Celebrating Women In Cybersecurity with Fatima Saman

In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing my namesake, the amazing Fatima Saman.

Fatima is a Graduate Research Assistant at Georgia State University and the Vice Chair of the Board in Breaking Barriers Women in Cybersecurity Foundation. Asides from these, Fatima takes on several other transformational roles, some of which she discusses with her namesake, Fatimah in this episode.

Fatima gives her perspective on the low representation of women in Cybersecurity, why there are so many fears surrounding coding, and how we can trample these fears.

Tune in to listen to Fatima’s insights on these questions and more.

Key Points

1:42 - Fatima begins by sharing how her journey began in 2017. How did she navigate the industry before she gained an academic degree in cybersecurity? Find out.

2:48 - Moved by Fatima’s story, I expatiate the reason for this podcast: spotlighting women in the industry in order to reshape cultural stereotypes and encourage more women who have a passion for the field.

6:29 - Fatima explains that with the right tools, resources, and mentorship, one can dive into cybersecurity from any industry. She uses herself as an example.

14:50 - Fatima tells us what piqued her interest in cybersecurity, as well as the free resources and communities that helped her. She emphasizes the importance of being intentional about educating yourself.

20:39 - Fatima talks about the corporate ladder, volunteering, community work, and learning from others and how all these spur her passion for cybersecurity. She notes that improving on her knowledge helps her make more impact.

26:32 Fatima discusses diversity and inclusion. She says it is very close to her heart and states her opinion on how organizations can grow with diversity and inclusion. But not as a checklist, she says.

31:05 - Fatima shares her advice for people who may be scared of coding.

37:54 - Fatima offers her final recommendations for enthusiasts; she talks about pushing oneself, having a learning mindset, souring resources on the internet, and being active in corporate networks like LinkedIn. 

She would be absolutely glad to offer advice and help if you connect with her, she says. Connect with Fatima on LinkedIn @Saman Fatima.

Press play to listen to the conversation.