Influential Woman · Technology IT GRC

Sayali Sonawane

Associate Advisory - Governance, Risk & Compliance, Weaver

Dallas, TX

1Award received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's in Electronics and Telecommunication Degree Master's in Information Technology and Management with specialization in Cybersecurity and Risk Management Cert Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) Cert AWS Cloud Practitioner Cert CompTIA Security Plus Member Women in Cybersecurity

Her Story

About Sayali

My journey into cybersecurity and GRC was never something I planned, but it has become incredibly interesting to me as I've grown in this field. I started with a bachelor's in electronics and telecommunication in India, where an add-on subject introduced me to cybersecurity. I pursued certification and landed my first role as a security consultant intern for 4 months, followed by 3 months as an IT intern. I then worked as a security engineer for a year and 9 months, where compliance was part of my responsibilities, and that experience led me into GRC analysis with Newport Digital. I decided to pursue my master's degree and moved to the U.S. to study information technology and management with a specialization in cybersecurity and risk management. Following graduation, I joined Weaver as a GRC associate, where I've been working for about a year and 7 months. I recently earned my CISA certificate, which is one of the good certificates for information systems auditing. I'm very curious about this field and plan to learn more about AI in GRC. Looking ahead, I see myself in the next 5 years as someone with good knowledge in this field, particularly as AI emerges, and I want to focus on becoming a specialist who can help people grow in that area.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Sayali

01What do you attribute your success to?

I think my greatest accomplishment, when I look at it from a broader perspective, is that my inner child, the smaller version of me, would never have thought I would be in the position I am right now. Coming from a background where I am a first-generation kid, I've done a lot of things. I was the first one to move abroad and get a lot of exposure. One of my biggest accomplishments is getting a scholarship to learn overseas, which has allowed me to be here learning, facing a lot of things, and overcoming a lot of my fears. I also feel empowered by platforms like Influential Women and Women in Cybersecurity, which have been helpful in learning new things particularly related to my field. If I do something that is useful for someone, and they get influenced by me or by what I am doing, and I get validated from that platform, it empowers both me and the person who is getting benefit from it. That's a cycle I believe in.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Don't stop yourself, start learning a lot, because a lot of people do not know about the GRC field. Start reading about it, start knowing about what certificates are available, and talk with the people who are in the field so that they can guide you in understanding this field and get you into it. I feel like many women underestimate themselves. They feel that these things are maybe not doable, and that thought maybe stops a lot of girls from going into the field. But I think a lot of us underestimate ourselves, whereas we have a lot of power within ourselves to achieve a lot of things in this field. We should not underestimate ourselves, and if we give ourselves power, we can accomplish so much.

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