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Monica Aahana Bernard Hacking for Defense Alum Computer Scientist at NAWCTSD, U.S. Navy Florida

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service? ANSWER. Yes, I do work for the U.S. government, but first I want to start off by giving a little background on how I ended up working for the U.S. Department of Defense. I grew up in India and lived there for most of my life. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to do something different with my career. The corporate private industry did not appeal to me, so I began to seek out and explore my options. I chose to pursue an undergraduate degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Shortly after graduation, I got married and moved to the United States in 2015. I had a desire for continued education, so I worked as a tutor in my in-laws’ tutoring business to help pay for my graduate degree in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida (UCF). During the last semester of my graduate degree, I was selected to be one of 18 students to take part in UCF’s first Hacking for Defense (H4D) course (sponsored by NSIN). As part of our coursework, we were assigned a project where we had to find a creative solution to an existing issue for the DoD. We interviewed several experts related to our project (military and civilian) to help guide us to the best solution. As we progressed through the semester and got to the final stages of our project, I gained a deeper appreciation for the men and women in uniform. So, when I was offered a job to work for the U.S. Navy near the end of my final semester, I jumped at the chance to be a part of something bigger than myself. Since August of 2021, I’ve been working at the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) as a computer scientist.

Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. We, as a society, have created certain stereotypes for different professions. Knowingly or unknowingly, there can be an inherent bias in who is expected to do what. One such idea is that engineering is not for women. A few years ago, my husband and I were waiting in line for a ride at Disney. We happened to overhear a young girl telling her father that she didn’t like physics and that she didn’t see the point of learning it because it wasn’t a career path she could pursue. When her dad inquired about why she felt that way, the girl mentioned that her teacher had made a statement saying that physics was mostly for guys that liked to tinker with things. At that point, I could no longer contain myself — I turned around and told her that her teacher was mistaken. I told her that I had studied electrical engineering, a subject closely related to physics, and that it’s not just for boys. Her dad was very appreciative of the fact that his daughter could hear it from a woman that was in the industry. I am not sure if that girl decided to pursue physics after that, but it makes me wonder how many other women are discouraged from entering STEM related fields because of similar statements made by people around them. There is a lot of evidence that this notion is slowly changing with time but there’s plenty of work to be done. In my experience so far, I’ve encountered very few women in the national security community, let alone engineering in the national security community. I currently work in a lab where my coworkers are predominantly male, except for one other female coworker. All my coworkers are extremely supportive of me and do not differentiate between either gender. I just hope that as we move forward, the powerful and challenging job positions in our

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community become more accessible to women, because we can do it just as well as men can. Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem? A. I want the next generation of women to know that they don’t need to settle for anything less than what they want in life. When I first moved to the United States, I started working as a tutor in order to pay for my graduate degree in computer science. It was a very comfortable job with very little stress, but I had my sights set on something more for myself. I had plenty of people ask why I even bothered pursuing another degree when I could just take over the family business. The pressure to stay in my tutoring position was quite high, but I eventually made the decision to leave. I am very content with the decision I made, despite how difficult it was to leave a comfortable situation. This is exactly what I want to show our future generation. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, you might be married, have kids, already have a job, or you might just have people telling you it’s a bad choice; never settle for anything less than what you want in life. There should be nothing stopping a woman from dreaming big and achieving big. Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work?

MONICA AAHANA BERNARD

A. Often, women must go the extra mile to prove their capabilities. I’ve heard some women talk about their difficulties of being compared to male coworkers, and my heart goes out to them. I want them to stay strong and to show everyone that they are just as capable. I am honestly blessed with a workplace environment where I do not see a difference in the way a person is treated with regard to their gender. I have very supportive coworkers. If anything, this has helped me do my job better and be more committed to doing what I do at work. Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace? A. I look up to Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the United States. Like me, she is a woman of color and came from a heavily male-dominated industry. While in office, she made an impact by establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and all around the world. Her book “Becoming” is a great way to showcase how she found her voice and made an impact. In her own words: “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.” This is one of my favorite quotes because I truly believe that statement.

