WomenHackerz is a community organization supporting women and non-binary people in information security. We have been active since 2016, and everything we do is built on one principle: practitioners helping practitioners.

We are not a vendor. We are not a recruiter. We do not sell products, collect resumes, or run sponsored content. WomenHackerz is a practitioner community - built by people who do security work every day, for people who do security work every day. That independence is intentional and non-negotiable.

Why We Exist

The information security workforce has a representation problem, and it has had one for a long time. Women make up a fraction of the field, and non-binary practitioners are even less visible. The reasons are systemic - from hiring pipelines that reward insider networks to conference cultures that can feel unwelcoming to anyone who does not fit a narrow mold.

WomenHackerz exists to change that, one practitioner at a time. We do it through conferences that prioritize first-time speakers. Through mentorship programs with real structure and real accountability. Through workshops that meet people where they are instead of where gatekeepers think they should be. Through a community space where asking questions is encouraged and showing vulnerability is a strength.

What We Have Built

Since 2016, our community has grown to over 2,400 members across six continents. We have organized six WHackzCon conferences, graduated seven mentorship cohorts, and helped dozens of first-time speakers land conference talks at events well beyond our own. Our mentorship program maintains an 89% completion rate - a number that reflects the quality of our matching process and the commitment of our mentors and mentees.

We are proud of these numbers, but we are more proud of the stories behind them. The career changer who went from help desk to penetration tester with the support of a WomenHackerz mentor. The first-time speaker who presented at WHackzCon and went on to keynote at a major industry conference two years later. The study group that formed in our Slack and saw every member pass their OSCP within the same year. These are the outcomes that drive us.

The Organizing Team

WomenHackerz is run by volunteers who work in information security full-time. Our organizing team includes penetration testers, incident responders, security engineers, and GRC professionals. We come from startups, enterprises, consulting firms, and government. What we share is a belief that this community makes the field better - and a willingness to put in the work to keep it running.

All organizing work is done on a volunteer basis. Conference revenue goes toward operational costs, speaker travel, and community scholarships. We publish a financial summary after each conference so our community can see exactly where the money goes.

Contact

For general questions, mentorship inquiries, or speaker development interest, email [email protected]. We read everything and respond to every message.

For code of conduct reports or safety concerns, email [email protected]. Reports are handled confidentially by our dedicated response team.

For press inquiries or partnership discussions, email [email protected].