Mary N. Chaney - Chairwoman

Mary N. Chaney, Esq., CISSP, CIPP/US has more than 30 years of progressive experience in information security, privacy, risk management, and workforce development. She graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio with a B.S.B.A. in Information Systems and became a licensed attorney in the State of Texas in 1999.

Ms. Chaney began her career as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Los Angeles, where she investigated cyber-related criminal activity including computer intrusions, denial-of-service attacks, intellectual property theft, internet piracy, and copyright infringement. She also served as the Associate Chief Information Security Officer and Information Systems Security Officer, with responsibility for physical, building, information systems, and personnel security.

Her global leadership experience includes executive information security and privacy roles with GE Capital, Johnson & Johnson, Comcast Corporation, and Esperion Therapeutics.

Mary is the Founder and CEO of the MNC Cybersecurity Workforce Hub ecosystem, serving as Chairwoman and CEO of Minorities in Cybersecurity (MiC), Founder and CEO of MiC Talent Solutions, Inc., and Founder and CEO of the Mary N. Chaney Cybersecurity Training Center (MNC-CTC). Through these organizations, she created an integrated workforce development ecosystem designed to address the cybersecurity workforce gap by aligning community, education, workforce readiness, and employment pathways.

MiC provides leadership and career development for cybersecurity professionals. MNC-CTC delivers structured cybersecurity education and professional formation through its Residency Program, while MiC Talent Solutions connects employers with qualified cybersecurity talent through recruiting, apprenticeship, and workforce solutions. Together, these organizations create a coordinated talent pipeline that expands access to high-demand cybersecurity careers and advances economic mobility through workforce-aligned talent development.

Mackenzie P. Chaney - Co-Vice Chair and Treasurer

Mackenzie P. Chaney serves as Treasurer of Minorities in Cybersecurity (MiC) and Co-Vice Chair of the MNC Cybersecurity Workforce Hub ecosystem. She is currently pursuing a degree in Animation and Games at The University of Texas at Dallas, where she is developing expertise in digital media, visual storytelling, graphic design, and interactive experiences.

In her leadership roles, Mackenzie supports organizational operations, marketing, communications, and creative design initiatives across MiC, MiC Talent Solutions, and the Mary N. Chaney Cybersecurity Training Center (MNC-CTC). She contributes to the development of marketing campaigns, presentations, digital content, and visual assets that support the ecosystem's mission of aligning community, education, workforce readiness, and employment pathways to address the cybersecurity workforce gap.

Van L. Chaney - Co-Vice Chair 

Van L. Chaney serves as Co-Vice Chair of the MNC Cybersecurity Workforce Hub ecosystem and is currently pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at The University of Texas at Arlington. His academic studies have fostered an interest in public service, workforce development, and community engagement.

In his leadership role, Van supports student recruitment, apprentice outreach, and workforce engagement initiatives across Minorities in Cybersecurity (MiC), MiC Talent Solutions, and the Mary N. Chaney Cybersecurity Training Center (MNC-CTC). He works closely with students and aspiring cybersecurity professionals to help increase awareness of educational programs, apprenticeship opportunities, and career pathways. His efforts contribute to the ecosystem's mission of aligning community, education, workforce readiness, and employment opportunities to address the cybersecurity workforce gap and promote economic mobility.

Melanie Ensign - Secretary 

Melanie Ensign is the Founder & CEO of Discernible. After managing security and privacy communications for some of the world’s most notable brands, including Facebook, Uber, and AT&T, Melanie founded Discernible to help even more organizations adopt effective communications strategies to improve risk-related outcomes. She counsels executives and technical teams alike to cut through internal politics, dysfunctional inertia, and meaningless metrics.

Additionally, Melanie is the press department lead for DEF CON, the world’s largest hacker con.

She is also an accomplished scuba diver and brings many lessons learned preparing for and navigating unexpected, high-risk underwater incidents to her work. 

Anthony Hannon - Board Member

Anthony Hannon has nearly ten years of professional experience in Information Security. He began his career with Raytheon Technologies where he interned with the cyber threat intelligence team identifying and assessing the attack surface of the company and their partners, as well as providing briefings on relevant threat actors to senior leadership. At the conclusion of the internship, Anthony joined Raytheon’s Security Operations Center (SOC) as a fulltime employee. Soon after, Anthony became the SOC Team Lead where he managed the day-to-day tasks and investigations for Raytheon’s corporate network. 

Anthony joined MassMutual Life Insurance Company in 2016 as the cyber incident response team lead and has held several roles within MassMutual’s Enterprise Cyber Security organization, including Security Intelligence Director where he set the strategic direction for the security intelligence, ethical hack, digital forensics, and eDiscovery teams, Business Information Security Officer assisting the Data Science organization, and Head of Software Security where his team enabled software developers to create secure code, reducing the attack surface for MassMutual.

