert. In addition, Chris is a H.N.W.I. networker and a Birmingham Midlands Lunartick (Member of The Lunar Society). He also works with Founders4Schools, is a STEM speaker and his companies have been featured in Richard Branson’s Fastrack 100 3 times.

An author and global influencer, Chris is also a cloud cyber security, optical fibre networks and media specialist. Today, Chris is the Head of Business Development at the UK Cyber Security Association and also sits on the UKCSA’s Advisory Board.