Dawn Cappelli, OT CERT Director at Dragos, recently shared insights from her 25+ year career in the security industry. Despite wanting to be a rockstar when she was younger, she now refers to herself as the “fairy godmother of security,” and has had the opportunity to work on some amazing projects throughout her career.
One of her proudest accomplishments was working with the Secret Service during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cappelli noted that this experience was particularly rewarding because of the level of responsibility she was given. “You really are protecting the country and the world when you work on something like that,” she said.
This sentiment reflects Cappelli’s passion for protection. Although she retired at one point in her career, she knew that she couldn’t stay away from the industry she loved. Dragos offered her the position of Director of OT CERT, and she accepted, feeling like she was the “security fairy godmother.”
Her advice to those seeking to enter the industry is to take risks, just as she did when she started her career. “You’re never going to know until you try,” she said. Cappelli also emphasized the importance of being adaptable and keeping a watchful eye on industry trends and developments.
Cappelli’s dedication to the industry and passion for protection is an inspiration to those seeking to make a difference in the security world. With her guidance and leadership, Dragos is sure to continue to make strides in the area of cybersecurity.