LaVonna Moore, MBA, PMP, CC, SSCP

I attribute my success, second only to God, entirely to my mother. We grew up with very little, but she poured into me the lessons that have carried me throughout my entire life — character, work ethic, and morals. Those are the foundational principles that have guided every step of my career. Especially as a woman navigating male-dominated spaces, you will inevitably encounter ethical dilemmas and moments that challenge your integrity and your sense of self. In those moments, I could always hear my mother's voice in the back of my mind, grounding me and pointing me back to what was right. Her influence has been, and continues to be, the compass that keeps me true to who I am.

The most impactful career advice I ever received came from a mentor I had during my time in the military. He told me, "Always stay true to yourself, so that when you make a mistake, you know it was a true mistake." He went on to say that there is nothing worse than making a mistake because you were trying to be someone you are not. That has always stayed with me. We all grow, and we all fall forward — but it is critical to show up as your authentic self, because then when you do make mistakes, you can look inward honestly and identify what genuinely needs to grow or change. When people make mistakes while pretending to be something they are not, those mistakes carry a different weight, because the real question becomes: would the mistake have even happened if they had simply been themselves?

My general career advice is this: figure out what you love, and then find a way to monetize it. Specifically for women entering tech and cybersecurity, I would say — learn as much as you can, and find a mentor early. This industry has a vast number of paths: engineering, cloud infrastructure, content creation, application development, and so much more. Without guidance, it is easy to spend years acquiring certifications without a clear direction. A good mentor will help you identify your niche early and point you toward the certifications and experiences that will actually propel you forward in that specific area. Far too many talented women spend valuable years trying to figure out what lane they belong in. Finding that clarity sooner rather than later will accelerate your growth significantly.

The greatest opportunities in cybersecurity right now lie in cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence. AI is not on the horizon — it is already here. The challenge is that we do not have enough people willing to develop those skill sets. I do not believe this is a matter of aptitude; anything can be taught. But the willingness and intentionality to pursue these areas is what we need more of, particularly among the next generation. I am preparing my own children by enrolling them in coding and robotics programs so that they are positioned for what is ahead. I believe these areas will remain among the most critical opportunities in the cybersecurity space for at least the next twenty to fifty years.

As for the biggest challenge — for women, particularly women of color, it is imposter syndrome. I encounter incredibly accomplished, overly qualified women who still question whether they belong in the room. A significant part of that stems from walking into spaces where no one looks like you. No matter how confident or secure you are, that experience will cause you to second-guess yourself. I am actually writing my dissertation on this very topic. The solution is representation — getting more women, and more minority women, into these spaces — so that when the next woman walks through that door, she sees herself reflected and feels that she belongs there. Because she does.

The three values I hold most closely, both professionally and personally, are integrity, accountability, and empathy. Integrity because everything I do must be rooted in honesty and principle. Accountability because I believe in owning outcomes — both the successes and the shortfalls. And empathy because the ability to genuinely understand and connect with people is what makes leadership meaningful and relationships lasting.