ISSA-NOVA Members Honored with Prestigious ISSA International Fellowships

The ISSA-NOVA Chapter is proud to recognize and celebrate our members who have been honored with prestigious ISSA International awards this year. John Dyson has been named a Distinguished Fellow, one of the highest honors within ISSA, recognizing his exceptional contributions and leadership in the information security community. Additionally, Constantinos Doskas and Walter M. Cekala have been awarded the title of Fellow, acknowledging their sustained excellence and dedication to the profession. ISSA-NOVA congratulates John, Constantinos, and Walter for their remarkable achievements and for representing our chapter with distinction at the national level.

Constantinos and Walter attended the ISSA 40th Anniversary Event and 2025 Awards Gala in Dallas, TX. Writeup and pictures of the event are listed below.

Constantinos Doskas: Current ISSA-NOVA Chapter VP for Education

Synopsis: Mr. Constantinos Doskas is a ten-year ISSA member and three-year ISSA journal contributor. He has served on the ISSA-NOVA board as Director for one year and VP of Technology for two years. He is currently the VP of Education and was ISSA-NOVA sponsored mentor at Marymount University for over three years teaching cyber security and Python programming. Mr. Doskas has a master’s degree in Information Assurance, Information Assurance Administration certification, CNSS certification, Six Sigma Certification, and Scrum Masters Certification. Mr. Constantinos Doskas has over 30 years of experience in programming, analysis, networking, and cyber security. He received the ISSA International Fellow award on September 5, 2025.

Walter Cekala: Prior ISSA-NOVA Chapter VP

Synopsis: Walter Cekala is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with over 40 years of global telecommunications and information security experience spanning federal, commercial, and non-profit sectors. He has held senior roles at the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, IRS, and Department of Commerce, where he drove risk management strategies, secured complex network architectures, and delivered cost-saving security initiatives.

An award-winning mentor and long-time executive leader within ISSA-NOVA, Walter has guided the chapter’s education, operations, and strategic growth, fostering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. in addition to his BS in Information Systems and Business Studies from the University of Maryland University College, he holds multiple advanced certifications—including CISSP, PMP, CRISC, CEH, and PMI-RMP—and is recognized for his ability to combine technical excellence with strategic leadership to strengthen national cybersecurity resilience