Sidney Plaza

Sidney Plaza brings a rare blend of executive leadership, nonprofit expertise, and lived experience within the autism and neurodiverse community. She is an Enterprise Account Executive for Amazon Web Services (AWS), with a professional background spanning child education, curriculum development, and executive leadership in mission-driven organizations.

Prior to AWS, Sidney served as Executive Director of the Security Advisor Alliance, a national nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the cybersecurity industry through advocacy, education, and workforce development. In this role, she led membership growth, designed and executed a 250+ attendee annual conference, and developed programs aimed at introducing college students to careers in cybersecurity. Earlier in her career, Sidney worked in education as both a curriculum provider and middle school teacher, grounding her leadership approach in evidence-based learning and child development.

Deeply committed to the autism community, Sidney is a member of the Executive Leadership Council and Co-Chair of Autism Speaks Missouri. Under her leadership, the Autism Speaks Missouri Gala has grown more than 300% over three years, becoming one of the premier nonprofit events in the St. Louis region.

Above all, Sidney is the parent of a son on the autism spectrum, diagnosed at age three. This firsthand experience informs her work, grounding it in empathy, practicality, and a deep understanding of the real-world challenges families face. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Level Education and a Master of Business Administration.