Several lifetimes ago, when Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube were still new to many, I wrote a list every Friday to signal boost people in the cybersecurity community who were blazing trails in ways practitioners could learn from and apply.
Fun fact: My friendship with Michael Farnum, CEO of CYBR.SEC.Community, can be traced back to those days, when he was reading the list each week, hoping to eventually find himself on the list. He eventually made it.
After a years-long hiatus, I've resurrected it.
#FollowFriday now lives at CYBR.SEC.Media, the ideal home since we are part of CYBR.SEC.Community, an ecosystem built to bring practitioners together, amplify meaningful work and highlighting voices that make this industry better – not louder.
Each week, I’ll profile five people from across the cybersecurity landscape. Some will be long-time veterans. Others will be newer voices gaining momentum. What they’ll have in common is impact on how we think, how we work, and how we support one another as practitioners.
If there are people you think deserve recognition, drop me a line at bill@cscgroupllc.com.
@TracketPacer
I only recently discovered TracketPacer but have quickly found value in her work. She writes no-nonsense analysis of security tooling, exploitation techniques, and defensive strategies via blog, YouTube and social media. With a focus on grounding complex topics in real technical detail, she consistently bridges the gap between abstract concepts and the on-the-ground realities practitioners face every day.
Her posts demystify advanced attack patterns, tooling integrations, and tactical defensive measures that are directly applicable in live environments. Just as importantly, TracketPacer engages the community in thoughtful discussions around practical tradeoffs, security hygiene, and the craft of cybersecurity, raising the level of conversation rather than chasing noise.
Where to follow:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracketpacer/
X (Twitter): @TracketPacer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Tracketpacer
Personal Blog / Website: https://www.tracketpacer.com/
Matt Johansen
Matt Johansen is a cybersecurity practitioner, researcher, and creator known for deep technical analysis paired with an unusually human perspective on the realities of security work. He's also a long-time friend. With experience spanning cloud security, vulnerability management, and platform defense, he brings a practitioner lens to everything he covers, focusing less on hype and more on how security breaks, fails, and gets fixed in the real world.
He spends hours each week live streaming across multiple platforms, diving into the technical details of some of the most off-the-wall and under-examined cyber threats, from AI-enabled plush toys to vulnerabilities hiding in platforms we all use every day, from WhatsApp to Microsoft Office. He is outspoken about the mental health challenges of cybersecurity, using his platforms to advocate for better tools, conversations, and support systems for practitioners navigating burnout and chronic pressure. That combination of technical rigor and human awareness makes his voice credible and necessary.
Where to follow:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattjayy/
YouTube (VulnerableU): https://www.youtube.com/@VulnerableU/featured
Vulnerable U (Newsletter & Platform): https://www.vulnu.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjohansen/
X (Twitter): @mattjay
Deidre Diamond
Deidre Diamond is a cybersecurity workforce expert, advocate, and entrepreneur focused on building stronger, more inclusive security teams. She is Founder and CEO of CyberSN, a talent intelligence and workforce risk management firm that uses structured taxonomies to improve job matching, retention, and career mobility in cybersecurity – something that's sorely needed in this broken job market. She also founded Secure Diversity, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women and underrepresented genders in the industry and co-founded the Day of Shecurity conference series.
Her impact on the cybersecurity workforce ecosystem is profound because it goes beyond recruitment: She’s reshaping how organizations think about talent risk, diversity, and career development.
Where to follow:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diamonddeidre/
X (Twitter): @DeidreDiamond
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidrediamond/
CyberSN: https://cybersn.com/
Secure Diversity: https://secureddiversity.org/
Connor Fitzgerald
Connor is a technology founder and advisor focused on helping businesses navigate the modern tech landscape, especially as AI and cybersecurity intersect with broader digital transformation. Based in the Greater Boston area, he launched AGI Beacon, a vendor-neutral IT advisory firm that guides organizations in making confident, informed technology decisions without the noise of vendor hype. I especially appreciate the short, mic-drop insights he shares on LinkedIn.
I see a bright future ahead for this young man.
Where to follow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-fitzgerald-boston/
AGI Beacon: https://agibeacon.com/
Dr. Stacy Thayer
Dr. Stacy Thayer is an organizational psychologist and cyberpsychology expert focused on the human side of cybersecurity. She blends academic research with real-world insight into how people navigate stress, culture, and performance in high-pressure environments – issues that are close to my heart. She has served as an adjunct professor of cyberpsychology, conducted research on job satisfaction, burnout, and neurodiversity in tech, and spoken at major security events including Black Hat, RSAC, and various BSides conferences.
Her sustained contributions have helped many of us better understand why people behave the way they do inside security teams and what organizations can do to support healthier, more productive cultures.
Where to follow:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strioux6/
X (Twitter): @DrStacyThayer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacythayer/
Personal Site: https://drstacythayer.com/
