In this fireside chat, Danny sits down with Max Margolis to cut through the noise surrounding AI in cybersecurity. While the industry races to slap "AI-powered" on every product and executives pour hundreds of millions into tools they barely understand, the real story is far more nuanced and far more urgent. From hallucinations in audit reports costing hundreds of millions of dollars to adversaries building sophisticated malware frameworks using generative AI alone, this conversation pulls no punches on where we actually stand and where we are headed. If you work in cyber, defend networks, or make decisions about security spending, this is the reality check you need right now.
Key Themes Discussed:

AI Is a Tool, Not a Savior — Why stripping away the marketing hype reveals that LLMs are probability engines that augment human intelligence but will never replace the people behind the keyboard.
Adversaries Are Accelerating: How threat actors are leveraging generative AI to build malware, speed up zero-day exploitation by months, and launch more targeted campaigns against Western infrastructure.
The Silo Problem Is Killing Defense: Why Cyber Threat Intelligence buried under the SOC is a strategic failure, and how systems theory offers a path to breaking down the walls that leave organizations exposed.
More Money and More Tools Will Not Save You: The hard truth that stacking tools on top of tools without training, governance, and a clear strategy only increases complexity and widens the attack surface.
The Human Element Is the Endgame: From insider threats to the defenders on the front lines, cybersecurity will always come down to people, and organizations that forget this will pay the price.

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What happens when a high school cybersecurity class changes everything? Meet Lavanya, a first-year computer science college student who went from dreaming of dentistry to diving deep into cybersecurity. In this refreshingly honest conversation, Lavanya shares her journey from being the only girl taking notes in a room full of guys to competing in CyberPatriot competitions and landing meaningful internships before even graduating high school. Her perspective on AI, the future of cybersecurity jobs, and why social media might be lying to you about computer science degrees is exactly what the next generation needs to hear.

Key Themes Explored:
Breaking Into Tech Through Gamification - How CyberPatriot competitions and hands-on CTF challenges create genuine passion for cybersecurity beyond textbook learning, and why "doing" beats "studying" every single time
AI as Tool, Not Replacement - A Gen Z perspective on using AI strategically for learning without losing critical thinking skills, plus why cybersecurity jobs are actually increasing because of AI threats, not disappearing
The Real Value of Early Exposure - Why internships like Commonwealth Cyber Initiative matter more than any classroom lesson, including sitting in actual client meetings and seeing how cybersecurity applies across satellites, healthcare, and beyond
Combating the Noise - Straight talk on ignoring social media doomposting about computer science degrees being "worthless" and why taking opportunities beats playing it safe every time
Mentorship and Representation - The profound impact of having a female teacher in a male-dominated field and why gathering wisdom from multiple mentors beats following one person's footsteps

SHOW NOTES:
Anthropic Intel Report - https://www-cdn.anthropic.com/b2a76c6...
Atomic Habits by by James Clear

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Sofia Rodriguez spent 8 years in help desk and technical roles, navigating visa sponsorship challenges while pursuing her cybersecurity dreams. Today, she's a Security Operations Manager and VP of Operations for Latinas in Cyber, proving that non-traditional paths can lead to leadership. In this raw conversation, Sofia dismantles common career myths, shares her journey from Costa Rica to leading security operations for fintech companies, and reveals why she believes GRC is the backbone of every cybersecurity program. We tackle the uncomfortable truths about "entry-level" job postings, the over-hyped promises of AI in security, and why basic security practices still aren't widely implemented across industries.

If you're trying to break into cybersecurity, transitioning careers, or questioning your own path, this episode will challenge your assumptions and give you actionable perspective.

Key Themes Discussed:
The 8-Year Help Desk Journey: Why Sofia stayed in technical roles longer than expected, the immigration realities that shaped her path, and whether help desk is still the right entry point for aspiring cybersecurity professionals in today's market.
GRC is Not Boring, It's Foundational: How governance, risk, and compliance became Sofia's passion, why understanding frameworks like SOC 2, NIST, and CMMC is critical regardless of your role, and how GRC creates competitive advantage when tied to business goals.
The Entry-Level Paradox: Unpacking the absurd reality of job postings requiring CISSP certification and 3+ years experience for "entry-level" positions, potential reasons why these jobs exist, and alternative strategies for breaking into the field.
AI's Double-Edged Reality: Moving beyond the hype to examine AI's actual impact on cybersecurity careers, the lack of meaningful regulation, how adversaries are already weaponizing agentic AI, and why the human factor isn't disappearing as quickly as fear-mongers claim.
Networking is Your Greatest Asset: How Sofia landed her current role through connections, the power of organizations like Latinas in Cyber.

