25 on the RISE Honorees

Meet the Security Leaders of Tomorrow

The Security Industry Association (SIA) 25 On the RISE award program, presented by the SIA RISE community together with Brivo and the Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST), recognizes 25 new and emerging security leaders each year for their impactful contributions to advancing the security industry. SIA 25 on the RISE awardees represent the industry’s leaders of today and tomorrow who influence their companies, their communities and the industry at large in terms of diversity, impact and innovation.

SIA is proud to partner with FAST on this new awards program. FAST is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created by ESA and SIA that works to connect talented, motivated individuals with career opportunities in the field of physical security technology and life safety. SIA also greatly appreciates Brivo for their generous support of this program and appreciates the company’s long-standing commitment to young professionals’ growth. Brivo Co-Founder, President and CEO Steve Van Till, a former SIA Lippert Award winner and past chair of the SIA Standards Committee, will present this year’s 25 on the RISE Awards at Securing New Ground.

View the official press release here.

The 2023 25 on the RISE honorees are:

Tatiana-Abramek

Tatiana Abramek

Senior Sales Executive
National Monitoring Center
Category: Culture
Read BioTatiana Abramek has over 16 years of security industry experience. She began her industry career at National Monitoring Center (NMC) in 2007, has filled a variety of positions in the Alarm Monitoring Division and was sought out by the NMC Sales Department in 2010, where she has held titles starting from sales coordinator and all the way to her current role of senior sales executive. With her extensive experience in operations, conversions and sales, Abramek works with all new dealers from the point of sale to ensure a smooth transition into the NMC. She is also the treasurer of the Orange County Alarm Association, which is a volunteer position, to educate alarm dealers about market trends occurring in the electronic security industry. Furthermore, Abramek has also aided multiple agencies in adopting a new alarm ordinance for their county as well as continuing relationships with all first responders in Orange County, California.
Candice-Aragon

Candice Aragon

Vice President of Marketing and Education
PSA Network
Category: Leadership
Read BioCandice Aragon is the vice president of marketing and education at the PSA Network, where she leads events like PSA TEC and Convention, oversees Swell – 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.
Aragon 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. She has a master’s degree in strategic public relations from the University of Southern California, as well as a bachelor’s degree in communication and political science from California Lutheran University, where she served as president of its alumni board of directors for many years. She was named to Security Systems News’ 40 Under 40 list and SIA’s Women in Security Forum Power 100 in 2023. Aragon is vice chair of SIA’s Women in Security Forum and serves on the outreach committee for the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools.
Kiara-Bell

Kiara Bell

Lead, Information Security and Compliance
Arcules
Category: Culture
Read Bio Kiara Bell has over seven years of experience in the cybersecurity field and works as a lead information security and compliance analyst for Arcules. Originally from Emporia, Virginia, she is based in Concord, North Carolina. Bell specializes in governance, risk and compliance and has helped to create two organizations' risk management verticals from the ground up. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Sigma Alpha Iota International Fraternity and takes pride in having a good attitude and endless energy to motivate people to work hard and succeed.
Robert-Brent

Robert Brent

Senior Director of Customer Success
Netwatch North America
Category: Branding
Read Bio Robert Brent is the senior director of customer success at Netwatch Group. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in manufacturing engineering, he has also accrued a set of professional certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Master and a certificate in Product Management from Cornell University. At Netwatch Group, Brent prioritizes growth driven by customer-centric strategies. He has spearheaded a comprehensive dealer training program that incorporates a full learning management system alongside practical training modules and aims to effectively onboard and mentor new dealers, ensuring that they are well-equipped to represent the brand and its values. Additionally, Brent piloted an innovative end-to-end program that guides Netwatch's enterprise customers to success by offering a tailored experience beginning at onboarding and continuing throughout their entire customer journey. An advocate for continuous learning and innovation, he believes in not just listening to customer feedback but also acting on it to improve services and processes.
Before joining Netwatch, Brent improved processes at UPS, delivering multi-million-dollar savings through strategic initiatives. His focus on efficiency and data-driven insights has consistently benefited stakeholders throughout his career. An interesting note: During college, he even built an airplane, showcasing an early penchant for engineering and problem solving.
Beth-Burnsed

