Mentoring Program

Why Mentoring matters?

Mentoring enables each of us to learn, to grow and to transform in many ways. It is a confidential developmental relationship that can be one of the most powerful learning experiences a person encounters in his or her career.

What is Mentoring?

The objective is to enable the person being mentored maximize the development of their personal and professional skills through the support of their mentor. Mentoring is a long-term supervision, offers network, open doors and does consulting, mostly between a senior and a junior.

When Coaching: A coaching is a temporary support of a single person on a specific issue. Coaching is based upon helping the learner to help themselves – it does not rely on a one-way flow of telling and instructing. The following Chinese proverb sums up the true meaning of what effective coaching is really all about “Give a man a fish and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll feed himself for life”

Definition of Mentoring

“Mentoring is confidential off reporting line support that helps individuals (mentees) make positive changes in their skills, knowledge, behaviours and move successfully through transitions.”

 

Please also see our FAQs: Mentoring FAQs

Our Mentors

(open to all genders)
  • focus on their mentee’s needs and objectives.
  • help with contacts, knowledge and experience.
  • make their mentee’s goals their own.
  • take a step back and reflect on the mentee’s situation in detail.
  • provide encouragement.
  • question critically, while giving their mentee the chance to find the solution themselves.
  • let their mentee gain their own experiences.

What does Women in Cyber Switzerland expect from their mentors?

Be a critical friend

(Tap for more information)
- Help the mentee clarify the situation, explore options and find solutions

- Don’t “give” them the solution help them find their own solution

- Help to develop goals and plan actions

- Help to find opportunities to practice skills Provide Feedback

Be a sounding board

- Don’t judge, listen, clarify and recap

- Help to understand his/her own motivations and feelings

- Support to focus on the real problem

- Move the discussion from the problem to searching for alternative solutions

Be a network advisor

- Help the mentee get to know relevant parts of your network

- Help to map and make better use of his/her existing networks

- Coach the mentee in how to approach contacts and in the skills of networking

- Advise on career development and choices

Be a career advisor

- Be a positive role model

- Raise awareness of opportunities

- Act as guide to organizational politics and culture

Our Mentees

(open to all genders)

What does Women in Cyber Switzerland expect from their mentees?

Create your development

- Define your goals and expectations (what you want to get out of the mentorship)

- Maintain a personal log of experience

- Careful preparation for each meeting

Initiate concerns

- Be honest and transparent

- Share experiences openly

Be a progress reviewer

- Be open to hear another perspective

- Seek, listen and respond to feedback

Own the process

- Define the pace of your process towards the goals

- Organize time and location for the mentoring sessions

- Follow up on agreed actions

How to get in contact with your mentor

Women in Cyber mentors are carefully selected by the Women in Cyber Core Team. You can find the list below and get in touch with your future mentor via LinkedIn (the profiles are linked).

Tips for contacting a mentor:

  • Reference to Women in Cyber mentoring program

  • Introduce yourself briefly (name, current title and employer or study location).

  • Why you would like them to be your mentor.

  • Leave your contact details.

Meet our Mentors

Women in Cyber mentors are happy to share their experiences. They are a source of inspiration and encouragement for their future mentees. Meet them now!

Portraitfoto von Dominique Trachsel

Dominique Trachsel

National Cyber Security Center NCSC

Simone Zwyssig

Simone Zwyssig

UBS

Unavailable

Portraitfoto Martin Scheu

Martin Scheu

Switch

Patricia Egger e1712063842734

Patricia Egger

Proton AG

Sandra Luethi e1708264850888

Sandra Lüthi

National Cyber Security Center NCSC

Unavailable

Monica Ratte e1710336737347

Monica Ratte

National Cyber Security Center NCSC

Zimmermann Verena scaled e1708265158836

Verena Zimmermann

ETH Zürich

Portraitfoto Ariane Tramell

Ariane Trammell

ZHAW School of Engineering

Unavailable

New mentor

You ?

Become a mentor

Become a Mentor

If you would like to become a mentor for the Women in Cyber Association, please reach out to us. We are happy to get in touch with you.
You can download the requested information for your application here.

