Why women are key to cybersecurity’s future – and how to build inclusive teams

Jonaki leads the marketing organisation at Snyk.

She has over 25 years of experience building and scaling go-to-market functions across demand, brand, and strategy for high-growth technology companies. She previously served as CMO at Riverbed Technology, Aternity (a Riverbed subsidiary) Threat Stack, and VP of Global Marketing at Veracode. Jonaki is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys skiing and fishing along with a passion for gardening.

Cybersecurity, like many tech fields, has historically been male-dominated. Do you think the industry is moving in the right direction when it comes to diversity? What more needs to be done?

Things have changed a lot in the last 20 years I’ve been in the industry. It’s certainly moving in the right direction but there’s still more that can be done. It’s promising to see so many more cybersecurity courses offered at university than there were at the time I was studying. But I also see better opportunities for it to be introduced at an early education level for children, not just as a subject to learn but more in the key concepts, like code breaking and problem solving. Just in the same way so many young people have sparked an interest in engineering thanks to LEGO, I think there’s a way to do this with cybersecurity. The earlier we introduce the construct of cybersecurity, the less stigma there will be about accessibility into the industry.

Something that helped me as I entered the workforce is that I went to an all-women’s college where there were a lot of opportunities to have my voice heard. I certainly found my footing, my voice and my confidence in education, and I was able to lean on that experience when I entered such a male dominated field.

How does diversity contribute to more effective and innovative cybersecurity teams? Or put another way, what do businesses stand to lose without diverse teams?

Diversity in your workforce is incredibly critical to give perspective and context. Cyber attackers come from all parts of the world, all shapes and sizes, all socioeconomic backgrounds, they’re men and women – they’re all types of people. Without diversity, businesses lose an element of understanding of a large group of cybercriminals. Having diversity in a cybersecurity team, but also your workforce at large, is vital to know you can best defend your business against attacks.

Tell us more about your journey into the cybersecurity industry. What inspired your passion for the field? And have you faced any bias or challenges as a woman in tech?

My journey into cybersecurity started back in 2008. I had always had a passion for different types of technology, whether it was physical sciences, software or hardware. I love the idea of helping people understand the importance of something that they can’t necessarily see. Especially as a marketer in this industry, I am passionate about helping to raise awareness and the profile of the unsung heroes that are constantly defending against potential threats.

Bias came with the territory in joining the industry. My personal experiences with bias weren’t just about my gender, I also experienced ageism. Earlier in my career, there was often an assumption that the women in the room were either too inexperienced or didn’t have a solid understanding of the technology that was being discussed. This comes into play even more as women get older, and we might choose to become mothers, people often assume our focus and ability shift. In reality, I think that motherhood creates greater focus on what priorities really are.

While many companies talk about diversity and inclusion, creating a truly inclusive culture often requires challenging the status quo. What is Snyk doing to reshape the culture around diversity and inclusion?

Snyk’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion is one that we live out every day through our values. As a company, we care deeply about creating inclusive spaces where everyone can feel safe and do their best work. Part of this work is reshaping the conversation from box-checking events and programs to sustainable, scalable initiatives embedded into everything we do. Snyk Resource Groups are the foundation of our efforts to create inclusive spaces for all Snykers from underrepresented backgrounds as well as allies to come together, learn, and grow.

Our Snyk Impact program underpins the importance of giving back to the communities where we live and work through volunteerism and charitable donations. We measure these efforts through our engagement survey, where everyone has the opportunity to share their thoughts about our progress and where there’s room for improvement. Overall, we understand that Diversity and Inclusion is something that needs consistent support and action so we can truly impact the next generation of leaders.

Looking ahead, let’s discuss the future of cybersecurity. How can we collectively work to create a more inclusive environment?

One of the biggest things that we can do to advance the future of women in the field is to create better programs for mentorship and allyship. I think allyship is often a forgotten part of the trajectory for women. It’s not just about finding strength in learning from the wisdom of mentors, but also from the shared experience of the team around you and building reliable and trusted relationships with your peers, no matter their background.