SANS Institute Appoints Law Enforcement Veteran in a Pioneering Move for DACH Cybersecurity

Kristin Erhardt was appointed as the new Business Development Executive.

February 5th, 2024

Swansea, Wales - In a strategic move to strengthen its position in the DACH region, SANS Institute, a global leader in cybersecurity training and certification, has announced the expansion of its sales team with a unique addition: Kristin Erhardt, appointed as the new Business Development Executive. With a mission to transform cybersecurity training, especially within the public sector, Erhardt's unique blend of law enforcement background and social education expertise is set to bring a fresh perspective to the company.

Erhardt, sharing her vision, stated, "Having begun my career in the prison system, I am deeply committed to aiding law enforcement agencies in combating cybercrime by providing advisement on the further training of their cyber security experts with the help of SANS diverse catalog of courses. This mission is particularly personal to me, drawing inspiration from successful collaborations, such as the one between the Dutch police authority and SANS. I am eager to foster similar partnerships in Germany."

The social education graduate began her professional journey in 2006 at Leipzig Prison, where she worked as a social worker. Over the years, she has gained experience as a trained social therapist in various institutions, including Chemnitz Prison, the Regis-Breitingen juvenile detention center in Saxony, and as a consultant at the Saxon State Ministry of Justice and for Democracy, Europe and Equality. Before joining SANS Institute, she worked with Baumlink GmbH, gaining invaluable experience with cybersecurity experts in Germany.

"Kristin brings a wealth of government experience and fresh ideas to our team. Her unique insights are invaluable as we continue to train numerous cybersecurity professionals from German authorities. The increasing threats from cybercriminals and state actors make her role more crucial than ever in our mission to fortify digital infrastructures against data theft, extortion, and political manipulation", explains William Bartram, General Manager at SANS Institute in DACH.

Erhardt's appointment comes at a time when cybersecurity is a paramount concern, particularly for public administrations grappling with sophisticated cyber threats. Her role at SANS Institute signifies not just an expansion but a strategic evolution in addressing the dynamic challenges of cybersecurity in the public sector.

About the SANS Institute

The SANS Institute was founded in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS is the most trusted and largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification for professionals in government and commercial organizations worldwide. SANS' renowned instructors teach over 60 different courses in the classroom and virtually during live cybersecurity training events. They are also all available anytime via the OnDemand platform. GIAC, a subsidiary of the SANS Institute, validates credentials with more than 35 hands-on, technical certifications in cybersecurity. SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited, independent affiliate, offers master's degrees in cybersecurity. SANSSecurity Awareness, a division of the SANS Institute, provides organizations with a complete and comprehensive security awareness solution that enables them to easily and effectively manage their "human" cyber security risk. SANS provides a variety of free resources to the InfoSec community, including consensus projects, research reports and newsletters; it also operates the Internet Early Warning System, the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security experts, representing diverse global organizations from corporations to universities, working together to help the entire information security community.