Career Notes

Eric Escobar: Collaboration is key. [Pen tester]

21 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Principal consultant and pen tester at Secureworks, Eric Escobar, shares his career path translating his c...

Amanda Fennell: There's a cyber warrior in all of us [Information]

14 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief security officer and chief information officer at Relativity, Amanda Fennell shares her story from ar...

Jon DiMaggio: Two roads diverged. [Strategy]

07 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief security strategist from Analyst1, Jon DiMaggio shares his story on how he grew to become a part of ...

Danielle Jablanski: Finding the path to success [Strategy]

30 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Operational technology cybersecurity strategist from Nozomi Networks, Danielle Jablanski shares her story ...

Satya Gupta: Rising to your contribution. [CTO]

23 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Co-founder and CTO of Virsec, Satya Gupta shares his story of how he has over 25 years of expertise in embe...

Chenxi Wang: Overcoming the obstacle of fear. [Venture Capital]

16 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Founder and general partner of Rain Capital, Chenxi shares her story and how she conquered and got over th...

Michael DeBolt: From acting to cyber. [Intelligence]

09 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief intelligence officer at Intel 471, Michael shares his story where he started as an actor and quickly ...

Arti Lalwani: Supporting and being the change. [Risk Management]

02 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Risk Management and Privacy Knowledge Leader at A-LIGN, Arti Lalwani shares her story from finance to risk management and how she made the transition....

Derek Manky: Putting the rubber to the road. [Threat Intelligence]

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief Security Strategist and VP of Global Threat Intelligence at FortiGuard Labs, Derek Manky, shares his ...

Kristin Strand: Be firm in your goals. [Consultant]

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Cybersecurity Associate Consultant at BARR Advisory, Kristin Strand, shares her journey from the military ...

Chetan Conikee: Create narratives of your journey. [CTO]

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Founder and CTO of ShiftLeft, Chetan Conikee shares his story from computer science to founding his own co...

Sloane Menkes: What is the 2%? [Consultant]

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Principal in PricewaterhouseCoopers Cyber Risk and Regulatory Practice, Sloane Menkes, shares her story of...

Joe Carrigan: Build your network. [Security engineer]

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Senior security engineer with the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute and the Institut...

Roselle Safran: So much opportunity. [Entrepreneur]

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. CEO and Founder of KeyCaliber, Roselle Safran, takes us on her circuitous career journey from startup to W...

Helen Patton: A platform to talk about security. [CISO]

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Advisory CISO at Cisco, Helen Patton, shares that a combination of dumb luck, hard work and serendipity th...

Andrew Maloney: Never-ending thirst for knowledge. [COO]

07 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. COO and Co-Founder of Query. AI, Andrew Maloney, shares how the building blocks he learned in the military...

Marina Ciavatta: Going after the human error. [Social engineer]

31 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Social engineer and CEO of Hekate, Marina Ciavatta, shares her story of how people think her job is a la Mi...

Julian Waits: Find a way to help society. [Serial Entrepreneur]

24 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Senior Vice President and Executive in Residence with Rapid7 and Chairman for Cyversity, Julian Waits, gre...

Dr. Rois Ni Thuama: Get into the game. [Cyber governance]

17 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Head of Cyber Governance with Red Sift, Dr. Rois Ni Thuama shares the circuitous route of her career into c...

Ed Amoroso: Security shouldn't be the main dish. [Computer Science]

10 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief Executive Officer and Founder of TAG Cyber, Ed Amoroso, shares how he learned on the job and grew his...

Hannah Kenney: Focused on people. [Risk]

03 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Manager in BARR Advisory's Cyber Risk Advisory Practice, Hannah Kenney, shares her journey from never cons...

Ryan Kovar: Everyday, assume compromise. [Strategy]

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Distinguished Security Strategist at Splunk, Ryan Kovar, shares his journey that started in the US Navy and...

Anisha Patel: Right along with them. [Program management]

20 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes: Associate Director at Raytheon Intelligence and Space in the Cyber Protection Services Division Anisha Pat...

MK Palmore: Lead from where you stand. [CISO]

13 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Director of Google Cloud's Office of the CISO, MK Palmore, dedicated much of his life to public service and...

Swati Shekhar: Challenges increase your risk appetite. [Engineering]

06 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Ground Labs' Head of Engineering, Swati Shekhar, shares her circuitous route from and back to engineering....

Jamil Jaffer: You should run towards risk. [Strategy]

29 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Senior Vice President for Strategy, Partnerships, and Corporate Development at IronNet Cybersecurity, Jami...

Jadee Hanson: Cybersecurity is a team effort. [CISO]

22 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Jadee Hanson, CIO and CISO at Code 42, started her technology journey thanks to the help of a teacher in h...

