A Champion for Women Leaders in Cyber

Capitol Tech alumnus Diane M. Janosek, PhD, JD, CISSP is a pioneer among leaders at the intersection of law, policy, and technology, and a strong advocate for women in cybersecurity.

It is estimated that only 4% of cybersecurity workers self-identify as Hispanic, 9% as Black, and 24% as women. Additionally, when the Aspen Institute performed a study on diversity in America’s cybersecurity workforce, they found that “the field remains remarkably homogeneous, both among technical practitioners and policy thinkers, and there are few model programs or initiatives that have demonstrated real progress in building diverse and inclusive teams.”

This ignited Capitol to launch the Center for Women in Cyber (CWC) in 2021 to attract women professionals and leaders in cyber-related fields, and Dr. Janosek, alumnus and entrepreneur, offered her expertise and experience, leading the CWC as the Executive Director.

Meeting the Challenges for Women in Government

Janosek credits her passion for cybersecurity to her early career working for the Department of Justice. Working under the first female Attorney General, Janet Reno, her eyes were opened to the challenges facing women at the highest level of government that were like many other workplaces across the nation. She also learned how important a role technology would play in the future of national security, corporate operations, and personal privacy.  

“Looking back, it’s clear that my move to cybersecurity policy was a natural extension of my legal background and work in privacy, information security, compliance, and data policy,” Janosek says. As a professional woman, she found herself in a situation many others in the cyber workplace often experience— working at the leading edge of critical policy matters, but being the only female leader in the room.

“You have to remember that when I was completing my law degree, we marveled at Ruth Bader Ginsburg joining Sandra Day O’Connor as a second female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court,” Janosek says.

When Janosek later gained roles in the White House and Pentagon, focusing on privacy law, ethics, acquisitions, and civil liberties, she knew it signaled progress. Janosek served as the first Chief Legal Officer for the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, where she balanced legal-technical matters in data protection. As she practiced in national security law and managed information and network security programs, her path toward cybersecurity became clearer.

“The more policy and technology work I did, the more I realized that its intersection is the protection of information and the vulnerabilities or risk to a federal agency and to businesses,” Janosek said, adding  that the move to cybersecurity and its role in balancing risk became a “natural fit.”

At the Intersection of Cybersecurity & Policy

In 2014, Janosek immersed herself in security policy and information management as Associate Director of Network and Information Security at the National Security Agency (NSA). She immediately loved the field and its dedicated workforce, and her passion for cyber grew. From there, she transitioned to Deputy and then Commandant of the National Cryptologic University, leading the training and education of defense professionals in cybersecurity and signals intelligence. In these positions, she always relied upon her law degree and courses in critical thinking. Janosek also valued her master's degree in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University, which further developed her analytical and writing skills, and later aided her PhD research. 

“Law helps me identify the key issues and risks. My PhD in Cyber Leadership from Capitol Technology University helps me identify appropriate solutions to the key issues and offer mitigations. Across the board, my education has provided the foundation to understand and address emerging complex threats to national security.”

Personal success, however, has never been enough for Janosek. At every career step, she has sought ways to advocate for women and underrepresented groups.

Janosek founded the first Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) regional affiliate as a supportive community of “cyber sisters” and to mentor other women in the field. She later started the first industry-specific affiliate—the WiCyS Critical Infrastructure Community (CIC)—for women in both critical infrastructure and cybersecurity roles.

Janosek acknowledges that “we’ve made progress,” while recognizing there’s more work to do. Women make up about 25% of federal IT management jobs and still only represent 31% of the government’s STEM workforce.

Looking Ahead for Capitol Tech and the CWC

Recent industry studies continue to show the need for wider representation in cybersecurity. ISC2 data shows that women average around 22% of security roles. Across 14 countries surveyed, the percentage of women working in cybersecurity ranges from a high of 26.7% in Italy to a low of 14.6% in Germany. The U.S. stands at 18.3%, Canada at 21.2% and the U.K. at 17.9%, according to recent LinkedIn data. The Global Cybersecurity Forum’s 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Report noted that women account for only 24% of the workforce, a similar finding to the ISC2 data.

Janosek, who served on the White House’s Federal Subcommittee on STEM Education from 2018–2021, expresses a sense of urgency in light of this ongoing challenge. She also frames the need to attract female professionals and leaders in cyber-related fields, and her charge to lead Capitol’s CWC, within the school’s long historic arc and steadfast mission. 

“Many people do not fully appreciate how long Capitol Technology has been preparing students and being responsive to the public and the private sector's needs to succeed and make our country strong,” she says.

That mission began with the school’s founding in 1927 as the Capitol Radio Engineering Institute (CREI) by Eugene H. Rietzke, a former US Navy Radioman. The primary purpose of CREI was to train radio and electronics technicians, focusing on providing education for naval personnel in radio communications and electronics.  

“What impresses me the most,” Janosek says, “is that the University and its leaders have never forgotten these roots. You can follow this throughline to the cybersecurity needs of the present day.” She adds, “My appreciation for Capitol Technology University grew deeper during my time at the National Security Agency and the National Cryptologic University. I learned that Capitol Technology served as one of the feeder schools for recruitment, and they set a high bar as a Center of Academic Excellence.”

Regarding cyber in the age of artificial intelligence, Janosek again points to Capitol’s consistent emphasis on experiential learning. Janosek “values how President Sims frames the experience when he says, ‘We’re distinguished not only by what we teach, but also by how we teach it.’”

As someone who has led the training and education of future cyber professionals, Janosek remains bullish about the United States, thanks in part to the culture in places such as Capitol Tech. “America’s corporations and agencies need students who have not only learned concepts but also had the opportunity to apply those concepts in the situations they will encounter during their careers. I see that preference toward hands-on experience and action permeates every aspect of a Capitol Tech education. Employers look for graduates who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, literally or figuratively, and Capitol Tech can deliver—hands-down.”