Beth Burnsed

Senior Manager, Communication and Marketing Programs
Genetec
Category: Leadership
Read Bio Beth Burnsed is a communication leader with over 17 years of marketing experience. In her role as senior manager, marketing communication and program at Genetec, she works on the North America marketing team to help lead branding and demand generation programs for Genetec in the United States and Canada. Previously, Burnsed has worked in multiple industries, including education and tourism, leading marketing teams for both small and midsize organizations.
Ruben-Cuevas

Ruben Cuevas

Lead Technician
Preferred Technologies, LLC
Category: Frontline
Read Bio A committed husband and father of three young children, Ruben Cuevas moved to be to be closer to his wife’s family and look for opportunities in the growing Houston, Texas, market. With five years of integration experience in the industrial sector, he made an outstanding addition to the Pref-Tech team as a lead technician in the field three years ago, and his impact was immediate on projects that included VMS, ACS, intrusion and LPR and brought a strong leadership by example for safety on the job. Cuevas was recently promoted to superintendent. Certified in both Genetec and DMP, he works closely with a broad spectrum of customers to include new construction, renovations and takeovers in enterprise projects in K-8, university, law enforcement and banking.
Alexandria-Czoschke

Alex Czoschke

Learning and Development Manager
Arcules
Category: Growth
Read Bio Alex Czoschke is a dynamic and forward-thinking learning and development leader who has earned recognition in the security industry for her groundbreaking work at Arcules. Her journey has been marked by a tireless dedication to fostering growth and inclusion within organizations. With over a decade of experience in program design, content creation, project management and team building, Czoschke is a true enthusiast for creating inclusive and welcoming learning environments. Her career began with roles at CCC Intelligent Solutions and Sidley Austin LLP, where she honed her skills in training project management and learning program design. In 2021, Czoschke joined Arcules as a learning and development specialist, where her impact was nothing short of transformational. She collaborated with stakeholders to align learning initiatives with business goals and led the development of comprehensive learning programs, covering a wide range of topics from product knowledge to diversity and inclusion.
Throughout her career, Czoschke has consistently earned accolades for her work. She maintained an exceptional 4.9 out of 5 customer satisfaction rating while at CCC Intelligent Solutions, demonstrating her commitment to excellence in customer training. Moreover, her impact extended to internal training and development programs, where she played a pivotal role in improving field trainers' scores on customer satisfaction surveys by an impressive 21%. As the world faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, she spearheaded the development of a virtual trainer toolkit and seamlessly transitioned training materials to accommodate immediate virtual delivery, ensuring business continuity in a rapidly changing landscape. Czoschke holds a Master of Arts in secondary teaching from Wilmington University and a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Minnesota. Her commitment to learning extends to her personal interests, including animal welfare and national parks, writing short stories and community building, and her diverse interests reflect her passion for connecting with people and making a positive impact in the world.
Vicky-Dinger

Vicky Dinger

Director of Human Resources
Preferred Technologies, LLC
Category: Culture
Read Bio With over 20 years of experience, Vicky Dinger is an accomplished HR director with a strong legal background and a history of achievements in managing and leading HR initiatives. She has demonstrated success in developing and deploying policies/processes to drive operational efficiency, as well as aligning strategies and programs with corporate mission/vision/values and goals. Dinger demonstrates outstanding business and financial acumen, superior decision making, process optimization and analytical skills. Working with professionals of all levels, she strives to build trusting relationships that foster an environment of teamwork and development.
Alexis Feller

Alexis Feller

Early Career and Internship Program Manager
IDEMIA North America
Category: Culture
Read Bio Alexis Feller is IDEMIA North America’s first-ever early career and internship program manager. With a passion for talent development and innovation, she has played a pivotal role in shaping IDEMIA's future by spearheading the company's early career development and retention programs. As a dedicated advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, Feller played a key role in launching an employee resource group for early career professionals, and she is also an active member of Women in IDEMIA Network.
Feller holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Sport Business Management from the University of Central Florida and resides in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a member of the Greater Nashville Tech Council and the Nashville Junior Chamber.
Lauren-King

Lauren King

Development Rotational Professional, Human Resources
dormakaba Americas
Category: Growth
Read Bio After attending Indiana University-Bloomington, where she received a degree in psychology and minors in human resource management and Spanish, Lauren King moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, and began her career at dormakaba as a development rotation professional. Through this role, she has gained insight to each center of excellence within a HR department, supporting projects like dormakaba's summer internship program, employee relations and engagement, merit planning process improvements and employee trainings.
Outside of work, King can be found trying new restaurants, coffee shops or recipes, volunteering time with local nonprofits, cheering on the Hoosiers, booking her next trip or enjoying the outdoors playing pickleball or on a bike ride with friends and family.
Stephanie-Latimer

