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In this episode, we dive into the world of alternative tech pathways, exploring how apprenticeships and returnships are dismantling traditional barriers to entry. We break down how these "learn-and-earn" models allow participants to gain hands-on experience and professional mentorship while addressing the industry’s persistent skills gap and lack of diversity. 

We also tackle the "career gap penalty" by looking at returnships, which provide a structured, paid "on-ramp" for experienced professionals re-entering the workforce after a break for caregiving or other reasons. Beyond these core programs, we discuss the broader ecosystem of coding bootcamps, microcredentials, and skills-based hiring that help career changers "stack" their way into technical roles. 

Whether you are a newcomer starting from scratch or a mid-career veteran rebuilding confidence, these pathways offer a high-conversion route to a permanent role in the modern tech landscape

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming soon

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here 

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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In this episode of the Bites and Brilliance podcast, I speak with Sage and Haley, on our Away Mission at the Aspen Cyber Summit in November 2025.  

Sage and Haley, both scholars at Bowie State University,  share their journeys into the field of cybersecurity. 

They talk about the importance of community and mentorship in navigating their careers, particularly as women of color in a predominantly male industry. 

The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities they face as they define their voices in the cybersecurity ecosystem. 

They discuss the significance of networking, volunteering, and finding mentors to help guide their paths. 

Both Sage and Haley express a desire to bridge technical and non-technical aspects of cybersecurity, highlighting the evolving nature of the field and the diverse career paths available. 

Their insights provide valuable advice for aspiring cybersecurity professionals, emphasizing the importance of community and proactive engagement in the industry.

Connect with my guests on LinkedIn:

Sage Despeignes

Haley Reyes

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here 

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

Early in my career, I misunderstood what mentorship was and how it worked. I believed it had to be formal, perfectly aligned, and initiated by someone else. I didn’t yet understand my role, or how essential mentorship truly was.

In this Mentorship Moment, I reflect on the assumptions I carried, the distinctions I didn’t yet understand, and how openness to mentorship later reshaped my career and growth.

This episode is for anyone who thought mentorship would simply appear, or who didn’t realize how much it could matter.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here 

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

No matter how capable or driven we are, there are things we simply can’t give ourselves. 

In this episode, I share what mentorship offered me over the years, from seeing myself more clearly, to gaining insight into paths I had never walked, to receiving affirmation at moments when I needed it most.

This reflection explores how mentorship expands our view, challenges our assumptions, and quietly opens doors we didn’t know existed.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here 

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

People often talk about mentorship as if it begins with a single defining moment. In reality, it’s often a series of moments that share the same feeling. Being ready for more. Feeling adrift. Facing decisions without a clear path forward.

In this Mentorship Moment, I reflect on the seasons and situations that stirred my desire for guidance, how mentorship relationships can shift with life changes, and what it means to remain open to wisdom when a formal mentor isn’t available.

This episode is an honest look at recognizing when you’ve reached the edge of what you can navigate alone.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here 

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

What does it really mean to be “entry-level”?

This episode of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance, is sparked by an unexpected conversation with Juan, a cybersecurity student I met at the grocery store.

Being new—whether to a role, a team, an organization, or an entirely new profession—can feel overwhelming, especially in a competitive and shifting job market. This episode reframes “newness” as a strategic advantage and explores how curiosity, humility, and self-awareness can accelerate professional growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to define “entry-level” beyond job titles and years of experience
• Why early-career professionals don’t need to know everything to succeed
• How to navigate learning, asking questions, and building credibility at work
• When career maintenance is just as important as career growth
• What leadership without a title looks like in tech and cybersecurity
• How adopting a beginner’s mind supports long-term career development

Drawing from experience across multiple roles in technology and cybersecurity, I share lessons learned from career pivots, new teams, and leadership transitions—along with practical guidance for professionals who are starting something new or starting again.

Being new at work is not a weakness. It's a powerful career advantage when used intentionally.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here 

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

In this second part of the series inspired by the ISACA State of Cybersecurity 2025 Report, we move from pipeline and skills into the cultural and emotional reality of cybersecurity work in 2025. 

We look at incidents, underreporting, psychological safety, and the rising stress that’s pushing cyber professionals to the edge.

