Today’s episode features the remarkable Yolanda, an Associate Partner in Cybersecurity whose career spans everything from scaling antenna towers to exploring the quantum computing horizon. Yolanda takes us through her one-of-a-kind journey—beginning as a high school intern at the NSA, rising through the ranks to become a full-time intelligence professional, and now leading organizations through the complexities of emerging tech threats.We delve into her early days collecting RF signals (yes, complete with rappelling from dizzying heights), her transition from offensive to defensive cybersecurity work, and her current focus on preparing the digital world for the impact of quantum computing. Along the way, Yolanda opens up about her battle with cancer, the strength she drew from her community, and how that experience reshaped her approach to life and leadership.This episode is a masterclass in resilience, intelligence, and humanity. Don’t miss Yolanda’s powerful story—you’ll walk away inspired, informed, and maybe a little braver.

Today’s episode features the remarkable Yolanda, an Associate Partner in Cybersecurity whose career spans everything from scaling antenna towers to exploring the quantum computing horizon. Yolanda takes us through her one-of-a-kind journey—beginning as a high school intern at the NSA, rising through the ranks to become a full-time intelligence professional, and now leading organizations through the complexities of emerging tech threats. We delve into her early days collecting RF signals (yes, complete with rappelling from dizzying heights), her transition from offensive to defensive cybersecurity work, and her current focus on preparing the digital world for the impact of quantum computing. Along the way, Yolanda opens up about her battle with cancer, the strength she drew from her community, and how that experience reshaped her approach to life and leadership. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, intelligence, and humanity. Don’t miss Yolanda’s powerful story—you’ll walk away inspired, informed, and maybe a little braver.

Yolanda Reid: Mercedes on the NSA, Cybersecurity, and Strength through Adversity

The first podcast by and for women in the US Intelligence Community, The Iron Butterfly Podcast brings you real stories from women in intelligence. Eighty years ago, Eloise Page joined the Office of Strategic Services, trailblazing a path for what ultimately became the United States Intelligence Community. She rose the ranks from secretary to case officer, defying the norms of her time, and eventually became the first female Chief of Station at CIA. Eloise was known among her colleagues to be a fierce fighter with a core of steel, and she earned the code name "Iron Butterfly." Our podcast continues her legacy, inviting the unsung heroines of the US intelligence community to share their stories with aspiring leaders like you.Women in the intelligence community are special because they've dedicated their lives to studying the whole world. And through conversations with hundreds of women in intelligence over the past few years, we've come to understand that the world is at an inflection point. Women hold a more central role in society than ever before, and at Iron Butterfly Media, we are committed to amplifying authentic voices that inspire women to create, wherever they are. <hr />

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The first podcast by and for women in the US Intelligence Community, The Iron Butterfly Podcast brings you real stories from women in intelligence.Eighty years ago, Eloise Page joined the Office of Strategic Services, trailblazing a path for what ultimately became the United States Intelligence Community. She rose the ranks from secretary to case officer, defying the norms of her time, and eventually became the first female Chief of Station at CIA. Eloise was known among her colleagues to be a fierce fighter with a core of steel, and she earned the code name "Iron Butterfly." Our podcast continues her legacy, inviting the unsung heroines of the US intelligence community to share their stories with aspiring leaders like you.Women in the intelligence community are special because they've dedicated their lives to studying the whole world. And through conversations with hundreds of women in intelligence over the past few years, we've come to understand that the world is at an inflection point. Women hold a more central role in society than ever before, and at Iron Butterfly Media, we are committed to amplifying authentic voices that inspire women to create, wherever they are.

The first podcast by and for women in the US Intelligence Community, The Iron Butterfly Podcast brings you real stories from women in intelligence. Eighty years ago, Eloise Page joined the Office of Strategic Services, trailblazing a path for what ultimately became the United States&nbsp;Intelligence&nbsp;Community. She rose the ranks from secretary to case officer, defying the norms of her time, and eventually became the first female Chief of Station at CIA. Eloise was known among her colleagues to be a fierce fighter with a core of steel, and she earned the code name "Iron Butterfly." Our podcast continues her legacy, inviting the unsung heroines of the US intelligence community to share their stories with aspiring leaders like you.Women in the intelligence community are special because they've dedicated their lives to studying the whole world. And through conversations with hundreds of women in intelligence over the past few years, we've come to understand that the world is at an inflection point. Women hold a more central role in society than ever before, and at Iron Butterfly Media, we are committed to amplifying authentic voices that inspire women to create, wherever they are.

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Yolanda Reid: Mercedes on the NSA, Cybersecurity, and Strength through Adversity

Yolanda Reid: Mercedes on the NSA, Cybersecurity, and Strength through Adversity

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