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Tarah Wheeler

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Tarah Wheeler
Wheeler during an interview
Born
Tarah Marie Wheeler

(1979-02-12) February 12, 1979 (age 45)
Washington, U.S.
Alma materCarroll College, Portland State University, University of Michigan, University of Washington
Occupation(s)Author, hacker, CEO
Years active1998–present
Spouse(s)
Dean Van Vlack
​
(m. 2010⁠–⁠2015)​

BRIAN REA
​
(m. 2017)​

Tarah Marie Wheeler (born February 12, 1979)[1] is an American technology and cybersecurity executive, entrepreneur,[2] hacker, keynote speaker,[3] scientist[4] and author. She is currently CEO and Principal Security Adviser at Red Queen Technologies,[5] and Cybersecurity Policy Fellow at D.C. policy think-tank New America.[6][7] She is the former Cybersecurity Czar at Symantec,[8] author of Women In Tech, and founder of Infosec Unlocked. Wheeler served in several roles at Microsoft Game Studios for Halo and Lips for Xbox.

Early life and education

In 2004, she was named a National Science Foundation fellow.[9]

Career

Early career

In 2012, she founded cloud computing company Fizzmint.[10]

In 2014, Wheeler founded Infosec Unlocked, a diversity non-profit, whose goal is to help bring more diverse voices to infosec conferences across the United States through paper writing events and scholarships.[11] This was an extension of her YouTube series where she discussed diversity topics, "DEF CON Unlocked." [12] This series mostly covered topics relating to diversity at DEF CON, one of the worlds largest hacker conferences.

Current

In 2016, Wheeler was named a Cybersecurity Passcode Influencer by Christian Science Monitor.[13] In 2016, she spoke to the Federal Trade Commission on information security in tech startups[14] and published Women In Tech, a book dedicated to teaching women how to succeed in tech careers. She gave advice to women technologists on interview techniques[15][16] and salary negotiation,[17] when she was a systems architect at mobile encryption firm Silent Circle.[18] In the same year, Wheeler had an RFID chip embedded in her left hand.[19] In the fall of 2016 the University of California, Berkeley taught a class on Wheeler's book and the necessities for overcoming barriers to entry in the technology industry and the requirements for success as a woman trying to enter the field.[20]

After a record-setting Kickstarter campaign,[21][22] Wheeler published Women In Tech with several contributors, including Esther Dyson and Brianna Wu, one of the targets of the Gamergate controversy.[23] She experienced threats for including Wu, but retained her as a coauthor due to Wu's experience in the gaming industry.[24] Wheeler has experienced multiple death and rape threats for her online activism.[25][26][27]

She is often quoted in media about active cybersecurity incident response and data breaches, such as the WannaCry incident,[28] Wifi Krack,[29] the Equifax data breach,[30] and speaks publicly about the cybersecurity gap in the United States.

In August 2017, Wheeler announced on Twitter that she left Symantec to work on several books.[31] She is currently CEO and principal security researcher at Red Queen Technologies.[32]

Personal life

She previously married Dean Van Vlack on June 19, 2010 but later divorced.[33][34] On January 8, 2017, Wheeler got engaged to noted hacker Deviant Ollam.[35][36] Wheeler and Ollam married on July 1, 2017.[37]

Honors

  • In 2004, Wheeler was named as a National Science Foundation Fellow.[38]
  • In 2017, Wheeler was awarded the inaugural Cybersecurity Award from NYU.[39]

Boards

IS Unlocked

Other work and ventures

Fizzmint

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ Wheeler, Tarah M. (February 12, 2015). "Woooooo Birthday woooo! I made it to 36!!".
  2. ^ "Books about women – past and present". Bellingham Herald. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  3. ^ "5 questions with HDC keynote Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack". Silicon Prairie News. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  4. ^ "A CEO Explains How Women Can Fix Tech's Gender Problem". Registrar. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  5. ^ http://searchcompliance.techtarget.com/feature/Is-the-CISO-CIO-reporting-structure-hampering-security
  6. ^ "Cybersecurity-iniative". newamerica.org. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  7. ^ https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/21/552681357/after-massive-data-breach-equifax-directed-customers-to-fake-site
  8. ^ "Symantec appoints first cybersecurity czar". Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  9. ^ "Complex Systems Advanced Academic Workshop's (CSAAW) Final Report for the 2005-2006 Academic Year". University Of Michigan Press. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  10. ^ "How This Author Is Leveling The Playing Field For Women In Tech". Forbes. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  11. ^ "InfoSec Unlocked". Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  12. ^ "DEF CON Unlocked". YouTube. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  13. ^ "Meet Passcode's Influencers". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  14. ^ "Start with Security". Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  15. ^ "Against the "pipeline problem": Elissa Shevinsky on getting women and minorities into tech". New Statesman. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  16. ^ "Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack Fights for Women in Tech". Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  17. ^ "Book excerpt: Salary negotiating secrets for women in the tech industry". GeekWire. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  18. ^ "Commentary: To bring 'binders full of women' into tech, we must get on the same page". GeekWire. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  19. ^ "Symantec appoints first cybersecurity czar to woo hacking talent". The Register. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  20. ^ "DeCal : A Guide for Women in Tech". www.decal.org. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  21. ^ "Meet the woman writing the book on women in technology". Daily Dot. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  22. ^ "Women In Tech: The Book". Kickstarter. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  23. ^ "A New Kickstarter Funds a Book Aimed at Inspiring Women in Technology". Boston Globe. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  24. ^ "Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack On Doing What You Love". Power To Fly. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  25. ^ "Who Knew Helping Women Get Tech Jobs Could Be So Controversial?". Huffington Post. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  26. ^ "Docker hired private detectives to pursue woman engineer's rape, death threat trolls". The Register. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  27. ^ "Sexism isn't getting better in Silicon Valley, it's getting worse". The Register. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  28. ^ "'WannaCry' Malware Attack Could Just Be Getting Started: Experts". NBC. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  29. ^ "KRACK Wi-Fi Flaw: What You Should Know". Teen Vogue. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  30. ^ "After Massive Data Breach, Equifax Directed Customers To Fake Site". NPR. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  31. ^ Wheeler, Tarah M. (August 4, 2017). "Some personal news: today is my last day at @Symantec. I learned and incredible amount, was supported in education, and met amazing ppl". @tarah. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  32. ^ "Interview with Tarah Wheeler, "The Why" 02/13/18". Newsy. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  33. ^ Halverson, Matthew (January 23, 2013). "Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack Fights for Women in Tech".
  34. ^ Wheeler, Tarah M. (June 19, 2014). "I married Dean four years ago today. Here's to the next forty!".
  35. ^ Wheeler, Tarah M. (January 8, 2017). ".@deviantollam asked. I said yes!!!".
  36. ^ Ollam, Deviant (January 9, 2017). "we still get distracted midday by it. It's been killing our productivity. ;-)".
  37. ^ Ollam, Deviant (July 2, 2017). "It's official: I married @tarah yesterday in front of friends and family. Off to Ireland for honeymoon! We love you all!".
  38. ^ "Complex Systems Advanced Academic Workshop's (CSAAW) Final Report for the 2005-2006 Academic Year". University Of Michigan Press. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  39. ^ https://twitter.com/NYUCyber/status/910612668649746433
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