Arctic Wolf’s Women Transforming Tech (WTT) Pack Unity Alliance serves as our platform for women and their allies to build community, create strong professional networks, foster career development, and identify informal and formal ways that Arctic Wolf can be more inclusive in our cybersecurity industry. Today, we’re sharing the perspective of Katherine Andrews, a Process Architect on our Research and Development team and member of our Women Transforming Tech Pack Unity Alliance.
Personal Journey and Motivation
Can you share a bit about your personal journey in the cybersecurity field? What initially drew you to this industry and inspired you to pursue a career in it?
I joined the cybersecurity field when I joined Arctic Wolf at the start of 2022. I was looking for an opportunity to return to technology after working on the business side of my previous company for a year and a half. I was drawn to cybersecurity specifically because it has such a potential to help people, companies, and society by working to minimize cyber risk.
Overcoming Challenges
The cybersecurity field can be quite demanding. What were some significant challenges you faced along the way, and how did you overcome them? Any advice for our readers/attendees on dealing with obstacles in this industry?
I don’t know if the changes I’ve experienced are specific to cybersecurity, but what I’ve experienced with technology in general is the constant need to keep learning, and this is especially true in roles specific to cybersecurity since the field and threat landscape are bothis always evolving. My advice for anyone is to be ready and willing to learn, change, and grow.
Skill Development
Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field. How do you stay up to date with the latest technologies, trends, and best practices? Could you share some strategies for continuous skill development?
In my current role, my focus on skill development centers around aAgile software delivery, lLean and aAgile development practices, and organizational structure and culture. I do a good amount of reading on these topics in my spare time. When working I’ll also do deep –dives on specific topics to support some particular puzzle I’m working through. Google, YouTube, and learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Pluralsight, and O’Reilly provided by my companies have been invaluable resources for learning – often more than formal training or certifications.
Navigating Career Progression
Many women face unique challenges in advancing their careers. What strategies did you employ to progress and succeed in your cybersecurity career? How did you advocate for your own professional growth?
I haven’t had, and don’t currently intend to have, a linear career progression. For me, career success has mostly been about finding opportunities to do work that excites me, that challenges me to learn, and that I believe will bring value to my company and co-workers. Sometimes these opportunities have fallen into my lap – I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had awesome mentors and advocates looking out for me – but sometimes I’ve had to fight for those opportunities when I see them, like pushing for Scrum Master training and certification and advocating for myself when I was passed over for promotion while another person was hired to do the same job as me but two salary bands higher.
Through these experiences I learned that I need to be clear about what I see as the next step so I can drive towards it, but also keep enough flexibility in the plan to be able to say “Yes!” when new opportunities come up that I couldn’t have foreseen.
Mentorship and Networking
Mentorship and networking can be instrumental in one’s career growth. Have you had mentors who guided you in your journey? How has networking with peers and colleagues influenced your career path?
I have been fortunate to have had many informal mentors through the years. The most valuable mentorship and networking has come about for me through daily, casual interactions with co-workers in the office. One of the people who most defined my early career and really gave me a model for how I could be successful wasn’t someone I worked with directly but just someone I happened to sit next to at work. She inspired me and challenged me to learn and improve, and I can point to at least three distinct moments when her mentorship influenced my career trajectory.
Breaking Stereotypes
The cybersecurity field has traditionally been male-dominated. Have you encountered gender-related stereotypes or biases during your career? How did you address these challenges and help break down barriers?
That’s hard to say. I wouldn’t want to mis–attribute any challenges I’ve had to gender-related stereotypes or biases. I did certainly experience some challenges maintaining momentum in my career when taking parental leave after my daughter was born (this was before I joined Arctic Wolf). I worked hard with my manager before going on leave to try to avoid that happening, setting up a plan and doing a pre–emptive year-end performance review, but in the end some org change during that time made that preparation work irrelevant. Ultimately, once I returned to work, I worked with my mentors to get back on track with my career direction. It took a good amount of self-advocacy.
If I ever have the opportunity to be a people leader in the future, I hope that I could work with any employees of any gender in similar situations so that taking time to support their families is a pause in their career progression, not stagnation or reversal.
Work-Life Balance
Balancing a demanding cybersecurity career with personal life can be tough. How do you manage your work-life balance? Any tips for maintaining your well-being while excelling in your role?
Work-life balance can look different for me on different days. At the core is the certainty that I will be better able to give 100% at work when I’m there if I fully let myself rest and recharge when I’m not.
Getting out for walks at lunch and eating lunch with co-workers are also great ways to recharge in the middle of the workday. I often find it’s on the days when I least feel I have time for a walk that a walk is most beneficial, bringing much-needed perspective.
I also appreciate having flexible working hours and vacation so I can be present with my family and having volunteer time off that I can use to support my community as a volunteer on my city’s public library board.
Advice for Beginners
For women who are just starting in cybersecurity, what key advice would you give them? Are there any resources, communities, or strategies you recommend for a strong foundation in the field?
Not for cybersecurity specifically, but in general: Always be ready and willing to learn new things.
Figure out the ways of learning that work for you (formal classroom training, reading books, attending webinars, listening to podcasts, doing hands-on projects, watching short video clips, etc.). There are so many resources available for all types of learners, so if you’re willing to learn and know how you learn best, you’ll be well on your way.
Vision for the Future
As experienced professionals in the cybersecurity field, what is your vision for the future of the industry? How do you hope to see it evolve, especially in terms of gender diversity and inclusivity?
I would love to see more diversity of all types in my workplace. One of the things that drew me to Arctic Wolf specifically was the number of women in technology and cybersecurity leadership roles; I would like to see that increase in the future and to see an industry where the gender balance, including in leadership, is more reflective of the population as a whole.
As part of this, I’d like to see the industry open to people of all types of educational and career backgrounds. Due to a variety of factors, many women (including me) stream ourselves away from tech fields early in life without knowing all of the exciting opportunities for learning that exist within these spaces. By opening our doors to people with a variety of experiences, ready to teach and support learning, we also open our doors to new and innovative ideas that flow naturally out of having a diversity of experience and thought.
Inspiring Moments
Throughout your career, what moments or achievements have been most inspiring or fulfilling to you? Is there a particular experience you’d like to share that could motivate others on their journeys?
The most inspiring and fulfilling moments for me have been times when I realize that my unique combination of experiences have come together to help me answer a question or solve a puzzle in a way I couldn’t have with a different, maybe more linear, career path. It makes me excited to explore and learn more because it holds the promise of discovering things I can’t even imagine today.
Interested in joining The Pack? Check out our open positions.
