Her Story
About Ingrid
I have been working in the cybersecurity field for over 16 years, and I've been in my current position as a data security solutions engineer at Microsoft for six years. Microsoft is the largest technology company in the world, and working here has been my most notable professional achievement. In my role, I strategize with enterprise global customers on their cybersecurity initiatives, with a specific focus on AI. What really brought me to this field is the challenge - every day is different, there's always a new risk, something new to mitigate. With AI, things are going faster and more complicated, so you never get bored. It's not an odd day, there's always something to do. It's challenging and critical work - we're literally protecting data worldwide and fighting against frauders.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ingrid
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to definitely hard work, dedication, and being genuine and committed to yourself. But more importantly to me, it's my faith and following what I'm called to do in this world - to be a person of service. That, to me, is key to my success, being available and there genuinely in every aspect of my career and my personal life. It's about showing up authentically and being committed in everything I do.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to trust more in myself and to be aware of the impact that we make in others every day - positive impact, of course - and be proud of it. Sometimes we just go, go, go, and we don't realize and take a moment to stop and see how much we're doing. Taking those little times to understand that it's beyond the day-to-day little tasks - it's the impact that we make in people going forward. That awareness has been really important to me.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Oh my god, go for it! We as women have a tendency of multitasking, and physiologically too, we can - our brains can adapt to multiple challenges at the same time, and this field is perfect for that. You'd be surprised - a peer of mine, her major was in music, she's an artist, and she's incredible at what she does in cybersecurity. So there's room for everyone. Don't let anything hold you back from entering this field.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that it's still men-led, and women are still considered a minority in the field. So it's about sticking together and continuing to prove our worth in what we do in technology, security, and now with AI. It is a challenge. The great thing is there are great communities where we support each other. There are a lot of individuals that support women in the field, so it's about continuing to raise awareness about what we offer to this industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is most important to me, being genuine. Being a person of service, being there genuinely for everyone, and just being true to yourself and others. Being committed and being real - that's key to everything and every day. I believe in showing up authentically and with integrity in all aspects of my life.
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