Clarity
Capability
Confidence
Meet Michala
aka The Cybersecurity Conductor™
Michala is the founder of Cybility Consulting, working as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) advisor, virtual CISO, and cybersecurity consultant. She works to demystify cybersecurity for leaders, enabling them to better protect their organisations.
She has worked with the UK National Cyber Security Centre, is a member of the South East Cyber Resilience Centre's advisory board, and served on the BCS Information Risk Management and Assurance (IRMA) Management Committee.
She has a degree in classical music and has had a varied career, including starting a computer game store, running three airport internet cafes, and working in IT for over twenty years in roles like technical support and project management. Over the past 10+ years, she has led information governance and cybersecurity programmes for complex, medium, and large organisations in the UK. These include local government, healthcare providers in the NHS and charity sectors, and the private sector.
She enjoys sharing her knowledge with others and speaks at events, podcasts, and webinars on a regular basis.
Michala, a black woman in a field dominated by white men, is dedicated to inspiring and mentoring the next generation of diverse cybersecurity professionals. She volunteers as a mentor and STEM ambassador, and she supports initiatives like #CyberFirst and WiCys (women in cybersecurity).
Many people in the cybersecurity industry, including Michala, have experienced burnout.
She talks about imposter syndrome, taking care of your mental health, and the importance of managers creating psychological safety so that these conversations occur.
As a way to heal, Michala returned to music and writing. The anthology"The Rise of the Cyber Women: Volume 2" includes a chapter in which Michala talks about her journey in cybersecurity, and on the "Quietly Visible" podcast, she talks openly about her life to inspire girls; when you see it, it's easier to become it.
She lives with her husband and two dogs.