Stephanie Latimer

Marketing Manager
ADT Commercial
Category: Growth
Read Bio Stephanie Latimer brings a wealth of experience in the security industry, with three and a half years focused on security, two of which have been spent with ADT Commercial, and a decade dedicated to marketing. She will oversee brand strategy and identity, commercialization of new offerings and the creation of product, solutions and vertical market sales tools in a newly expanded role as marketing manager.
Latimer’s work has been recognized with achievements as a two-time SAMMY Award winner for her contributions to the Best Sales Brochure in 2022 and the Best Overall Integrated Marketing Program in 2023. She has a Bachelor of Arts in integrated marketing communication from Wichita State University.
Ryan-Leithead

Ryan Leithead

Senior Sales Manager, Solutions and Service
Siemens
Category: Leadership
Read Bio Ryan Leithead has been in the fire and security business his entire career, with experience as both a volunteer and professional firefighter, which prepared him for his career in sales, sales management and general management in the fire and security space. Starting in a sales role with SimplexGrinnell (now Johnson Controls) and continuing into a leadership role with JCI before moving over to Siemens in a leadership role back in 2019, Leithead currently leads the Philadelphia security business for Siemens Industry and has helped his team reach double-digit growth year over year since taking over. His passion for the security industry is driven by his desire to make our surroundings safer and more secure and push for a future where people not only feel safe but are safe in all locations, schools, community buildings, hospitals, etc.
In his spare time, Leithead enjoys time with his wife and son and devotes time as a member of the board of directors with A Haven, a nonprofit in Chester County, Pennsylvania, focused on helping support grieving children with a family-centered approach. In 2022, he was honored with the Vista News Millennial Supersatars Award and was named to Security Systems News’ 40 und 40 list, and he is a member of the Boy Scouts of America/Vista News Leadership Megastars class of 2023. Leithead considers it a privilege to lead and support his team and enjoys helping them succeed.
Lindsay-Martin-Nez

Lindsay Martin-Nez

Chief Executive Officer
BadgePass
Category: Leadership
Read Bio Lindsay Martin-Nez is an enthusiastic leader with 14 years of experience in the identification and security industry. She leads the team at BadgePass, Inc., as CEO and is most passionate about building a company culture where team members enjoy coming to work every day, feel empowered to take ownership in their actions, push boundaries and ultimately achieve amazing results. Prior to her role as CEO, Martin-Nez served as executive vice president of sales and marketing at BadgePass.
Martin-Nez has previously been recognized as one of Mississippi’s Top 40 Under 40 (2013), as the Women’s Security Council Woman of the Year (2014) and as one of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women (2021), and she holds a B.A. in organizational communications from Xavier University. While she is incredibly excited about her work at BadgePass, she is most proud of her family, which includes her husband and two children.
Steven-McCory

Steven McCory

Director of Operations and Project Management
Grid Squared Systems
Category: Leadership
Read Bio With nearly 14 years of dedicated service in the electronic security industry, Steven McCory is deeply committed to providing security solutions that surpass the evolving demands of clients in an ever-changing world. In his current role as director of operations and project management at Grid Squared Systems, he has orchestrated a comprehensive business continuity plan, incorporating industry related compliance, and his primary focus has been on propelling the company's growth through shared vision and strategic goals, encompassing critical aspects such as manufacturer and distribution partnerships, strategic and operations planning, profit and loss, technology research and development, personnel management, proposal management, budgeting and forecasting, software and IT governance, social media influence and cloud and managed Services. Moreover, McCory leads a dynamic team and oversees the daily operations across various internal sectors.
McCory is a combat veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He holds multiple industry certifications, including SIA’s Certified Security Project Management (CSPM) certification, a B.S. in law enforcement technology from SUNY Farmingdale and an A.S. in criminal justice from Suffolk County Community College. He resides with his wife and two children in Long Island, New York.
Cadisha-Miceli

