Show Notes
In this episode of Hacker Valley Studio, we dive into the inspiring journey of Zinet Kamal, an immigrant from Ethiopia who has carved a niche for herself in cybersecurity. Despite starting her journey with limited access to technology and not having mentors until 2020, Zinet's resilience and passion led her to become a cloud security engineer at a Fortune 500 company. Her story is a testament to the human spirit's capability to overcome barriers and make significant strides in the tech industry.
This episode is a story of personal growth, cultural transitions, and the drive to empower the next generation through education and cybersecurity awareness. As a mother of four, a multi-award-winning cybersecurity advocate, and a best-selling author, Zinet brings a unique perspective on the importance of diversity in tech and the role of mentorship in shaping future leaders.
00:00 - Welcome
01:32 - Introducing Guest, Zinet Kemal
03:09 - Growing up in Africa
07:12 - “I Never Had a Children’s Book”
12:52 - Culture Shock
16:02 - From Legal to Cybersecurity
18:50 - CCDC Competition
21:55 - Role of Community in Resetting
24:34 - “Oh No… Hacked Again!”
30:00 - Online Safety Empowerment
34:50 - Moving up in Cyber
Links:
Connect with Zinet Kemal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zinetkemal/
Zinet’s LinkedIn Course:
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/cybersecurity-careers-build-your-brand-in-cybersecurity/grow-your-cybersecurity-career-with-personal-branding?course
Check out Zinet's Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Zinet-Kemal/author/B099P5B8FD
Watch Zinet's TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J61K1Gu97jM
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand:
https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag:
https://store.hackervalley.com
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord:
https://hackervalley.com/discord
Recent Episodes
Mentorship to Mastery: AI and Community Lessons with Ron Eddings
AI might analyze your logs in seconds, but only the community can put you in the room that changes your career. In this solo episode, Ron Eddings discusses the powerful balance between human ...
From MCP Risks to AI Jailbreaks with Marco Figueroa
When AI agents move faster than security teams, the game changes, and the risks multiply. Ron welcomes back Marco “Mystic Marc” Figueroa, Program Manager at Mozilla’s 0DIN Program, to continue ...
Debt vs. Risk: What the SharePoint Breach Taught Us with Ron ...
The riskiest move in cybersecurity? Playing it too safe. In this solo episode, Ron Eddings redefines the way we think about technical debt, risk, and missed opportunities, in security and in ...
The Future of Cyber Talent Is African with Confidence Staveley
The world’s youngest continent is also its most untapped resource. Confidence Staveley, Founder of CyberSafe, makes a powerful case for why Africa’s youth are the answer to global cybersecurity ...
Compliance Isn’t the Enemy with Jeff Man
Is compliance just a checkbox, or the backbone of real security? Returning to the show with decades of hard-earned insight, Jeff Man makes the case that compliance, especially PCI-DSS, isn't ...
What Makes a Great CISO? A Playbook from Gary Hayslip
What separates a great CISO from a great one? In this powerhouse conversation, Ron invites friend and cybersecurity leader Gary Hayslip, CISO at SoftBank Investment Advisers, back on the mic to ...
Confidence, Coaching, and the S-Word with Mel Reyes
Want to stand out as a leader? According to our guest Mel Reyes, you need to dress like you mean it and speak like you’ve got nothing to prove. In this episode, Mel shares how he built ...
Purple Teaming Is the New Job Security with Maril Vernon
Cybersecurity isn’t just red or blue anymore... it’s purple, white, and deeply human. Maril Vernon, award-winning ethical hacker and Senior Solutions Architect at NetSPI, returns to the Hacker ...
The AI Gold Rush in Cybersecurity with Chris Cochran
The new cybersecurity pioneers aren’t chasing alerts, they’re building with AI. But what happens when tools meant to assist begin making decisions for us? And what skills do we lose when ...
The AI That Tried to Escape with Ron Eddings
What happens when AI refuses to be replaced? This episode kicks off with a chilling real-world example of an AI threatening blackmail—and only gets more intense from there. Host Ron Eddings ...
WORK WITH US
PODCASTS + SPEAKING + EVENTS
Are you the best kept secret in cybersecurity? Let's change that by partnering together for podcast ads, social campaigns, and your next event or keynote. Send us your details to get started.
Thank you!
We will be in touch soon and reach out to you at