Portraitfoto von Dominique Trachsel

Dominique Trachsel

Responsible for Cyber Security Awareness and Prevention, NCSC
It’s my aim to support the younger generation on the job market and to give them tips and tricks for their career planning (I was young once too).
Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Berne City, Fribourg City/Switzerland
F2F

Languages

DE, FR

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Technical knowledge
  • Adapting with change
  • Adapting with skills of the future (upskilling / reskilling)
  • Career planning
  • Networking

About my offer

I have experience from scratch in many different professional fields: international cooperation, political communication, business and divisional management, police cyber investigations / digital forensics (repression) and cyber security awareness and prevention. I have made a voluntary career break in order to learn new things and be able to work in other areas. I have a willingness to constantly educate myself and be fit for the job I want to do.

How I work:

  • Confidentiality
  • Commitment

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin

Simone Zwyssig

Business Mgmt Team Leader, UBS

Make a difference: Being a mentor allows me to be a listener or an advisor. I‘m passionate about positively impacting people’s lives by supporting reflection, sharing knowledge, skills, network and experiences.
Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Zurich / Switzerland
F2F and online mentoring

Languages

EN, DE

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Adapting with change
  • Adapting with skills of the future (upskilling / reskilling)
  • Career planning
  • Motivation and engagement
  • Physical well-being
  • Stress management
  • Difficult conversations

About my offer

I have worked for UBS for more than 20 years and I have seen so many ways of collaboration, change and reorganizations in general. I used to work with many different people from different locations, divisions, which made my network grow and grow.

I have a federal diploma in coaching (eidg. Fachausweis). So if you are looking for a short time coach, get in touch with me, too.

How I work:

  • Solution orientated – what must happen to make the problem disappear (not what is the reason for the problem)
  • Resource orientated – get to know and activate your own abilities
  • Goal orientated – what is your goal
 

What I offer:

  • Confidentiality
  • Attention
  • Goodwill
  • Empathy

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin
Portraitfoto Martin Scheu

Martin Scheu

OT Security Engineer, Switch

Industrial Control System (ICS) security covers a huge area. Wherever physical processes are controlled, ICS security should also be considered. E.g. traffic light control, electrical power distribution, water treatment. Unfortunately, ICS security has a niche existence within the security community. To counteract this is my motivation to be a mentor of women in cyber.

Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Ebnat-Kappel SG / Switzerland
Online mentoring

Languages

DE, EN, FR

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Technical Knowledge
  • Self-development

About my offer

I am a former industrial control system engineer who changed to Industrial Security in 2017, when for the first-time ransomware swapped from IT over to industrial side of companies.
If you would like to start your career in Industrial Cyber Security, protecting critical infrastructure or making sure that the chocolate recipe isn’t altered when mixing the ingredients, I would be happy to support and mentor you on your track.

How I work:

  • Human oriented: Your well-being will be top priority! Industrial environments are machine dominated, but it is the humans behind it, who keep the system running. Our interaction with operators is key for getting security in industrial environments done.
  • Solution oriented: I focus on solutions which are realizable.
  • Resource and target oriented: Our resources are finite, therefore for me the goal is in the center

What I offer:

  • What is industrial control
  • How to start in ICS security
  • ICS lab for training

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin

Patricia Egger

Security Officer, Proton

I’ve greatly benefitted from mentoring in the past and would like to pay it forward and support those who (want to) contribute to Switzerland’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Geneva / Switzerland
F2F and online mentoring

Languages

EN, FR

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Technical knowledge (security risk and governance, security audits and certifications, …)
  • Career Planning
  • Networking

About my offer

I have experience in various roles, from academia to consulting and tech companies. In my recent roles, I’ve seen different security strategies, methods and cultures and have interacted with people across the company.

How I work:

  • Human oriented: I want to get to know your needs.

 

What I offer:

  • Confidentiality
  • Commitment

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin

Sandra Lüthi

Specialist in Cyber Security Awareness and Prevention, NCSC

Role models and mentors inspire, motivate and show new possibilities for one’s own development. As an experienced professional, it’s my aim to share my knowledge, support young cyber talents and accompany them in their everyday professional life.

Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Berne / Switzerland
F2F and online mentoring

Languages

EN, DE, FR, ES

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Adapting with change
  • Career planning
  • Stress management
  • Difficult conversations
  • Work-life balance / Career and family life

About my offer

I have worked in security for more than 10 years. As a former police officer and current specialist for cybersecurity awareness and prevention, I would like to show you why I enjoy working in the (cyber) security field. In my mentoring, I show you how to deal with still existing prejudices and clichés of society (“what is a woman looking for in a man’s job”) and how you can break these clichés. I strengthen you in your person and your interests and show you how you can meet colleagues, superiors, partners and customers at eye level.

How I work:

  • Human oriented: I want to get to know your needs.
  • Solution orientated: Let’s work out adequate solutions.
  • Resource and target orientated: Let’s activate your own abilities in order to achieve your professional dreams and goals.

 

What I offer:

  • Confidentiality
  • Commitment
  • Honesty
  • Empathy

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin

Monica Ratte

Co-lead GovCERT, NCSC

The cyber field still lacks women. I am convinced that a lot of women who are capable of working in this field don’t do it because they doubt their abilities. I hope that I can encourage more women to pursue a career in cybersecurity and help them realize that they have all the skills they need for it.

Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Berne, Biel / Switzerland
F2F

Languages

DE, FR

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Adapting with change
  • Adapting to working with people with different skills
  • Career development
  • People management
  • Work-life balance / Career and family life

About my offer

I started with a theoretical background that I developed through studies and then entered the working world in the field of operative cybersecurity. After that, I took a new path in cybersecurity policy development and then took over a team of cyber specialists to lead. Through this evolution, I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people and to develop my skills and my experience, which I am happy to share.

How I work:

  • Resource and target orientated: Let’s activate your own abilities in order to achieve your professional dreams and goals.

What I offer:

  • Confidentiality
  • Honesty
  • Optimism

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin

Verena Zimmermann

Assistant Professor for Security, Privacy and Society at ETH Zurich

I would like to show that “cyber” is not only a topic for technical disciplines but concerns each and everyone of us. Also for other disciplines such as human sciences, cybersecurity offers exciting research questions and job opportunities. Working at the intersection of humans and technology, I would like to support others in finding their way in that interdisciplinary field.

Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Zurich / Switzerland
F2F and online mentoring

Languages

EN, DE

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Human-Centered Methods
  • Career planning
  • Networking
  • Self-development and Reflection

About my offer

I offer to have an open ear for the needs and challenges of mentees and to be a sparring partner for scientific or work-related ideas but also other topics, e.g. career choices. Based on the needs, I’m happy to offer the support I can, e.g., making contact with relevant people, providing advice, or sharing personal experiences.

How I work:

  • I work very human-oriented, first trying to understand the needs and then looking for options or solutions together.
  •  

What I offer:

  • Confidentiality
  • Commitment
  • Motivation to also learn from mentees

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin
Portraitfoto Ariane Tramell

Ariane Trammell

Head of Information Security Research Group, ZHAW

As a mentor, I want to help my mentees develop their individual strengths so that they can realize their full potential in the multifaceted world of cyber security.

Linkedin

Mentoring details

City / Location

Winterthur ZH / Switzerland
F2F and online mentoring

Languages

DE, EN

Minimum duration

6 months

Mentorship topics

  • Technical knowledge
  • Adapting with skills of the future (upskilling / reskilling)
  • Career planning
  • People management in expert organizations
  • Work-life balance / Career and family life

About my offer

In my current position as a lecturer at a university of applied sciences, I have the opportunity to develop innovative approaches to solving problems that I observed during my previous work as an IT security consultant in various companies. As a consultant, I have come to realize that IT security is not just about technical aspects, but also involves numerous organizational aspects that are equally fascinating. I can now pass on this knowledge to my students and mentees.

How I work:

  • Holistic: I take a comprehensive approach, considering not only technical skills but also personal growth and external constraints in my mentoring process.
 

What I offer:

  • Openness
  • Encouragement
  • Inspiration

Contact me on Linkedin. It's a pleasure meeting you!

Linkedin

Become a mentor

If you would like to become a mentor for the Women in Cyber Association, please reach out to us. We are happy to get in touch with you.
You can download the requested information for your application here.

Contact us