Ell Marquez: It's okay to be new. [Linux] [Career Notes]

Summary

CyberWire Daily Summary: Ell Marquez on Embracing New Beginnings in Cybersecurity

Podcast Information

• Title: CyberWire Daily
• Host/Author: N2K Networks
• Description: The daily cybersecurity news and analysis industry leaders depend on. Published each weekday, the program also includes interviews with a wide spectrum of experts from industry, academia, and research organizations all over the world.
• Episode: Ell Marquez: It's Okay to Be New. [Linux] [Career Notes]
• Release Date: June 8, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of CyberWire Daily, host A introduces the program before transitioning to the main content featuring Elle Marquez, the Linux and security advocate at Intezur. Elle shares her inspiring journey from a humble upbringing to establishing herself in the cybersecurity industry, emphasizing the importance of embracing new beginnings and continuous learning.

Early Life and Background

Elle begins by recounting her unexpected career path. Growing up on a family ranch in a small town in Texas, Elle’s parents had migrated from a family farm in Mexico. Reflecting on her childhood, she shares:

“I always thought that I was either going to go into the church or take over the family farm. I really felt like I had a very narrow path growing up.” [01:05]

Her early life was marked by simplicity and hard work, running fields and living closely with family, which she contrasts sharply with her eventual pivot to technology.

Discovering Linux and Entering Tech

A turning point in Elle’s life came when unforeseen circumstances almost left her homeless. Seeking a new direction, she discovered a six-week Linux boot camp, despite not owning a computer at the time:

“I was having to boot off of a USB at the library. This day and age, I'm really lucky they let me do that.” [01:30]

Elle fell in love with the versatility and customization possibilities of Linux, sparking her curiosity and determination to master the technology. Her passion was further ignited by managing her first Linux box, where she experienced a kernel panic, teaching her the importance of careful management and problem-solving.

Challenges and Growth

Elle's early career as a Linux administrator at a major managed service provider was both daunting and enlightening. She describes being "thrown into the deep end," managing strategic accounts for major enterprises. The high-stakes environment forced her to deepen her knowledge and skills:

“It was terrifying, but it was one of those, you can't mess up or you're going to cost a company a lot of money.” [03:15]

Despite the challenges, Elle's relentless pursuit of excellence led her to explore OpenStack, achieving certification in just 60 days. Her dedication caught the attention of a CEO who offered her a position, reinforcing her belief in trying new things:

“If you don't try something new, then why not do it?” [05:10]

Transition to Security

After a few years in various roles, including podcasting and education, Elle attended a BSIDES conference, where her passion for security was ignited. This pivotal moment led her to secure her first security position six months prior to the interview. Reflecting on her journey, Elle shares the emotional impact of overcoming self-doubt:

“It still almost makes me tear up a little bit because I'm six months in, I'm learning, I am trying everything that I can.” [07:45]

When faced with criticism from a colleague suggesting she could be automated, Elle chose to persevere, inspired by a teammate who encouraged her to believe in herself:

“Do it because you enjoy it and because you want to be better and you want to grow for yourself.” [08:30]

Advice and Campaign: "It's Okay to Be New"

Elle has initiated a campaign titled "It's Okay to Be New," promoting the idea that continuous learning and embracing one's novice status are essential in the ever-evolving tech landscape. She emphasizes that no matter one's tenure in the industry, maintaining a mindset of being new fosters growth and adaptability:

“Technology changes so quickly, so if you're not new at something, you're stagnant and why bother?” [08:55]

Elle discourages the pursuit of becoming a "subject matter expert" in the traditional sense, advocating instead for perpetual learning and self-improvement.

Views on Diversity and Socioeconomic Background

Addressing diversity, Elle challenges the perception that coming from a lower socioeconomic status is a hindrance. Instead, she views it as an advantage, highlighting how her imaginative upbringing and resourcefulness contributed to her success in tech:

“I think it's an advantage. I grew up playing with sticks and pretending that they were dolls and always just having imagination.” [09:15]

Elle advocates for moving beyond superficial diversity initiatives, urging the industry to focus on providing opportunities and education:

“Don't talk to me about being Hispanic. Sit down and teach me something. That's how we're going to change this industry.” [09:45]

Future Goals and Conclusion

Looking forward, Elle is eager to gain more hands-on experience, particularly in Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR). She is set to transition into the research team at her current company, though she remains open to new directions as opportunities arise:

“I don't know what the end goal is because I think it's going to change every time I see something new that I want to chase.” [10:00]

Elle concludes her narrative by reiterating the importance of being unapologetically oneself and the value of community support in personal and professional growth:

“Be unapologetically yourself. That's how you're going to stand out and that's how you're going to enjoy this journey.” [10:20]

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Key Takeaways

• Embrace New Beginnings: Continuously adopt a beginner’s mindset to foster growth and adaptability in the tech industry.
• Overcoming Adversity: Personal challenges can lead to unexpected and fulfilling career paths.
• Importance of Mentorship: Support from peers and mentors is crucial in overcoming self-doubt and achieving professional goals.
• Redefining Diversity: True diversity involves providing equal opportunities and focusing on individual skills and potential rather than superficial attributes.

