Izzy - Random and Unplanned: From Annuities to ISO!

Ismaelle Vixsama (aka Izzy) has a knack for finding strategic flaws and speaking up about them. Doing so helped her get her first full-time job as well as have repercussions for defensive egos. Her whole career is a war story.

BIO:

Izzy is an ISMS manager with 7 years of experience. She has worked in FinTech, Government, and Security R&D. Her work has allowed her to work on several mainstream products and services with some of the most well-recognized brands.

Notes:

Creates a security program around a company's information systems
Played the CISO role initially, very CISO like role
First role in security was in Risk
Izzy comes from a very traditional Haitian back
Izzy came up with benefits at her job for an opportunity to learn something new and be in a non-toxic environment
First heard/learned about hacking at 15 from an AOL chat with a "hacker"
At 23, she decided to speak up in a meeting to provide feedback, which led to her being hired full-time

Quotes:

"[By] the time I was 22 years old, the pay wasn't that great but for me. It was amazing because I was doing something I hated. I had benefits at my previous job, but this company was giving me an opportunity to learn something new. To me, that was so exciting."
"He looked at my resume and he said, 'I realize you have no cybersecurity experience.' By starting the conversation like that, it took some pressure off of my shoulders." [10:00]
"I was so nervous that he was going to drill into me about all these topics I had no clue about."
"I didn't even [know] I had sisters."
"Everyone just kinda wrote me off." [16:20]
"Who is the audience, what do we want to say here?" [21:13]
Worst comment ever: "We have to really train you on your critical thinking skills." [22:45]
"A good idea is a good idea, regardless of who it came from."
"My whole career is a war story." [32:05]

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