alissa (dr jay) abdullah phd

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The School of Information is UC Berkeley’s newest professional school. Located in the center of campus, the I School is a graduate research and education community committed to expanding access to information and to improving its usability, reliability, and credibility while preserving security and privacy.

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The School of Information offers four degrees:

The Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program educates information professionals to provide leadership for an information-driven world.

The Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) is an online degree preparing data science professionals to solve real-world problems. The 5th Year MIDS program is a streamlined path to a MIDS degree for Cal undergraduates.

The Master of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS) is an online degree preparing cybersecurity leaders for complex cybersecurity challenges.

Our Ph.D. in Information Science is a research program for next-generation scholars of the information age.

• Fall 2024 Course Schedule
• Spring 2025 Course Schedule

The School of Information's courses bridge the disciplines of information and computer science, design, social sciences, management, law, and policy. We welcome interest in our graduate-level Information classes from current UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students and community members.  More information about signing up for classes.

• Ladder & Adjunct Faculty
• MIMS Students
• MIDS Students
• 5th Year MIDS Students
• MICS Students
• Ph.D. Students

• Publications
• Centers & Labs
• Computer-mediated Communication
• Data Science
• Entrepreneurship
• Human-computer Interaction (HCI)
• Information Economics
• Information Organization
• Information Policy
• Information Retrieval & Search
• Information Visualization
• Social & Cultural Studies
• Technology for Developing Regions
• User Experience Research

Research by faculty members and doctoral students keeps the I School on the vanguard of contemporary information needs and solutions.

The I School is also home to several active centers and labs, including the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) , the Center for Technology, Society & Policy , and the BioSENSE Lab .

• Why Hire I School?
• Request a Resume Book
• For Nonprofit and Government Employers
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I School graduate students and alumni have expertise in data science, user experience design & research, product management, engineering, information policy, cybersecurity, and more — learn more about hiring I School students and alumni .

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Alissa “Dr J” Abdullah

Research areas.

As Mastercard's deputy chief security officer, Alissa "Dr Jay" Abdullah leads the Emerging Corporate Security Solutions team and is responsible for protecting Mastercard’s information assets as well as driving the future of security. She is also host of Cybercrime Magazine’s Mastering Cyber and CISO 500 podcasts as well as a member of Security Magazine’s Women in Security Advisory Group.  She sits on the Security Advisory Board for SecureAuth.  She also site on the board of directors from Smartsheet, Inc.

Prior to Mastercard, Dr. Jay was the chief information security officer of Xerox where she established and led a corporate-wide information risk management program. Dr. Jay also served as the deputy chief information officer of the White House where she helped modernize the Executive Office of the President's IT systems with cloud services and virtualization. Dr. Jay holds a PhD in Information Technology Management from Capella University, a master’s degree in Telecommunications and Computer Networks from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Savannah State University.  She is also a certified cryptologic engineer with the National Security Agency.  

Recent courses taught

Spring 2025, summer 2024, spring 2024, summer 2023, spring 2023, summer 2022.

Alissa Abdullah

Deputy Chief Security Officer at Mastercard

As Mastercard's deputy chief security officer, Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah leads the Emerging Corporate Security Solutions team and is responsible for protecting Mastercard’s information assets and driving the future of security.

Prior to Mastercard, Dr. Jay was the chief information security officer of Xerox, where she established and led a corporate-wide information risk management program. Dr. Jay also served as the deputy chief information officer of the White House, where she helped modernize the Executive Office of the President's IT systems with cloud services and virtualization.

Dr. Jay holds a PhD in Information Technology Management from Capella University, a master’s degree in Telecommunications and Computer Networks from The George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Savannah State University.

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Everything you need to know about cybersecurity ... in one minute

Trying to navigate the world of cyber security? Or maybe you’re just confused about how to manage all of your passwords. In a weekly 60 second podcast, host Alissa Abdullah, PhD a.k.a. "Dr Jay,” Mastercard Deputy Chief Security Officer and former White House Technology executive will provide cyber tips, tricks and terms. She’ll be partnering with Steve Morgan, Editor-in-Chief of Cybercrime Magazine to keep you apprised of the latest trends and predictions to keep your information safe and secure. Tune in every Wednesday for your one minute dose of cyber.

