Lauren Veenstra

Lauren Veenstra has extensive experience in the field of cybersecurity and operational technology. Lauren is currently working as a Cybersecurity Lead at Iberdrola Australia since 2023. Prior to that, they served as an IT & OT Manager at QUANTEM Bulk Liquid Storage & Handling from 2022 to 2023. Lauren also worked as a Senior Systems Specialist at IXOM from 2015 to 2021, where they were responsible for ICS cybersecurity strategy and management. Before that, they held various roles at Orica, including Senior Systems Specialist and Control Systems Engineer, where they worked on process control, critical safety, and automation projects. Lauren began their career at ABB as a Control System Engineer, specializing in training and project engineering for mining and chemical industries.

Lauren Veenstra is currently pursuing a Master of Cybersecurity degree at Charles Sturt University's Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Science. Lauren completed a Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security at the same university from 2020 to 2021. In 2021, Lauren received the Cyber Gap Program Scholarship from the Australian Defence Force. Prior to these, they completed various IT Masters short courses at Charles Sturt University, specializing in areas such as Cyber Warfare and Terrorism, Cisco CCNA, Enterprise Cyber Security Fundamentals, and Phishing Countermeasures. Additional certifications include ISA/IEC 62443 Standards to Secure Industrial Control Systems from the International Society of Automation (ISA), Layers of Protection Analysis from the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), and Open Process Control from the OPC Training Institute.