The Journal Record's 2025 Woman of the Year

via The Journal Record

Madison Horn, World Wide Technology, was recognized as one of Oklahoma's prominent women who epitomize leadership in both their professional endeavors and in the communities where they live.

Horn is a cybersecurity executive, national security strategist and two-time federal candidate, most recently running for the U.S- House in 2024. Over 15 years, she has defended American interests across critical infrastructure and regulated industries, leading global incident response, cyber strategy and digital-risk transformation for some of the world's most complex environments.

She began her career in the startup ecosystem at FusionX, focusing on ethical hacking and red teaming, and later held leadership roles at Accenture, PwC and Siemens Energy, building and scaling global cybersecurity services and products.

She serves as senior director of national security strategy and policy at
World Wide Technology, advancing public-private resilience across U.S. critical infrastructure. As founder of RoseRock Advisory Group, Horn advises startups, investors and public leaders at the intersection of cybersecurity, geopolitics and innovation.

A Stilwell, Oklahoma, native and farm kid raised by an agriculture teacher, Horn leads with empathy, competence and grit, and she is committed to mentoring young women. She works with the Boys & Girls Club, contributes as an adjunct contributor at George Washington University and serves on the Oklahoma City Junior League Community Advisory Council.

"I've walked my own leadership journey, and it taught me this: the only way to serve well is to show up as myself — fully, honestly, unapologetically. When you split from who you are or conform to fit a room, you create friction between your passions and your purpose," Horn said.

Horn has achieved recognition nationally as Cybersecurity Woman of the Year and has led Fortune 100 teams in a field where women make up roughly seven percent of the workforce and one percent of executive leadership. She is proud of the nation-state and terrorist-aligned operations she helped expose, the critical infrastructure she helped defend, and her work expanding STEM pathways for young girls.

Looking ahead, Horn plans to continue defending the nation's critical infrastructure while expanding opportunities for women and serving rural communities. She envisions a leadership path rooted in service, integrity and purpose, inspiring the next generation to lead boldly and authentically.

"My philosophy is grounded in empathy, compassion and grace empathy to keep growing my perspective, compassion to meet people with dignity, and grace for myself and others when we fall short of our values," she said. "I keep three checks: (1) Does it protect people? (2) Can I explain it at my family's dinner table? (3) Does it align with the long game we're building?"