See It To Be It Spotlight

I got into cyber…through self-study, networking and a desire to transition into the field. At that time in my career (and this was about 10 plus years ago) I was a software tester who had reached sort of a glass ceiling where I couldn’t really articulate what “up” was or what the next step was in my career. I had achieved all of the advanced level certifications for my profession but felt there was more to what I could be learning.

I started doing workshops with several local organizations to start learning more about cybersecurity. Although I have a masters in Cybersecurity and another in Digital Forensics, I didn’t feel like I had learned the hands-on skills I needed to transition into penetration testing and ethical hacking but these workshops allowed me to meet other people who were interested in the field and learn hands-on skills.

When I got my first job 100% in cybersecurity it was through the network of people that I had met along the way using the skills that I had developed over the years. I was later able to get some industry certifications to demonstrate my skills but it was a desire for change which got me into cyber.

For me, a positive cyber mindset is…going into your work knowing that there is no way to make a system secure yet continuing to pursue knowledge, and innovation to help reduce the risk. There are professions where you go to school and learn and they teach you everything you need to know to do the job. IT and Cybersecurity aren’t those types of careers. It’s important that you stay up to date on current trends, breaches, and technology. Having a positive cyber mindset means staying in the race, making progress, even though it’s hard to keep up.

The thing that I enjoyed most about being part of UWIC is…the support and networking that results from being in the room. I appreciated a space where the work that women do in the industry is often overlooked but UWIC serves as a space to celebrate amazing women doing outstanding things.

The quote I live by is…”Shoot your shot, the worst they can do is say no.” So many times women talk themselves out of things before they’ve even given themselves a chance. This sometimes means not asking for a raise or promotion or not applying for a job because you don’t meet 100% of the requirements.

I think it’s important that people step out of their comfort zone and try new things. You can score no points if you’re not in the game. If however, you’re in the game and you shoot you may score, you may help yourself and your team to win; but none of that is possible if you’ve made excuses for why you don’t think it’s possible.

What I thought I wanted to do when I grew up…was work as an emergency room physician but I found out during my brief stint as an EMT that I don’t do well around blood and I do even worse when people are hurt and are in pain. I have always wanted to help people but as I got older how I planned to do that has evolved as I have. I still help people now, I just do it by helping them get trained, get certifications and find jobs.

What I most want to be remembered for is…living a life well spent and making a difference in people’s lives. “The life given us, by nature, is short, but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal.” — Cicero