COMMENTARY: Protection has always been in my DNA, and I believe it’s the same for many cybersecurity professionals.
However, I didn’t have a “typical” trajectory into this field. While I experienced various twists and turns, one thing remained constant throughout my journey: a service-oriented mindset.
It followed me through an albeit short career in medicine, to the military and eventually into the role I’m in today, protecting critical infrastructure sectors such as
aviation, utilities and government agencies against cyber threats.
From protecting people on the ground to protecting people online
I began my career in the public sector as a nurse and quickly realized that bedside manner wasn’t my forte. Despite this, I still felt a strong pull to protect others: I just needed a different way to channel it and that led me to the Air Force.
While working in an aeromedical evacuation unit, I went to school to study medical administration. But even then, I still felt like something was missing. I made the decision to let the more medically inclined experts take my spot by the bedside and go back to get my degree in administrative management. This was a pivotal decision that sparked a lifelong passion for cybersecurity, along with a commitment to continuous education.
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After pursuing a role in IT at the Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., and later a role at Xerox, I transitioned into
government cybersecurity, a move that in many ways felt inevitable. I knew that once I joined, I had found the service-oriented, technical role I was looking for.
While working full-time, I returned to school once more, earning a master’s degree in Homeland Security and Forensics. Determined not to be boxed into strictly management, I made the conscious decision to expand my skills.
I then earned the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification from ISC2, and the Certificate Information Security Manager (CISM) from ISACA, which really helped solidify my expertise and gave me the credibility and confidence I needed to step into leadership roles. It not only demonstrates that I’m technically competent, but also that I have the work experience and nontechnical skills required to lead security teams, which was vital to making it to where I am today.
Now, I serve as a virtual chief information security officer (vCISO) for various organizations and as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Virtuo Group Corporation. In this role, my team and I offer strategic leadership to executive teams across critical infrastructure sectors, including transportation utilities and government agencies.
We help organizations respond swiftly and effectively to security threats by offering a wide range of cybersecurity support services, from comprehensive vulnerability assessments to delivering cyber awareness training programs. Ultimately, our mission remains the same: protecting and safeguarding — only now in the digital realm rather than in a clinical setting.
My
military training, combined with a deep love of learning have been the driving force of my success. Veterans approach problems differently than those who come up through traditional commercial careers. That mindset has stayed with me for life — I carry it into every space I enter.
As a leader, I want to be in the trenches with my team. I learned during my military service that the best commanders are the ones who work alongside their people. They are never the ones sitting behind a desk issuing orders. Whenever I delegate a task, my team knows I’ve done it before and that I’m willing to do it again without hesitation.
The theme of protection and education has run through my life in everything I’ve done, but what started as a personal drive to learn gradually turned into a passion for teaching others. I’ve had the privilege of speaking at schools, government facilities, and corporations, educating audiences of all ages on the evolving wave of cyber threats and equipping them with strategies to stay safe online.
Although I’ve spent much of my life focused on educating and protecting others in the cyber world, the weight of danger doesn’t keep me up at night. That doesn’t mean I take it lightly: I’ve just learned how to compartmentalize. It’s important for everyone to stay grounded and maintain a healthy work-life balance. At the end of the day, if we’re lying awake at night worrying, how can we act decisively when it truly counts?
Those of us who’ve served in the military never really leave the instinct to protect. That mindset has guided me throughout my career and continues to shape how I lead today. That instinct to serve has always run deep in my bones. Service became a way of life, and cybersecurity has become the outlet where I can continue that mission with purpose and confidence.
Theresa Blackwell-Frank, CEO and CISO, Virtuo Group CorporationSC Media Perspectives columns are written by a trusted community of SC Media cybersecurity subject matter experts. Each contribution has a goal of bringing a unique voice to important cybersecurity topics. Content strives to be of the highest quality, objective and non-commercial.
