Now in its third year, Aotearoa’s original Women in Security Awards are back! Nominations from across the physical–cyber security spectrums, investigations, intelligence, and resilience are now being sought.
UPDATE: Deadline extended! The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2022 WiSAA has been extended by two weeks to 4:00pm, Friday 18 November 2022!
The New Zealand Security Sector Network (NZSSN), Women in Security & Resilience Alliance (WISECRA), and Defsec New Zealand are pleased to announce that nominations for the 2022 Women in Security Awards Aotearoa are now being accepted.
The Women in Security Awards Aotearoa (WiSAA) initiative was established in 2020 to recognise women who have advanced the Aotearoa New Zealand security and resilience sectors.
Nominees must be women, or identify as women, with more than three years of experience in either the physical security, personnel security, information security, or resilience disciplines, and be actively practising in Aotearoa New Zealand. Nominations will be assessed on the extent to which the nominee’s efforts over the past 12 months reflect the values articulated in the category descriptions (listed below).
“This is a particularly interesting and important awards programme,” said NZSM chief editor Nicholas Dynon. “What makes WiSAA really special is the fact that it cuts across security domain boundaries and across the public, private, and community sectors. It is a truly silo-smashing programme designed to bring us all together in celebration as security-focused professionals.”
Nominations are encouraged from across the private, public (including government, education, military, and law enforcement) and community sectors. It is important to note that these awards are open to the broader security sector, not just ‘industry’. Self-nominations are welcomed.
2021 WiSSA awardee Jennie Vickers, CEO, Zeopard Consulting.
The categories
This year sees ten award categories up for grabs, including:
- Consultant – A professional who excels in providing advice and expertise to (or in) organisations to help them improve their security and/or resilience performance.
- Investigator – A professional who has achieved excellent outcomes in the examination of crimes, problems, statements, etc. in order to discover the facts.
- Analyst – A professional who excels in collecting, processing, and/or analysing security information.
- Engineer – A professional working within software or hardware engineering that has excelled in the delivery of security outcomes.
- Executive – A professional who has excelled in developing and implementing security strategies, policies, protocols and procedures, and controlling budgets for security and/or resilience operations.
- Leader – A professional who inspires as the leader of a team or teams, such as a team leader involved in the recruiting, training and supervising of security officers, or an operations manager.
- Educator – A professional who has achieved excellent knowledge-based outcomes in the teaching, informing or inspiring of others.
- Thought Leader – An influential professional who has expertise, insight, and a valuable perspective; one that challenges thinking, encourages colleagues and supports change.
- Indigenous Advocate – A professional supporting grassroots Indigenous movements to protect, respect, and fulfil the rights of their communities.
- Rising Star – An early career professional who is expected to achieve great things in the security and resilience sector.
The deadline for nominations is 4:00pm, Friday 18 November 2022, and nominations of no more than 800 words (including any supporting material) are to be emailed to awards@defsec.net.nz
Winners will be announced in New Zealand Security Magazine, Line of Defence Magazine the Defsec New Zealand website, and across social media.
The judging panel of eminent security professionals is set to be announced in early October. The panel will judge the nominees on the merits of the submitted nominations. The panel may place a nomination in an alternative category if, in their judgement, the nomination is a better fit for that category.
2021 WiSSA awardee Heather Jones, Director, Aegis Private Security.
What the judges are looking for
Examples of information the panel will be looking for in the nominations include:
- Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you to nominate them.
- Who benefits from the work, contribution, or influence of this person – and how?
- How does this person set a positive example for other fellow Women in Security and showing them the potential for change?
- Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, create change, and give back?
- How thoughtful, creative, and unique is this person’s approach to their challenge, opportunity, or situation?
- How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their area of influence? How is / has this been measured?
- If known, how does this person plan to grow and/or adapt their work, contribution, or influence in the future? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
The stories of previous Women in Security Awards Aotearoa winners can be viewed on the Defsec New Zealand website at https://defsec.net.nz/tag/women-in-security-awards-aotearoa/
About the New Zealand Security Sector Network
The NZSSN is an informal community of industry and professional associations and academic research centres situated within or focused on Aotearoa New Zealand’s security and resilience sectors. Organisations within the community include (among others) the New Zealand Security Association, ASIS International New Zealand Chapter, and Massey University’s Centre for Defence and Security Studies.
The aims of the NZSSN include the enhancement of cross-domain understanding and collaboration within security, the development of meaningful partnership between the public and private security sectors (government and industry), and the promotion of informed public discourse in relation to security issues.
About WISECRA
The Women in Security & Resilience Alliance is a global network that brings women in security and resilience roles together to share ideas and best practices. WISECRA is a sub-network of the Security Partners’ Forum, an international, not-for-profit agile network that allows associations, educators and experts specialising in all areas of security (cyber, physical, peacekeeping, etc.) to exchange ideas and policy frameworks.
