Big Phish: Adventures in Tech Centripetal

In this episode of the Big Phish: Adventures in Tech Podcast, host Aileen Ward welcomes Jess Parnell, the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Centripetal, to delve into the evolution of cyber threat intelligence. With a rich background that includes serving as the SOC manager for the US Health and Human Services, Jess brings a unique perspective shaped by his experiences in both government and private sectors.

Jess's cybersecurity career launched with a key role in the US government, overseeing security for a major organization. This period, marked by significant learning and challenges, built his foundation in cyber threat intelligence. Now in the private sector at Centripetal, he leads daily operations and teams across IT and network engineering, showcasing his wide-ranging expertise in cybersecurity.

Drawing from extensive experience, Jess covers the evolution of cyber threat intelligence, from its early days of manual report generation to the dynamic, real-time analysis required to combat today's sophisticated threats. He traces its roots back to traditional intelligence methodologies used in military operations and highlights the parallels between anticipating challenges on the battlefield and preparing for cyber threats, underscoring the importance of informed, actionable intelligence in crafting effective defense strategies. He also reflects on the challenges of collaboration and information sharing within government agencies, emphasizing the need for trust, efficiency, and adaptability in intelligence operations.

Parnell addresses the implications of emerging technologies and the shifting landscape of cyber threats - advocating for a proactive, intelligence-driven approach to cybersecurity, stressing the importance of continuous learning, cross-sector collaboration, and leveraging a diverse array of intelligence sources.

In this episode of the Big Phish Adventures in Phish podcast, Heath Taylor, an accomplished information security professional, shares his path into cybersecurity.
His introduction into security occurred during his time in the United States Navy, where he worked in cryptography. Transitioning to the private sector, he realized his true passion was in aligning security with an organization's mission and business goals, particularly in collaborating with leadership. So, how can the delicate balance between fortifying organizational security and advancing business objectives be achieved, all while acknowledging the vital role played by security professionals in both safeguarding and fostering growth within organizations?

Investing in people is often one of the most valuable investments a business can make, but how? Gina Plytas, founder of Pearls of Wisdom Consulting, shares how important retaining exceptional talent is, and often the key to achieving this lies in investing in their personal growth and well-being. With an impressive 25-year corporate career in Talent Development, Knowledge, and Learning within the financial services sector, she made a bold decision to follow her passion and become a Mindset and Peak-Performance Coach.

Emphasizing the boundless opportunities available in the tech industry today, driven by the high demand for specialized skills - it’s important and often transformational for professionals to build new mindsets in the ever-evolving world of technology.

There are a lot of challenges in the tech industry, and often there are hurdles that don't allow for forward movement as quickly as one might like. But the industry also provides significant opportunity for growth. With a love for interactions, people and storytelling - Ashley Ladd is passionate about the work she does, believing that passion can help lead to success. As the Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Social Impact at Snyk, a developer security platform empowering organizations to develop fast and stay secure - Ashley leads the company's global Diversity, Inclusion & Social Impact strategy focused on building innovative programs, and partnering with leaders across the organization to drive impactful business outcomes. Often there is an illusion that professionals in her area, and others, know everything - but that's something to be demystified. How?

There’s usually more than one way to solve a problem, but which one is the right one? Sometimes you have to fail to find out. Cody Baker, a Senior Incident Responder at AIG, interest in technology began as a kid playing video games. But before he began a career in cybersecurity he joined the Army, once holding the responsibility of standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After serving, he transitioned to various roles in information technology and security, including working with the FBI.

Always a team player with a strong growth and inventive mindset - Baker approaches his work with curiosity and creativity using a hacker mindset to identify vulnerabilities, develop effective solutions and invent new technologies.

The number of women in cybersecurity over the last two decades has grown, but there was a time when being a female in cyber in the UK meant you were the only one in the room. For Niamh Muldoon, the Chief Information Security Officer at Fenergo, it was a reality at the beginning of her career. Starting in Fashion Design but finding a passion for cybersecurity Muldoon took the CISSP and never looked back.

While her career spans across multiple industries including finance, SaaS and cloud - working with many globally recognised brands.Today she is responsible for the Enterprise Information Security program at Fenergo including defining, driving, and delivering their Security First Operational Excellence strategy. A strong believer in cultivating a team culture that embraces the uniqueness of each individual, she shares the superpowers that female leaders.

Seeing herself as an underdog helps her keep an edge that drives her growth, passion and success. An award-winning Information security thought leader and Guinness World Record holder for Cybersecurity Awareness, she is passionate about security and privacy and the opportunity that the global scale of cybersecurity presents.