Cheryl Cooper PhD

Podcast Host

Ctrl+Alt+Em-POWER Podcast

2025 – Present(1 yr 4 mos)

From feeling invisible as a black woman in corporate America to becoming the voice of awareness for minorities in cybersecurity, Dr. Cheryl Cooper is taking her experiences, expertise, and connections from her career and becoming the host of her podcast, Ctrl+Alt+Em-POWER, speaking out about cyber resilience and strategies while fostering a diverse and inclusive community for women and underrepresented groups in cybersecurity.

Adjunct Professor of Computer Science

Avila University · Kansas City, Missouri, United States

2025 – Present(1 yr 4 mos)

At Avila University, I create transformative learning experiences in the Cybersecurity program, focusing on developing future leaders in the digital landscape. By integrating real-world case studies and hands-on labs, I ensure students gain practical skills in threat analysis and incident response. My commitment to mentorship and inclusive education empowers students, particularly those historically underrepresented in tech, to thrive in their careers.

Partner

Black Leaders Worldwide™

Jul 2024 – Present(1 yr 10 mos)

Fractional CISO | GRC Consultant | Cyber Resilience Strategist

Cooper Cyber Consulting Group · Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Jan 2024 – Present(2 yrs 4 mos)

As a Fractional CISO, GRC Consultant, and Cyber Resilience Strategist, I help managing partners and SMBs build secure, compliant, and resilient cybersecurity programs without the cost of a full-time executive. I bring 20+ years of Fortune 100 cybersecurity leadership, a Doctorate in Computer Science (Information Assurance), CISSP and CDPSE certifications, and 10 years teaching cybersecurity at the university level. I specialize in working with small and midsized organizations** that need practical, scalable, and budget-conscious cybersecurity governance that aligns with business goals, not enterprise-sized complexity. Key Services & Responsibilities: • Provide executive-level cyber leadership as a Fractional CISO for SMBs • Conduct NIST CSF 2.0 risk assessments & cyber maturity evaluations • Develop right-sized cybersecurity roadmaps & governance frameworks • Build GRC programs aligned to SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI, and privacy laws • Create and update cybersecurity policies, controls, and documentation • Prepare SMBs for SOC 2 audits and customer security reviews • Oversee vendor and third-party risk management • Deliver board/executive cyber briefings tailored for small business leadership • Facilitate incident response planning and tabletop exercises • Provide 60-minute AI-era security awareness training (deepfakes, phishing, voice cloning) • Advise owners, founders, and leadership teams on cyber resilience and risk-based decisions Notable Successes & Outcomes: • Enabled SMBs to increase cyber maturity using structured NIST-based assessments and rapid 90-day action plans • Reduced small business risk exposure by building practical policies, controls, and vendor risk processes • Strengthened leadership understanding of cybersecurity risk through simple, actionable executive briefings • Delivered high-impact, modern awareness training that improves employee behavior I help small businesses move from reactive cybersecurity to proactive resilience.

Cybersecurity Leader and President Women in CyberSecurity

WiCyS Kansas City Metroplex (Serving Kansas and Missouri) · United States

Apr 2018 – Present(8 yrs 1 mo)

Women in Security [WiCyS] my mission is to recruit, retain and advance women in cybersecurity. I do this through training, education, mentoring, and providing a platform to network. I inspires women and minorities to pursue careers in Information and Cybersecurity. My vision is to engage, excite and enlighten women to pursue careers in security through workshops, meet ups, and summits, and to support their continued advancement in the industry through certification preparation. Founded in the Spring of 2018, the Women in Security Mentors program was created with the goal of creating relationships between women in the Cybersecurity industry or academia. Our organization is just starting, so we are always looking for opportunities to speak about the organization and to recruit more professional women mentors in the greater Kansas City Metroplex. We are building a stronger community for WOMEN within the Cybersecurity field, given the unique challenges faced within the industry. We offer networking, a catalyst for professional growth, mentoring, and career growth to women in the security industry. The program is designed to formalize relationships between more senior professional individuals (Mentors) and the various levels of security professionals seeking entry or moving through the different phases of this profession (Mentees).• Awarded the Central Exchange Women in STEM 2019 Champion Award for being a bridge builder who casts vision and advocates for women in STEM and celebrating the achievements of women in STEM. WinS mentors puts fuel in the tank by providing resources that will develop you, mentoring, workshops, summits.

