Trellix, the cybersecurity company delivering the future of extended detection and response (XDR), announced the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) NICE program has appointed Michael Alicea, Trellix Chief Human Resources Officer, as its new NICE Community Coordinating Council Industry Co-Chair.

Michael Alicea brings a wealth of experience and unwavering dedication to upending systemic barriers in cybersecurity education, exemplified by his work with Trellix’s Soulful Work movement. Serving a two-year term as Industry Co-Chair, Michael will drive positive change, advocate for solutions to address talent shortages, and foster stronger collaboration between public and private sectors. This partnership is led by officials representing government, academia, and the private sector, all of whom are committed to advancing cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. Among the leadership’s executive roster is Government Co-Chair Rodney Petersen, Director of NICE at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

“As the Chief HR Officer for Trellix, I see first-hand how the cybersecurity skills shortage hurts our customers and business partners,” said Michael Alicea. “To cultivate and nurture a new workforce, we must think and act differently. We must remove barriers to entry and actively work to recruit people with diverse backgrounds and talents. Working collaboratively across boundaries is the only way we will succeed.

“At Trellix, we have redesigned our roles to focus on skills—not just degrees or how many years someone has been in a role—to ensure we recruit, retain, and promote the most talented, most diverse workforce possible. It is an honor to represent industry in this cross-sector collaboration to influence such types of changes systemically.”

The NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) Community Coordinating Council’s mission is to energize, promote, and coordinate a robust community, working collectively to bolster an integrated ecosystem of cybersecurity professionals. Trellix’s dedication to supporting a diverse, purpose-driven cybersecurity workforce aligns with NICE’s guiding values. Elevated by Michael Alicea’s leadership as Industry Co-Chair, the NICE Community Coordinating Council will continue making significant strides toward an improved cybersecurity education and training landscape.

For more information about Trellix’s Soulful Work initiative and its ongoing efforts to build a diverse cybersecurity talent pipeline, please visit https://www.soulfulwork.com/.

For more information about the NICE program and its ongoing efforts to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce, please visit https://www.nist.gov/nice.

About Trellix

Trellix is a global company redefining the future of cybersecurity and soulful work. The company’s open and native extended detection and response (XDR) platform helps organizations confronted by today’s most advanced threats gain confidence in the protection and resilience of their operations. Trellix, along with an extensive partner ecosystem, accelerates technology innovation through machine learning and automation to empower over 40,000 business and government customers with living security. More at https://trellix.com.

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