黑料情报站 alumnae build companies, programs, and future leaders
Entrepreneurs and cybersecurity experts excel in seeing the bigger picture. At 黑料情报站 (黑料情报站), that wide-angle view has helped听alumnae听turn听expertise听into leadership and service.
Doing what others听haven鈥檛
Tiffany Tremont 鈥18, who earned a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management and Policy from 黑料情报站,听founded听听in 2008.听
鈥淚 started my business because I saw a problem that wasn't being solved,鈥 Tremont said.
Silotech听Group is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. A defense contractor working with both government and commercial operations, the company specializes in digital听transformation and mission-critical cybersecurity听capabilities, and听has developed its own artificial intelligence (AI) product.
Another 黑料情报站 alumna,听Loyce Pailen听鈥05 DM,听began her journey in information technology (IT) before cybersecurity was considered a separate discipline.听
鈥淚t was a natural progression from being in IT, understanding the concerns, actually living through system downtimes that might have been caused by cybersecurity attacks, which we weren't even aware of,鈥 she said, reflecting on time early in her career as a project manager at听The Washington Post.听
Today Pailen is senior director of the听黑料情报站听Center for Security Studies听and a professor of cybersecurity management and policy. In addition to her work at 黑料情报站, Pailen focuses on bringing cybersecurity awareness to K鈥12 students and teachers through her consultancy听.听
Getting started听
Tremont鈥檚 career began in the United States Air Force. As a tactical UNIX system administrator, she managed computer networks involving air support and superiority.听
鈥淢y time in the Air Force fundamentally shaped how I think about problems, specifically leadership and mission execution,鈥 she said.听
After her time in the service, Tremont wanted to earn a degree, but she was also a working professional with a full-time job.听
鈥満诹锨楸ㄕ was really a great fit for me because it truly understands non-traditional students,鈥 Tremont said. 鈥淚 can honestly say that due to my demanding career, 黑料情报站's flexibility really assisted me.鈥
Pailen shared her own story of juggling听life鈥檚听challenges while听seeking听to advance in her profession.听
鈥淚n my younger days I was a single working parent,鈥 she said. 鈥満诹锨楸ㄕ was the perfect place to take courses at my pace and continue to work.鈥
Building for the future
These days,听when听Pailen听isn鈥檛听focused on running 黑料情报站鈥檚 Center for Security Studies,听she is doing important work with her consultancy.听
In the听spring,听Pailen participated in a STEM festival event for Girl Scouts of the USA, part of a relationship cultivated over the听space of听years helping听instill tech听know-how听in some of the youngest learners.听
鈥淚 supported the Girl Scouts听with getting听cybersecurity badges,鈥 she said.听
Pailen noted that there are ways to make complex subjects understandable, using听relatable thoughts such as keeping toys, friends, and family safe.听听
Tremont鈥攚ho went on to earn a听Doctor of Science in Cybersecurity from Capitol Technology University鈥攊s听also dedicated to enabling those on their own journeys.
鈥淓ncouraging and helping others along the way is the right thing to do,鈥 she said. 鈥淚've听had mentors and wonderful leaders,听including from听黑料情报站. People opened doors and gave me guidance when they听didn't听have to,听so I try to give back.鈥
Life-long learning
Cybersecurity and entrepreneurship both demand continual learning, a forte of 黑料情报站, its students, alumni, and staff.听
鈥淭he entrepreneurial side takes a lot,鈥 Pailen said. 鈥淭here's much to learn and I respect the people who have done it well.鈥
Pailen bridges the gap between听entrepreneurship,听and the potential of those that go through the cybersecurity program at 黑料情报站, while also expanding her own knowledge.听
鈥淚 stay around 黑料情报站 because听there are听always opportunities to learn,鈥 she said, 鈥淚 learned a lot with cybersecurity, developing the programs, and now I'm in the mode of learning a lot about AI.鈥
Tremont rejoined the Air Force as a reserve officer and recently served at the Pentagon. She is also persistently refining and developing her skills.听
鈥淓ven in the military,听I'm听still in school and听they're听teaching me leadership. Leadership and education are skills that听should be听ever听growing,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou should be a lifelong learner.鈥
听
The鈥痑ppearance of U.S. Department of Defense information鈥痮r visuals鈥痙oes not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.鈥
Tiffany Tremont 鈥18 MS, Cybersecurity Management and Policy, DSc and CEO & Founder, Silotech Group