Ria Aiken’s unique professional journey has been characterized by perseverance and seizing unexpected opportunities.
A trailblazer in both her previous positions and current role as director of technology and security strategy, customer experience and innovation at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (FRBA), Aiken’s dedication to championing diversity and inclusion, and uplifting fellow women in her field, earn her recognition as an Advocate in SC Media’s 2024 Women in IT Security program.
Aiken brings decades of broad-ranging experience and skillsets to her role, originally working in strategy and executive management for more than 18 years at Weston Solutions before shifting careers in 2015 to become the first appointed director of emergency preparedness and resilience in the mayor’s office for the City of Atlanta. During the nearly four years she served in this role, Aiken helped lead the city’s response to numerous disasters and crises, including the I-85 bride collapse and Hurricane Irma.
Another turning point came in 2018 when the city suffered a ransomware attack; navigating the response and recovery to this cyber incident sparked Aiken’s interest in cybersecurity and cyber preparedness, and motivating her to think more proactively about how governments and other organizations can defend themselves form such cyber threats, Aiken said in a previous interview on the “She Said Privacy/He Said Security” podcast. Applying this cyber-focused approach to preparations for the 2019 Super Bowl further drove Aiken to pursue the IT security field.
At FRBA, Aiken has combined her versatile skillset of leadership, strategy, crisis and risk management, business acumen and technical knowledge to support the organization’s security and technology initiatives and improve customer experiences. More than that, Aiken has been a staunch advocate for women in her field, always stepping up at every opportunity to open doors for others to excel, colleagues say.
Aiken described her journey of resilience as a young working mother on the “Beyond the Business Suit” podcast earlier this year, and how this experience, as well as inspiration from her great aunt, civil rights activist Pauli Murray, have driven her to advocate for inclusion and opportunities for women and racial minorities. Colleagues say Aiken does much more than just speak about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the technology field — she takes a hands-on approach with her volunteer work and mentorship.
For example, Aiken has served as a mentor for the Women in Tech (WIT) Single Mother’s Program, the Executive Women’s Forum Mentoring Program and the internal development program at FRBA. She also helped lead efforts to establish the first districtwide WIT Community of Practice in Atlanta in 2023 and has stepped up to volunteer at several local talent acquisition and development programs including the City of Refuge’s Tech Meet-up and Spring 2024 Women in the Workplace Career Mixer at Georgia Tech, colleagues highlighted.
Aiken’s advocacy, professional achievements, perseverance and trailblazing roles have earned her recognition as a respected voice in her career fields. She has served on Georgia State University’s Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group Advisory Board and as an executive member of the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF), where she received the Technology Leader on the Rise Award in 2023.
Overall, Aikens’ story of determination and opportunity serve as encouragement, not only for women, but for anyone from any background or career stage to pursue their passion in the cybersecurity field.