About the National Security Innovation Network NSIN is changing the way the Department of Defense solves problems. NSIN is building a diverse network from academia, entrepreneurial innovators and the defense community to leverage our nation’s greatest asset — people. NSIN is headquartered in Arlington, Va. and has 11 regional offices in commercial innovation hubs throughout the U.S.

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Kelly DiCristina NSIN X-Force Fellow Alum SMART Scholar and PhD student, New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service? ANSWER. Growing up, I always felt tied to the military community. My father works for the Department of Defense which allowed me the opportunity to visit a military base and arsenal. Seeing our armed forces, and the government employees who help support them, working hard and sacrificing for our country led me to want to make a difference for our country and armed forces. After receiving the fellowship to work with NSIN, I got the opportunity to meet countless civilian and military employees with like-minded goals of improving the national security community, which ultimately solidified my decision to pursue a career in government service. Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. Completing an internship with NSIN and mentoring in a DoD STEM summer camp, I came across strong women who became valuable mentors in my life. They took me under their wing and then taught me how to fly. While working together, these women valued my voice and cultivated my potential. Witnessing the incredible impact that these women had in their respective fields grew my interest in working in the military community, leading me to apply and accept a SMART scholarship to pursue my PhD and work for the DoD upon graduation. Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem?

A. I would like to be an advocate and mentor for the next generation of women. As a biomedical engineering student, I was fortunate enough to learn from strong women who paved the way for me to achieve my goals. They taught me that the most important thing you can do is bet on yourself. As a current PhD student and future employee of the DoD, I hope to mentor and encourage women both within academia and the workforce to achieve their goals. When society tells them it is too hard, I will tell them that they will succeed. Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work? A. As an engineering student, from the time I got to college I saw the disparity in the ratio between men and women in the field. Yet, in this male-dominated culture, I met women who never stopped believing in me and pushed me to go farther than I could have dreamed. This encouraged me to work harder for the respect of my peers, but more importantly, for myself and the generations of women to come after me. Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace? A. Some podcasts and thought leaders that show what women are capable of accomplishing are “Girlboss Radio” with Sophia Amoruso and Neha Gandhi, and “She Did it Her Way” with Amanda Boleyn.

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Lauren Hansen-Armendariz UNUM Deputy Division Innovation Officer, 101st Airborne Division Tennessee

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service?

Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem?

ANSWER. I am an Active Duty Military Intelligence Officer in the Army and I currently serve as the Deputy Division Innovation Officer for the 101st Airborne Division. My passion for connecting people and ideas to creatively solve problems inspired me to explore the national security innovation community. The most inspiring aspect of the community is the opportunity to empower Soldiers to experiment and learn so they can discover what they need to win the future fight.

A. The legacy I would like to leave for all next generation professionals in the innovation ecosystem is one of collaboration and creative confidence. I would love for any successes that I’ve contributed to, to be recognized as results of bold experimentation, iterative failure and learning, and bringing together unlike ideas, people, and organizations under a common vision.

Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. I’d like to take the opportunity to flip this question. How am I different for the national security community as a woman? As a social minority in national security, I have different lived experiences from the majority of leaders in a room. This is an opportunity to strengthen decision-making through diversity of perspectives and ideas. I may see or consider things that others do not because of my different experiences. It is my responsibility to contribute my perspective, not in spite of the fact that it may be unpopular, but because it may be unpopular. Diversity of perspectives and thought is critical to ensure decisions are based on comprehensive evidence — not reinforced by group think.

Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work? A. I was a Cadet when the decision was made to allow women into combat arms positions. Knowing I had a choice and knowing that Army-level leadership recognized that women could perform the same duties gave me a better sense of confidence and professional autonomy. Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace? A. I highly recommend the book “Rebel Ideas” by Matthew Syed to explore the value of diversity of thought. If you understand how to empower and leverage diverse thinking, you’ll understand much more about how to empower women in national security and why it matters.

