Career Path of a Head of Cybersecurity and Engineering at a Commercial Insurance Company
Malia's career path is a fascinating journey, beginning with an undergraduate degree in International Relations and a pivot to the Navy after the recession, where a side hustle repairing laptops led to a cybersecurity career. This led to roles at prominent companies such as Hulu and Disney, and ultimately, Malia's current position as Head of Cybersecurity for a cybersecurity insurance startup, building "all of our Security Programs from the ground up".
Cybersecurity, Military Experience, Career Pivoting, Technology Skills, Leadership Roles
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Malia Mason
Head of Cybersecurity & Engineering
Commercial Insurance Company
University of Pittsburgh class of 2011
EMBA UCLA class of 2023
International Relations & Affairs
Insurance
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Disabled, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Veteran, LGBTQ, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Malia's career path highlights a non-linear progression, starting with an unexpected shift from law to international relations and then to cybersecurity within the military. This demonstrates that career paths are not always straightforward and that transferable skills from different fields can be valuable.
2. Her experience in the Navy showcases how passion and aptitude (Malia's tech skills), initially developed as a side hustle, can lead to new and exciting career opportunities. This highlights the importance of identifying and developing personal strengths.
3. Malia's career progression from the military to roles at various companies (Hulu, Disney, defense contractors, and now a cybersecurity insurance startup) illustrates the versatility of cybersecurity skills and the variety of industries that employ cybersecurity professionals. This showcases diverse career options within this field.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I actually have a really interesting career path. In undergrad, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer.
I took a constitutional law class and decided law was not for me. So, I ended up getting my degree in international relations and global justice. I focused my efforts on modern Chinese and Russian politics and languages, which was really interesting at the time.
Then the recession hit, and I couldn't really do very much with that. I decided it would be a great time to join the military and serve my country. I joined the Navy thinking I was going to be a language person, a translator.
The Navy realized I was really good at tech. I had been playing with electronics and tearing apart computers and building them. I had a side hustle in college where I was fixing laptops for my fellow students. They introduced me to the concept of cybersecurity in the military and safeguarding our nation's secrets.
I also tied in the geopolitical lessons I learned in undergrad into the Navy. As it turns out, I'm really good at technology and computers, as I had thought.
When I left the Navy, I said, "This cybersecurity thing was really fun and interesting. How do I do that in the civilian world?" I was able to continue doing that and have worked for many companies since leaving the Navy.
I was one of the leaders in cybersecurity at Hulu and Disney. I've built programs for casinos, defense contractors, data collectors, fintech, and basically the whole gambit. Today, I am head of cybersecurity for a startup focused on cybersecurity insurance. I'm building all of our security programs from the ground up. That's kind of how I've weaved my way to my role today.