Bay Area Vikings: WWU Community Gathering

Erik Fretheim, Program Director for Cybersecurity, WWU

As the Director of Cyber Security Programs, Dr. Erik Fretheim is responsible for overseeing the BS in Cybersecurity programs on the main campus in Bellingham and in Poulsbo, the Minor and Certificate in Cybersecurity programs in Poulsbo, Cyber Range Poulsbo, and the Cybersecurity and Privacy Initiative of the Internet Studies Center.  He has been in the position since 2016. 

Fretheim has master’s and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He also has an MBA in International Business from Long Island University and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy.

Dr. Fretheim retired from the US Army after 33 years of service including 19 years on the faculty at the United States Military Academy.  He has previously served as the executive director and professor at the Technology Institute at City University in Seattle; an independent consultant in technology and cyber security; vice president of Peek Engineering; chief technology officer at I5 Digital, and chief information officer at Grange Insurance Group.

Rick Howard, US Army cybersecurity expert, West Point

Rick is the N2K Chief Security Officer and the Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow at The Cyberwire, a cybersecurity podcasting network. His prior jobs include CSO for Palo Alto Networks (security vendor), CISO for TASC (government contractor), GM for iDefense (A commercial cyber threat intelligence service at Verisign,) Global SOC Director for Counterpane (one of the original MSSPs), and Commander for the U.S. Army’s Computer Emergency Response Team where he coordinated network defense, network intelligence and network attack operations for the Army's global network. He was one of the founding organizers of the Cyber Threat Alliance (an ISAC for security vendors) and he also created and still participates in the Cybersecurity Canon Project; a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for cybersecurity books. Rick holds a Master of Computer Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School and an engineering degree from the US Military Academy. He also taught computer science at the Academy from 1993 to 1999. He has published one book on cybersecurity and has been the executive editor for two others.

Miranda Skar, AON (WWU ’19)

Miranda is a seasoned cybersecurity professional, currently serving as a Senior Security Testing Consultant at Aon. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity from Western Washington University, she entered the field through Aon's Cyber Associate program, honing her skills in various areas including advising, digital forensics, and incident response. With a passion for security testing, Miranda thrives on uncovering vulnerabilities in mobile applications, executing social engineering engagements, and penetrating external networks. Miranda's expertise in social engineering has earned her recognition, having presented at prestigious conferences like Black Hat and contributed articles for Cyber Security Awareness Month. Miranda's journey into cybersecurity was fueled by her innate curiosity and a desire to secure digital landscapes. She finds the ever-evolving nature of technology stimulating, relishing the challenge of staying up to date on new vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques. Equipped with a diverse skill set, Miranda's contributions extend beyond her professional endeavors. Her leadership roles in collegiate cyber defense competitions, mentorship programs, volunteering with Women in Cyber Security (WiCyS), and community outreach initiatives underscore her commitment to empowering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.