Staff Stories Spotlight Series: Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024

Credit: NIST

This year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme is ‘Secure our World.’ How does this theme resonate with you, as someone working in cybersecurity? 

This theme resonates strongly with me. I am very fortunate to have the role of leading and supporting international engagement on cybersecurity and privacy resources in the Applied Cybersecurity Division at NIST. The theme to “secure our world” as an imperative reflects the importance of international engagement and working with stakeholders throughout the world on shared objectives like managing cybersecurity risks. This includes the development of cybersecurity and privacy resources, and at NIST, we develop and update our guidance with through close collaboration with partners around the world. We obtain extensive stakeholder feedback and are mindful of global approaches and policies to help our resources be internationally accessible. Through our valuable international engagements and collaborations, we can continue to develop and share these resources and contribute along with our partners to improving cybersecurity risk management practices throughout the world. 

Describe your career pathway and how that led you to the cybersecurity field? 

During my college years, I completed a semester in Washington, D.C. that included an internship on Capitol Hill. Following that semester, I returned to the D.C. area and began a graduate program at American University. I also worked at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for several years, and while at DHS I developed an interest in cybersecurity work as well as international engagement. I learned more about the mission and cybersecurity efforts of NIST through a detail assignment, and after DHS I began work in the Applied Cybersecurity Division at NIST.  In this current role, I have had the opportunity to work on international engagement on cybersecurity and privacy resources. My various roles at DHS and now at NIST gave me an excellent opportunity to learn from leadership and colleagues at these offices about cybersecurity risk management, especially from the international perspective. 

Describe the role(s) that you play at NIST. What are some interesting projects you’ve worked on recently? 

I lead and support international engagement on cybersecurity and privacy resources in the Applied Cybersecurity Division in the Information Technology Laboratory at NIST. I work with colleagues across NIST to advance our international engagement on resources such as the Cybersecurity Framework. I also help ensure that NIST resources continued to be used and of value to government, industry, and academia throughout the world. I represent NIST at international cybersecurity dialogues led by the State Department and International Trade Administration (ITA) to help ensure NIST equities are represented and strengthen our collaboration and engagement with international governments. I also coordinate engagement with industry on international engagement and regularly represent NIST to speak at events on our work and international engagement. I help coordinate and facilitate meetings for international partners who visit NIST and our National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), where we collaborate with industry to develop cybersecurity solutions. I support standards development efforts around NIST cybersecurity and privacy resources.  I have participated in efforts at ISO (International Organization for Standardization) to contribute to and help with the development of ISO documents that use and references resources like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF).  

The recent update of the NIST CSF to version 2.0 has presented exciting opportunities for continued international engagement. Recently, I participated in a workshop in Mexico City that NIST collaborated with the International Trade Administration and Department of State to develop, and I had the chance to present to and speak with Mexican government and industry about the CSF 2.0. I continue to present virtually and in person on the CSF and other NIST cybersecurity and privacy resources with international partners and highlight opportunities to collaborate and engage. I help with international translations of NIST resources which can be found on the NIST International Cybersecurity and Privacy Resources site. These translations include those done directly by NIST or the US government and translations we have verified from individuals who share them with us as a resource. The page of current translations we are aware of can be found here.  I also share information about the important international engagement efforts of our NIST team through a Taking Measure blog. I continue to update it to show the valuable conversations and events NIST is participating in with government and industry throughout the world in an effort to make our work more globally accessible.  

What is your favorite part about working at NIST? 

There are many reasons to enjoy working at NIST. The working environment at NIST really fosters creativity and innovation, and employees are given many opportunities to learn and develop professionally within their roles. I have learned so much from my colleagues and benefit every day from their expertise and guidance. I have felt greatly supported by my team to continue growing our international footprint, and I appreciate how willing everyone is to support our international engagements and share information with our partners. I feel fortunate to work with dedicated and hard-working colleagues at NIST who focus on their mission as well as the people working to achieve it.