Walking in Faith and Leading in Cybersecurity: My Journey as an Influential Woman
From Faith and Resilience to Cybersecurity Leadership: A Ghanaian Woman's Journey of Transformation and Purpose
When I reflect on my life, I see a story built on faith, resilience, and courage. Growing up in Ghana, I watched my family face unimaginable challenges. My father’s stroke left him disabled, and my mother’s health battles tested us in every way. But I also witnessed miracles—moments when faith turned despair into hope, and prayer brought healing against all odds. Those experiences planted in me an unshakable belief: no matter the struggle, with God, discipline, and perseverance, transformation is possible.
That lesson carried me years later, when, as a mother of two toddlers, I made the decision to return to school. It was 2020, a year already filled with uncertainty, but something inside me refused to settle. I wanted to build a future that honored my children, my faith, and my calling. Balancing motherhood, late-night studies, and a demanding schedule wasn’t easy. But it was worth every sacrifice. Earning my Master of Science in Cybersecurity became not just an academic achievement but a personal testimony: with resilience and discipline, women can thrive even in spaces that feel overwhelming.
Professionally, my journey led me into cybersecurity, a field that demands both precision and purpose. Over the past six years, I’ve specialized in governance, risk, and compliance, working across various industries, including finance, healthcare, and education. I’ve developed security programs, led risk assessments, overseen audits, and created awareness initiatives that not only protect organizations but also safeguard individuals. My certifications, including CISM and CompTIA Security+, have strengthened my foundation; however, what truly drives me is the opportunity to mentor and lead others, especially women and minorities who may not see themselves represented in the tech industry.
Being an influential woman in cybersecurity is about more than controls, frameworks, or policies. It’s about using my voice to open doors for others, to show that you can be a woman of faith, a mother, an immigrant, and still rise in one of the most competitive and male-dominated fields in the world. I’ve learned that leadership is not just about what you achieve but about how you lift others along the way.
For me, influence means mentoring young professionals, volunteering with ISACA, or simply encouraging women who doubt whether they belong in cybersecurity. It appears that she is fully showing up as Deborah, the Ghanaian-born girl who persevered through hardships, the woman who built a career in risk and compliance, the mother who chose resilience, and the professional who believes security is about people first.
If there’s one truth my journey has taught me, it is this: your story is your strength. The trials you’ve faced, the faith that carried you, the career you’ve built, none of it is wasted. It all shapes you into the leader you were meant to be. And if my story inspires even one woman to rise, to believe, to step into her own influence, then I know I’m living out my purpose.
