How Booz Allen San Diego Empowers Women

Women’s History Month isn’t just about the women of the past; it’s also about those who will one day make history. Booz Allen San Diego began celebrating in February, growing the next generation of female STEM talent, honoring the diversity of America’s servicewomen, and more.  Read on for highlights.

Over the past 2 years, cyber vigilance and security have become more important than ever. Reports to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center spiked with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, from about 1,000 cybersecurity complaints per day before the pandemic compared to between 3,000 and 4,000 a day afterward.  “Children who are home from school and spending more time online may be at increased risk for exploitation,” the FBI warns on its website.

Simultaneously, the world faces an estimated global shortfall of 3.5 million cyber professionals. Women make up less than one quarter (24%) of the current cybersecurity workforce, according to research by the Aspen Institute, and representation by minority groups is even lower.   

To address the cyber gap with a more diverse workforce, Booz Allen joined forces with SynED, the Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE), and Girl Scouts San Diego to turn both situations around, sponsoring a virtual workshop on February 26 for more than 90 San Diego and Imperial Valley Girl Scouts. 

Through games, escape rooms, and other interactive activities, K-12 girls learned how to stay safe, keep information private online, and spot problems and vulnerabilities in the cyber world. They earned cybersecurity badges and gained tips for teaching their families, friends, and communities to be more cyber savvy. They also learned about the different roles, skillsets, and career pathways in the cybersecurity field. 

“Understanding cybersecurity will open many doors for you, whether you work in STEM, or other areas—like retail and stores, education and schools, healthcare and hospitals, finance and banks, nonprofits that you’re passionate about, the arts and theatre world, or the government,” said Booz Allen Senior Vice President Jennie Brooks. “Along with the more popular vocations of coders and hackers, cyber needs people of all backgrounds.” 

In March, Booz Allen San Diego sponsored another effort to engage area girls with technology: Girl Scouts San Diego’s STEM Incredible Race at Balboa Park. Here participants solve clues and complete STEM challenges at stations throughout the park staffed by volunteers, including employees from Booz Allen’s San Diego office.  

What advice does Brooks have for Girl Scouts—and all girls—interested in STEM beyond the Incredible Race? 

“I encourage you to explore internship opportunities when you are in college, such as our very own Booz Allen’s Summer Games, where you can get hands-on STEM experience working on projects across the nation,” she advised. “And as Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts, said, ‘The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.’ ”  

Booz Allen San Diego is helping connect past, present, and future through its sponsorship of  “The Color of Freedom: Honoring the Diversity of America’s Servicewomen.” The interactive display by the Military Women’s Memorial highlights the recorded stories of 21 servicewomen of color, shedding light on their sacrifices, contributions, and impact. 

As the Military Women’s Memorial undergoes renovation, the exhibit is traveling the country. Booz Allen San Diego is sponsoring the “AppreSHEation Tour” as the exhibit visits the USS Midway Museum during Women’s History Month.  

Learn more about Booz Allen San Diego and women at Booz Allen.