The WISP Podcast

Have you ever achieved a major goal and still felt like something was missing? In this episode of the Women in Security & Privacy Podcast, Nicole sits down with CIO and CSO Dr. Irene Thong to discuss her unconventional journey from receptionist to executive leadership, the power of embracing change, and what happens when your professional success no longer feels fully aligned with who you are....

Nicole chats with Sarah Goode, a senior sales leader in the cybersecurity space, about her unconventional journey from managing risk for 40,000 spring breakers in Cancun to leading national sales for high-growth tech startups. Sarah shares how she transitioned into the industry pre-pandemic, overcoming the daunting challenge of entering a technical field from a non-technical background by reframin...

Nicole chats with Shadè Alcine , Director of Renewals and Strategic Client Advisor, about her transition from retail management to cybersecurity leadership and the power of consistency over perfection. Shadè shares her journey of being recognized at the New York Stock Exchange, navigating the intersection of client strategy and business development, and how she successfully beat two challenging ca...

Nicole chats with Afia Phillips, Chief Information Security Officer for Little Caesars and the Ilitch Organization, about her expansive career journey from the help desk to protecting global iconic brands. Afia shares the technical and personal hurdles of building the City of Detroit’s first cybersecurity division from the ground up and navigating high-stakes leadership as "the only one" in the ro...

In this episode of the Women in Security and Privacy Podcast, Nicole checks in live from Black Hat MEA in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she shares practical guidance on how to put together a strong, effective talk. Nicole breaks down one of the most frequently asked questions she receives across conferences, client engagements, and professional spaces: how to prepare and deliver a presentation that...

Nicole chats with Laura (Lala) Arcila, Development Manager and Delivery Lead at Riot Games, about her path into security and the people-centered work behind delivery leadership. Laura shares how she supports highly technical teams without being an engineer, builds trust through empathy and adaptability, and helps turn strategy into execution. They discuss navigating a male-dominated industry, bala...

Nicole chats with Alicia Lane Clark , Director of Cybersecurity at PGA Tour Superstore , about her 20+ year journey in information security and how mentorship, curiosity, and authenticity shaped her path. Alicia shares how her first mentor helped her enter the field, what it was like being one of only two women in cybersecurity spaces, and how she’s built a career rooted in leadership and people-f...

Nicole chats with Dr. Spicer , also known as ReeTheCyberBoss , Cybersecurity Product Manager at Johnson & Johnson MedTech and founder of Ree the Cyber Boss. They explore showing up authentically on LinkedIn, navigating imposter syndrome, and how community and mentorship help women stay and thrive in cybersecurity. Dr. Spicer shares her path to a D.Sc., how it differs from a Ph. D., what produc...

Nicole chats with Tanya Janca about her unconventional journey from software developer to pen tester to becoming a leading voice in application security. Tanya shares why pen testing wasn’t the right fit, how she built and sold her company We Hack Purple , and why input validation is the number one security lesson for developers everywhere. They discuss the gaps in university computer science prog...

Nicole chats with Oluwadamilola "Lola" Obamehinti, founder of Cyber Culture and cybersecurity practitioner, about her journey from liberal arts to nearly 15 years of experience across domains like GRC, incident response, and security strategy. Lola shares why security training and awareness is her favorite (and most underrated) area of the field, and how it plays a critical role in preve...

Nicole chats with Dr. Anmol, Senior Security Researcher at Nokia and international speaker, about her path from business major to AI security leader. Anmol shares how not seeing herself reflected in the cybersecurity world initially delayed her journey and how finding community helped her discover her place in the field. They discuss the realities of working in AI security, the power of mentorship...

Nicole chats with Sophie Sohm, Privacy Policy Manager at Meta and founder of the WISP DACH Chapter (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). Sophie shares how attending a women-only breakfast inspired her to create space for women in privacy and security across Europe. They discuss the challenges women face balancing motherhood and career, the power of community, and the courage it takes to start somet...

Nicole chats with Jeanne Sheahan, Founder of Jeanne Sheahan Executive Life Coaching and former senior leader at Meta, about her journey from litigator to career and executive coach. They discuss the emotional toll of leadership, how women can build sustainable careers without burning out, and the importance of boundaries, wellness, and neuroscience-based strategies in navigating demanding workplac...

