Women of Cybersecurity: Kelly Rozumalski

When I thought about starting my career, I knew two things for sure: I wanted to make a difference and I wanted to feel a passion for my work. In college, I took a couple of cyber and technology courses and when I realized how important those fields are to keep the world safe, I wanted to learn more. 

After only a few months into my college internship with Booz Allen, I decided that cybersecurity was going to be my focus. That was more than nine years ago. Every day, I get to work with talented people—scientists, architects, security subject matter experts, engineers—to solve really tough problems and help defend some of our nation’s most critical assets.

It’s important for me to pave the way for other women who are interested in the cybersecurity field. To be successful in cyber, you need the technical know-how, as well as soft skills. I tell women, and men, that if cybersecurity is something you’re passionate about, take advantage of the opportunity and pursue it.

There’s such a variety of cyber training opportunities out there now, so I encourage women to sample a lot of capabilities and concentrations. Take the time to explore how cybersecurity impacts the tech industry and the world.