​You’ll hear:

• Why 43% of cybersecurity professionals think an attack on their organization is likely in the next year, yet only 41% feel confident in their team’s incident response capabilities.
• How fear, blame, and lack of psychological safety contribute to underreported incidents—39% believe cybercrime is underreported even when reporting is required.
• How leadership style (especially coaching, empathy, and curiosity) can turn incident reviews from witch hunts into learning labs.
• The toll of constant change and “always-on” expectations: 66% say their role is more stressful than it was five years ago, and high stress is a leading driver of attrition.
• Why developing tech-savvy, human-centered leaders—and intentionally “stacking the deck” so marginalized professionals are chosen for leadership development—is a strategic necessity, not a nice-to-have.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re feeling the weight of staying relevant, staying available, and staying human in a high-pressure cyber role.
• You lead teams and want to create a culture where people can tell the truth about incidents, mistakes, and capacity without fear.
• You care about building a leadership pipeline that actually includes underrepresented technologists—and prepares them for the C‑suite.

Mentioned in this episode:

• ISACA – State of Cybersecurity 2025 press release and findings.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

In this episode, the first of a two-part series, we unpack highlights of ISACA’s 2025 State of Cybersecurity report and what it really means for your career, your team, and your leadership journey. 

Instead of just listing statistics, we use a facts → framing → question pattern to explore how the data intersects with culture, opportunity, and equity in cybersecurity.
​You’ll hear:

• Why more than half of cybersecurity teams are understaffed while 65% of organizations still have unfilled roles—and what that says about how we design hiring and development.
• The cross-training paradox: almost half of current cyber staff transitioned from non-security roles, yet only 29% of enterprises invest in training non-security staff into cyber.
• How sponsorship, especially for people of color, must become a deliberate strategy if we want more diverse leaders shaping hiring, promotion, and budget decisions.
• Why “technical cybersecurity professional” is an outdated phrase if it ignores adaptability, communication, and problem-solving—skills that ISACA identifies as top qualifications and top gaps.
• The rise of the “evolving technologist”: a professional who is technically strong, business fluent, and human-centered—and why they should be in the pipeline to leadership, not just stuck as do‑it‑all individual contributors.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re in tech or an adjacent role and wondering whether cybersecurity could be your next move.
• You’re a cyber leader trying to fill roles, retain talent, and build a more diverse team.
• You care about representation and want to understand how structural decisions in hiring and development either create or close doors.

Mentioned in this episode:

• ISACA – State of Cybersecurity 2025 press release and findings.

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

Shadow IT has evolved, and now the biggest threats lurk in unapproved cloud tools and ungoverned generative AI. 

This episode breaks down the critical difference between Shadow SaaS and Shadow AI, the severe risks they introduce, and the specialized, eight-step Incident Response (IR) plan necessary to contain these modern threats

What You'll Learn:

Shadow Definitions: We clarify that Shadow IT is the overarching umbrella for unsanctioned tech, while Shadow SaaS involves unapproved cloud apps (leading to identity sprawl and weak offboarding) and Shadow AI involves unapproved LLMs or AI features (introducing data leakage, opaque decisions, and integrity risks).

• The Stakes: Shadow AI and SaaS are major sources of risk
• Specialized IR: Incident Response for these threats
• Containment & Eradication: Learn specific actions for containment 
• Continuous Improvement: The final phase focuses on lessons learned, capturing root causes, and implementing control improvements.

Stay Connected with the Podcast:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us a text

Ever wondered what happens when cyber policy meets real-world collaboration in D.C.? 

Dive into my raw takeaways from the Aspen Cybersecurity Summit, a 10-year powerhouse event packed with federal insights, government initiatives, and unfiltered panel talks.

Hear firsthand about the close-knit community of recurring pros, the power of diverse voices (including trailblazing women), and why showing up shapes the narrative. 

From interviewing Bowie State cyber students to spotting gaps in international perspectives, this episode spotlights career longevity through nonstop learning and cross-sector teamwork.

Key gems: Academia-private sector mashups, underrepresented voices at the table, and strategic storytelling beyond tech skills. If you’re building longevity in cybersecurity, this is your blueprint.

Call to Action:
It's critical that your voice is heard!  If you need help finding, rediscovering or using your voice, I want to help.  Learn more here.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.