No Password Required

No Password Required Podcast Episode 49 — Tamiko Fletcher LIVE from Sunshine Cyber Con

Episode Summary

Tamiko Fletcher —CISO at Kennedy Space Center with a heart of gratitude Tamiko Fletcher’s career at NASA began in 1999 as a cooperative education student. Her journey to CISO over the following 20 years is nothing short of inspiring. As CISO, Tamiko is responsible for minimizing the Center’s cybersecurity risk, maintaining visibility into cybersecurity operations, and providing guidance for compliance with NASA’s cybersecurity standards and federal regulations. In this episode, recorded live from Sunshine Cyber Con, Tamiko joins Carlton Fields, P.A.’s Jack Clabby, and KnowBe4’s V.P. of Remote Publishing Teams, Kayley Melton, to share her passion for mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity leaders. She also reveals how her brother’s career with Xerox and computer-building hobby inspired her own career in tech — shhhh, she doesn’t want him to get too much credit. Tamiko also details how her small-town upbringing has given her a heart of gratitude in every aspect of her life, including leading others. And in a first for the Podcast, Tamiko answers direct questions from the live audience. Tune in to gain insights into Tamiko’s journey and the invaluable lessons she's learned along the way. You can follow Tamiko Fletcher on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamiko-n-fletcher-93b21b2/ You can learn more about Kennedy Space Center here: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/

Episode Notes

Summary

In this episode of the No Password Required podcast, host Jack Clabby and co-host Kayley Melton interview Tamiko Fletcher, the CISO at Kennedy Space Center. Tamiko shares her journey from a small town in South Carolina to working at NASA and discusses her role as a CISO. She emphasizes the importance of mentorship, outreach, and diversity in the cybersecurity field. Tamiko also talks about the unique challenges of cybersecurity at NASA, such as patching during launches and balancing innovation with security. 

She emphasizes the need to know and learn about individuals' strengths, interests, and motivations in order to effectively place them on teams and utilize their skills. Tamiko also shares her experiences working at NASA and the changes she has witnessed over the years, including the evolution of IT and the increasing diversity at the Kennedy Space Center. She highlights the excitement and pride she feels when witnessing a launch and the impact of NASA's work on the world.

Keywords

NASA, cybersecurity, CISO, career trajectory, mentorship, outreach, diversity, patching, innovation, security, NASA, Kennedy Space Center, cybersecurity, teamwork, understanding people, IT evolution, diversity, launches, personal experiences, imposter syndrome, work-life balance, advocating for oneself, UFOs

Takeaways

• Tamiko Fletcher shares her journey from a small town in South Carolina to working at NASA as the CISO at Kennedy Space Center.
• She highlights the importance of mentorship, outreach, and diversity in the cybersecurity field.
• Tamiko discusses the unique challenges of cybersecurity at NASA, such as patching during launches and balancing innovation with security.
• She emphasizes the need for flexibility and adaptability in the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape. Understanding and valuing people is crucial in the workplace, as it allows for effective team placement and utilization of individual skills.
• The evolution of IT and the increasing diversity at NASA's Kennedy Space Center have been significant changes over the years.
• Witnessing a launch at NASA is an exciting and prideful experience, reminding employees of the impact of their work.
• Advocating for oneself and setting boundaries is important for maintaining work-life balance and overall well-being.

Sound Bites

• "I'm from a small town called Manning, South Carolina. If you look it up on the map, it's near Travel America. It's probably the best thing we got going for it, honestly."
• "Success stories like yours are common at NASA. And it's also based on one's definition of success, right? So everyone has their own definition of what success is for them."
• "I try to actually know and learn people... because I want to understand what makes them tick so I know where to place them on a team."
• "We are human first and then we are who our job is. And I want to be able to utilize that person, that whole person, what makes them happy, what makes them excited to come in every day."
• "I have a vast variety of folks on the team who help get cyber done."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome to the Podcast

08:00 Education and Career Trajectory

25:48 Challenges and Innovations in Cybersecurity at NASA

34:4 8Building a Team and Emphasizing Diversity

41:30 The Diversity of the Cyber Team at NASA

54:25 Instilling Values in Teams to Change the Work Environment