SHOW NOTES:
Books - Cyber Strategy: Risk-Driven Security and Resiliency by Carol A. Siegel and Mark Sweeney
Organizations - Latinas in Cyber, Amigas in Tech

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hink you need a computer science degree to break into cybersecurity? Think again. In this eye-opening conversation, Smriti shares her unconventional journey from biomedical engineering to medical device cybersecurity, revealing how patient safety and security are two sides of the same coin. This isn't your typical "hacker in a hoodie" story. Instead, discover how systems thinking, strategic mentorship, and leveraging transferable skills can open doors you never knew existed in cyber. Whether you're considering a career transition or questioning if cybersecurity is only for the technically elite, this conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew about entering the field.
Key Themes:
1. Your "Non-Technical" Background Is Actually Your Superpower
Why cybersecurity desperately needs diverse perspectives from biomedical engineering, healthcare, and beyond. Smriti breaks down how her engineering mindset became her competitive advantage, not a liability.
2. Medical Devices Can Kill: Where Cybersecurity Meets Life and Death
The chilling reality of hackable insulin pumps and pacemakers. Learn how cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical devices aren't just data breaches but direct threats to patient safety, and why this field needs more voices at the table.
3. The Mentorship Roadmap Nobody Talks About
Practical, actionable advice on finding mentors when you don't know where to start. From LinkedIn outreach to corporate programs, Smriti shares exactly how she built her support network during her career pivot.
4. Systems Thinking: The Secret Language of Effective Cybersecurity
How understanding interconnected systems, business value, and cross-functional collaboration separates reactive security from strategic protection. This isn't about tools - it's about seeing the entire ecosystem.
5. AI in Cybersecurity: Efficiency Engine or Threat Multiplier?
A balanced take on generative AI's role in both strengthening defenses and empowering attackers with lower skill levels. Plus, why regulatory frameworks need to catch up before Silicon Valley's "move fast and break things" mentality breaks patients.

SHOW NOTES
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/smriti-rajagopalan-pmp-79474240/

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From Capitol Hill to cybersecurity leadership, Stacy O'Mara's career journey proves you don't need a technical background to make a significant impact in cyber. In this episode of Inclusive Cyber, Stacy shares how she transitioned from political science and public policy into becoming a trusted advisor helping governments and Fortune 500 companies navigate the complex intersection of cybersecurity, business risk, and national security. Her candid insights on mentorship, education, and the evolving threat landscape offer a roadmap for anyone looking to break into or level up in this field.
Key Themes

1. You Don't Need a Technical Background to Succeed in Cyber. Stacy built her cybersecurity career from a foundation in political science and public policy, proving that diverse skill sets like communication, policy analysis, and strategic thinking are invaluable in this field.

2. Find Mentors Who Fill Your Gaps. Rather than seeking mentors who mirror your strengths, identify your weaknesses and build relationships with people who specialize in those areas to become a more holistic professional.

3. Education vs. Certifications Depends on the Role. Technical certifications matter for hands-on roles, but blended programs combining policy and operations can open doors for those pursuing strategic or advisory positions.

4. AI Will Amplify Defenders, Not Replace Them. Generative AI offers cybersecurity professionals the ability to 10x their output on tedious tasks, freeing them to focus on higher-level strategic work and reducing burnout.

5. Basic Cyber Hygiene Failures Still Dominate Breaches. Despite industry maturity, organizations continue to fall victim to preventable attacks because of gaps in fundamentals like multi-factor authentication, password management, and patch updates.

SHOW NOTES
------------------------
Books
Ghost in the Wires by Kevin Mitnick
The Awakening by Kate Chopin

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Why are intelligence professionals stuck in the shadows while other executives climb to the C-suite? In this compelling fireside Chat, Danny and Melissa dive deep into a question that has been largely ignored in the corporate world: what is holding intelligence professionals back from reaching CEO, Chief Strategy Officer, and other top leadership roles? With backgrounds spanning FBI, military, and private sector intelligence, they explore the disconnect between the valuable skills intel analysts bring to the table and the rigid structures that keep them boxed in. This is a must-watch for anyone in cybersecurity, corporate intelligence, or global security who feels their expertise is undervalued and wants to understand how to change that narrative.

