The Human Firewall: People-First Cybersecurity

Episode 109 of the Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson podcast, hosted by Microsoft, titled "The Human Firewall: People-First Cybersecurity" was published on June 17, 2025 and runs 33 minutes.

June 17, 2025 ·33m · Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson

Summary

Dr. Aleise McGowan, Chief Information Security Officer of BlackGirlsHack and a 20-year cybersecurity veteran, joins Ann on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. Aleise shares how a career-defining hack early on shifted her trajectory from developer to defender, and why she believes the future of security lies in resilience, diversity, and human-centered leadership. She talks about what separates good and great leaders during the first hours of an incident response and why delayed action equals exponential damage. She also spotlights her work with BlackGirlsHack, a rapidly growing nonprofit that opens doors for underrepresented talent in cyber, and makes the case that building an inclusive security workforce isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.    Resources:   View Aleise McGowan on LinkedIn   View Ann Johnson on LinkedIn       Related Microsoft Podcasts:   Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast   The BlueHat Podcast    Uncovering Hidden Risks           Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts      Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.

Episode Description