Diversified education and the non-traditional education path to career!

In this episode of The Education Road, we speak with Christine Gadsby, Chief Security Advisor at BlackBerry, whose education road is, in her own words, “non-traditional and very bumpy.” Christine’s story is a powerful reminder that learning paths are unique and often not expected.

Christine begins by sharing the reality of her childhood. In high school, her focus wasn’t on a future career, but on getting through the day. As a teenage mother, survival became the priority, and higher education wasn’t immediately part of the picture.

Her path into post-secondary education came later and in pieces. Christine took classes at the University of Washington, but ultimately completed her degree at Western Governors University, earning credentials in information technology and business management.

She then worked her way into technology and security roles, gradually building expertise through hands-on experience. Over time, that foundation led her to BlackBerry, where she grew through multiple roles before becoming Chief Security Advisor.

Throughout the conversation, Christine emphasizes how different her reality was from the traditional “college-to-career” narrative. She speaks candidly about what it means to learn without safety nets. Her story challenges the idea that success requires early clarity or privilege, and instead highlights resilience, grit, and the willingness to keep going.

Mike and Christine also discuss how background shapes leadership. Christine reflects on how her experiences inform the way she approaches security, risk, and decision-making today.

This episode won't touch upon polished resumes or perfect plans. Instead, we'll talk about building something meaningful from unstable ground, and recognizing that education often happens in fragments, including late nights, second chances, and hard-earned confidence.