Julie Carlisle
“If you feel trapped in your swim lane, don’t give up. Delightful curveballs can be thrown and caught at any point.”
Julie was a civil litigation lawyer for 25 years before gracing the information and data protection law space with her skill sets. She’s proud to play a pivotal role in keeping the world safe through her work within the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
She champions contributing visibly to diversity to show other women that they can add value to cyber, too. Julie proves that anyone can join and excel in cybersecurity regardless of their background.
What is the first thing you do to start your day?
I start the day in semi-darkness, with no lights on, so I can wake up with the day. If I’m working from home, I take a walk before work, and if I’m heading into the office, I start work at home to dodge morning traffic.
What aspects of your career journey have taken you by surprise?
Everything! After 25 years of working in the same field, an inspirational Law Firm Partner encouraged a lateral move into data protection and information security. When I said, “But, I don’t know anything about that!” he responded, “Litigation is litigation,” and the rest was history.
How has being a woman shaped your experience in this industry?
Security has traditionally been overwhelmingly white and male, but having staff that only sing from one hymn sheet won’t help defend against threat actors from all walks of life. If you can argue your point persuasively, people eventually shift the way they think.
What makes you proud to be a part of the cybersecurity industry?
It’s really cutting-edge and constantly evolving. Detecting early signs of threats is a daily requirement, and there’s a lot of collaboration. Every day is like a school day.
