I got into cyber…while I was in high school and volunteered at a local organization offering coding lessons and camps for kids. At the time, I just needed the volunteer hours – so I helped with cleaning up and made sure the kids weren’t spending the whole day on Roblox. By the end of the summer, I also learned some Python.

In eleventh grade, I joined Codecraft’s CyberPatriot team, which pushed me from computer science into cybersecurity specifically. Finally, when I was admitted to Northeastern, I had a conversation with the Dean at the time and she convinced me to change my major from Computer Science to Cybersecurity.

For me, a positive cyber mindset is…about balance. The work is rewarding, but can be stressful. It’s important to also know how to take care of yourself. I try to take a little time during the day to get outside, stretch or chat with co-workers about non-work things. I am also fortunate to be able to (most of the time) disconnect from work and spend time with friends and family outside of working hours.

The skill that set me up for success…is being a people person! From a technical standpoint, I have learned a lot about computers. However, being able to network and learn from others and communicate about cyber topics at a high level has been super important. As a bonus, I find that people in this field often like to share about their work or offer opportunities to fellow professionals and newcomers, so being a little bit of an extrovert goes a long way.

My top tip for those interested in transitioning to a career in cybersecurity is…looking at NIST’s NICE framework to understand different kinds of jobs in cybersecurity and to start mapping out how you want to build your skills. Cybersecurity is a broad field. It’s important to be able to describe to others what you do, or what you want to do specifically. The NICE framework also maps to specific resources to help you get started!

When I was younger, I really wanted to…get into fashion marketing. I used to sketch a lot of designs, and I have learned to sew and make a couple things a year. Mostly I have gained a lot of respect for people who make their own patterns and for the process of making clothes.