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Gabrielle Hempel NSIN Tech Squad Alum RSA Security, System Engineer Connecticut

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service?

and national security space that I absolutely admired and looked up to, and I want to pass that on and be that person for someone else.

ANSWER. I had an interest in cybersecurity, but I was especially interested in how it applies to our nation’s security and our relationships with other countries, since the political landscape seems to be driving so much of the information security conversation. I am not in the military or government service, but I do work with organizations like the Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary and the NSIN!

Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work?

Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. The national security community has historically been populated in majority by men, and in both the defense and technology sectors we see that is still the case. Being a woman in the industry has been equal parts discouraging and exciting. It can be discouraging to have your intellect dismissed or to feel you have to “prove your worth” more than male counterparts, but once you break those barriers and you can look back on your work proudly, it is so exciting. Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem? A. I want to clear a path for women who want to succeed in national security and technology! In growing my career, I had so many strong females in the defense

A. The first instance I remember was in college! I worked as a service advisor and auto mechanic while I was in undergrad, and I remember a customer blatantly telling my male counterpart that he didn’t want me doing the repairs on his vehicle because he didn’t trust a woman to do them correctly. I remember being speechless—it made no sense in my mind that my gender would have anything to do with the work I was doing in that space! It definitely affected me, though—after that, I was often hesitant to tell a customer I was working on their car or to be seen by them performing repairs because I didn’t want to be belittled for being a female mechanic again. Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace? A. I loved “My Own Words” by Ruth Bader Ginsburg and “Grit” by Angela Duckworth. I don’t listen to as many podcasts as I should, but I recommend Encyclopedia Womannica for a daily dose of inspiration! Whenever I am feeling discouraged or need a boost, I will watch or read “Hidden Figures” again—one of my favorites of all time.

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Kirthi Kumar Intern for Kaitie Penry, UC Berkeley NSIN University Program Director Sophomore, University of California, Berkeley majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Business Administration Virginia

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service? ANSWER. I have been highly involved in the technology sector for a while, but I recently became connected with the national security community after working on the first set of technology-oriented non-partisan transition memos for the 2020-21 Presidential Transition. I supported work on memos regarding a few agencies including DoD, DHS, Treasury, Education, and OSTP. After that work, I joined NSIN as a strategy intern for Kaitie Penry, the UC Berkeley University Program Director, where I help connect students to opportunities in national security. I’m currently a second year undergraduate studying EECS (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) and Business Administration, minoring in public policy. My goal is to use my unique perspectives and knowledge of technology, entrepreneurship, and policy to make an impact on the intersection of national security and tech policy. Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. Women are underrepresented in all three of the areas I am studying: technology, entrepreneurship, and national security policy. Being a student in all three areas, I’ve experienced first-hand the impacts of the lack of women in leadership in these areas. I’m highly involved in the Society of Women Engineers,

and in the engineering world, we often talk about the importance of mentorship. I am thankful to have found a mentor in the national security space like Kaitie who is highly supportive of my ideas for expanding NSIN’s reach on campus, and am also grateful to my mentors in entrepreneurship and technology, as well. As I rise to leadership positions in the intersection of these fields, I hope to uplift and mentor other women around me. Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work? A. Rather than answering this question as it is, I would want to flip the question around and ask, “What additional difference can gender parity make in national security, technology, and entrepreneurship?” This semester I am piloting a course that I designed at UC Berkeley called “Innovations in National Security and Tech Policy” in which a significant part of the course is focused on group project work. This includes six exciting technology and policy problem sets from sponsors. Most of the groups are gender-balanced, and there have been so many creative outputs from these students, including work ranging from social media policy to cryptocurrency to autonomous robotics innovations. Although technology, entrepreneurship, and national security may currently have lower percentages of women, through mentorship and inclusivity we can bridge the gap and have heightened innovation in these fields.