Meet the host:

Alissa "Dr. Jay" Abdullah Deputy Chief Security OfficeR, Mastercard

As Mastercard's deputy chief security officer, Dr. Alissa Abdullah leads the Emerging Corporate Security Solutions team and is responsible for protecting Mastercard's information assets as well as driving the future of security.

Prior to Mastercard, Dr. Abdullah was the chief information security officer of Xerox where she established and led a corporate-wide information risk management program. Dr. Abdullah also served as the deputy chief information officer of the White House where she helped modernize the Executive Office of the President's IT systems with cloud services and virtualization.

Dr. Abdullah holds a PhD in Information Technology Management from Capella University, a master's degree in Telecommunications and Computer Networks from The George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Savannah State University.​

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Special Report: Women in Security 2023

Alissa abdullah | women in security 2023, senior vice president and deputy chief security officer, mastercard.

Background image / LightFieldStudios / iStock / Getty Images Plus / via Getty Images Bio image courtesy of Abdullah

Dr. Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah, Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Security Officer at Mastercard, has emphasized creativity and technical skills throughout her career, starting with her job as a radio DJ throughout her college years. She received her Bachelor of Science in math from Savannah State University before going on to gain her Master’s in telecommunication and computer networks. Dr. Jay then received her Doctorate in information technology management in 2006.

When considering post-baccalaureate opportunities, Dr. Jay says, “One of my [undergraduate] English professors came to me and said, ‘You’re no mass communications major.’ And my math professor came to me — I think they kind of teamed up — and said, ‘I think you should be a mathematician. I think you have a unique gift, and you should be a mathematician.’”

Dr. Jay had little interest in math as a career and no interest in teaching at the time — though she loves teaching now — so her professor suggested a career in technology and the National Security Agency. Dr. Jay worked as a cryptologic engineer for the Department of Defense during the end of her undergraduate career and following graduation. After receiving her doctorate, Dr. Jay became the Deputy Chief Technology Officer at defense company Lockheed Martin. For more than a decade, Dr. Jay warmed to teaching and served as an Adjunct Professor of statistics, algebra, information technology and leadership at the University of Maryland, American Public University, South University, University of Phoenix, American Sentinel University, Kaplan University and College of Southern Maryland.

Dr. Jay moved into cybersecurity during her time at the White House. She was the Deputy Chief Information Officer at the White House from 2012 to 2015 and was responsible for internal White House technology for Camp David and Air Force One.

“The President serves as the President of the American people and the role of Commander in Chief for the Armed Forces: two different roles and two different hats,” Dr. Jay says, describing her role. “I served the President of American citizens. That included making sure all of his technology was to his liking, advanced and secure. That was for the White House, Camp David and the Air Force.”

Serving during the Obama Administration, Dr. Jay worked at the White House as the world saw a surge in new technology. For example, President Obama was the first U.S. President to have a Presidential social media account, meaning there were entirely new channels for security leaders to manage threats. Dr. Jay focused on not only current threats but future threats as well, needing to plan for technology’s quick evolution.

This position launched Dr. Jay more fully into cybersecurity, leading to a CISO role at Xerox before ending up in her current position at Mastercard. Dr. Jay took that experience into her role as Mastercard’s Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Security Officer, where she leads cybersecurity in Mastercard’s international markets. She works to protect the company from new and future threats, including helping the company shift to a zero trust framework. When addressing threats to the financial sector, Dr. Jay talks about how different sectors face the same threats — it’s how they manifest that makes the difference.

“The adversary is going to try to attack through spearphishing a healthcare provider or healthcare company very differently from a financial services company. But the threat is still the same,” Dr. Jay says.

A phishing campaign has to be specific to be successful, so threat actors will tailor messages depending on the sector they are targeting. To mitigate those threats, Dr. Jay talks about educating teams through phishing simulations and threat awareness.

Dr. Jay also works closely with Mastercard’s partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Dr. Jay describes HBCUs as “centers of excellence”, having attended Savannah State University herself. The encouragement and exposure Dr. Jay received in school is the entire reason she entered the security field, she says, and she wants to ensure future generations receive that exposure.

