Sujata Ramamoorthy, Senior Director, Security & Trust Organization at Cisco, is an EWF Ambassador. Sujata has her M.S. in Computer Science from Portland State University, has been in the technology industry for 20 years, and the cybersecurity field for 14 years. Please welcome her to the EWF Blog!
1. You have been in the “tech/privacy/infosec/cybersecurity” field for a long time. What initially inspired you to go into the industry?
I’ve been in the tech industry for more than 20 years, and in the cybersecurity field for about 14 years. Starting from when I was young, I developed a curiosity for how technology works, right from fixing appliances at home. My interest led me to Major in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering followed by a Masters in Computer Science. On the work front, I started off in the hardware space and quickly realized that I lacked patience that goes into waiting for months for a proof of concept to know if my design worked. I then decided to go into software instead to feel instant gratification or dis-appointment and faster iterations to get things to work.
My early career in software involved building business application software and then when I joined Cisco, I got more into networking technology. All of this led to my foray into cybersecurity in a very natural way because I could utilize the knowledge from all my previous work in hardware, embedded software, infrastructure, applications and more. I found the depth and breadth of cybersecurity incredibly exciting, and though I initially started with an interest in technology, I soon realized how multidimensional and multifaceted the field is. Cybersecurity takes aspects of technology and combines them with human behavior, policy, regulations, and more. It was a perfect fit, and there’s never been a dull moment!
2. What are some of the struggles you faced early on in your career? Was the gender disparity in the technology industry intimidating or, alternatively, did you experience it as a challenge you consciously wanted to take on?
I never felt gender disparity was an issue for me. While in college in India, I went to a women’s college of Engineering where I was surrounded by women students and professors with similar interests. When I started in the workforce, I did not find myself unique in that regard—there were several other women where I was working.
I also tend to have a very egalitarian mindset, so I’m very focused on solving problems at hand, confident when I have the right answer, and always willing to work hard to get to the right answer. I maintain an open mind and embrace everyone who needs to come together to solve the problem at hand. When I’m in that mindset, if I’m the only woman in a group of, say, 10 or 20 other people, it doesn’t necessarily occur to me that I’m the only woman.
So, while I never felt gender discrimination in my journey, I do talk to many women who have. So, I make it a point to help them by offering different ways to think about and approach the situation. I encourage them to lean in and feel confident, courageous, and competent. Cybersecurity issues are complex and need people from multiple backgrounds and skills to work together.
“I strive for a healthy mix of personal development where I’m always learning and trying something new as well as helping others learn and grow.“
3. What is your everyday schedule like, and how do you manage to integrate your career with your personal life?
I feel it’s very important to integrate work and life and prioritize the various demands to sustain my energy. I draw energy at a physical, emotional and intellectual level by working on both myself and those around me whether it’s the professional network, my family or my community. I strive for a healthy mix of personal development where I’m always learning and trying something new as well as helping others learn and grow. To recharge, my family likes to visit National Parks and enjoy hiking amidst nature. During this past year I have taken on a meditation practice, an increased set of responsibilities at work and teaching young children in Sunday school.
“For me, the EWF is a community of strong women leaders and practitioners that inspire and support each other.“
4. What does the EWF mean to you? How long have you been an EWF member?
I have been part of the EWF for about ten years. In fact, my first EWF conference was when the EWF was celebrating its tenth anniversary! For me, the EWF is a community of strong women leaders and practitioners that inspire and support each other. The combination of subject matter expertise in Cybersecurity, Privacy and Risk Management along with a set of professional development activities make it a powerful venue for Women leaders to learn and grow together.
5. What are you most proud of?
I’m proud of my ability to connect the dots and see the corners. I have been able to see the technology and business trends and drive cybersecurity efforts to ensure value from such trends. Be it secure networks, secure collaboration, secure remote work, secure clouds, secure supply chain, I can proudly say that my team and I have been in the fore-front of these business needs that keeps the world moving forward and upward.