Ja-CIRT Analysts Win Top Honours at ‘SheSecures’ Cybersecurity Competition

Monique Satchwell and Rheana Hagigal are more than just work colleagues.

Both young women, Tier Two National Security Operations Centre Analysts at the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (Ja-CIRT), recently won first place in the overall team category of the ‘SheSecures’ Jamaica Cybersecurity Competition, beating out dozens of teams from across the country.

The competition, which was undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of National Security and Peace and the Organization of American States (OAS), is designed to provide Jamaican women and girls, aged 16 and older, with hands-on cybersecurity training, while testing and sharpening their technical skills.

It also aims to empower more women and girls in the growing cybersecurity sector, thereby bolstering Jamaica’s cyber resilience.

According to the World Economic Forum, cybersecurity is considered the second fastest-growing skill category, behind artificial intelligence and big data.

With the high demand for cybersecurity professionals, the winning duo encourage more women and girls to enter the field of cybersecurity and play their part in shaping the future of digital safety.

“Take courage; you’re talented… talent knows no gender; don’t be afraid,” Ms. Satchwell urges, noting that women make up only a small fraction of the workforce in the male-dominated profession.

Ms. Hagigal tells JIS News that her love and fascination with technology began in high school, driven by her conviction that the future would be shaped and powered by a rapidly digitalising world.

“I did cyber-security and digital forensics in university. I knew that the future was going to be cybersecurity, because everything is now digitalised. So that’s why I chose that path, because that’s the way the future is going,” she shares.

Ms. Satchwell discovered her passion for the profession during her studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

“I wasn’t always into security. I was an actuarial science major… so Math is where I was primarily. But for some reason, computers really got my interest, so I ended up switching to a computer science major. After that, I started to learn about the cybersecurity field and I became very intrigued with that and I said to myself, ‘why not?’… so here am I,” she shares.

Ms. Satchwell further notes that people often focus on technology itself, while overlooking the critical need to secure it.

In preparing for the competition, both women recalled the sleepless nights, the unwavering partnership, and the intensive training sessions.

“I’m proud of us. It was very rigorous… but it was well done,” Ms. Satchwell says.

Ms. Hagigal also shared: “This really means a lot. We trained, practised, and then we persevered.”

“We did a week’s training. We actually partnered with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) for our trainings, but we did some personal training here and there. When I left the JDF, I went home and I practised as well… two to three hours more,” she adds.

Another Ja-CIRT team distinguished itself by securing second place in the competition, represented by members Zoe Duncan and Daneel Downer.

Third place was awarded to La-Shawn Richards and Donishe Williams of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA).

In the school category, Giselle Duncan of Immaculate Conception High School captured first place, followed by Jessica Lewis of Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in second place, and Rhia Lacroix and Kimberlie Lawes of the University of Technology (UTech) in third.

In the individual category, Kelleshia Fender of MOCA emerged as the top-scoring solo competitor.

Highlighting the significance of the competition during the official launch, Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of National Security, Shauna Trowers, said initiatives like this help Jamaica strengthen its reputation as a leader in advancing cyber resilience, innovation, and inclusive participation in technology.

She noted that the competition “exemplifies the vital role women play in security and leadership, inspiring us all to foster a more inclusive and resilient Jamaica”.

Cybersecurity Section Chief of the OAS, Kerry Ann Barrett, emphasised the importance of equipping women with the skills needed to participate meaningfully in the cybersecurity sector.

She cited a recent report by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC²), which found that women account for only 25 per cent of the global cybersecurity workforce.

“This statistic is alarming ,especially considering that there are three million cybersecurity professionals worldwide that are needed,” Ms. Barrett informed.

She said that in response to this disparity, the OAS has, over the past two years, collaborated to stage the SheSecures competition, hosted on the cybersecurity training platform Hackrocks.

Ms. Barrett added that SheSecures is designed not only to bridge the gender gap but also foster diversity in the industry in a fun and dynamic way.

“This initiative provides women with engaging and practical opportunities to engage their technical skills through virtual cybersecurity exercises,” she said.

Speaking during the recent awards ceremony, Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, said the Government is implementing several initiatives to strengthen the cadre of highly skilled cybersecurity professionals and to build a resilient, future-ready cybersecurity workforce.

Among these initiatives are the Ministry’s facilitation of specialised training and certification from the SANS Institute for law-enforcement officers, and the recently launched Jamaica Cyber Youth Empowerment Academy, developed in collaboration with the OAS, which provides young people with access to internationally recognised credentials.

Mrs. Cuthbert Flynn pointed out that the Cybersecurity Economics for Emerging Markets report revealed that the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region now has the fastest growth in reported cyber incidents globally, with an average annual increase of approximately 25 per cent between 2014 and 2023.

“In Jamaica, our own digital transformation has accelerated in recent years, from the modernisation of government services to the expansion of online banking and telecommunications services.

Yet, with every technological advancement comes increased vulnerability. The Government understands that investment in people is just as critical as investment in technology,” she stated.