She sings! She acts! She paints! She’s the “Jill of all Trades, Master of Life”! She is Tricia Howard! And she is coming to Security Field Day next month!
Connect with her at @TriciaKicksSaaS on Twitter, the web, or the Tech Field Day web site.
How did you get into Technology and IT?
Completely by accident. I have a degree in theatre arts. When I graduated, a friend of mine was in IT and thought I’d be a good fit. I found out about the job on a Tuesday, had an offer in my hand Friday, and moved cross-country 2 weeks later.
What was your first computer?
At school we had standardized on Mac – you know, the fun coloured monitors? At home, we had a Dell. My parents wanted me to be trained on both since they had a very different GUI.
If you weren’t working in IT, what would you be doing instead?
Probably something in the arts. Even arts administration – but more than likely it would be performance.
Can you tell us a little bit about your current role?
I consult with clients around the globe on their overall security program and strategy. Our company has extensive military cyber experience and takes that same level of approach to the private sector. I also like to blog and podcast on all things security.
Where do you see IT going in the next 3-5 years?
I think we’re going to see a lot more multi-cloud and a large downturn in the amount of tools in the environment. We’re already seeing quite a few tech companies (especially start-ups) be consolidated, and this will continue to happen, in order for some of the larger names to remain relevant.
We’re slowly moving past the “buy every widget” phase and into one that is more needs based. Especially in security. We’ve been talking about cloud for a while now but there are still a lot of organizations who have only adopted it in a small capacity.
I also think we are going to see much more government regulation around tech and security specifically.
If you could have ONE super power, what would it be and how would you use it?
Darth
Oh, definitely the ability to read minds. I’d use it to read the room and adjust my messaging accordingly, regardless of the situation. It would also be useful in figuring out where Darth has hidden my stuff.
What do you do in your spare time (hobbies)?
I spend as much time as possible with my Pomsky, Darth. (Yes, it IS a Pomeranian/Husky mix – they do exist and he’s insanely adorable.) Lots of Jigsaw Puzzles, singing, painting, Netflix, and as of recently, stand-up comedy.
What are your biggest challenges?
Is time management too cliche of an answer? It seems like every time I think I’ve gotten it figured out, I commit to another activity and have to re-evaluate.
From a security standpoint the largest challenge is definitely the innovation vs. protection dilemma. It varies by industry, but every one has some form of it.
Creatively the biggest one I run into is consistency. I like to blog or vlog when I’m particularly inspired rather than just writing to write.
How do you manage your work/life balance?
I do struggle with this, mostly because of the time management aspect I mentioned before. The best way for me, personally, is to remind myself that:
1.) It’s completely okay to shut down for the night, and
2.) I’m actually less productive when I’m burnt out. I try to do something social and unrelated to work everyday, even if it’s calling my mom for an hour.
What are you most excited about Security Field Day?
I’m excited to see the new innovations that have been cultivating. I love seeing how things work (bit of a nerd) and the technical demos are always my favourite part.
Let’s talk theatre! What is your favorite movie?
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (the original animated version). It’s been my favourite movie for as long as I can remember. Belle is such a strong woman – intelligent, a little weird, and stays true to herself the entire time. She defies adversity and does what she wants – she’s not tempted by the materialistic norm. The characters aren’t as one dimensional as most of the other princess movies (although I still love them). It’s also a redemption story which I’m a big sucker for.
Check out one of Tricia’s theatrical looks!
Royal Day Out
And last but not least… ice cream! Tell us how you do ice cream…
Not to be too “basic” but I’m actually much more of a frozen yoghurt girl. Big cookies and cream and salted caramel fan. Definitely toppings – kiwi, strawberries, blackberries, gummy bears and marshmallow sauce. If you’re gonna do it, do it right.
Thanks, Tricia! We look forward to having you at Security Field Day 2!
Don’t forget! Security Field Day 2 is June 19-21, 2019.
