See It To Be It Spotlight

As a VET, I got into cyber through…a fundamental need to move data quickly and effectively, both in my professional role and personal life. Professionally, as the military use of unmanned aerial devices for intelligence collection grew exponentially, there was an intense demand to deliver full motion video to customers in near real-time, which required overcoming multiple network and cyber-related hurdles.

In my personal life, my husband was deployed on a Okinawa-based ship while I delivered our first baby in Virginia without him. I experienced firsthand the frustration of trying to share photos of our newborn daughter with him. Twenty-five years ago, the cumbersome process of taking low-resolution photos, transferring them via floppy disk, manually resizing and reformatting, and hoping they’d make it through my AOL dial-up email to a Navy shipboard network highlighted the critical challenges in data sharing and digital communication.

These combined experiences underscored the importance of developing robust and efficient data transfer capabilities, drawing me towards the challenges and solutions associated with using the cyber domain.

For me, a positive cyber mindset is…continuously asking “what if…” I’ve often posed questions, sometimes rhetorically, that spurred creative, technologically feasible solutions. Questions like, “What if we could share this data faster?” or “What if we could use the same methodology we use to collect intelligence to assess and defend against threats to our own vulnerabilities?” drive innovation and progress in cybersecurity.

The skill that helped me transition to a career in cyber is…the combination of my “early adopter” spirit with a willingness to use a hands-on, problem-solving approach to wring out the maximum capability from a new technology.

I would tell my younger self…It’s ok to be different. There was tremendous pressure to conform in the Air Force. Multiple times, senior officers (I can’t truly call them “mentors” because they didn’t value my unique strengths) advised me not to pursue an unconventional career path. In every case, it better prepared me for leading my unit through an unexpected future challenge.

The quote I live by is…“No Friction – No Traction.” Given my STEM academic background, it’s not surprising that I converted this scientific concept from mechanics, a branch of physics, into a leadership metaphor suggesting that meaningful progress, or “traction,” often requires navigating resistance, conflict, or tension, aka “friction.”

Healthy tension and constructive challenges are essential for engagement, clarity, and moving forward with purpose. Leaders who are comfortable harnessing friction can build teams able to challenge assumptions, surface new ideas, and create the grip needed for momentum and growth.

What I most want to be remembered for is…being kind.

What is your favorite part about UWIC?

Catching up with former colleagues and making new connections, knowing that everyone there has cyber in common, but also celebrating that everyone’s cyber journey is unique.