Heather Gantt-Evans is currently the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at SailPoint – the leader in identity security governance. Heather has 15 years experience across cybersecurity, technology management, digital transformation, risk, resilience, privacy, compliance, and marketing. She has broad experience working within government and commercial sectors including financial, technology, retail, and manufacturing industries. She is known for her ability to clearly define and execute hyper-growth and transformative strategies while maintaining a strong people focus. Throughout her career she has shown the ability to scale strategies for start-ups, SMB, and Fortune 100.
25 WOMEN IN CYBER
Heather Gantt-Evans
Chief Information Security Officer, Sailpoint
Cyberattacks are the number one business risk in most of the world, according to a 2022 study from the World Economic Forum. Not all cyber threats are alike, and diverse problems require diverse solutions. Yet, the cyber industry is predominantly led by men. How can we solve this significant threat to the business world with only half of the population? Fortunately, the women who make up that percentage are some of the fiercest in the greater technology industry. In this series, The Female Quotient and Deloitte are putting a spotlight on 25 women at the forefront of the cyber revolution, amplifying their career advice and sharing their insights on how the industry will evolve in the future. Their stories are proof that behind every functioning society is a woman in cyber.
What does a typical day of work look like for you?
Managing people, supporting customers, making strategically impactful decisions, and overseeing strategy execution.
What's a common misconception about women in cyber you'd like to debunk?
A lot of people assume women to be non-technical, which equates to being of lesser value. Technical and non-technical women are out there, and they all add value.
What aspects of your career journey have taken you by surprise?
How one small kindness can come back tenfold.
What's your superpower as a woman in cyber?
Empathy, listening, and healing.
What's the most challenging component of your job today?
Balancing competing priorities, limited resources, and business versus security needs.
Tell us about the cyber project you're most proud of working on in your career.
I am most proud of SailPoint’s product security journey because it enables the business and secures our customers while also allowing for my teams to enjoy the fun that comes with innovation.
What's one must read, watch or listen for women wanting to work in cyber?
A VentureBeat article titled: “Women in cybersecurity: Shattering the myths, once and for all”
How has public perception of cybersecurity changed over the course of your career, and how do you predict in the future?
With the impact ransomware has had on community services, cybersecurity has become more of a household topic. In the future, the public will have higher expectations around cybersecurity and frictionless cybersecurity controls.
What's one piece of advice you'd give your younger self about getting started in cyber?
Just be yourself. There is so much value in embracing what makes you unique and the strengths that come with being different.
Who are some women working in cyber today that you admire?
Joanna McDaniel Burkey and Vanessa Pegueros, NACD.DC
