Presented at
Diana Initiative 2017,
July 28, 2017, 11:30 a.m.
(30 minutes).
This is a talk from someone who started in Information security while it was still taboo just to be in IT. The travels from the very first job at 21 yo in DoD, meandering through a few other 3-letter orgs and then running the gamut from A to Z in the private sector. Along the way there will be stops with HR, VPs, Diversity teams, C-level and many more. And contrary to many beliefs, just because your boss is a woman, may not make a difference at all. A simple example is being told, "you're dealing with an all male team - just get over it." I don't claim to have all the answers, but I can share some of this journey that continues - some incredibly laughable and others will bring a tear to your eye.
Presenters:
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Kat Fitzgerald
As someone who has fought through the years, often being talked down to, I learned a long time ago there is power in numbers. I am a speaker/supporter with Executive Women's Forum as well, and just spent a day on Capitol Hill talking "women in security" with members of congress. We need more women in IT and specifically Security. Why? Simply put, companies spent $75B on security products last year - and breaches continue to rise. Maybe if we changed the landscape a bit, and provided a different viewpoint, that might change?
My first DEFCON was DC 3 (1995) with 16 speakers.
Over 25(?) years in the Security field, focusing on building strong security teams and strong security infrastructures with an emphasis on Security Operations, Incident Response and Purple Teams.
Based in Chicago and a natural creature of winter, you can typically find me sipping Casa Noble Anejo whilst simultaneously defending my networks using OSS, magic spells and Unicorns against a barrage of attackers.
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