Anthony is currently one of six employees representing MassMutual in the CEO Action for Racial Equity Fellowship, a working group of over 100 companies dedicated to advancing racial equity through public policy and corporate partnerships, with the goal of improving well-being in the Black and African American community and impacting society at large.

Anthony graduated from Salve Regina University with a BA in Administration of Justice and a MS in Administration of Justice with a focus on Cyber Security. In addition, Anthony holds several Information Security certifications, including the CISSP and CISM.

Anthony lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Kayleigh, and two kids, Hazel, and Hunter.

Corey Kirkendoll - Board Member

Corey Kirkendoll, as the President and CEO of 5K Technical Services, leads an acclaimed Managed Service Provider (MSP) dedicated to providing robust IT solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in North Texas. With an impressive career spanning over 30 years in the Information Services and technology sector, Corey has held key roles at industry giants such as IBM, Cisco Systems, Dell, EMC, and VMware.

Recognized as an IT and Cyber Security Expert, Corey's leadership has played a pivotal role in propelling the rapid growth of his MSP and influencing similar progress among MSPs nationwide. His unwavering commitment to being process-oriented, coupled with a focus on excellence in security and compliance, has established a benchmark for the industry.

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Corey is a notable professional speaker and published author in industry magazines. His leadership extends to various roles, including serving as the Chair of the Diversity in Action for the Workforce Council at CompTIA Technology Workforce Solutions and Vice Chair of the CLR Institute. Active in CompTIA, he contributes as a TechTown’s SME, CompTIA Emergency Response Team Member, and board member of the National Society of IT Service Providers and the National Convergence Technology Center’s Business & Industry Leadership Team (The BILT). Corey is also involved in the MSP Champions Group, the Per Scholas Dallas Advisory Board, and serves as a board member for The Channel Company Xchange Advisory Board. His commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is evident through his role as a DEI Board member for The Channel Company and as a member of the Jarvis Christian University Faculty-Employer Advisory Committee (FEAC).

Previously chairing the CompTIA Managed Services Executive Council and participating in the CompTIA Advancing Diversity and Tech Executive Committee, Corey is acknowledged as a thought leader in the MSP industry. He actively engages in various Channel Advisory Boards, including those for DataStream, Alternative Payments, Cyber CP, Kamanja, The Channel Program, ASCII Advisory Board, and Security Council, as well as the ConnectWise Security Partner Advisory Board.

Corey's contributions have garnered numerous awards for 5K Technical Services in the IT industry, such as the CompTIA Community Leadership award in 2022, the ChannelPro 2021 Peer of the Year, and recognition in the CRN MSP 500, CRN Tech Elite 250, and CRN Nextgen 250. The Dallas Business Journal has also honored the company in its Top North Texas Family-Owned and Black Business awards list, showcasing the impact of Corey's leadership.

A Tech Titan, Corey holds certifications as a Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE), Certified Information Security Systems Professional (CISSP), and Certified Cyber Security Architect (CCSA). He possesses a Bachelor’s Degree and two MBA Degrees in Information Technology Management and Conflict and Resolution Management from Jones International University in Colorado. Additionally, Corey has graduated from the SBA Emerging Leaders and Goldman Sachs SB 10K Programs, underscoring his commitment to continuous learning and staying abreast of industry trends.

Quintana Patterson - Board Member

Quintana Patterson is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience. She is passionately committed to upholding the highest data security and compliance standards. Quintana's expertise lies in navigating the complexities of ever-evolving cybersecurity regulations, conducting thorough risk assessments, and collaborating across teams to align IT solutions with business objectives. Her journey in the IT industry involved a deep dive into various domains, ultimately leading her to discover her true calling in cybersecurity and GRC. 

As a Black woman in a predominantly male field, Quintana has faced and overcome racially motivated biases and stereotypes. Her personal experiences have fueled her passion for empowering others by providing them with the knowledge and support to navigate similar challenges. She firmly believes in breaking down barriers and inspiring individuals to envision themselves in spaces where they may feel underrepresented.

Quintana currently serves as the Cybersecurity and Technology Manager for the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) nonprofit organization.

Alejandro Ibanez - Board Member

Gabriel Alejandro Ibanez is the Head of Security at Upward Financial Inc., where he built the company’s security, compliance, and IT programs from the ground up. With over eight years of leadership experience spanning cybersecurity, compliance, and fintech infrastructure, Gabriel specializes in scaling identity governance, driving enterprise automation, and leading frameworks like SOC 2 and NIST CSF.

Prior to his current role, Gabriel served as a Software Engineer at Facebook, supporting large-scale production systems, and led a team of 25 IT professionals at Remitly Global Inc. through massive identity migrations and regional GDPR and PCI-DSS compliance initiatives.

He holds a Master of Science in Information Systems from the University of Washington, a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Western Washington University, four GIAC certifications, and is currently pursuing his CISSP . A strong advocate for inclusion in tech, he channels his passion into action as the Director of Alumni Relations for the MiC community, working to close the representation gap in cybersecurity.