Long before I officially stepped into the world of cybersecurity, I had already given myself the title of “Cybersecurity Mom.” Not because I had a job in the field (yet), but because I was on a mission—to educate and protect, starting with the most important person in my world: my daughter.
In 2022, my little girl started at a new school as a first grader. If you’ve ever had to help a child adjust to a new environment, you know how nerve-wracking it can be. I wanted her to feel safe, supported, and confident. More than that, I wanted to find a way to connect with her school community in a meaningful way—so I did what I do best: I stepped up to teach. And what better subject to teach than something I was deeply passionate about?
Even though I was still in the process of breaking into cybersecurity myself, I knew how important online safety was, especially for kids growing up in an increasingly digital world. So, I volunteered to speak to her class—not once, but twice. The first time, I shared the basics of staying safe online, using fun and engaging ways to explain cybersecurity concepts to six-year-olds. The second time was even more special—my daughter joined me in presenting. She stood beside me, helping demonstrate good cyber habits to her classmates, beaming with pride as she played an active role in the lesson.
Those moments meant the world to me. I wasn’t just teaching cybersecurity—I was showing my daughter that knowledge is power, that sharing what we know can make a difference, and that her mom was dedicated to making the internet a safer place for her and her friends.
Fast forward two years, and in 2024, I officially became a Cybersecurity Analyst. The journey wasn’t easy, but the passion that drove me to stand in front of my daughter’s class is the same passion that fuels my work today. Looking back, I realize that I was already a Cybersecurity Mom before I had the title or the credentials. It wasn’t just about my career—it was about protecting, educating, and making a difference, starting with my own child and extending to the world around us.
Now, every time I see my daughter using safe online practices or explaining cyber concepts to her friends, I’m reminded that my first cybersecurity presentations weren’t in a corporate setting—they were in a first-grade classroom, where a little girl watched her mom embrace a calling long before it became a career.
AQ'S Corner 
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