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Emma K. Shumway NSIN Hirethon and X-Force Fellow Alum Operations Research Analyst – Air Force Inspection Agency New Mexico

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service? ANSWER. When I started to explore what I wanted to do for a career late in high school, I found a real passion for history and thought about how I could apply that to be most effective today. I decided that meant being a part of history, integrating myself into the decision making structures that define what the next generations will look back as moments in history. I have a strong military history in my family, but it’s always been the men in my family. I wanted to kind of set an example by stepping into this space and make both my family and my country proud in a way that was unique to me and my passions.

it means to be a woman, and instead be able to live out, as a demonstration, what it means to be a woman. Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem? A. I want to make sure that people know that it’s okay and normal for women to be sitting at the table. I think a lot of people have views towards women that are not necessarily malicious, but that are just outdated. It’s a product of our history and of our society. I want to be an example of a new model: a hard-worker, a deep-thinker, and a valuable asset to the national security community.

Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you?

Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work?

A. I think traditionally the defense field is very tied in with masculinity. It’s kind of tied in with these ideas of the man having to be the strong one, the one who defends lady liberty. But if we choose to look in the right places, we see a very distinct model of strong femininity throughout American history. Even in the traditional dichotomy of men and women, women were expected to stay at home and take care of (some might even say protect) the affairs of the home. I’d like to interpret that through a lense of strong femininity: women in the defense field are dedicated to the ultimate task of defending our homes, or rather, our homeland. In a lot of other places in life, I’ve seen structural expectations for women to be weak and reliant, but in the national security field, there is a very strong expectation for everyone to be brave, innovative, and problem solvers. There really is no room for the concept of feminine weakness in the national security community. I really enjoy the opportunity to get away from being told what

A. I have only been in the professional field for a little over a year, but one thing I have noticed is the very small population size of women in national security. It is a very unique feeling to be sitting at a table of generals and other experienced military folks and have the distinct realization that you are the only woman at the table. I feel like I have an amazing opportunity to show the passion and capabilities of a largely underrepresented group in this community. Being the only woman at the table drives me even harder to prove myself in a positive way. Sitting at those tables and in those meetings, I know that I am, in a sense, a character representative for women all across the country. It makes me want to work harder, not because I feel like I have to to prove myself, but because I know that I have the opportunity to do something that my grandmother and all generations preceding her could not do.

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Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace? A. I really enjoyed reading Meg Jay’s “The Defining Decade” about being a 20-something trying to craft

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out a niche for yourself in the workplace and in life. For podcasts, I just try to keep up with the news to make sure I stay relevant at my job, usually I listen to NPR’s podcasts about world affairs. It’s really important in this community to understand what’s going on in the world, in both big ways and small ways.

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Perla Latorre-Suarez X-Force Fellow Graduate Research Assistant, University of Central Florida Florida

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service?

Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem?

ANSWER. My father served in the military for 20 years. When I was five years old, my father was deployed to Iraq for a year and a half. As a child, I did not understand a lot about his job and why he needed to leave our country. Growing up, my father and my mother provided answers to my questions. Later I learned that my father was a combat engineer and that his duty was to protect other people. He taught me a lot about technology and engineering basics. My father inspired me to become a mechanical engineer, where I would gain knowledge to develop technology that would protect our troops and our country. Before going into college, my father and I had a conversation about being a woman in a male-dominated work field. My answer was, “As long as I enjoy and love my job, it does not matter if it is male or female-dominated.”

A. I am only 23 years old, my career as an engineer is beginning. I grew up in Orocovis, Puerto Rico, where not many STEM academic opportunities are offered to students. I grew up knowing just the basis of science and innovation. I moved to Florida when I was 16 years old; I had to learn a new language and overcome some challenges to be able to succeed academically. For me, not only being a woman in the field has been a challenge, but also English is my second language. I would like to inspire and motivate the next generation of women in the innovation ecosystem to work on achieving their goals and overcoming social challenges. Sometimes it can be intimidating being one of the few girls in a classroom. However, many times the classmates and professors are supportive. I used to be shy and would limit myself to pursue opportunities and participate in activities. After I started doing research at the University of Central Florida, I met my faculty advisor. She inspired me to continue pursuing higher education in the engineering field and seeking opportunities that would make me a stronger engineer. She also reminded me that I have a strong voice and that mistakes are important, no matter your gender or your ethnicity.

Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. As a woman, the national security community has not been any different for me so far. During my X-Force fellowship, I felt included and heard in every discussion. I felt that I had a strong voice and that my opinions and ideas were valuable for the project. I think it was one of the healthiest environments that I have worked in. When I applied to be an X-Force fellow, I thought that being a Hispanic woman would be a challenge for me to succeed; however, it was not. I worked with an amazing team and a great mentor that supported me through the fellowship program.

Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work? A. Too many to count, unfortunately. I haven’t had a job where this difference wasn’t an issue since I started working at age 16. What I choose to

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take away from my most challenging professional moments is that I wasn’t always alone. When I had allies, both women and men, it was easier to lessen the mental impact and keep moving forward. Conversely, when colleagues and especially leadership refused to recognize even the existence of an issue, it was much harder to overcome. Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace?

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A. I have not taken the time to read books or listen to podcasts, but I listen to people’s advice. I have attended different conferences where the speakers talk about diversity and the challenges that women need to go through to be able to succeed. Some women decide to pursue higher education, so their voice is heard. Some other women decide to overcome challenges in the work field. Taking into account the advice that other women share with me is important. They are taking the time to make sure that I succeed by learning from their experiences in the work field.

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Lorie Vega NSIN Bootcamp Alum Deputy, 28th Mission Support Group, Ellsworth AFB South Dakota

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service?

tries to put a stereotype on you, talk it out. Never assume someone else’s motives or intent — communicate always.

ANSWER. I have been an Air Force employee since I completed my undergraduate degree. I have been in a leadership role since I completed my internship during my first two years of service. I was inspired to explore the national security community because I believe it is an excellent way to solve problems, build synergy and partnerships, and enrich the work lives of all involved.

Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work?

A. I have often been the only woman in the room throughout my 35 years of service and frequently the only civilian. I have never thought anyone would treat me differently and maybe by that sheer belief and my confidence, they never did, or at least not in a way that had an impact or lasted more than a brief moment. I am often not the most knowledgeable person on a given topic we are discussing. I’ve learned to embrace that and I have gained so much knowledge in a wide variety of fields.

A. Yes. I started in civil service over 30 years ago. When I went in to apply for my first job, I was told Air Force Officer’s wives don’t work, they support their spouse’s career. I didn’t let that stop me. One of my early bosses promoted me to be his deputy and an issue came up and I told him my thoughts on what we should do. He was a retired Chief and pretty crusty. He asked me if I thought he promoted me so I could give him my opinion on everything. I told him in fact I did, because I was sure he didn’t hire me to make coffee. He stared at me for a moment and said I was right. From that point on, we made a great team and we are friends to this day. When these things came up, which they rarely did, I was always able to deal with them in a very straightforward way. I think tackling those issues early in my career just strengthened my confidence and gave me courage to be assertive.

Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem?

Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace?

A. There are no limits to what you can do, other than those you put on yourself. Always keep an open mind, ask questions and be able to ask for help. There is strength in that. Be assertive but not aggressive. When someone

A. I’d recommend “The Likeability Trap”, “Leading Gracefully”, “Lead From the Outside”, and of course anything by Brene Brown. I would also encourage self exploration through a personality assessment — I am very fond of DiSC.

Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you?

