Any organization with a Black woman leading the charge is arguably a winning team. 

According to WWD, Nicole Ford is now the chief information security officer for Nordstrom Inc., bringing more than two decades of IT strategic experience in not only the corporate sector but also the federal government with her as she steps into the new role.

“Our technology team plays a critical role in providing better service and being a trusted retailer to our customers,” a Nordstrom spokeswoman told the outlet via email. “Nicole has successfully guided complex organizations through security transformation journeys, creating best-in-class cybersecurity programs, and leading high-performing teams. Nicole has been honored with the Top 100 CISO Award twice and received CS050 recognition.”

@thebilliondollarfit #greenscreen @Nordstrom has hired a new head of #cybersecurity and shes #melanated ! Meet #nicoleford and before anyone gets slick, her credentials are LONG 🙌🏾💫❤️ Yall shopping at Nordstrom now or nah?! 🤣💫 #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo #fashioncommentary #billiondollarfit #thebilliondollarfit #fashiontok #fitexpert #qualityfashion #qualityfashion #blackinfashion #facecardvalid ♬ original sound – The Billion Dollar Fit

What’s more, as technology advances, thanks to factors like artificial intelligence (AI), so do the systems that hackers use to gain access to personal information.

As companies prepare for increasing threats to their cybersecurity through tactics that include phishing, ransomware, malicious emails, and false identities that are becoming more difficult to detect, retailers are beefing up their cybersecurity departments, and Nordstrom is one of those companies.

Neiman Marcus Group and others have fallen victim to cyberattacks in recent years. However, with the expertise of someone like Ford, Nordstrom aims to have better protocols in place to prevent future issues. 

Before the new position, Ford served as vice president, global information security, and chief information security officer at Rockwell Automation.

Additionally, she is very involved in the sector, holding positions across several cybersecurity and technology advisory boards like the Cybersecurity Collective, Evanta CISO Governing Body, and the Lola Mercedes Parker Foundation, to name a few.

At Nordstrom, Ford will be responsible for supporting the retailer’s security and governance as well as its risk and compliance team.

She will succeed Irwan Tjan, who has since moved on to serve as the chief information security officer at Gen Digital Inc.