Mark Nunnikhoven: Providing clarity about security. [Cloud strategy]

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Distinguished Cloud Strategist at Lacework, Mark Nunnikhoven, has gone from taking technology to its limits...

Ell Marquez: It's okay to be new. [Linux]

08 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Linux and Security Advocate at Intezer Ell Marquez shares her journey from the family ranch to security. Ne...

Brandon Karpf: A sailor of the 21st century. [Transitioning service member]

01 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Lieutenant in the US Navy and Skillbridge Fellow at the CyberWire, Brandon Karpf, knew he wanted to join t...

Pattie Dillon: Take the leap. [Anti-fraud]

25 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Product Manager in Anti-Fraud Solutions at SpyCloud, Pattie Dillon shares her journey from raising her fam...

Dave Bittner: From puppet shows to podcasts. [Media]

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Host of the CyberWire Podcast, Dave Bittner, wanted to work with the Muppets, so naturally he landed in cy...

Limor Kessem: Be an upstander. [Security Advisor]

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Executive Security Advisor at IBM Security Limor Kessem says she started her cybersecurity career by pure chance....

Joe Bradley: A bit of a winding road. [Chief Scientist]

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief Scientist at LivePerson Joe Bradley takes us down his circuitous career journey that led him back to ...

Natali Tshuva: Impacting critical industries. [CEO]

27 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode of Career Notes. CEO and co-founder of Sternum, Natali Tshuva shares how she took her interest in science and techn...

Rich Hale: Understanding the data. [CTO]

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode of Career Notes. Chief Technology Officer of ActiveNav Rich Hale takes us through his career aspirations of board gam...

Jennifer Walsmith: Pioneering and defining possible. [Cyber Solutions]

13 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Vice President for Cyber and Information Solutions within Mission Systems at Northrop Grumman, Jennifer Wal...

Rick Howard: Give people resources. [CSO]

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief Security Officer, Chief Analyst, and Senior Fellow at the CyberWire, Rick Howard, shares his travels ...

Alyssa Miller: We have to elevate others. [BISO]

30 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode of Career Notes. Business Information Security Officer at S&P Global Ratings, Alyssa Miller, joins us to talk about ...

Andrew Hammond: Understanding the plot. [Historian and Curator]

23 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Historian and Curator at the International Spy Museum. Dr. Andrew Hammond, shares how he came to share the ...

Ingrid Toppelberg: Knowing how to take risks will pay off. [Cybersecurity education]

16 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Chief Product Officer at Cybint Solutions, Ingrid Toppelberg, shares her journey from consulting to bootcamp...

Peter Baumann: Adding value to data. [CEO]

09 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. CEO of ActiveNav, Peter Baumann, takes us on his career journey from minor home electrical experiments to t...

Taree Reardon: A voice for women in cyber.

02 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Senior Threat Analyst and Shift Lead for VMware Taree Reardon shares her journey to becoming leader for women in the cybersecurity field. A big gamer...

Dwayne Price: Sharing information. [Project Management]

23 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Senior technical project manager Dwayne Price takes us on his career journey from databases to project mana...

Maria Thompson-Saeb: Be flexible and make it happen. [Program Management]

16 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Senior Program Manager for Governance, Risk and Compliance at Illumio, Maria Thompson-Saeb shares experienc...

Avi Shua: Try to do things by yourself. [CEO]

09 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. CEO and co-founder of Orca Security Avi Shua shares his thoughts on ways to succeed in cybersecurity. Avi'...

Margaret Cunningham: A people scientist with a technology focus. [Behavioral science}

02 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode with Principal Research Scientist for Human Behavior at Forcepoint, Margaret Cunningham. She shares her story of how ...

Dave Farrow: The guy that enabled the business. [Security leadership]

26 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode with VP of Information Security at Barracuda Dave Farrow, and how he shares how a teenage surfer fell in love with so...

Baan Alsinawi: Trust ourselves and be courageous. [Compliance]

19 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore with the Managing Director at Cerberus Sentinel, Chief Compliance Officer and the President of TalaTek, Baan Alsinawi as she ...

Michael Bishop Jr.: Good, bad or indifferent. [Security]

12 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode, where we are joined by Senior Security Officer at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Michael Bishop Jr. as h...

Dominique West: Security found me. [Strategy]

05 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Technical account manager Dominique West takes us on her career journey from engineering to cybersecurity. Even though her undergraduate degree was i...

Yatia (Tia) Hopkins: Grit and right place, right time. [Solutions Architecture]

29 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

VP of Global Solutions Architecture at eSentire Tia Hopkins shares her career journey and talks about its beginnings in engineering and pivots into cy...

Jim Zufoletti: Building your experience portfolio. [Entrepreneur]

22 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

CEO and co-founder of SafeGuard Cyber Jim Zufoletti shares his journey starting out as an intrepreneur and transformation into a serial entrepreneur i...