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Notable Quotes

• “I never want to be a subject matter expert because that means that I've reached the point that I don't feel that I need to grow more.” [08:50]
• “Do it because you enjoy it and because you want to be better and you want to grow for yourself.” [08:30]
• “Be unapologetically yourself. That's how you're going to stand out and that's how you're going to enjoy this journey.” [10:20]

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Conclusion

Elle Marquez's story is a testament to the power of resilience, continuous learning, and authentic self-expression in navigating and thriving within the cybersecurity landscape. Her campaign, "It's Okay to Be New," serves as an inspiring reminder that embracing one's journey, regardless of background or experience level, is key to personal and professional fulfillment.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

Hi, my name is Elle Marquez and I am the Linux and security advocate at Intezur. So it's really funny. I always thought that, you know, I was either going to go into the church or I was going to grow up and, you know, take over the family farm. I really felt like I had a very narrow path growing up. My parents had a little ranch in a small town in Texas and they had actually migrated there from their family farm in Mexico. So I grew up running the fields. I had the dream of every little kid out there. I had a pony and really all we did was live together as a family. I have a bit of a different story start than most people. I really just needed a life change due to a bunch of circumstances that had occurred that left me almost homeless. And I found out about a program that was teaching Linux. It was a six week Linux boot camp. I didn't even own a computer at the time, so I was having to boot off of a USB at the library. This day and age, I'm really lucky they let me do that. I just fell in love with how much you could customize Linux and all the different things that you could do. That website that I had dreame about, I could host it on that one machine. Like I said, it was really just the rabbit hole that I wanted to follow. I was always the artistic kind. I was always like, eh, whatever happens, happens. And my first time actually managing a Linux box, the thing that happened was a kernel panic. So that taught me really quickly that I needed to be more careful and just learn to think a different way. I kept breaking things and I wanted to know why I did it. I just had this curiosity that it wasn't going to beat me. I was going to be able to conquer it. I wanted to be as good as everybody else. It's been a crazy, crazy journey. I started out as a Linux admin in one of the biggest managed service providers. And I really just got thrown into the deep end was managing strategic account, major enterprise accounts. It was terrifying, but it was one of those, you can't mess up or you're going to cost a company a lot of money. So it really dove me into studying more. Honestly, I didn't end up liking it. That was one of the jobs that had to be done in such a specific way that I didn't feel like I could flourish. So at the time, OpenStack was the big thing, and I went from I don't know what this is to certified administrator in 60 days. It was just fascinating because you were creating something out of nothing. I was lucky enough that a CEO for a different company saw me presenting, and his literal words to me were, why don't you work for me? So I said, okay, let's give this a shot, right? If you don't try something new, then why not do it? And at this point, I am three years into my career, so one job every single year. I had fun with that. I got into podcasting, education and teaching others. Just kind of really went through the base of everything that I did. Then I attended a BSIDES conference, and that was it. I was in love with security. So six months ago, I got to be able to start my first security position. And I'm just so excited and so grateful. The first year that I started out as an admin, and I've told this story so many times, and it still makes me reflect. It still almost makes me tear up a little bit because I'm six months in, I'm learning, I am trying everything I can. And another admin reviews my work, and his feedback to me and my manager were the words, I could automate you at that point. Why even keep trying? I am putting everything that I can into this. To me, it really was an obvious sign that no matter how hard I tried, I just wasn't going to be good enough. At the time, I was working very closely with another one of my teammates, and he literally just said, okay, that's one person's opinion. And you have the choice of whether you're going to let them control your career or you're going to do this because you enjoy it and because you want to be better and you want to grow for yourself. And that really just spoke to me. It was having somebody else believe in me when I couldn't believe in myself. I was so grateful for everything that everyone had done for me, for every teacher and every person that had Spent the time to teach me and help me grow. I just felt like I owed it to others, I owed it to the community to give that back. I guess I've always been one of those play it forward type. Recently I started this whole concept and I guess I want to call it a campaign called it's okay to be new. And that's the first thing that we really need to learn, is that no matter how long you've been in the industry, you need to be new. Technology changes so quickly, so if you're not new at something, you're stagnant and why bother? So if you're new to the industry, you're in the same place as everybody else. You're discovering something new and you need to understand that that's okay. That's where we all are. And I always tell people I never want to be a subject matter expert because that means that I've reached the point that I don't feel that I need to grow more. So it's okay. It's okay to be new and you belong and just keep learning. Do it because you're passionate about it. If I had one final piece of advice to everybody is just be unapologetically yourself. That's how you're going to stand out and that's how you're going to enjoy this journey. I've been blessed to work for a company that's just really open to my ideas. And what I'd like to do is get some more hands on experience. I'm delving into DFIR from there. They're going to let me really transition into the research team. I don't know what the end goal is because I think it's going to change every time I see something new that I want to chase. One of the biggest issues that I have, when we talk about diversity specifically for myself, I keep hearing that I am from a lower socioeconomic status, that that's a hindrance to who I am and how I'm going to progress. You know, the fact that we didn't grow up middle class or higher is going to impact my journey. And I don't think so. I think it's an advantage. You know, I grew up playing with sticks and pretending that they were dolls and always just having imagination. And I mean, we taught a grain of salt to think. That's how we got into the industry that we are, that we got computers. That's exactly what I grew up with. And we need to stop looking at diversity like it's something that hinders people we need to stop coddling the concept. We just need to give people a chance to grow. Don't talk to me about being or being Hispanic. Sit down and teach me something. That's how we're going to change this industry.

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