I am also the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at CyberSecurity NonProfit (CSNP) — an organization with a mission to provide free education and resources surrounding cybersecurity, with the goal of making cybersecurity more accessible, inclusive, and diverse. I joined the leadership team because I was inspired by the opportunity to bring my experience and know-how with DEI and to gain more exposure to cybersecurity. As the Director of DEI, I work to make sure our programs are equitable, diverse, and reaching the correct people.
Now, alongside keeping up with my podcast and CSNP’s commitments, I’ve landed at Kin + Carta, as a Technical Consultant, currently working on a modernization effort. There were a few things that made me feel confident in taking the leap to start a new job, let alone the first job I’d begin totally remotely:
- The opportunity to consult with different industries and different clients. Specifically some clients in the IoT space and those within the agriculture sector.
- I liked Kin + Carta’s commitment to upskill their people. My motto has always been: if it’s there, take advantage of it. And I’ve done just that since joining the firm. I’ve been able to take a couple of Udemy courses and am currently working towards my Cloud certification (wish me luck!)
- And, the ethics of the firm aligned with mine. I like that at Kin + Carta, we’re B Corp certified, that we value the opinions of all employees, and that there’s true value and strategy placed upon inclusion and diversity.
Joining a new company remotely has come with it’s challenges but I’ve appreciated the daily huddles and weekly check-ins with my team over zoom. And since I’m someone who values in-person connection, it’s been nice to connect with teammates and coworkers across different disciplines as the Chicago office re-opens and we work as a hybrid company. These connection points have made me a better engineer, and impact how I’m able to live life fully outside of work.
Just like Tech ‘n Savvy helps me with my speaking skills, as it requires me to explain myself well and clearly. It’s also transformed my attention to detail, as we talk a lot when recording episodes and I need to delete material in order to tell a cohesive and succinct story. With CSNP, I’ve learned the art of communicating and collaborating with stakeholders, specifically those who may not prioritize what I think is most important.
Continuous growth and being able to chart my own path is so important to me — that’s why in every commitment I have, I focus-in on the learning available. When I was three, I discovered that I was the type of person who would figure out and know what was best for me. I’ve continued to live this out every day by trying new things, seeing them through and building relationships along the way to learn from those around me.