Marcelle Lee: Cyber sleuth detecting emerging threats. [Research]

15 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode of Career Notes. Senior security researcher from Secureworks Marcelle Lee shares her career journey into cybersecuri...

Aviv Grafi: There needs to be fundamental changes in security. [CEO]

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

CEO and Founder of Votiro Aviv Grafi shares his story from serving as a member of the IDF's intelligence forces to leading his own venture. Aviv says ...

Debra Danielson: Be fearless. [CTO]

01 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode, where we are joined by Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President, Engineering for Digital Guardian Debra Da...

Greg Bell: Answer the question of "why?" [Open Source]

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this encore episode where we are joined by Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer for Corelight Greg Bell, as he describes the twists and turns o...

Teresa Shea: The challenge of adapting new technologies. [Intelligence]

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode, where the Vice President of Raytheon's Cyber Offense, Defense Expert Teresa Shea speaks of her journey from math to ...

Kevin Magee: Focus on the archer. [CSO]

10 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore episode where we are joined by Chief Security Officer of Microsoft Canada Kevin Magee, he's sharing his background as a hist...

Dinah Davis: Building your network. [R&D]

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Please enjoy this encore episode, where we are joined by VP of R&D at Arctic Wolf Networks Dinah Davis, as she shares how she arrived in the cybersec...

Stephen Hamilton: Getting the mission to the next level. [Military]

27 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore episode where we are joined by Army Cyber Institute Technical Director and Chief of Staff Colonel Stephen Hamilton, as he ta...

Aarti Borkar: Make your own choices. [Product]

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore episode where we are joined by the Head of Product for IBM Security Aarti Borkar, who shares her journey which included goin...

Billy Wilson: Translating language skills to technical skills. [HPC]

13 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore episode, where we are joined by a High Performance Computing Systems Administrator at Brigham Young University. Billy Wilson...

Dr. Jessica Barker: Cybersecurity has a huge people element to it. [Socio-technical]

06 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this encore episode where we are joined by Co-founder and socio-technical lead at Cygenta, Dr. Jessica Barker, as she shares her story from chil...

Jason Clark: Challenge the way things are done. [Strategy]

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this encore episode where we are joined by the Chief strategy officer and chief security officer for Netskope, Jason Clark, shares his journey a...

Kyla Guru: You are a key piece to our national security. [Education]

22 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore episode, where we are jjoined by Founder and CEO of nonprofit Bits N' Bytes Cybersecurity Education and undergraduate studen...

Ben Yelin: A detour could be a sliding door moment. [Policy]

15 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this encore of Carerr Notes, where the Program Director for Public Policy and External Affairs at the University of Maryland's Center for Health...

Ann Johnson: Trying to make the world safer. [Business Development]

08 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore episode where we are joined by, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Cybersecurity Business Development Ann Johnson bring...

Tom Gorup: Fail fast and fail forward. [Operations]

01 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this encore episode with Vice President of Security and Support Operations of Alert Logic Tom Gorup shares how his career path led him from tact...

Ellen Sundra: Actions speak louder than words. [Engineering]

25 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore episode, where we are joined by Vice President of Global Systems Engineering Ellen Sundra and she shares her career path fro...

Robert Lee: Keeping the lights on. [ICS]

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this special encore with CEO and co-founder of Dragos Robert Lee, as he talks about how he came to cybersecurity through industrial control syst...

Andrea Little Limbago: Look at the intersection of the of humans and technology. [Social Science]

11 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Computational Social Scientist Andrea Little Limbago shares her journey as a social scientist in cybersecurity. Andrea laments that she wishes she'd k...

Ron Brash: Problem fixer in critical infrastructure. [OT]

04 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Director of Cyber Security Insights at Verve Industrial aka self-proclaimed industrial cybersecurity geek Ron Brash shares his journey through the in...

Encore: Camille Stewart: Technology becomes more of an equalizer. [Legal]

28 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cybersecurity attorney Camille Stewart shares how her childhood affinity for making contracts pointed to her eventual career as an attorney. Having a ...

Encore: James Hadley: Spend time on what interests you. [CEO]

21 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Founder and CEO of Immersive Labs James Hadley takes us through his career path from university to cybersecurity startup. James tells us about his fi...

Encore: Malek Ben Salem: Taking those challenges. [R&D]

14 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Americas Security R&D Lead for Accenture Malek Ben Salem shares how she pivoted from her love of math and background in electrical engineering to a ca...

Encore: Richard Clarke: From presidential inspiration to cybersecurity policy pioneer. [Policy]

07 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

CEO and consultant Richard Clarke took his inspiration from President John F Kennedy and turned it into the first cybersecurity position in federal go...

Encore Carole Theriault: Constantly learning new things. [Media]

30 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Communications consultant and podcaster Carole Theriault always loved radio and through her career dabbled in many areas .She landed in a communicatio...

