About Dr. CyS
Dr. Cynthia Sutherland
Dr. Cynthia Sutherland, known as The Resilience Transformer™, is a globally recognized cybersecurity executive, trauma-informed strategist, and creator of the A.I.R. Method™—a proven framework helping leaders and teams scale innovation without burnout. As founder of BlackCrest Cyber™, she equips C-suite teams, technologists, and mission-driven organizations to embed human sustainability into the heart of digital transformation.
With over 20 years of leadership across the Department of Defense, FEMA, NATO, and Fortune 100 tech companies, Dr. Sutherland has shaped national cybersecurity strategies, global workforce policies, and enterprise culture. Dr. Sutherland’s career is defined by leadership in mission-critical roles such as Incident Response Lead, Cyber Policy Developer, Senior Cyber Analyst, and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). A trusted strategist, innovator, and advocate, she is known for building secure environments where technology, innovation, and human resilience converge. She made history as FEMA’s first SES-level CISO.
A fierce advocate for healing and equity, Dr. Sutherland authored Letters to My Brown Girls, introducing the A.F.T.R. Framework to guide survivors of childhood sexual abuse toward emotional freedom and financial power. Her own journey—from teen mom and Army veteran to national security leader and doctoral scholar—fuels her mission to transform pain into purpose.
Whether on global stages like NIST NICE or in classrooms via her C3 Framework™ for nontechnical cybersecurity education, Dr. Sutherland empowers others to secure both their systems and their stories—with resilience as the strategy.
Inspiring Future Innovators
Empowering Our Future
Dr. Cynthia Sutherland is passionate about inspiring the next generation of innovators. She brought hands-on STEM experiences to young minds at the Tots for Teens Expo, Black Girls Code, National Society of Black Engineers, Vex IQ Robotics Coach, and Cyber Patriots Coach...showing that creativity, curiosity, and opportunity can open doors at any age. Her mission is simple: to spark a lifelong love of learning and empower future leaders to dream bigger, build boldly, and believe in their power to change the world.