Cadisha Miceli

Senior Security Coordinator
City of Toronto, Canada
Category: Culture
Read Bio With over 15 years of security experience, working in both the private and public sectors, Cadisha Miceli brings a wealth of industry knowledge to her role and admits that there is still so much to learn on the journey toward her ultimate career goal. As a senior security coordinator for the city of Toronto, Canada, she has a track record of transforming security teams and supporting high performance wherever she goes, gathering information from colleagues, celebrating wins and creating community – something many younger professionals are seeking, especially contractors who are newcomers to Canada.
Miceli is responsible for the security programs at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal in the city of Toronto, which transports over a million passengers to and from Toronto Island annually, while her security team enforces marine transportation security regulations aligned with Transport Canada. Some of her previous clients include the bustling St. Lawrence Market Complex, city clerks for the 2022 municipal elections, the Association of Community Centres and the Board of Management Facilities.
Amit-Moran

Amit Moran

Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder
Indoor Robotics
Category: Innovation
Read Bio Amit Moran is chief technology officer and co-founder of Indoor Robotics, where he and the team are disrupting the security world by developing autonomous indoor-drones solution for safety and security monitoring missions. He holds an engineering master's degree in software engineering from INSA de Lyon, France, and has about 20 patents registered to his name. Moran’s passion is about using technology for the greater good, and Indoor Robotics is where he materialized his dream to make the world a safer and more secure place.
Prior to founding Indoor Robotics, Moran served as vice president of technology innovation at a startup company called Temi, which develops a personal assistant robot, where he focused on developers' experience and prototyped new capabilities, and worked at Intel in the Perceptual Computing (RealSense) department in the Innovation and Advanced Technologies group. During this time, he established a research and development team in the field of robotics and computer vision, where he led the development of software and hardware products for computer vision and robotics. During his military service, Moran served as a sergeant at a special ops unit in the Israeli Air Force.
Angela-Osborne

Angela Osborne

Associate Vice President, Risk and Emergency Management Solutions
Guidepost Solutions
Category: Leadership
Read Bio Angela J. Osborne, CPP, PCI, PSP, is the associate vice president, risk and emergency management solutions for Guidepost Solutions, and her notable clients include WMATA, Cook County, M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore Ravens) and Indeed. She previously served as a senior analyst at Interos Solutions, supporting the U.S. Department of Commerce, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the General Services Administration, and as a security intelligence analyst based in the United Arab Emirates with TAQA, the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company.
Osborne is an ASIS Professional Standards Board director, the past co-chair for ASIS Young Professionals and an ASIS International instructor for the PCI Review Course. She holds an M.A. in security studies from Georgetown University and a B.A. from Millikin University. In 2021, Osborne served as interim senior director of global security and resiliency for an e-commerce firm.
Brianna-Ramos

Brianna Ramos

Director of Integrated Marketing and Communications
Compass
Category: Growth
Read Bio Brianna Ramos is a dynamic marketing professional with a strong foundation in the security industry. A proud alumna of the University of Tampa, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as director of integrated marketing and communications at Compass Integrated Communications., where she excels at cultivating meaningful client relationships, managing projects amongst the team and crafting compelling content.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Ramos is committed to making a positive impact on the community. She serves as a board member, speaker and volunteer for the Arthritis Foundation Tampa Bay, passionately advocating for those in need. In both her professional and personal pursuits, she exemplifies a commitment to excellence and a passion for creating meaningful change.
Tiffany-Renz

Tiffany Renz

Director of Sales
HID
Category: Leadership
Read Bio As a director of sales for North America at HID, Tiffany Renz leads a team of sales managers and specialists within Secure Issuance, HID’s second largest business area. She and her team are responsible for the industry leading FARGO printer portfolio along with HID’s newest cloud printing offering, HID FARGO Connect. With over 14 years of sales experience in the industry, Renz has developed a strong history of delivering results, exceeding quotas and building long-term relationships with customers and the broader security channel.
In addition to her role at HID, Renz has served on the Board of Directors for the ASIS Baltimore Chapter, holding various positions including multiyear terms as secretary and vice chair and a two-year term of chair and sergeant-at-arms. She has been the liaison for women in security for the chapter and a member of SIA. Renz has a philanthropic heart when it comes to her personal life as well, having volunteered with the Junior League of Lancaster for the last eight years to better the community she lives in. She holds a MBA from Elizabethtown College and a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Millersville University and resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with her husband, daughter and two adorable pugs.
Sara-Schonfeld