Nicole chats with Jodi Daniels, Founder & CEO of Red Clover Advisors, about her transition from corporate executive to privacy entrepreneur. They discuss how Jodi helps companies simplify compliance with ever-evolving privacy laws, her approach to building trust through education and advisory work, and the power of relationships in growing a successful privacy practice. Resources Mentioned: Re...

Nicole chats with Candice Biamby about her journey into cybersecurity. They explore how Candice transitioned from a consultant role at EY to product management at JP Morgan, her experiences working in data forensics and cybersecurity, and the challenges she’s overcome along the way. Candice also shares her success in presenting on deep fakes for JP Morgan’s cybersecurity awareness week, where she...

Nicole chats with Jess Burn about her role as an Analyst at Forrester Research. They cover her journey of working with CISOs, how her role is a culmination of her previous career experiences, and the magic behind giving a voice to practitioners. *** Make sure to like, subscribe and share the Women in Privacy and Security Podcast - and leave us a review! Your feedback fuels our efforts to provide e...

Nicole chats with Tamika Bass, Cybersecurity Leader, about her unexpected journey in this captivating field. Tap in to hear more about her path to cyber leader from administrative assistant, what a day in the life of a security leader looks like and some of her most valuable lessons learned. *** Make sure to like, subscribe and share the Women in Privacy and Security Podcast - and leave us a revie...

Nicole chats with Julie Chatman, CISO & Cybersecurity Thought Leader, about her motivation to become a CISO, the rise of digital learning platforms, transferable skills and the cyber talent shortage and how the challenges of leadership inspire her continued growth. *** Make sure to like, subscribe and share the Women in Privacy and Security Podcast - and leave us a review! Your feedback fuels...

In this episode of the WISP Podcast , Deena Swatzie (VP & Head of Technology Risk) shares her expertise on becoming an exceptional security risk practitioner. We explore the evolution of security-business collaboration, strategies for audit and regulatory compliance with Identity & Access Management, and the critical role of continuous learning in cybersecurity. Whether you’re a seasoned p...

Nicole interviews Camille Stewart Gloster about her impressive career journey, serving as the first White House Deputy National Cyber Director, co-founding Share the Mic in Cyber , knowing when it’s time to make a career move and advice for aspiring cybersecurity professionals.  *** Make sure to subscribe to the Women in Privacy and Security Podcast leave us a review. Your feedback fuels our effor...

On this episode, Nicole interviews Staci Okine (Director of Systems Engineering at Palo Alto Networks) about going to college in the AUC, what a Systems Engineer actually does, triumphs along her journey to leadership in Security and why fitting in can never beat standing out. *** Make sure to subscribe to the Women in Privacy and Security Podcast,  rate and leave us a review. Your feedback fuels...

This month we interview Diana Kelley about how she got into cyber, her role as CISO at Protect AI and how she works to help other women advance in the cybersecurity field. *** Make sure to subscribe to the Women in Privacy and Security Podcast,  rate and leave us a review. Your feedback fuels our efforts to provide empowering content for women and underrepresented communities in the privacy and cy...

On this month's episode, Nicole chats with Ria C. Aiken (Director, Technology & Security Strategy, Customer Experience & Innovation at The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta) about her journey as a career shifter. They discuss leveraging transferable skills to land a role in cyber, helping a major US city navigate a major ransomware attack and the importance of managing the human risk to...

In this fresh episode of the WISP podcast, join Nicole Dove in an engaging conversation with Susan Lam , Chief Risk Officer at Bakkt . Susan shares insights from her career and offers practical guidance for professionals navigating challenges in cybersecurity and risk management, making this episode essential listening for anyone interested in cybersecurity, risk management, and strategic leadersh...

🎉 Celebrate with Us! The One Year Anniversary of the Women in Security and Privacy (WISP) Podcast! 🎉 This month, we’re celebrating a milestone—one year of the WISP Podcast! We’ve had the privilege of sharing the inspiring stories of women in tech, diving deep into the challenges, triumphs, and transformative journeys of leading voices in privacy and security. Join us for a special anniversary ep...