Her Story
About Cherena
I began my career in IT in 2013 after working as a personnel specialist and FSO processing clearances. When I got laid off at Booz Allen, I decided to transition into IT, and everyone thought it was funny and said I wouldn't make it. I studied for 30 days and got my Security Plus certification in 2013. I had to start from the bottom at Help Desk because I had no clue about NIC cards, motherboards, and all the technical components. I worked my way up to become a queue manager, then moved into hardware and software engineering. My break into cyber came when I went for an interview for a position that didn't really exist, but they were so intrigued that I had all these certifications and knew how to use the tool (even though I'd never put my hands on it) that they made a position for me. On that contract, I worked night and day to get into everything - I was an overseer for ACAS, HBSS, ITPOC, and a sysadmin all in one contract. After that, I went to the Marks Center doing Trellix (HBSS - Host-Based Security Systems) and had an opportunity to start my business as a 1099 contractor. I worked there for a couple of years, and now I'm at NGA as a Senior Engineer Level 4 doing Trellix/HBSS Endpoint. I've also gotten my son into IT - he's in networks, has his TSSCI with a poly, Security Plus, and network certifications, and I'm training him in cyber as well. Right now I'm working on expanding my business, Cybersecurity Operations Solutions LLC, to be broader than just me. I'm building the website myself and trying to create something different. My company's mission is to help people coming out of college or trying to get into the IT field, and I also want to help people who don't have clearances, which was something my stepmother (who was an FSO and passed away in 2024) loved to do. I'm working on starting a foundation in her name and also writing two books - a biography and a cookbook.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cherena
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't give up. That's the best career advice I've ever received and what I tell everyone who asks me about getting into IT and cybersecurity. When I wanted to get into IT in 2013, everybody thought it was funny and said I wouldn't make it, but I didn't give up. I studied for 30 days for Security Plus while everyone else was partying. I was working two jobs and determined to get certifications because I knew certs would get me in the door. I tell people not to let the name 'cybersecurity' steer them away from other fields they might have a niche in, and to figure out what they actually want to do because cyber is broad. I always say to study the job descriptions, the tools they use, read up on it, ask questions, and if you're in the IT field with people who do those things, ask them to show you. But most importantly, don't give up. If a person doesn't hire you, just keep going. I stuck with what I wanted to do - HBSS - and I studied, asked questions, and found people willing to teach me. That determination is what got me where I am today.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Being a woman, and then being a Black woman on top of that, is the biggest challenge in the technical field. They look at you like you're not able to retain the information. Oh, you're a girl - because it's mostly a guy field, what we do. There are more women getting into it now, which is a good thing, but being a woman in a field around a lot of men, especially military men or just men in general, means you have to fight harder to prove that you're worthy of this job. That's one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced in the IT field - it's very male-dominated.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Peace is the most important value to me right now. I'm not keen on drama, I'm not keen on loudness anymore. I think I'm in my soft girl era. I value my son the most - I see this young man that I raised growing to be a very fine young man, and I want him to be the best man he can be. I've learned to talk to him versus yelling at him, to explain things and give him examples of why he should or shouldn't do things. I value my peace and my sanity above all. I'm okay being home alone with my puppy, just drinking a glass of wine with my feet propped up. When things go wrong, I've learned to take my emotions out and sit down and think about it first before I react, because reacting before thinking always ends badly. That's what I value the most - my peace, my sanity, and my son.
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