So you are curious or even passionate about pursuing a career in IT or cybersecurity. But have you ever wondered what it is like to be studying in post-secondary comp sci and cybersecurity? Do you need a technical degree to get into the cybersecurity industry? What does a day in the life of a cybersecurity professional look like anyway? Is it just like you imagined it, exactly how it is on TV? Is it an exciting path that you can fall in love with, or is it one that you should stay far away from?
Join ISACA Vancouver's Day-in-the-life-of panelists of cybersecurity students and professionals to hear first-hand what their day is like. Whether they confirm your assumptions or throw some surprises at you, you will be sure to have a clearer idea of what the future holds for you -- should you choose to follow in their footsteps.
Panelists:
1. Rossilyne Tan is an avid cybersecurity practitioner who focuses on bridging the gap between technology and its users. Her expertise lies in security awareness and endpoint protection. She often conducts speaking engagements to educate corporations on the current threat landscape and how to prevent users from falling trap on the latest phishing tactics. Her experience working in both the public and private sectors has shaped her approach in ensuring that her clients receive accurate and actionable security strategies.
In her spare time, she volunteers for ISACA Vancouver Chapter as the Vice President. Prior to that, she was the director of SheLeadsTech and the associate director of the Programs Committee. Her goal is to give back to the community that has inspired and empowered her to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the technology sector.
2. Dallas Doherty is a third year computer science student at Queen’s University, specializing in Artificial Intelligence. In addition to her studies in Artificial Intelligence she has gained experience in cyber security working at the Bank of Canada in their Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC). In her free time, Dallas is the Associate Director of ISACA Vancouver SheLeadsTech and an active member of the Queen’s Quantum Computing Club.
3. Vivek Ponnada is an Information Security professional with global experience in promoting Cybersecurity & Risk Mitigation, and currently works at Nozomi Networks as a Regional Sales Director. Throughout his career, Vivek held multiple roles including Sales, Marketing & Business Development and Services covering Control systems & Cybersecurity solutions for Critical Infrastructure industries such as Power, Oil & Gas & Water, at GE and ICI Electrical Engineering in North America. His recent talks/contributions include S4x22, Gartner Risk Summit, DefCon ICS Village and several others. Vivek has a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from I.E. India, MBA from The University of Texas at Austin and GICSP certification from GIAC. He is an active member of the Infosec community as a Board Member for Mainland Advanced Research Society (Vancouver, BC), member of the ISA and also a Volunteer for ISACA.
4. Yongzhe graduated from SFU in September, 2021 with a bachelor of science degree in computing science. He has been working at Provincial Health Services Authority as an application support analyst for the past three years. At PHSA, he helps his team validate and troubleshoot software and systems. He also helps users develop processes and procedures to accomplish their goals.