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Kristen Vilcans NSIN Hacks Winner Fellow, MIT System Design and Management; COO, Ubicept Alabama

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service? ANSWER. I believe in providing our soldiers with the best capabilities possible, so that if they need to enter into conflict, they have the tools, capabilities, and solutions to complete their mission and return home. I also believe in the role of defense and deterrence to maintain security and freedom for our nation, and that inspires me to deliver the best capabilities possible to our soldiers. In terms of connection to the national security community, in my previous role at Draper I was a systems architect for strategic government systems. Also, my husband is a Marine and my father was an Air Force civilian for more than 30 years. Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by an inclusive, creative, and dedicated community where I was able to mature technically and professionally. I credit this directly to leadership present in the community, noting how it was that leadership that directly defined the environment. And this shapes how I lead today — noting that the tone and values I set will carry, ripple, and multiply throughout an organization. Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem? A. I want to create a legacy where individuals have the chance to rise and fall based on their contribution and

the value they add to an organization, with their gender neither helping nor hurting their ability to excel in the workplace. To do this within whichever organizations I have the chance to touch, I hope to create a lasting culture where each team member has the support, leadership, community, and environment to contribute each day and enjoy what they do. My goal is to create a culture of excellence, problem-solving, teaming, and integrity that resonates and ripples throughout the organization. I also hope to create an appetite for creating and adding value. I want to create problem-focused organizations that add direct value to users, growing my teams with the skills to creatively, technically, and responsibly solve problems with the user at the center. Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work? A. One particular challenge that stays with me is the effect that school and day-care closures during COVID-19 had on working parents, notably working mothers. I believe in creating an environment where each team member has the resources to succeed and contribute, and that is especially applicable for the parent who both wants to continue contributing and growing in their career, but also wants to be there for their child. This challenge doesn’t go away now that the closures from COVID-19 are leaving us; however, it brings attention to a problem that working mothers have struggled with for much longer. Although I am an advocate for in-person interaction and teaming whenever possible, I believe hybrid work structures can play a key role in moving the needle for working mothers.

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Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace? A. When I think about Women’s History Month, I think back to how our culture and women’s role in the

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workplace has evolved, especially over the past 200 years. I find the best way to reflect is by looking back at history and the norms of different ages, especially looking at the changes that occurred during WWII as a reminder of the transformation women’s role in the workplace underwent in only one generation.

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NAME: NSIN AFFILIATION: AFFILIATION: STATE:

Karlin Younger Defense Innovation Accelerator (Foundry) and Hacks Alum Co-Founder, FireFlyht Washington, DC

QUESTION. What inspired you to explore the national security community? Do you have a connection to the Military/Government Service? ANSWER. Service runs in my family for generations, as far back as the Civil War. I was a civil servant in the Federal government for five years working on public safety, and continue to pursue opportunities to serve my community and country. Q. As a woman, how is the national security community different for you? A. I think there’s a popular misconception that service only looks one way. Not only are there many ways to serve, but diversity — of both background and thought — strengthens the community. As a newcomer, nonveteran, and a woman, I often fight “imposter syndrome” and the feeling that I have nothing to contribute. But, I’ve had the privilege of encountering inclusive attitudes in the national security innovation ecosystem that have helped encourage me along the way. Q. What legacy do you want to leave for the next generation of women professionals in the innovation ecosystem? A. That you belong here just as much as everyone else. As an entrepreneur, set-backs and obstacles are a part of daily life, and moments of validation are few and far between. Strong, positive examples of success are

powerful motivators, and it’s my hope to contribute to that growing legacy. Q. Do you remember a moment when you saw a difference for women in the professional world? What do you remember? How did it impact your work? A. Too many to count, unfortunately. I haven’t had a job where this difference wasn’t an issue since I started working at age 16. What I choose to take away from my most challenging professional moments is that I wasn’t always alone. When I had allies, both women and men, it was easier to lessen the mental impact and keep moving forward. Conversely, when colleagues and especially leadership refused to recognize even the existence of an issue, it was much harder to overcome. Q. What books, podcasts, or thought leaders do you recommend when it comes to Women’s History Month and understanding the issues facing women in the workplace? A. This might be cheating, but I loved the long-read article, “How Four Women Destroyed 1,200 Tons of Poison Gas — and Diffused a Crisis,” that recently came out in Rolling Stone magazine. It not only encapsulates some of the workplace issues I can relate to, but it’s a great example of the strength of intellectual and gender diversity to solve big problems in the national security space.

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