Starting a cybersecurity business and building a diverse workforce | Guest Christine Izuakor

Published: Sept. 28, 2020, 7 a.m.

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Despite being told she was \\u201ctoo young, too inexperienced, and too na\\xefve\\u201d to contribute anything to the industry, Christine Izuakor decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Security Engineering at the age of 23. Four years later she completed the program, making her the youngest student and first African American woman to do so. On today\\u2019s episode, Dr. Izuakor talks about being a security engineering prodigy, hiring for a diverse workforce and her new company, Cyber Pop-up, an on-demand cybersecurity service platform powered by vetted freelancers.

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Christine Izuakor is a Houston native, born of two parents who immigrated to America from Nigeria to pursue higher education. Starting from humble beginnings, Christine has always been motivated to maximize on the opportunities her parents and community created for her. In 2013, Christine decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Security Engineering at the University of Colorado. Her research contributions were published in numerous international journals, and she presented in international conferences from South Korea to Rome, Italy. During this entire journey, Dr. Izuakor also maintained a full-time job within the cyber security team of a Fortune 100 company.\\xa0

Most recently, in 2020, Dr. Christine Izuakor shook up the industry with her departure from the corporate arena coupled with the launch of her new cybersecurity startup, Cyber Pop-up (www.cyberpopup.com), an on-demand cybersecurity service platform powered by vetted freelancers.

About Infosec
At Infosec, we believe knowledge is the most powerful tool in the fight against cybercrime. We help IT and security professionals advance their careers with a full regimen of certifications and skills development training. We also empower all employees with security awareness and training to stay cybersecure at work and home. Founded by smart people wanting to do good, Infosec educates entire organizations on how to defend themselves from cybercrime. That\\u2019s what we do every day \\u2014 equipping everyone with the latest security skills so the good guys win.

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