Alumna Algirde Pipikaite in the fight against cybercrime and her Harvard journey
Governance and Policy, Center for
Cybersecurity, World Economic Forum
Cybercrime is big business. This year, the global cost of cybercrime will reach $2 trillion, according to Juniper Research, and it is not stopping there. Algirde Pipikaite, the project lead of the Governance and Policy team at the Center for Cybersecurity at the World Economic Forum, believes that the only way to fight the surge of cyber-attacks is through a well-orchestrated partnership between the public and private sectors.
Algirde is a cybersecurity and digital transformation policy expert with a focus on public and private sector engagement. She first came to Harvard Kennedy School for the Emerging Leaders Executive Education program in 2012. After experiencing the international network and learning gained by one week on campus, Algirde knew she had to come back. Just two years later, she attended a second executive program, Leadership for the 21st Century: Chaos, Conflict, and Courage. Bolstered by these experiences, Algirde pursued a Master in Public Administration, graduating as one of the youngest in the 2016 Mid-Career class at Harvard Kennedy School.
“I never thought I would go to Harvard,” shared Algirde. “The more you come here, the more you want to come back. Executive Education is a great first step to get to know the campus, the people, and the benefits of pursuing an education here.”
Today, Algirde and her team explore digital transformation and how to implement standards and guidelines, which is a challenge given the crush of data being created each day. She also returns to campus regularly, not as a student but a speaker in the Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology Executive Education program.
“Harvard gives you the wider map of what’s important to know in each field and sector,” said Algirde. “It widens your knowledge and strengthens your understanding.”
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