Mastercard’s partnerships include grants, internships and job opportunities designed to target the racial wealth and opportunity gap. Dr. Jay has also held discussions around cybersecurity in the Black community at the White House, leading conversations in how to expose underrepresented communities to cybersecurity careers.

When asked what advice she’d give to women entering the field, Dr. Jay says, “There is something in cybersecurity for everyone.” Dr. Jay emphasizes how various talents can apply to the field, and her work regarding racial and gender bias and the intersection between them is designed to challenge the idea that only a certain kind of person can work in cybersecurity. Artistic skills, such as Dr. Jay’s DJ experience or her ability to play the violin, don’t automatically disqualify someone from a more scientific field. Dr. Jay believes her creativity makes her better at her job, allowing her to think outside the box to solve a problem.

Dr. Jay emphasizes how there is a place for any particular skillset and encourages women to try new fields. On the leadership side, she encourages security leaders to make their jobs known to anyone and everyone. Furthermore, Dr. Jay says that security leaders need to spend time explaining what different career paths there are in security. Many people don’t know what security careers are or assume they’re all computer science or engineering-based.

“Careers in cybersecurity are not broadcasted. Those are the things that happen in the background that we have to tell students about, that we have to tell young kids about, that we have to tell girls about and make it something they understand,” says Dr. Jay.

When reflecting back on her career, Dr. Jay says she’s most proud of the leader she has become.

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Taelor Sutherland is the Associate Editor at Security magazine. Sutherland covers news affecting enterprise security leaders, from industry events to physical & cybersecurity threats and mitigation tactics. She is also responsible for coordinating and publishing web exclusives, multimedia content, social media posts, and a number of eMagazine departments. Sutherland graduated in 2022 with a BA in English Literature from Agnes Scott College.

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4-5 june 2025, santa clara convention center, ca, +44 (0) 117 980 9023 | [email protected], alissa “dr jay” abdullah.

• Deputy Chief Security Officer

Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah is Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer. In this role she leads Regional Security and the Emerging Corporate Security Solutions team and is responsible for protecting Mastercard’s information assets as well as driving the future of security.

Dr. Jay joined Mastercard in 2019 after serving as the chief information security officer of Xerox where she established and led a corporate-wide information risk management program. She also served as the deputy chief information officer of the White House where she helped modernize the Executive Office of the President’s IT systems with cloud services and virtualization.

She currently hosts Cybercrime Magazine’s Mastering Cyber podcast and is a cybersecurity lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Information. Dr. Jay is also a member of Smartsheet’s Board of Directors as well as a member of the board for Girls in Tech.

Dr. Jay holds a PhD in Information Technology Management from Capella University, a master’s degree in Telecommunications and Computer Networks from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Savannah State University.

You can find Alissa “Dr Jay” Abdullah speaking on...

Day 2 | free | cloud transformation, migration & integration, roundtable: securing tomorrow: navigating cyber currents & future horizons, day 1 | paid | advanced security, keynote presentation: securing tomorrow: mastering the future of cybersecurity, day 1 | free | hybrid cloud, devops, cloud infrastructure & cloud security, day 2 | paid | security fundamentals & risk management.

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Special Report: Women in Security 2023

Alissa abdullah, senior vice president and deputy chief security officer.

Background image / LightFieldStudios / iStock / Getty Images Plus / via Getty Images

Bio image courtesy of Abdullah

By Taelor Daugherty, Assistant Editor

Mentoring future security leaders.

Dr. Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah, Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Security Officer at Mastercard, has emphasized creativity and technical skills throughout her career, starting with her job as a radio DJ throughout her college years. She received her Bachelor of Science in math from Savannah State University before going on to gain her Master’s in telecommunication and computer networks. Dr. Jay then received her Doctorate in information technology management in 2006.

When considering post-baccalaureate opportunities, Dr. Jay says, “One of my [undergraduate] English professors came to me and said, ‘You’re no mass communications major.’ And my math professor came to me — I think they kind of teamed up — and said, ‘I think you should be a mathematician. I think you have a unique gift, and you should be a mathematician.’”

