admin Cyber threats today are more sophisticated, frequent, and damaging than ever before. Organisations across industries are under mounting pressure to safeguard their digital assets while navigating complex regulatory demands and talent shortages. In this high-stakes environment, leadership rooted in expertise and integrity makes all the difference.
Michelle Drolet embodies that leadership. As the founder and CEO of Towerwall Inc., she has become a driving force in cybersecurity, known not only for her technical depth but for cultivating trust, resilience, and education across the businesses and communities she serves. Her work spans nearly three decades, fueled by a deep commitment to justice, a strategic mindset, and a passion for empowering others in a rapidly evolving digital world.
“Security isn’t just a technology issue — it’s a human one. Building a strong security culture starts with leadership, but its success lies in empowering every employee to become a stakeholder in resilience”
– Michelle Drolet
From Criminal Justice to Cybersecurity Vanguard
Michelle’s career trajectory was shaped early on by a fascination with criminal justice, which she pursued as her academic foundation at Northeastern University. But it was her immersion into the IT world in the early 1990s — particularly her exposure to a burgeoning cybersecurity practice at an IT consulting firm — that sparked her true professional calling. When that firm was acquired and diverged from her strategic vision, Michelle seised the opportunity to chart her own course. By 1999, she had founded Towerwall Inc., a woman-owned cybersecurity consultancy dedicated to making cyber preparedness both practical and personalised.
Since then, Drolet has served as both the strategic brain and cultural heartbeat of the company, guiding it through decades of digital evolution and expanding its influence across sectors like finance, education, and healthcare.
Human-Centered Security in a Tech-Driven World
What sets Towerwall apart under Drolet’s leadership is not just its technical acumen — though it is formidable — but its deep understanding that cybersecurity begins and ends with people. The firm offers a robust portfolio of services that go beyond typical tech safeguards. These include security risk assessments, penetration testing, vulnerability scans, policy development, security awareness training, phishing simulations, and regulatory compliance support.
In response to a growing market need for specialised executive oversight, Towerwall has also pioneered virtual leadership roles like vCISO (Chief Information Security Officer), vDPO (Data Protection Officer), and vCPO (Chief Privacy Officer). These services allow organisations to benefit from high-level cybersecurity expertise without the overhead of full-time staffing — an especially valuable proposition for mid-sized companies and institutions.
Yet the Towerwall methodology is more than a menu of services. It is anchored in a proprietary “Seven Dimensions of Cybersecurity” framework, a strategic approach built on evaluating risk, aligning with regulatory standards, strengthening vendor management, training internal teams, assessing technological defenses, managing vulnerabilities, and optimising cyber insurance readiness. This layered model has earned the trust of clients such as Middlesex Savings Bank, Boston College, Foundation Medicine, and many more.
Leading with Integrity, Driven by Purpose
Michelle Drolet’s leadership philosophy is grounded in authenticity, resilience, and a strong moral compass. For her, success is not measured merely by revenue or awards, but by the relationships she has nurtured and the legacy she continues to build.
Over the years, many of Towerwall’s clients have remained with the company through multiple job changes and across different organisations — a testament to the enduring confidence they place in her vision and team. For Drolet, that kind of loyalty is the ultimate validation of integrity in action.
Her approach is also deeply personal. Towerwall isn’t just a business; it’s an extension of her beliefs. Her mantra — placing faith, family, employees, and customers in harmonious order — has informed every critical decision, even through the toughest of times. From navigating personal health setbacks to recovering from operational missteps, Michelle’s story is one of strength in vulnerability and wisdom gained through adversity.
Empowering the Next Generation of Cyber Defenders
Michelle’s commitment to giving back is not an afterthought — it’s a central pillar of her identity as a leader. She has long been a champion of workforce development, diversity in tech, and educational outreach. Towerwall has partnered with Mass Bay Community College to host its Annual Cyber Security Summit, now in its 13th year, offering a forum for professionals, vendors, and students to exchange ideas, strategies, and best practices. The Summit has also raised over $55,000 in scholarships for students pursuing cybersecurity careers.
She has been especially focused on supporting young women and minorities in science and technology, contributing to initiatives such as the Lauro Garner Minority Cybersecurity Scholarship and community organisations like the Women’s Business Alliance and Voices Against Violence.
Internally, she fosters a culture where mentorship, inclusivity, and continuous learning are prioritised. Towerwall’s team is composed of self-motivated professionals who thrive under Michelle’s people-first management style. The firm offers a hybrid work model and a culture that emphasises humility, mutual respect, and team collaboration. This culture of flexibility and trust has been instrumental in both talent retention and company growth.
A Strategic Mind with a Personal Touch
Despite the evolving nature of her role, Michelle remains close to the heartbeat of Towerwall’s operations. She supports the sales team, collaborates with consultants and engineers, and frequently engages with customers to fine-tune their cybersecurity programs. Whether through white papers, podcasts, or public speaking engagements, she shares her insights generously — always with the intent to demystify cybersecurity and make it accessible.
Her focus today is increasingly strategic, ensuring that Towerwall remains adaptive to the ever-changing digital threat landscape. Yet her motivations remain grounded in service — to her team, her clients, and the broader cybersecurity ecosystem.
“For me, true success isn’t found on a balance sheet. It’s in the trust we earn, the lives we touch, and the future leaders we help shape”
– Michelle Drolet
Lessons in Leadership
Michelle’s journey offers rich lessons for emerging leaders and aspiring CISOs. She emphasises surrounding oneself with talent that complements and challenges, the value of humility, and the necessity of grit. She believes failure is not a detour but a part of the process — something to be embraced, learned from, and ultimately overcome.
For those just stepping into leadership, her advice is to align with purpose, protect one’s reputation fiercely, and never stop evolving. In a world of complex problems, her clarity of vision is a rare and vital compass.
Looking Ahead
With continued annual growth, an expanding team, and new strategic initiatives in motion, the future for Towerwall under Michelle Drolet’s leadership is poised for even greater impact. As her eldest daughter recently joined the company, Michelle’s influence now spans generations — a symbolic passing of the torch that suggests the Towerwall legacy is only just beginning.
In a time where digital trust is both fragile and critical, Michelle Drolet remains one of cybersecurity’s most inspiring figures — a woman who leads with both head and heart, building not just safer systems, but stronger communities.
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