Sara Schonfeld

Vice President of Marketing
HiveWatch
Category: Branding
Read Bio Sara Schonfeld is an accomplished marketing leader with more than 15 years of experience in B2B marketing. Known for her strategic thinking and innovative approaches, she has a proven track record of developing data-driven marketing strategies for high-growth and startup companies. Schonfeld is the VP of Marketing at HiveWatch, a security software company reimagining how organizations keep their people and assets safe, and is spearheading efforts in how to meaningfully connect and understand the pain points of security professionals across the globe.
Prior to HiveWatch, Schonfeld helped generate demand and grow other leading-edge technology companies including Quartzy, Cornerstone OnDemand, MomentFeed (now Uberall), iRise and LivingSocial (now Groupon), and she also serves as an advisor to Sendoso. Passionate about new marketing technologies and strategies, she is always looking for ways to change the game of marketing.
Matthew Scharnett, customer success manager, Northland Controls

Matthew Scharnett

Customer Success Manager
Northland Controls
Category: Growth
Read Bio Matthew Scharnett is a customer success rep at Northland Controls. Beginning his security career in guard services over a decade ago, he has worked for multiple Fortune 500 companies and learned from some of the best talent our industry has to offer and quickly rose through the ranks, leading shifts, site, and global security operation centers (GSOCs) with a people-focused mindset.
Throughout his career, Scharnett gained valuable experience in supporting customers’ needs and growth by developing the roles, team, and programs needed to best align with an organization’s security culture. Most recently, he served as a critical element in the development and implementation of Northland Controls’ threat intelligence services within the Northland GSOC, and he now serves as the subject matter expert in all things critical event management, supporting customers in initial onboarding and ongoing efforts. Scharnett supports managed services clients and is “hands-on” with the entire GSOC operations as one of Northland’s customer success managers. He remains well versed in the utilization of available resources and tools to best serve his clients in their goal of keeping their people and business safe and secure.
KeShia Thomas

KeShia Thomas

Brand and Solutions Manager
Allegion
Category: Branding
Read Bio KeShia Thomas is a brand and solutions manager at Allegion, where she focuses on brand elevation and strategic marketing for access control. Her fresh perspective and enthusiasm for security challenges drive her to bridge the gap between complex technical concepts and customer needs, ensuring audiences are educated and empowered to make informed decisions. Thomas has more than a decade of successful experience in the marketing field and holds an MBA with concentrations in marketing and project management from Dallas Baptist University.
Jill-Woltkamp

Jill Woltkamp

Partner Marketing Manager
Genetec
Category: Growth
Read Bio Jill Woltkamp has served as the partner marketing manager for the North American regional team at Genetec since August 2022. With her team, she implements marketing and communication programs to help Genetec channel partners further utilize their partner benefits to sell the Genetec portfolio, collaborates with technology partners and manages marketing initiatives for Genetec consultants. Previously, Woltkamp held various marketing roles from market research specialist to channel marketing manager at Johnson Controls and was part of the global HVAC applied equipment team for 14 years.
Woltkamp is an Elizabethtown College graduate and lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with her husband and two children. She is passionate about building an inclusive community, especially in a remote work environment.
Myke-Thompson

Myke Thompson

Senior Executive Cloud Midmarket Sales Manager
Arcules
Category: Frontline
Read Bio Myke Thompson is the senior midmarket sales manager for Arcules’ cloud-based video management solution. With over four years of software as a service experience, he’s become an accomplished leader, contributor and resource to his colleagues within Arcules and the industry. Thompson’s true passion is assisting individuals or organizations on their growth path to success, whether it be physical, mental or emotional. Within his current capacity with Arcules, he enjoys challenging the status quo of our industry to help organizations transition to the exciting technological advances of maintenance-free, cloud-managed video surveillance as a service.
Thompson’s personal life has rewarded him with the opportunity to experience being a volunteer first responder (firefighter), sponsored athlete/coach and small business owner. He is well known for being able to adapt quickly to a changing environment while having the mindset of being aware of the big picture.
Constantine-Tremouliaris

Constantine Tremouliaris

Integrated Solutions Specialist
ASSA ABLOY
Category: Innovation
Read Bio Constantine Tremouliaris is a dedicated business development specialist at ASSA ABLOY, where he bridges the divide between access control software firms and hardware installers/distributors. Recognized for his excellence, he received the People Making a Difference Award in 2023 and was named Digital Access Solutions Player of the Year for 2022 by ASSA ABLOY. Tremouliaris champions the advancement of the SIA Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) both internally and externally, a passion ignited during his involvement in the KS210 project. Before ASSA ABLOY, he was an integrator specialized in deploying access control in data centers and financial institutions.
Tremouliaris is best known for his outside the box problem-solving and is an advocate for heightened security with a user-friendly approach. Outside work, he enjoys hiking, traveling and fantasy football.

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