Podcast Summary: CyberWire Daily – “Kristin Strand: Be firm in your goals. [Consultant] [Career Notes]”

Date: October 19, 2025
Host: N2K Networks
Guest: Kristin Strand, Cybersecurity Associate Consultant at Barr Advisory
Episode Focus: Kristin Strand’s unconventional journey from aspiring teacher and Army service member to her current role in cybersecurity, with an emphasis on perseverance, goal-setting, and career fulfillment.

Episode Overview

This episode of CyberWire Daily spotlights Kristin Strand, who shares her candid career journey from childhood dreams of teaching, through her military service, to her current role as a cybersecurity associate consultant. With honesty and humor, Kristin reveals the pivotal moments, challenges, and decision points that shaped and redirected her professional life. Her story is a testament to the value of knowing your goals, standing firm in your convictions, and embracing unexpected opportunities—key themes for listeners interested in nontraditional pathways into cybersecurity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Aspirations and Military Pathway

• Kristin dreamed of being a teacher, inspired by childhood experiences and early involvement in basketball.
• Quote:

  “As I was growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher. I can remember from about second grade…” – Kristin Strand [00:48]

• A high school basketball coach, also a recruiter, encouraged her to join the Army, providing a path to college tuition support.
• She approached the challenge of basic training and military life by seeking role models and drawing inspiration from their success.

2. Shifting from Teaching to Technology

• Initially aimed to teach physical education but found it unengaging, so she pivoted to teaching math for six years.
• Highlights the satisfaction of problem-solving and the rewarding nature of teaching, but acknowledges financial limitations:

  “Teaching is rewarding but not very lucrative and I have a family so I wanted to make more money.” [01:54]

3. Strategic Career Change and Job Security

• Weighed job security and fulfillment while considering a career transition—teaching always seemed stable, but she sought a future-proof field:

  “Where is the world going? … Of course, I thought computers, IT, and so that's how I decided to get into IT.” [02:19]

• Trusted her general tech-savviness and problem-solving skills as a foundation for furthering her career.

4. Military Experience and Initial IT Exposure

• Served as a flight operations specialist, interfacing with helicopter pilots and managing flight records.
• Changed her Army specialty to “25 Bravo,” a signal corps position—primarily working with antennas, which was less transferable to civilian IT roles than she’d hoped.

5. Civilian Transition and Formal IT Training

• Sought training for civilian IT careers by leveraging Department of Labor resources and the Apprenti program.
• Notable Segment:
  The Apprenti program paid her while she underwent a 12-week, 9-to-5 intensive IT and certification training course.

  “I was able to attend this 12-week program that paid me while I went. ... They pay for my certifications and train me.” [04:35]

6. Finding Fulfillment in Cybersecurity

• Now thriving as a cybersecurity associate consultant, she relishes the autonomy of self-managing multiple client engagements, coordinating with colleagues, and meeting deadlines.
• Praises the supportive culture at Barr Advisory, attributing job satisfaction to the company’s values:

  “It's honestly, it's better than what I thought that it could be and that's just because of the company that I work for.” [05:00] “I really believe that the culture there at Barr…they really care about the employee and I see myself being here for a while and I love what I'm doing now.” [05:15]

7. Advice: Setting and Sticking to Goals

• Kristin emphasizes the importance of clarity and confidence in career decisions, even in the face of pressure to compromise.
• Defining Quote:

  “Be firm in those goals and expressing them.” [05:30]

• When offered help desk positions twice, Kristin firmly declined, knowing that cybersecurity was her true goal, and waited for the right fit.

  “They called me twice to offer me help desk and I declined it twice. Standing firm on knowing what I wanted and cybersecurity came along and it's really been the best decision that I made…” [06:13]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Army and Womanhood:
  “If they can do it, I can do it. And that got me through basic training…” – Kristin Strand [01:14]
• On Teacher’s Pay Realities:
  “Teaching is rewarding but not very lucrative and I have a family so I wanted to make more money.” [01:54]
• On Career Fulfillment:
  “I am so happy that I made these moves...it's better than what I thought that it could be…” [05:00]
• Words of Wisdom:
  “Just to make sure you know what you want…have your goals set out and to stick to it. Be firm in those goals and expressing them.” [05:30]

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:48 | Kristin introduces herself and early career | | 01:50 | Decision to leave teaching | | 02:19 | Considering IT and job security | | 03:05 | Military signal role and civilian limitations| | 04:12 | Apprenti program & IT bootcamp | | 05:00 | Current role and job satisfaction | | 05:30 | Advice: be firm in your goals | | 06:13 | Turning down help desk for cybersecurity |

Conclusion

Kristin Strand’s journey underlines the value of perseverance and unwavering clarity about your career aspirations. Her story provides both inspiration and practical advice for those seeking to break into cybersecurity—or any new field. The episode is a testament to the rewards waiting for those who know what they want and refuse to settle for less.