Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2024’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words.
In 2025, the awards were sponsored by BT, KnowBe4, Mimecast, Varonis, Bridewell, Certes, Pentest Tools and AI Dionic. Community partners included WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate, Women in Tech and Cybersecurity Hub (WiTCH), CyBlack and Inclusive InCyber (LT Harper).
What does your job role entail?
At Age UK, I lead on safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring cybersecurity compliance across the organisation. It’s about protecting trust—of donors, stakeholders, and millions of older people we serve. In parallel, through Seidea CIC, I work to diversify cybersecurity by creating career pathways for Black and Minority Ethnic women through training, mentorship, and job opportunities.
How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?
My path was unconventional. I started in international development, tackling misinformation with the BBC during the Ebola crisis. The more I worked on digital literacy and online safety, the more I saw the gaping need for equitable cybersecurity. That lit the fire. From analysing cyber threats to advocating policy at the UN and teaching AI security on LinkedIn Learning—I’ve been in deep ever since.
What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?
Being underestimated. Too often, rooms assume someone with cybersecurity expertise doesn’t look like me or has a feminine voice. I overcame it by owning the room anyway. Building Seidea from scratch, gaining board seats, publishing in the World Economic Forum Cybersecurity Outlook—I let the work speak, then followed it up with a louder voice.
What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?
Through Seidea, we’ve upskilled over 8,000 BME women globally. We don’t just train—we rewrite the narrative. From grassroots coding workshops to partnerships with corporates, we’re building an ecosystem of inclusion. I also use my platforms—from TEDx stages to guest lecturing at Oxford University and LinkedIn Learning—to open doors and raise the standard for what “diverse cybersecurity” actually looks like.
Who has inspired you in your life/career?
My grandmother. She taught me that knowledge is a tool and service is a responsibility. She survived colonial rule, raised her children through the Biafra war, and still made space to teach others to read. That legacy—of resilience and empowerment—is what I aim to channel in everything I do.
The post MIWIC25: Stephanie Itimi, Director of Information Protection and Compliance, Age UK, Founder & Chair, Seidea CIC appeared first on IT Security Guru.
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