GovCom Talent Talks with Kelly Shaw

In this episode of the GovCom Talent Talks podcast, host Scott Robinson sits down with Kelly Shaw, who recently transitioned out of her role as the IT/OT Network Monitoring & Detection System Technical Operations Lead at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Kelly shares her personal experience navigating the shift from a government position to a try to find a private industry role, revealing the challenges, strategies, and resources that have been key to her career search.

They dive into the nuts and bolts of the transition process, discussing how Kelly leveraged her government experience to stand out in the private sector job market, and the job search strategies that have worked for her. Kelly also offers valuable advice on networking during this time of change, particularly for those who may not have many connections in the private sector.

Tune in for a candid and insightful discussion on how to successfully make the leap from government to private sector, and the strategies to thrive during such a pivotal career transition.

Kelly Shaw has been in cybersecurity since the mid-1990s when she started her own Internet Service Provider (ISP) business. In 2002, after selling her first ISP, she launched a second one. During this time, she witnessed the rise of the earliest Internet "hackers" who exploited software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to networks.

In 2010, Kelly returned to serve the United States as a civilian with the U.S. Navy Naval Sea Systems Command, where she worked as an Information Assurance Officer. She later transitioned into the Cyber Intelligence field, taking on a new role as a Senior Intelligence Analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence. Her focus was researching cyber threats to Nuclear, Command, Control, and Communications (NC3), specifically tracking evidence of foreign nations attempting to target U.S. nuclear submarines.

In 2022, Kelly joined the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as the Deputy Chief for Threat Intelligence. In 2024, she took on a new leadership role, heading the team that develops the CyberSentry network monitoring tool, which CISA installs at partner critical infrastructure providers across the United States.