Encore: Sal Aurigemma: How things work. [Education]

23 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems at the University of Tulsa Sal Aurigemma shares how his interest in how things worked shaped his c...

Encore: Rosa Smothers: Secure the planet. [Intelligence]

16 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Senior VP of Cyber Operations at KnowBe4, Rosa Smothers, talks about her career as an early cybersecurity professional in what she describes as the Wi...

Encore: Geoff White: Suddenly all of the pieces start to line up. [Journalism]

09 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Investigative journalist and author Geoff White talks about tracing a line through the dots of his career covering technology. Geoff shares that he h...

Encore: Diane M. Janosek: It's only together that we are going to rise. [Education]

02 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Commandant for the National Security Agency's National Cryptologic School Diane M. Janosek shares the story of her career going global Diane explains ...

Encore: Richard Torres: Getting that level of experience is going to be crucial. [Security Operations]

26 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Director of security operations at Syntax Richard Torres talks about his path leading him working in juvenile justice to becoming a private investigat...

Encore: Monica Ruiz: Moving ahead when not many look like you. [Policy]

19 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cyber Initiative and Special Projects Fellow at the Hewlett Foundation Monica Ruiz shares her career development from aspirations of being a weather w...

Encore: Brandon Robinson: Built from the ground up. [Sales Engineer]

12 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cybersecurity Sales Engineer Brandon Robinson shares how he built his career in technology and the barriers he experienced along the way. He talks abo...

Encore: Elizabeth Wharton: Strong shoulders for someone else to stand on. [Legal]

05 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Technology attorney and startup chief of staff Elizabeth Wharton shares her experiences and how she came to work with companies in technology. Elizabe...

Encore: Jack Rhysider: Get your experience points in everything. [Media]

28 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Host of Darknet Diaries podcast Jack Rhysider shares his experiences from studying computer engineering at university to his strategy of using gamific...

Encore: Kiersten Todt: problem solving and building solutions. [Policy]

21 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Managing director of the Cyber Readiness Institute Kiersten Todt shares how she came to be in the cybersecurity industry helping to provide free tools...

Encore: Stu Sjouwerman: Trying for a win, win, win game. [CEO]

14 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Founder and CEO Stu Sjouwerman takes us on a journey of how his career developed from starting a software service company to currently focusing on the...

Encore: Selena Larson: The Green Goldfish and cyber threat intelligence. [Analyst]

07 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cyber threat intelligence analyst Selena Larson takes us on her career journey from being a journalist to making the switch to industrial security. As...

Encore: Liji Samuel: Leaping beyond the barrier. [Certification]

31 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Liji Samuel from NSA sits down to share her exciting career path through the years until she found a job working for as Chief of Standards and Certifi...

Encore: Marcelle Lee: Cyber sleuth detecting emerging threats. [Research]

24 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Senior security researcher from Secureworks Marcelle Lee shares her career journey into cybersecurity and how she helps solve hard problems in her dai...

Encore: Dawn Cappelli: Becoming the cyber fairy godmother. [OT]

17 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dawn Cappelli, OT CERT Director at Dragos, sits down to share what she has learned after her 25+ year career in the industry. She recalls wanting to...

Encore: Swati Shekhar: Challenges increase your risk appetite. [Engineering]

10 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ground Labs' Head of Engineering, Swati Shekhar, shares her circuitous route from and back to engineering. Always being interested in leveraging the t...

Encore: Pattie Dillon: Take the leap. [Anti-fraud]

03 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Product Manager in Anti-Fraud Solutions at SpyCloud, Pattie Dillon shares her journey from raising her family to specializing in the anti-fraud space....

Encore: Chris Cochran: Rely on your strengths in the areas of the unknown. [Engineering]

25 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Director of Security Engineering at Marqeta and Host of Hacker Valley Studio podcast Chris Cochran describes his transitions throughout the cybersecu...

Encore: Dominique Shelton Leipzig: No matter the statistics, even if against the odds, focus on what you want. [Legal]

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Privacy and data security lawyer, Dominique Shelton Leipzig shares that she has always wanted to be a lawyer, ever since she was a little girl. She ta...

Encore: Graham Cluley: Have to be able to communicate to everybody. [Media]

11 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Computer security writer, podcaster and public speaker Graham Cluley describes learning to program on his own from magazines, creating text adventure ...

Encore: Bilyana Lilly: Turn challenges into opportunities. [Policy]

04 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cybersecurity and disinformation researcher Bilyana Lilly shares her career path from studying where she was always a foreigner to an expert on the Ru...

Rashmi Bharathan: Connecting is important. [Auditor]

28 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rashmi Bharathan, an Information Technology Internal Auditor from Wintrust Financial Corporation sits down to share her story as a woman with 10 years...