At the first-ever Mental Health in Cybersecurity Leadership Summit on April 24 at The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, Cybermindz, a ground-breaking non-profit organisation devoted to enhancing the mental health and well-being of cybersecurity professionals, will make its American debut. The same day, at the nearby Moscone Centre, will see the beginning of RSA Conference 2023, a highly regarded conference for the cybersecurity sector.

The free summit will bring together business leaders, mental health specialists, and cybersecurity experts to talk about the value of mental wellness in the field of cybersecurity and to debut the potent iRest protocol to the American cybersecurity community. Limited seating is available; interested parties must register in advance here. Anomali is a sponsor of the occasion.

“It’s really encouraging to see a cybersecurity professional initiative for cybersecurity professionals that addresses the real-world mental health issues that our industry faces. “We appreciate Cybermindz hosting this important summit,” said Jen Easterly, director of CISA.

In order to give these committed people the tools and resources they need to succeed in their careers and keep a healthy work-life balance, Cybermindz was established in Australia in 2022. “The cybersecurity industry is experiencing a mental health crisis, with employees under unheard-of stress and pressure. As the next step in our plans to expand into all Five Eyes jurisdictions over the upcoming twelve months, we are thrilled to offer Cybermindz services in the United States, according to Peter Coroneos, founder and executive chairman of Cybermindz.

Cybermindz uses the evidence-based iRest protocol, which has been successfully used in military settings since 2004, to lessen the suffering of cyber teams and help them regain mental wellness and peak performance. “We are honoured to collaborate with the iRest Institute (IRI), which has trained more than 7,000 facilitators globally. In collaboration with IRI, Cybermindz offers peer-informed programmes built on our comprehensive knowledge of the cyber industry and the scalable, empirically supported, and quantifiable methodologies of the Institute.

“I’m excited to see the iRest protocol being used for the first time in cybersecurity on behalf of the iRest Institute. According to Dr. Richard Miller, the founder of the iRest Institute, “Our past successes supporting mental health in the military and other domains combined with our current cyber programmes in Australia give us total confidence it will be equally well received in the US cyber sector.

The response from the cybersecurity community to Cybermindz has been overwhelmingly positive:

“At Anomali, we have always been committed to promoting the cognitive and emotional well-being of all security practitioners, including the numerous security analysts who work for our company as well as our clients and business partners. We have firsthand knowledge of the numerous difficulties these prestigious professionals encounter when fending off evolving cyberthreats, from ransomware to e-crime. We are honoured to back Cybermindz’s innovative project. Anomali’s CMO Mark Alba

“The fast pace, difficult challenges, and noble goals of the cybersecurity industry attracted many professionals to the field. But in the midst of all that, it’s crucial that we take the time to pause and consider our mental health. Along with fighting cybercrime, we must also contend with high levels of stress, ongoing change, and the danger of burnout. I’m honoured to support Cybermindz and the discussions they are facilitating about mental health in cybersecurity careers as an executive at Zscaler. – Kavitha Mariappan, EVP of Customer Experience and Transformation at Zscaler

I’ve spent more than 20 years working on and with cyber teams, so I can attest to the constant pressures they face. Cybersecurity faces a serious problem with burnout. I encourage my professional peers to join Proofpoint in supporting Cybermindz’s entry into the US through this significant summit. – Ryan Kalember, EVP, Proofpoint’s Cybersecurity Strategy

“DNX Ventures is proud to support this important effort to aid our cyber defenders. This is completely in line with our corporate values as an investment firm that is strongly committed to social causes. As Cybermindz.org enters the US market, we wish it success. Rio Maeda, DNX Ventures’ managing partner

Concerning the Leadership Summit on Mental Health in Cybersecurity

The keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive discussions at the Mental Health in Cybersecurity Leadership Summit are intended to inform attendees about the importance of workplace mental health initiatives and to demonstrate the transformative power of the iRest protocol, directly from its inventor, Dr. Richard Miller.

Summit participants will:

• view a fireside chat between industry leader Tom Reilly and a Ukrainian cyber defender on recent experiences from the Russian conflict
• find inspiration in the vision of the founders of Cybermindz and the iRest Institute
• experience a demonstration of the iRest protocol directly from its developer, Dr. Richard Miller
• encounter a panel discussion of CISOs sharing their insights