CISO Julie Chatman wants to help you take control of your security leadership role
CISO Julie Chatman wants to help you take control of your security leadership role
Publish Date: 2026-02-16 03:02:00
Source Domain: www.csoonline.com
My message to cyber professionals here is: Remember, you weren’t always a cybersecurity expert. You learned this over time. So, meet people where they are. Skip the jargon. Explain things in plain language. If people can’t understand you, they can’t help you defend the organization.
Tell me about your mentoring experience.
Chatman: I’ve mentored and coached a lot of people, both one-on-one and in groups.
For example, in 2021, I created a free five-part series called Cyber Career Differentiators, basically business acumen and soft skills for technologists. There are boot camps everywhere teaching people how to configure firewalls, but nobody’s teaching technologists how to make eye contact with businesspeople and have actual conversations. So, I built that curriculum and put it out there and 516 people took the class.
Beyond that, I do ongoing one-on-one mentoring, and I run a coaching firm now focused on developing cybersecurity leaders.
What are you most proud of in your career?
Chatman: Earlier I said that cyber professionals are shying away from the CISO role. It’s getting harder to convince people to sign up for this job. But here’s what I’m most proud of: People tell me I inspire them to join cybersecurity. The feedback I get is that I’m relatable, practical, and human.
I think people can see that I care about the human beings behind the technology. That’s why I’ve never run an ‘office of no.’ ‘No’ is the first word most babies learn, and it’s a favorite word in cybersecurity. But it doesn’t come naturally to me. That’s not to say I’m permissive — I ask hard questions, I dig into the details, I challenge assumptions. However, I always start by listening.
What I’m most proud of is being an example for people who feel intimidated by this field. I started in medical diagnostics. If I can become a CISO, then anyone with the right blend of curiosity and commitment can build a successful…