Dr. Jay had little interest in math as a career and no interest in teaching at the time — though she loves teaching now — so her professor suggested a career in technology and the National Security Agency. Dr. Jay worked as a cryptologic engineer for the Department of Defense during the end of her undergraduate career and following graduation. After receiving her doctorate, Dr. Jay became the Deputy Chief Technology Officer at defense company Lockheed Martin. For more than a decade, Dr. Jay warmed to teaching and served as an Adjunct Professor of statistics, algebra, information technology and leadership at the University of Maryland, American Public University, South University, University of Phoenix, American Sentinel University, Kaplan University and College of Southern Maryland.

Dr. Jay moved into cybersecurity during her time at the White House. She was the Deputy Chief Information Officer at the White House from 2012 to 2015 and was responsible for internal White House technology for Camp David and Air Force One.

“The President serves as the President of the American people and the role of Commander in Chief for the Armed Forces: two different roles and two different hats,” Dr. Jay says, describing her role. “I served the President of American citizens. That included making sure all of his technology was to his liking, advanced and secure. That was for the White House, Camp David and the Air Force.”

Serving during the Obama Administration, Dr. Jay worked at the White House as the world saw a surge in new technology. For example, President Obama was the first U.S. President to have a Presidential social media account, meaning there were entirely new channels for security leaders to manage threats. Dr. Jay focused on not only current threats but future threats as well, needing to plan for technology’s quick evolution.

This position launched Dr. Jay more fully into cybersecurity, leading to a CISO role at Xerox before ending up in her current position at Mastercard. Dr. Jay took that experience into her role as Mastercard’s Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Security Officer, where she leads cybersecurity in Mastercard’s international markets. She works to protect the company from new and future threats, including helping the company shift to a zero trust framework. When addressing threats to the financial sector, Dr. Jay talks about how different sectors face the same threats — it’s how they manifest that makes the difference.

“There is something in cybersecurity for everyone.”

“The adversary is going to try to attack through spearphishing a healthcare provider or healthcare company very differently from a financial services company. But the threat is still the same,” Dr. Jay says.

A phishing campaign has to be specific to be successful, so threat actors will tailor messages depending on the sector they are targeting. To mitigate those threats, Dr. Jay talks about educating teams through phishing simulations and threat awareness.

Dr. Jay also works closely with Mastercard’s partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Dr. Jay describes HBCUs as “centers of excellence,” having attended Savannah State University herself. The encouragement and exposure Dr. Jay received in school is the entire reason she entered the security field, she says, and she wants to ensure future generations receive that exposure.

Mastercard’s partnerships include grants, internships and job opportunities designed to target the racial wealth and opportunity gap. Dr. Jay has also held discussions around cybersecurity in the Black community at the White House, leading conversations in how to expose underrepresented communities to cybersecurity careers.

When asked what advice she’d give to women entering the field, Dr. Jay says, “There is something in cybersecurity for everyone.” Dr. Jay emphasizes how various talents can apply to the field, and her work regarding racial and gender bias and the intersection between them is designed to challenge the idea that only a certain kind of person can work in cybersecurity. Artistic skills, such as Dr. Jay’s DJ experience or her ability to play the violin, don’t automatically disqualify someone from a more scientific field. Dr. Jay believes her creativity makes her better at her job, allowing her to think outside the box to solve a problem.

Dr. Jay emphasizes how there is a place for any particular skillset and encourages women to try new fields. On the leadership side, she encourages security leaders to make their jobs known to anyone and everyone. Furthermore, Dr. Jay says that security leaders need to spend time explaining what different career paths there are in security. Many people don’t know what security careers are or assume they’re all computer science or engineering-based.

“Careers in cybersecurity are not broadcasted. Those are the things that happen in the background that we have to tell students about, that we have to tell young kids about, that we have to tell girls about and make it something they understand,” says Dr. Jay.

When reflecting back on her career, Dr. Jay says she’s most proud of the leader she has become.

“I am from a very small town in a community that sometimes isn’t exposed to many different opportunities,” she says. “I’ve been able to work in various sectors and all levels of government and have been recognized and awarded. I would have to say, I am most proud of that level of recognition. It is an honor to be in this position, and I don’t take it lightly.”

