SCN #5: Katilyst Updates: New Faces, Fresh Partnerships, and Next-Level Tools

September 17, 2024

At Katilyst, we know how crucial it is to have the right resources in place to support and grow your Security Champion programs. That's why in this edition, we’re excited to share a few updates on what we’ve been working on at Katilyst, including welcoming a new leader to our ranks, forming new partnerships, featuring our cofounder on a recent Security Champion podcast episode, and highlighting how our platform is designed to help you engage your champions more effectively. Our goal remains the same: to empower you and your team to build a strong security culture—one champion at a time. Here’s what’s new!

🥳 New Hire Announcement - Marisa Fagan Joins as Head of Product

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Marisa Fagan to Katilyst! Marisa’s passion for security culture and champion programs stood out to us during months of conversations, and her extensive experience made her the perfect fit for this leadership role. Most recently, Marisa served as Head of Trust Culture & Training at Atlassian, where she built and managed Security Champion programs. Her unique energy, coupled with her insight into driving security culture, will help propel Katilyst’s product vision forward.

Meet Marisa - Katilyst’s Head of Product!

Marisa's journey into security culture began years ago, and her belief resonates with us: "People can be just as passionate about security as the security team, if only they had the exposure to the same culture." We couldn’t agree more!

😂 Champion Comic Relief

📺️ Video Feature: Leading Culture Change through Security Champions

If you’re curious about what it takes to build a successful Security Champion program, don’t miss this insightful interview with our cofounder, Dustin Lehr. In this episode of the Modern Cyber Podcast, Dustin shares his journey from software engineer to security leader and explains how security champion programs can drive meaningful culture change across organizations. His experience working with development teams, fostering engagement, and scaling champion programs offers actionable advice for security leaders at any stage.

🤝 Partnership Announcements: Strengthening Security with Wolfpack Security and Corgea

Our partnerships are central to helping us create a more secure future. Recently, we teamed up with Wolfpack Security to co-host a dinner at BlackHat, where AppSec leaders gathered to exchange ideas on advancing security practices. Wolfpack's focus on bridging the gap between security and development aligns closely with our own mission to improve the SDLC.

Wolfpack & Katilyst joining forces!

Additionally, we’re thrilled to partner with Corgea, a company enabling development teams to fix code security issues automatically while reducing false positives. Their approach helps teams seamlessly integrate security into their daily workflows, making them invaluable partners in supporting Security Champion programs.

If you’re interested in learning more about our partners or connecting with them, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Feature Highlight: Katilyst Slack Bot - Engage, Track, Reward


Engagement is the lifeblood of any Security Champion community, and chat tools like Slack are essential in keeping that engagement going strong. By allowing champions to connect, share insights, and celebrate milestones in real time, these tools help foster a sense of community and ensure that important updates don’t fall through the cracks.

At Katilyst, our Slack integration supports this by making it easier for champions to stay involved. Whether it’s earning points for posting a helpful article, receiving milestone notifications, or self-attesting for activities like reading a security book, the Katilyst Slack Bot keeps the momentum going. This seamless integration allows program managers to track engagement and reward champions in a way that feels natural—because it’s already part of their daily workflow.

📆 Upcoming Events & Podcasts

As we continue to grow our team, expand our partnerships, and enhance our tools, our mission remains clear: to empower you and your champions to build a stronger security culture. We’re excited to continue this journey with you, and as always, we’re here to help you champion security in your organization!