SIA welcomes new chair and vice chair to lead SIA Women in Security Forum
SILVER SPRING, Md. – The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named a new chair and vice chair to lead the SIA Women in Security Forum (WISF) – a community whose mission is to engage all security professionals to promote, recruit and cultivate the leadership of women for a more inclusive and diversified industry. Alice DiSanto – vice president of global marketing at Rajant – will serve as chair of the WISF Steering Committee, with Candice Aragon – vice president of marketing and education at PSA Network – serving as vice chair.
In these new roles, DiSanto and Aragon will lead the SIA Women in Security Forum in presenting programs, professional development opportunities and networking events with the goal of supporting the involvement of women in the security industry. In assuming the role of WISF chair, DiSanto succeeds immediate past chair Kasia Hanson – global director, security ecosystem strategy and partnerships at Intel Corporation.
Alice DiSanto, who has been actively involved with SIA since 2014, is a founding member of the SIA Women in Security Forum Steering Committee and chair of the forum’s Charitable Giving Subcommittee. She was named to the WISF Power 100 – which recognizes 100 women in the security industry each year who are role models for actively advancing diversity, inclusion, innovation and leadership in the community – in 2022 and 2023 and was recognized as SIA’s 2022 Committee Chair of the Year. DiSanto has executive leadership experience with firms in the Fortune Global 500, four upstart companies and a regional hospital. She has worked in the field of cutting-edge technology in roles with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Sharp Electronics Corporation’s robotics division and Rajant Corporation. DiSanto’s articles and interviews can be found within security trade and robotics publications, and she is a regular panelist and moderator for industry education sessions and webinars.
“Humbly and with a grateful heart, I look forward to leading the Women in Security Forum into the next two years. Together with Kasia Hanson and Candice Aragon, we form a triad focused on service to the SIA WISF mission put forth just four short years ago,” said DiSanto. “Thanks to the transformative work of Kasia and WISF’s first chair, Maureen Carlo, WISF has grown beyond our initial expectations. A success factor has been our steering committee’s flexibility to prioritize the greatest needs and opportunities for the greatest near-term gains. That got WISF the expansive reach and visible, actionable impact. Another success factor is the succession plan where women, like Maureen and Kasia, stay close to the fold to mentor women, like Candice and me, into what’s next without a hiccup. The future is boldly bright.”
Candice Aragon is the vice president of marketing and education at the PSA Network. At PSA, Candice oversees events like PSA TEC and Convention, runs a marketing agency for members and directs the organization’s strategy on marketing, communications, learning and development. She has 14 years of marketing and public relations experience across a wide array of industries, previously serving as a marketing leader in the financial services industry. She has appeared on national television sharing consumer savings advice and worked on the public relations team at Realtor.com, where she launched the celebrity real estate initiative. Aragon was named a Security Systems News 40 under 40 and SIA WISF Power 100 honoree in 2023.
“I’m thrilled to participate in a deeper level with the Women in Security Forum,” said Aragon. “The group has already done so much to advance women in security, but there is more work to be done. I’m committed to supporting the next generation of women in our industry.”
WISF Immediate Past Chair Kasia Hanson, who served as chair from 2021 to 2023, led the 2022 launch of the SIA WISF Power 100 and has spearheaded a variety of leadership and professional development initiatives through WISF, including premier virtual events for and by women, professional development content and networking offerings at major industry trade shows. Hanson received the 2022 SIA Progress Award in recognition of her efforts to pave the way to success for women in security. SIA applauds Hanson for her vision, leadership and strong support of the WISF community and its efforts.
“I am thrilled that Alice DiSanto and Candice Aragon have stepped up to lead the SIA Women in Security Forum,” said Hanson. “Their leadership, support and caring nature will bring tremendous value and growth to the WISF community!”
SIA’s Women in Security Forum works to engage all security professionals to promote, recruit and cultivate women’s leadership for a more inclusive and diversified industry. The SIA Women in Security Forum offers several programs and activities, including the Power 100; the SIA Progress Award; the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship; special keynote breakfast events at ISC West and East; volunteer efforts that give back to the community; collaborative projects with other organizations seeking to empower women in security and technology; support of the SIA Women in Biometrics Awards; thought leadership and speaking opportunities; and engaging networking and professional growth events. On June 12-13, SIA WISF and ASIS will co-host the inaugural Security LeadHER conference, an event designed to showcase women in security and bring together professionals committed to advancing, connecting and empowering women in the security profession. Security LeadHER 2023 will be held at the Hilton Nashville Downtown Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
Membership in the SIA Women in Security Forum is free and open to all employees of SIA member companies and SIA student members. Not a SIA member yet? You can still join and will be subscribed to Women in Security Forum news, although you may not receive full member privileges. Learn more and get involved here.