Women in Security 2023

This year’s awardees are dedicated change-makers in their organizations and the security industry as a whole..

july 2023 / SECURITYMAGAZINE.COM

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• Sign Up to Volunteer
• I School Slack
• Alumni News
• Alumni Events
• Alumni Accounts
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• Career Support
• Academic Mission
• Diversity & Inclusion Resources
• DEIBJ Leadership
• Featured Faculty
• Featured Alumni
• Work at the I School
• Subscribe to Email Announcements
• Logos & Style Guide
• Directions & Parking

The School of Information is UC Berkeley’s newest professional school. Located in the center of campus, the I School is a graduate research and education community committed to expanding access to information and to improving its usability, reliability, and credibility while preserving security and privacy.

• Career Outcomes
• Degree Requirements
• Paths Through the MIMS Degree
• Final Project
• Funding Your Education
• Admissions Events
• Request Information
• Capstone Project
• Jack Larson Data for Good Fellowship
• Tuition & Fees
• Women in MIDS
• MIDS Curriculum News
• MICS Student News
• Dissertations
• Applied Data Science Certificate
• ICTD Certificate
• Cybersecurity Clinic

The School of Information offers four degrees:

The Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program educates information professionals to provide leadership for an information-driven world.

The Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) is an online degree preparing data science professionals to solve real-world problems. The 5th Year MIDS program is a streamlined path to a MIDS degree for Cal undergraduates.

The Master of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS) is an online degree preparing cybersecurity leaders for complex cybersecurity challenges.

Our Ph.D. in Information Science is a research program for next-generation scholars of the information age.

• Fall 2024 Course Schedule
• Spring 2025 Course Schedule

The School of Information's courses bridge the disciplines of information and computer science, design, social sciences, management, law, and policy. We welcome interest in our graduate-level Information classes from current UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students and community members.  More information about signing up for classes.

• Ladder & Adjunct Faculty
• MIMS Students
• MIDS Students
• 5th Year MIDS Students
• MICS Students
• Ph.D. Students

• Publications
• Centers & Labs
• Computer-mediated Communication
• Data Science
• Entrepreneurship
• Human-computer Interaction (HCI)
• Information Economics
• Information Organization
• Information Policy
• Information Retrieval & Search
• Information Visualization
• Social & Cultural Studies
• Technology for Developing Regions
• User Experience Research

Research by faculty members and doctoral students keeps the I School on the vanguard of contemporary information needs and solutions.

The I School is also home to several active centers and labs, including the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) , the Center for Technology, Society & Policy , and the BioSENSE Lab .

• Why Hire I School?
• Request a Resume Book
• For Nonprofit and Government Employers
• Leadership Development Program
• Mailing List
• Jobscan & Applicant Tracking Systems
• Resume & LinkedIn Review

I School graduate students and alumni have expertise in data science, user experience design & research, product management, engineering, information policy, cybersecurity, and more — learn more about hiring I School students and alumni .

• Press Coverage
• I School Voices

• Distinguished Lecture Series
• I School Lectures
• Information Access Seminars
• CLTC Events
• Women in MIDS Events

Alissa “Dr J” Abdullah

Research areas.

As Mastercard's deputy chief security officer, Alissa "Dr Jay" Abdullah leads the Emerging Corporate Security Solutions team and is responsible for protecting Mastercard’s information assets as well as driving the future of security. She is also host of Cybercrime Magazine’s Mastering Cyber and CISO 500 podcasts as well as a member of Security Magazine’s Women in Security Advisory Group.  She sits on the Security Advisory Board for SecureAuth.  She also site on the board of directors from Smartsheet, Inc.

Prior to Mastercard, Dr. Jay was the chief information security officer of Xerox where she established and led a corporate-wide information risk management program. Dr. Jay also served as the deputy chief information officer of the White House where she helped modernize the Executive Office of the President's IT systems with cloud services and virtualization. Dr. Jay holds a PhD in Information Technology Management from Capella University, a master’s degree in Telecommunications and Computer Networks from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Savannah State University.  She is also a certified cryptologic engineer with the National Security Agency.  

Recent courses taught

Spring 2025, summer 2024, spring 2024, summer 2023, spring 2023, summer 2022.

Career Conversations with Alissa "Dr. Jay" Abdullah

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Dominique West

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