Joyce Hunter ─ Cybersecurity Think Tank leader focused on increasing critical infrastructure sectors...
September 9, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Updated September 15, 2022
Joyce Hunter
Executive Director
Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT)
Are you looking for an innovative cybersecurity leader focused on increasing critical infrastructure sectors? We know the person—Joyce Hunter!
Joyce is the Executive Director for the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT), The Cybersecurity Think Tank, focused on increasing the resiliency of America’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors. As the ICIT's Executive Director, she is responsible for ICIT’s vision and mission delivery, implementation of the approved work program, and heads fundraising and external relations. She was recently appointed Advisory Board Chair for CyberAg.org, where she leads strategy development for CyberAg’s advisory services for the USDA, Farm Credit System and Industry partners. Joyce's breadth of experience allows her to paint “big picture” strategies to clients, and address local to global challenges.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman™, Joyce Hunter!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
I played classical piano from age 9 to 21 and was in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
Approximately 25,000.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
Chili Crab and I ate it in Singapore.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
Being the Global Account Manager and the Project Manager for the installation of Lotus Notes in 46 countries in 12 months and developing the Science Technology Engineering Agriculture and Math (STEAM) camp for underserved and underrepresented youth, when I was the Deputy CIO at the Department of Agriculture.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
Yes – his name was Khalid Shaheed. He was an experienced and wise engineer, and I was new to the company and to the world of technology and business development. He would always tell me to pay attention because ““Every shut eye ain’t sleep, and every goodbye ain’t gone”, which meant that one must look beneath the surface of situations if you really want to understand life or understand people.
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
You have two ears and one mouth – listen twice as much as you talk.
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I belong to Million Women Mentors and I lead W.I.L.D. (Women In Leadership Development) for VSolVIT. I was also recently named one of the Top 100 Women in Maryland and one of Security Magazine’s top cybersecurity people to watch.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
When I was the Deputy CIO and the Acting CIO at the USDA, I implemented and codified the Open Data executive order, which resulted in the development of the STEAM Camp and publishing over 800 datasets for public consumption (this summer will be the seventh year).
Another was working with some of the top cybersecurity experts and generating educational publications and putting together a soon to be released book from CRS press that will be a guide to this administration on securing the nation’s infrastructure.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
Today’s leadership is only possible when a leader is open to change and has an agile mindset. Leading with agility means being flexible and forward-thinking. Those are the skills that I am developing and refining.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
With the enormous amount of data that comes at me on a daily basis, the biggest challenge is to understand the importance of staying relevant and competitive and then executing.