Key Themes Discussed:

→ The C-Suite Glass Ceiling for Intel Professionals — Why analysts with deep expertise in risk, geopolitics, and complex problem-solving rarely break into executive roles beyond traditional security functions

→ Speaking the Language of Business — The critical difference between "dumbing down" intelligence products versus translating them into stakeholder value that resonates with leadership

→ The Identity Trap — How the "analyst at heart" mindset and traditional government or military formulas get imprinted on corporate environments, limiting career mobility

→ The Corporate Intel Paradox — Budget cuts and layoffs colliding with executive recognition that geopolitics has never mattered more, leaving teams stretched thin

→ Does True Intelligence Exist Outside Government? — A provocative examination of whether corporate intel is fundamentally different and what that means for practitioners trying to prove their worth


What do you think is holding intelligence professionals back from the C-suite? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

SHOW NOTES:

The CSO Survey by The Clarity Factory
"The Cuckoo's Egg" by Cliff Stoll
Mandiant APT-1 Report
The Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis .
"Disrupting the Game" by Reggie Fils-Aimé,
OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council)

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Join us for an inspiring conversation with Melina Scotto, a cybersecurity leader whose career spans from database management in the 90s to CISO roles protecting billions in federal healthcare contracts and Fortune 500 enterprises. Melina shares raw insights on leadership, the hidden challenges of the CISO role, and why the fundamentals of security still matter more than flashy new tools. From navigating gender bias in AI to preventing team burnout on the front lines, this episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to lead in cybersecurity today.

Key Themes:

• The Accidental Path to Cybersecurity Leadership:Melina never planned to become a CISO, starting as an aspiring opera singer who fell in love with IT's puzzle-solving nature and kept saying yes to opportunities.

• Why Technical Skills Won't Get You to the Top: The transition from federal to Fortune 500 required completely relearning communication, focusing on business risk and stock price impact rather than technical details.

• The Hidden Crisis of Cybersecurity Burnout: Melina advocates fiercely for protecting teams from burnout by banning Friday meetings and ensuring incident response professionals have proper backup instead of 48-hour shifts.

• AI's Double-Edged Sword for Security and Careers: Changing her resume from Melina to Mark Scotto dramatically increases interviews, revealing how AI bias affects women while threatening entry-level security positions.

• The Frustrating Reality of Ignored Basics: Despite decades in the industry, organizations still neglect fundamental security hygiene like vulnerability management, choosing to hand-wave critical risks instead of addressing them.

SHOW NOTES:

Books:

"Let Them" by Mel Robbins
Podcasts:
Smashing Security
Wiser Than Me - Hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus

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Ready for some real talk about cybersecurity? Danny and Quintana pull no punches in this unfiltered conversation about the state of the industry. From AI's breakneck pace to the harsh realities of breaking into cyber, they tackle the topics everyone's thinking about but few are brave enough to say out loud. This isn't your typical tech podcast full of buzzwords and empty promises. It's a candid discussion between two professionals who've put in the work and aren't afraid to call out the BS in an industry that desperately needs more honesty.

What We Cover
• AI is Moving Too Fast for Ethics to Keep Up - Tech giants are racing ahead at supersonic speed with no guardrails, and a major disaster might be the only thing that forces real change.
• The Cybersecurity Job Market Reality - Despite millions of "unfilled positions," breaking into cyber is brutal, certifications don't guarantee jobs, and the influencer promises of six-figure salaries are misleading an entire generation.
• Experience Beats Certifications Every Time - Both hosts would hire someone with real-world experience over a wall full of certificates. The CISSP gets called out as "the worst test ever" that teaches you nothing practical.
• Influencer Culture is All Smoke and Mirrors - When did everyone with a microphone become an expert? The hosts challenge whether these voices posting AI-generated content around the clock have any actual experience to back up their claims.
• Authenticity is Dying on Social Media - LinkedIn has become a performative stage of AI slop and superhero graphics. In an era where AI can generate everything, showing your real self has become a radical act.

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