Member since May 2024
High-performance, results-driven risk, compliance and security professional with extensive experience leading and guiding teams supporting mission-critical enterprise information and business systems while securely delivering enterprise-scale solutions aligned to company objectives. Excellent at creating and implementing IT & security policies and procedures to achieve maximum operational impact and compliance with minimal costs. Skilled at forging trusted, cross-functional relationships facilitating effective collaboration with strategic partners to achieve defined objectives across all organizational levels. Talent for synergizing people, processes and technology around proactive defense and continuous evolution of security maturity.
I am passionate about continuous learning and problem-solving, as well as bringing the human factor into business by ensuring that people and their diverse skills, needs and experiences are recognized and utilized to the best of their capabilities.
One of the best ways that I learned to adapt and be resilient has absolutely nothing to do with technology. When I got married in 2010, the day of the wedding became a domino game of unplanned problems and disasters. Upon entering the venue, I found that my dress was damaged. Five minutes into problem-solving that catastrophe, the local police chief walked in and asked to speak to whomever was in charge. While he was non-plussed when I informed him that I, the bride, was in fact in charge, he proceeded to share with me that there was a large police presence staged outside the venue due to the fact that a biker gang had been inappropriately booked for the outdoor area at the same time as my lovingly planned indoor wedding. At the end of the day, local police, FBI, DEA, CIA and ATF were present at my wedding. Snipers were posted on the roof of the building, and undercover officers were in attendance (eating and drinking with the guests!). I found most of this out at the bar two weeks later after my honeymoon - our wedding had turned a little legendary! On the plus side, our wedding was beautiful, no one was hurt and the "notorious" biker gang very sweetly toasted us at the end of the day and had their live band play a song to provide music for our outdoor photos. That day will always stick with me as a reminder that staying calm and being adaptable in the face of unforeseen issues can help get you through a crisis with grace.
I'm a CISO. I'm also a high school dropout. In school I struggled and was bored out of my mind - I definitely did not take the right approach to solve my issues. After I dropped out, I went through a few jobs but at the end of the day ended up working in technology as I had an knack for it. I struggled still, and could not move very far without continuing my education. Then someone important to me decided to tell me that I wasn't smart enough to succeed. While this was upsetting, it motivated me to get both a bachelor and a master's degree and take risks to advance my career into what it is today. It's not a typical path that I followed, but it is filled with learning and success and failure that I wouldn't trade for anything.
One of the best ways that I learned to adapt and be resilient has absolutely nothing to do with technology. When I got married in 2010, the day of the wedding became a domino game of unplanned problems and disasters. Upon entering the venue, I found that my dress was damaged. Five minutes into problem-solving that catastrophe, the local police chief walked in and asked to speak to whomever was in charge. While he was non-plussed when I informed him that I, the bride, was in fact in charge, he proceeded to share with me that there was a large police presence staged outside the venue due to the fact that a biker gang had been inappropriately booked for the outdoor area at the same time as my lovingly planned indoor wedding. At the end of the day, local police, FBI, DEA, CIA and ATF were present at my wedding. Snipers were posted on the roof of the building, and undercover officers were in attendance (eating and drinking with the guests!). I found most of this out at the bar two weeks later after my honeymoon - our wedding had turned a little legendary! On the plus side, our wedding was beautiful, no one was hurt and the "notorious" biker gang very sweetly toasted us at the end of the day and had their live band play a song to provide music for our outdoor photos. That day will always stick with me as a reminder that staying calm and being adaptable in the face of unforeseen issues can help get you through a crisis with grace.
I'm a CISO. I'm also a high school dropout. In school I struggled and was bored out of my mind - I definitely did not take the right approach to solve my issues. After I dropped out, I went through a few jobs but at the end of the day ended up working in technology as I had an knack for it. I struggled still, and could not move very far without continuing my education. Then someone important to me decided to tell me that I wasn't smart enough to succeed. While this was upsetting, it motivated me to get both a bachelor and a master's degree and take risks to advance my career into what it is today. It's not a typical path that I followed, but it is filled with learning and success and failure that I wouldn't trade for anything.