What made you decide to go into geoscience?

When I was younger, I was convinced I wanted to be a movie star. But that didn’t seem like an easy solution. I did high school overseas, and when I came back, they didn’t recognize my diploma. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in university. I was six months shy of being a mature student, so I had to take three courses to get my high school diploma. I took geology, Greek and Roman classics. I loved geology, especially the fieldwork. At the same time, I was already working in computer support at the university to put myself through school.

When did you begin to pivot into the space of cybersecurity?

I started working in IT for a small-to-medium mining company. About ten years ago, I started getting into cybersecurity. The company grew a lot, and we began experiencing ransomware attacks. I found this field very cool—I liked being part of the response team and handling forensics afterward. It’s highly technical, but it’s also about people—balancing risks, like deciding if you should buy a $100 door to protect a $50 vase.

How has your past experience in environmental science affected your work in cybersecurity?

I know what it’s like to be on the other side. I understand how it feels when IT does something that people don’t like. My exposure to different organizations has helped. When I did my master’s, I studied ecology and did a lot of modeling, which was similar to early models for security information and event management (SIM) tools. I’m proud to say that I’ve worked in several fields and done fieldwork.

Would you say that pivoting fields is common?

The only people in cybersecurity were those who pivoted into it, since when I entered, it was during a moment of change. Cybersecurity is my third career—environmental science, IT, and now cybersecurity. The transition wasn’t a huge shock.

What was the learning curve like?

Getting into IT, I had to learn how to use the tools, which was easy. Moving from hands-on work to strategic management was more of a challenge. But as I moved between positions, I used the skills I had gained from previous work. For example, my presentation skills from my master’s degree helped a lot. For you, if you want to change between specific fields of engineering, you are always free to pivot. My husband works in tech at EA, and he did his undergrad in biomedical engineering and his master’s in software engineering. As well, a friend of mine has an electrical engineering degree but works as a procurement specialist for the New Zealand Army, using her technical knowledge to source tanks and equipment.

I read that you found cybersecurity interesting after dealing with a ransomware attack. What are key characteristics of someone who wants to succeed in this field?

You have to be comfortable being outside of your comfort zone, since the field changes very quickly. As you move through your career, you need to make decisions with limited information. For example, should you shut something down? You have to follow your gut and make quick, accurate decisions.

You need to be able to take risks. Curiosity is key. You always have to learn, especially with AI coming into play. A strong technical background is important, but not everything is technical. You also need to be comfortable communicating with people.

What is it like being a woman in these fields, and how has your environment changed throughout your career?

Geoscience and ecology are about a 50/50 gender split these days. They’re not as male-dominated, but I’ve worked in mining and IT for the past 15 years, which has been pretty male-dominated. 

Did I ever have a problem being the only woman? 

No. But some of the men may have. Over the years, things have changed a bit, but a lot of women have felt uncomfortable in these environments because men were normalized. If a man acts a certain way, it’s seen as good. But if a woman acts the same way, it’s seen as bad. We need to change what is viewed as normal.

Women sometimes feel like they have to go above and beyond. However, if you get comfortable with the idea that you don’t need to overachieve, you can gain confidence. That confidence helps to prevent feelings of intimidation. We, as women, sometimes let ourselves feel intimidated because we believe we have to be better than men just to be seen as normal.

So, be comfortable with judgment. Men are. If you don’t let yourself be intimidated, you won’t feel like others are superior to you. Don’t pre-judge a situation—believe that you are equal. This isn’t just a women’s problem to solve, but there are ways to manage it. If you immediately devalue yourself, you become defensive. You don’t need to act like a man. Being a woman doesn’t mean feeling inferior.

What does your usual day look like?

When I was in cybersecurity at Fraser Health, I started my mornings with physical activity. Before getting to actual work, I did prep work. Most of my day was filled with meetings, and in each one, I usually had to make a decision. I received tasks from my superiors and delegated them to my team.

Now, in consulting, the team works together more. But physical activity is always a part of my routine.

I heard you have a black belt. Can you tell me about that?

I started martial arts with my kids. I now have three black belts—second-degree in Sun-Do, as well as black belts in kickboxing and mixed martial arts. I think martial arts are very important for young women.

It’s important to be comfortable punching something. Martial arts teach confidence in how your body interacts with others and how to be proactive. A lot of women don’t grow up having activities where they have a direct opponent. You can’t wait around for someone to solve your problems—like changing a flat tire. You have to be less passive.

Since my dream is to go into engineering, how has your field of work related to engineering?

Cybersecurity and engineering both require problem-solving and analytical thinking. You have to take a technical approach while also balancing real-world constraints.

Do you have any advice for a high schooler looking to have a career in STEM?

Stay curious, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.

Any tips on how to network and maintain connections?

I’m an introvert, so networking was hard for me. Being a woman in a male-dominated environment made it even harder. But I changed my mindset—I approached interactions as "What can I do to help this person?" That shifts the conversation. Instead of just asking for something, you’re building a relationship by helping people.

Ask questions—be curious. Even small things, like asking if they have a dog, make the conversation more human. To maintain connections, send people articles or information relevant to their interests. Keep attending events—people will start to recognize you. If you reach out to someone senior, ask if there’s someone on their team you can connect with. It becomes annoying when you’re just looking for a job. Don’t be afraid of no responses.

How did your career path differ from those with similar education backgrounds?

I took a different path than most, but it allowed me to pivot and grow.

Do you anticipate any changes in cybersecurity? Are there any changes you want to see?

People worry too much about AI when they should focus on current problems—patching servers, improving password hygiene. I don’t like making AI predictions.

Highly technical skills combined with strong communication will become more important. You have to prioritize what to fix with the available budget. In healthcare, for example, security can’t get in the way of clinical workflow—doctors take priority. AI might remove grunt work, but the core challenges remain the same.