Black Hat, the cybersecurity industry’s most established and in-depth security event series, announced the launch of Black Hat(HER), a global platform designed to support, connect, and elevate women across the cybersecurity industry. The initiative launched with an invitation-only executive dinner in San Francisco on June 17, 2026, bringing together senior women leaders and allies shaping security strategy, investment, and innovation.
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Black Hat(HER) creates structured opportunities for connection, visibility, and career advancement across all levels, from emerging practitioners to C-suite executives. This includes dedicated support for Briefings applicants, partnerships increasing access to global Black Hat events, and programming designed to build substantive professional networks and support at every career stage.
“Black Hat(HER) is about bringing incredible women across cybersecurity together, elevating their voices, and making their achievements more visible, so that others can learn from their experience, see what is possible, and build their own path through the industry,” said Laura Stebbing, VP of Content at Black Hat.
“Building this community within Black Hat is about more than improving representation. It is about creating the relationships, visibility, and opportunities that enable more women to lead, and giving the next generation of cyber leaders a greater role in shaping the future of the industry,” said Suzy Pallett, President of Black Hat.
The inaugural San Francisco dinner brought together CEOs, founders, CISOs, veteran engineers, venture capitalists, and privacy counsel in an environment prioritizing peer dialogue and strategic perspective. The gathering featured insights from Coleen Coolidge, Security at Formal, whose experience building security programs and fostering collaborative security culture provided the foundation for discussions on leadership development and organizational change.
Following the San Francisco launch, Black Hat(HER) will expand across Black Hat’s global events portfolio: Black Hat USA (Las Vegas, August 2026), SecTor (Toronto, October 2026), Black Hat Europe (London, December 2026), and Black Hat Asia (Singapore, March 2027). During Black Hat USA 2026, the platform will feature an executive reception on August 5, 2026, and dedicated networking opportunities on the show floor.
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