Hackers don’t always need to break into a system. Sometimes, they just need to convince you to let them in.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, cybersecurity consultant Ron Woerner breaks down “UNfluence” — the use of influence, psychology, and manipulation to trick people into giving up information, access, or trust.

From romance scams and false identities to AI-generated personas, video manipulation, leading questions, and open-source intelligence, bad actors are getting better at convincing people that they’re someone they’re not.

How much are you willing to sacrifice for your cybersecurity career?

For Tommy Flynn, balancing school, work, family, and his health eventually forced him to rethink his priorities.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, Tommy shares how he got into cybersecurity and government work, the challenges he faced along the way, and why learning to set boundaries became so important.

We talk about burnout, why it can be so hard to step away from cybersecurity, and the reminder that sometimes your career needs to take a back seat to the people and things that matter most.

What does continuous learning really look like when you're building a career in cybersecurity and life throws you a setback you never expected?

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, Kathy Chambers sits down with cybersecurity architect Liz Jaluague to talk about building a career through curiosity, hands-on experience, community, and a willingness to keep learning.

Liz shares her path to becoming a cybersecurity architect, why she believes the industry can become too focused on certifications, and how aspiring professionals can build practical experience and find their focus.

She also opens up about her cancer diagnosis and how it forced her to slow down, lean on her community, and think differently about taking care of herself while continuing to move forward.

We also talk about AI, communication skills, breaking into cybersecurity, and what Liz herself is learning next.

What happens to your leadership skills when more of your day is spent working with AI instead of people?

AI doesn't need empathy, reassurance, or patience. Your team does.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, Kathy Chambers sits down with Elliott Mattice, executive advisor and systems-risk strategist, to explore how working with AI could affect the human skills leaders depend on—and why those skills matter when the stakes are highest.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction

1:35 Relationship between AI and leadership

3:03 Getting angry with AI

5:11 Elliott's story: from TSA operations director to learning how to lead

9:00 Why this matters for leadership

11:58 AI's place in the workplace

13:53 The importance of being authentic 15:00 Partnership with Cyber Minds

17:40 Tips for balancing time with AI and human relationships

20:10 What's next for Elliott and how to connect

Breaking into cybersecurity is hard. But what happens when the job search stretches beyond a year?

Sofi Rodriguez has been searching for her first cybersecurity opportunity for more than a year — but she hasn't been sitting still. She's earned her cybersecurity certificate from the University of Chicago and her Security+ certification, attended conferences, joined cybersecurity chapters, built her network, found mentors and sponsors, and continued looking for ways to serve others while working toward her goal.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, Sofi shares what the cybersecurity job search really looks like when the opportunity doesn't come quickly — how she applies, how she keeps going, and why she's determined to build a career that will eventually allow her to give back to her home country of Peru. If you've been applying for cybersecurity jobs for months and wondering when your opportunity will come, this conversation is for you.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction 1:08 Sofi’s journey to helping people 3:47 Why Sofi was attracted to cybersecurity 5:41 Going to school 8:58 The most challenging part of her cybersecurity program 10:10 How she passed Security+ 12:13 How long she’s been searching for a cybersecurity job 12:50 What she’s doing to get her name out there 16:48 The importance of serving others 18:00 How she applies for jobs 19:43 How she stays motivated to keep going 21:38 The importance of mentors and sponsors 24:50 Her dream job and serving Peru 29:23 Advice for others who have been searching for a job 32:42 How to connect with Sofi

Cybersecurity incidents don't wait for business hours, and neither do incident responders.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, Kathy Chambers sits down with Patterson Cake, Director of Incident Response at Black Hills Information Security, for an honest conversation about one of cybersecurity's most demanding careers.

Patterson shares what incident response really looks like, why the job carries so much pressure, how responders manage the stress, and what aspiring incident responders should know before pursuing this career path.

Whether you're exploring cybersecurity careers, working in security operations, or simply curious about what happens behind the scenes during a cyber incident, this episode offers a candid look at the people on the front lines.

In this episode:

• What incident responders actually do
• Why the role is so demanding
• Managing stress and avoiding burnout
• Skills that matter most in incident response
• Advice for breaking into the field

How do you balance school, parenting, a new career, and everything life throws your way?

For Sunshine Balingit, that question became reality. After making the difficult decision to leave one career behind, Sunshine pursued a new path in computer science with the hope of creating a better future for her family.

As she was finishing college, the world shut down. She found herself completing her degree during the COVID lockdowns while raising a two-year-old—a season that ultimately led her into cybersecurity. But landing her first technical role was only the beginning.

She soon found herself navigating imposter syndrome, burnout, family responsibilities, and the pressure of trying to be everything to everyone.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, Sunshine shares her honest journey of career pivots, parenthood, resilience, and learning that success doesn't come from doing it all—it comes from knowing what matters most.

Whether you're considering a career change, raising a family, or simply trying to find a healthier balance between work and life, this conversation offers encouragement and perspective for wherever you are in your journey.

Looking for your next cybersecurity role but not getting the results you expected?

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, Senior Security Engineer Travis Stein shares what he's seeing from the hiring side of today's cybersecurity job market.

We discuss why networking matters more than ever, how candidates can genuinely stand out, the importance of finding community, and practical ways to keep moving forward—even when the market feels discouraging.

In this episode, we discuss:

The current cybersecurity job market

What helps candidates stand out

Why networking still matters

Finding your cybersecurity community

Building experience beyond certifications

Staying encouraged during a difficult job search

Have you ever thought about becoming a cybersecurity consultant? From the outside, consulting can look like the perfect career—freedom, flexibility, interesting clients, and the opportunity to solve challenging problems. But there's much more to it than technical expertise.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, I sit down with Hal Pomeranz to discuss what life as a cybersecurity consultant is really like. We cover the rewards, the challenges, and the realities that every aspiring consultant should understand before making the leap.

Whether you're considering consulting full-time, starting your own business, or simply curious about the profession, this conversation offers practical insights from someone who's spent years helping organizations solve complex security problems.

If you're thinking about making the jump into consulting, this is a conversation worth watching.

Read Hal's Consulting Series: https://righteousit.com/category/consulting/

Help Fuel Authentically Cyber: https://buymeacoffee.com/kathychambers

Breaking into cybersecurity is one challenge. Building a long, successful career is another.

In this episode of Authentically Cyber, I sit down with cybersecurity leader and author Helen Patton to discuss what it really takes to grow in this industry—from landing your first role to leading security teams.

We explore career growth beyond certifications, when to specialize versus pivot, the importance of networking and mentorship, developing leadership skills, and how to take ownership of your career instead of waiting for opportunities to appear.

Whether you're trying to break into cybersecurity, earn your next promotion, or prepare for leadership, this conversation offers practical guidance for every stage of the journey.

Check out Helen's books: Navigating the Cyber Security Career Path: https://a.co/d/01RpMi49 Switching to Cyber: The Mid-Career Guide to Launching a Cybersecurity Career: https://a.co/d/04C7e1mA

Help fuel Authentically Cyber: https://buymeacoffee.com/kathychambers