Laura Rawlings
Senior Director Security Platform, Verizon
From her days as an Army officer serving in leadership roles in Air and Missile Defense and
Cyber Security, to her current role at Verizon, Laura Rawlings has built a career in STEM fields, defined by not only her cyber expertise, but how she leads, innovates, mentors and empowers.
Laura Rawlings currently serves as the Senior Director of Platform Security and Access
Management for Verizon. She is responsible for ensuring secure development, cyber hygiene
and access management for Verizon’s many technology platforms and services. She previously
led Verizon’s Public Sector Cyber Security as the Senior Director and ISO of Cyber Security for
Verizon Public Sector, where she managed the security posture of Verizon’s public sector
business and the boundaries of Verizon’s Public Sector customers. She joined
Verizon in July 2022 from Humana, where she spent eleven years in multiple leadership roles
across Cybersecurity, IT, and Data Governance.
A lifelong and constant learner, Laura holds several technical and professional certifications
which include a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Cloud
Security Professional (CCSP), as well as certifications in multiple other cloud and technology
specific platforms. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College, a Master’s degree in Information Systems and Cyber from Syracuse University, and trained at the U.S.
Army Cyber Center of Excellence. In addition to her professional commitments, Laura is a
member of the Technology board for the Home of the Innocents, a Louisville-based non-profit
organization dedicated to providing residential and community-based health services,
therapeutic foster care and adoption services, and services for young adults experiencing
Homelessness. Laura and her husband Matt live in Louisville, KY, with their two boys, Joey and Jack, and their large, hairy fur-children, Grover and Miley. Outside of work Laura enjoys soccer,
cycling, gardening, cooking and is accountable for the cybersecurity posture of her extended
family whether she likes it or not.
UPCOMING TALK
Lessons in Cyber Defense: Real Talk from Women Leading the Cybersecurity Race
This panel discussion, led by four powerful women, dives into the evolving threat landscape shaped by recent high-profile cyberattacks and the rapid rise of AI technologies. This session features candid insights from women at the forefront of cybersecurity, sharing real-world experiences in defending against sophisticated breaches and ransomware campaigns. We'll explore how AI is both a powerful tool for defense and a weapon in the hands of attackers—reshaping everything from threat detection to social engineering tactics. Attendees will walk away with practical lessons, emerging trends, and a renewed understanding of what it takes to lead in this fast-moving, high-stakes field.