Her Story
About Mary
Mary Paradis is a public safety and law enforcement leader with extensive experience spanning four decades. She started her career with the Chicago Police Department on August 11, 1986, as a fourth-generation officer and the first female in her family line to serve. Over the years, she advanced to senior roles including Chief of Police and Executive Director of Public Safety at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she was the first female in that position, as well as leadership positions in campus security at Marymount and George Washington University. Holding a master's degree in cybersecurity and information management, she is a recognized subject matter expert in behavioral threat assessment, as noted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Today, Mary works as a consultant and keynote speaker focused on leadership, public safety, cybersecurity, and risk management for healthcare and higher education sectors. She has received the Community Oriented Policing Award from the IACP and actively supports initiatives such as the 30 by 30 effort to increase women in law enforcement, along with community programs like StuPot and Shower Power in Jackson, Mississippi.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mary
01What do you attribute your success to?
I came from a very hard-working family where doing the right thing was very important to us. That kind of molded and shaped me into wanting to then work with the public and give back. I have a master's in cybersecurity so I've also throughout my career had the opportunity to improve my skill set and be relevant.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I often tell folks that I have to open the door in order to go through. You're never gonna know what's on the other side if you don't open the door. Take the chance, and you can always go back to what you were doing before if it doesn't feel right.
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