Saturday, March 8th, marks a very important day. It is International Women’s Day, a day when we honor and celebrate the success of all women across the globe.
At Guardz, we are fortunate to have such a diverse and inclusive workforce, which includes many exceptionally talented women. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Despite their incredible accomplishments and the accomplishments of other inspiring women in cybersecurity, there are still barriers that remain today, such as the pay gap.
An ISC2 study found that the average salary for U.S. women participants was $141,066 compared to $148,035 for men, a difference of nearly $7,000.
But that’s not all. Research showed that women only make up 24% of the global cybersecurity workforce. We can do better. We must do better. We must continue breaking down barriers, champion diversity, embrace equality, and create more opportunities for women to thrive in cybersecurity.
At Guardz, we are committed to fostering an environment where women feel empowered, valued, and supported in their careers. This means not only advocating for equal pay but also ensuring access to mentorship, leadership roles, and professional development opportunities.
This International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the achievements of women in cybersecurity, recognize the challenges that still exist, and take actionable steps to drive meaningful change.
Meet the Inspiring Women Behind the Success of Guardz
Esther Pinto, CISO
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
“The people, the energy, and the values we have as a company embedded directly in our product.
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
“I mean, as the CISO, this has been my entire career, so I guess everything? But jokes aside, I love the impact I have. It comes with a huge responsibility.”
What are your proudest accomplishments?
“Mentoring others, especially young ladies trying to get into cybersecurity.”
Kathrine Knight, Vice President of Cyber Insurance
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
“Our team, our mission, and changing our digital world.“
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
“Making our digital ecosystem safe for everyone through available and affordable security, insurance options, education, and awareness.”
What are your proudest accomplishments?
“I have a few, but my most recent is combining my several years of insurance with my passion and degree in cybersecurity to help build the insurance option for Guardz, bridging the gap between security and insurance through our MSPs and beyond.”
Sandy Ritvin, MSIS, Account Executive
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
“There’s really a tie between two things here; It’s incredibly rewarding to see how our work directly helps partners and makes a real difference in their business. It is also amazing to be part of a company whose values align with mine, and I appreciate the trust we’re given to do our best work.”
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
“Cybersecurity is ever evolving, there’s never a dull moment. I love knowing that my work helps protect businesses and individuals from real-world cyber threats.”
What are your proudest accomplishments?
“My proudest moments are empowering emerging MSPs with tools and knowledge they need to scale their business successfully as well as helping my established partners get better ROI and value of their stack and crew.”
Adi Geffen-Ronen, Head of HR
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
“The people – passionate, talented, and super fun to be with.”
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
“I’ve been in the cybersecurity space for the majority of my career, so I would say what excites me about Guardz is the fact that we’re in the MSP security space, which is more of a blue ocean compared with the enterprise security space.”
What are your proudest accomplishments?
“If you’re referring to Guardz – as Head of HR, it would definitely be tripling the size of the team throughout 2024 and bringing in top talent.”
Katrin Ace, TA & HR Partner
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
“The incredible people who collaborate and support each other while helping small businesses stay protected.”
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
“The constant evolution and nonstop challenges that require staying up to date, along with the meaningful impact our products have on the world and people’s lives.”
What are your proudest accomplishments?
“My first three hires were women! Plus, I successfully filled the AI engineer position in less than two months with two outstanding candidates sourced directly.”
Moriya (Zamir) Daskal, Senior UX/UI Designer
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
“What I love most about working here is the people! Being part of this company means working alongside some of the most talented individuals – people who always strive to turn the impossible into possible. I believe that this, combined with a great idea, is the ultimate recipe for a successful startup.”
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
“What excites me about working in cybersecurity is knowing that I’m on the side of the good guys. Thanks to what we do, small and medium-sized businesses – built with hard work and dedication – can keep focusing on what they do best, knowing they are protected. I love thinking creatively, solving problems, and knowing that my work truly makes a difference in making the digital world a safer place.”
What are your proudest accomplishments?
“One of my proudest achievements is being part of the early team that built our company – taking a raw, basic product and turning it into something real. At first, there was just a simple foundation, but we nurtured, designed, and continued to evolve it to meet the ever-changing landscape and needs of our users. Seeing it grow and create real impact has been an incredible journey. Knowing that we created something meaningful that truly helps people is what fills me with the most pride.”
Gal Madmon Law, Marketing Designer
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
“The best part about working at Guardz is the perfect balance between creativity and impact. Every project I work on helps businesses understand and embrace cybersecurity, and knowing that my designs contribute to a larger mission is truly inspiring.”
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
“What excites me the most is the intersection of creativity and technology. In cybersecurity, every design has a purpose, whether it’s educating, engaging, or empowering businesses. Being able to contribute visually to such a crucial industry makes my work meaningful and rewarding.”
What are your proudest accomplishments?
“I’m proud of creating impactful designs that make cybersecurity more accessible and engaging. Knowing my work helps strengthen Guardz’s brand and mission is incredibly rewarding.”
Lauri Goldman, Marketing Operations Specialist
What do you love most about working at Guardz?
I love the fast-paced, dynamic environment at Guardz and the incredible team I get to work with every day. It’s rewarding to be part of a company that’s truly making a difference.
What excites you the most about working in cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is constantly evolving, and that makes it an exciting space to be in.
What are your proudest accomplishments?
Seeing the tangible results of our strategies, whether increased engagement, smoother campaign execution, or stronger team alignment, makes me proud of the work I do every day.
At Guardz, we are committed to fostering an environment where women feel empowered, valued, and supported in their careers, ensuring access to mentorship, leadership roles, and professional development opportunities.
This International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the achievements of women in cybersecurity, recognize the challenges that still exist, and take actionable steps to drive meaningful change.
About Guardz
Guardz is on a mission to create a safer digital world by empowering Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Their goal is to proactively secure and insure Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) against ever-evolving threats while simultaneously creating new revenue streams, all on one unified platform.
About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.
Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.