Cybersecurity – Capture the Flag (CTF) Practitioner

Target · Virtual

Jul 2025 – Aug 2025(2 mos)

Completed all 8 TierOne challenges in the Burrowing in the Business CTF, hosted by Target and WiCyS. This Tier 1 badge represents successful navigation of real-world cyber defense scenarios, including threat hunting, forensic analysis, and adversary emulation. Investigated malicious Git commits to uncover obfuscated payloads and exfiltration endpoints Extracted and triaged hundreds of IP addresses using command-line tools and regular expressions Reconstructed DNS tunneling activity and decoded attacker infrastructure Applied structured forensic workflows to identify and validate threat indicators Demonstrated persistence, analytical thinking, and technical depth across all 8 challenges Key Skills: Network forensics, Git analysis, DNS tunneling, IP triage, Bash scripting, grep, regular expressions, threat hunting, CTF methodology

Business Information Security Officer

T-Mobile · United States

May 2020 – Nov 2023(3 yrs 7 mos)

Cyber Security Risk Manager

T-Mobile · Overland Park, KS

Jan 2004 – Apr 2020(16 yrs 4 mos)

I actively consult with business unit associates to assess compliance of designs and processes with Sprint's security policies, industry best practices, regulatory and contractual requirements. I'm also tasked with managing compliance with Security Best Practices and Policies and performing quantitative and qualitative security risk assessments. I effectively perform security vulnerability scanning test, document, and communicate risk to executives. And I accommodate constructive opinions and provide recommendations to remediate risks to acceptable levels. In addition, I steer efforts towards conducting research, design, development, implementation, and operation of complex security solutions while identifying potential information as well as network security risks and vulnerabilities. I successfully performed risk management functions using NIST and ISO frameworks in addition to protecting Sprint's information assets, data, and other information through enforcement of Sprint's Information Security Policy. I directed all activities and functions associated with ensuring industry standards, laws, and regulations of privacy and security are embedded in products, applications, and other assets. I set up adequate systems and processes to perform risk management practices to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of network devices, data, and applications. I helped lead initiatives to ensure complete embedding of the organization's security department into new projects resulting in the security organization serving as a voting member in all processes that triggered new Network Services projects. And I coordinated efforts of multiple organizations to foster teamwork to ensure all security projects and risk assessment objectives and deadlines were met.

Adjunct Professor

Webster University · Kansas City Metropolitan Area

Sep 2017 – Nov 2023(6 yrs 3 mos)

As a professor, I helped provide practical hands-on instruction in an engaging learning environment, incorporating innovative teaching methodologies in order to enhance the learning experience of the students and achieve learning outcomes. I successfully prepared and instructed various on-ground course curriculums in the areas of Information Technology, Security, Network Principles, and Forensics during the academic year. I skillfully utilized a variety of instructional strategies to engage students, including cooperative and experiential learning, which led to excellent learning results. In addition, I developed and managed the class syllabus—ensuring that the syllabus met department and college standards, and created and facilitated cybersecurity lab exercises. I also planned and created lectures, in-class discussions, and assignments.

Adjunct Professor

Colorado Technical University · Kansas City Metropolitan Area

Jul 2007 – Jun 2014(7 yrs)

I prepared and instructed various online and on-ground course curriculums in the areas of Information Technology, Security, Network Principles, Business Management, and Forensics during the academic year. I utilized a variety of instructional strategies to engage students, including cooperative and experiential learning, which led to excellent learning results. I also evaluated student performance promptly and accurately based on departmental rubrics and adapted the learning methodologies accordingly. And I created, distributed, and reviewed the course syllabus by meeting with the academic department chair.

Manager Network Operations Center

Sprint · Overland Park, KS

Jan 2000 – Jan 2001(1 yr 1 mo)

I demonstrated management skills and successfully managed the Management System Support organization for systems service assurance for surveillance systems that supported the long-distance transport infrastructure. I oversaw the Disaster Preparedness and Recovery initiatives for Sprint Long Distance Technology Services. I also led and managed the implementation of complex to extremely complex network and administrative projects while performing Business Impact Analysis (BIA). And I developed and worked cross-functionally to manage the Network Command Center, which was the central hub for all network customer and executive communications.