Cybersecurity Pro Paves Way for Future Women Tech Leaders
If you ever wonder if you have what it takes to succeed as a听woman听in today鈥檚 business and technology-driven world, Kara Greer, Director, Customer Projects PMO at Schneider Electric,听is going to听give you a definite听鈥榶es.鈥櫶�
It鈥檚 the听answer听she鈥檚 built a career on, and what听she听tells听middle and high school girls听when she听volunteers as a听teacher听in听听a group of community partners who bring their STEM expertise to K-12 educators and students. Kara鈥檚 expertise in cybersecurity makes her a natural fit to pass her technology know-how on听to future cyber geniuses in the 鈥淓xpanding Your Horizons鈥� (EYH) class.
鈥淭ypically,听one of the most frequent questions that I get asked when I'm teaching,听is听鈥楰ara, can you be pretty and smart?鈥欌�� said Kara. 鈥淎nd I usually start laughing because I'm like,听鈥榊es,听you can be pretty and smart, it's okay.鈥�"
She can relate to any apprehension听girls听have about venturing into the world of technology听and leadership, since听being a听cybersecurity听expert听was not听part of听her initial career path.听As a matter of fact, her career at听Schneider听Electric stems from another听field听that was largely staffed听in past years听with males鈥攎anufacturing.听
鈥淚 was with Bridgestone Tire here in middle Tennessee, and听everyone called me听鈥榯he facility guy,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚t became听very much of a joke.听All of my technical and maintenance guys would buy me pink-handled tools to听remind me that I was a girl, and not a guy, but they still called me听鈥榯he facility guy.鈥欌�澨�
Through her work with听high-level electric听in tire production, she built听relationships with teams at Schneider Electric, who听invited her听to consider working for the company if she听ever听wanted a change.听听
鈥淎nd I did,鈥� she said.听鈥淚t was the best decision, a great decision.鈥�
Kara earned听her听master鈥檚 degree in business administration听蹿谤辞尘听Western Governors University,听which helped her听land a leadership role at Schneider Electric.听But soon, the digital landscape听Kara听worked in听demanded that she expand her own educational horizons and diversify her skills.听
鈥淚 inherited听a couple of software design development and testing teams in the U.S. and Canada,鈥� said Kara. 鈥淚 knew nothing about software.听Now, I'm managing dozens of people that work in that space. So,听[my]听boss comes and says,听鈥楰ara, I'd like you to learn more about software.鈥�"听
Kara knew,听from her prior experience at听WGU, that the University鈥檚听competency-based, flexible online education model听would听still听fit听best听for her fast-paced听active听lifestyle, which includes supporting her family of eight and volunteering in the community with special needs kids.听听
鈥淲GU had just introduced the听cybersecurity and听information听assurance听master's degree,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 thought, oh my stars, that sounds like the coolest thing on the planet.鈥�
Two years ago, she earned听this听degree in听cybersecurity and听now uses her听two master鈥檚 degrees听interchangeably with her work, where she operates digital platforms for customers,听and听her听civic passions.听
鈥淓very day, I find that听I听use something that I learned in the cybersecurity platform and it鈥檚 because of the digital realm we work on here at Schneider Electric,鈥� said Kara.听鈥淐ustomers want to know that their data is secure, that no one can get in听and hack it, and we can give them that assurance.鈥�
Now,听Kara not only delivers听assurance as a leader at work,听but听as a role model to future women technology leaders.听Her听diverse skillset听has听broad reach听in the community听as听she听advocates听for social听initiatives听and solutions.听
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鈥淪ince I've worked for Schneider Electric I've participated in Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, Junior Achievement, so many things that I can't even remember because I've just been so involved in the community,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 sit on one of the boards for Special Kids Therapy and Nursing Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. We provide occupational, speech, and... several kinds of therapies to special needs kids.鈥澨�
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Kara said keeping听women in the technology field听means embracing how women interpret and solve problems in technology.听听
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鈥淚t goes back to diversity,鈥� said Kara. 鈥淒iversity doesn鈥檛 always have to do with your skin color or where you were born. It has to do with how you think and process.鈥澨�
To听encourage that,听she continues giving her colleagues and students what she calls 鈥淜ara-isms.鈥�
鈥淵ou just don't ever say听鈥榥o鈥櫶齮o an opportunity,鈥� she said. 鈥淒on't ever say,听鈥楴o, I would never do that in a million听years.鈥櫶齁ust find out about it. You still may say听鈥榥o鈥�, but it may be the best听鈥榶es鈥櫶齳ou ever say.鈥澨�
