Cybersecurity Is Personal: Protecting Leaders, Families, and the Digital Frontline with Hazel Cerra

What if the biggest cybersecurity risk isn’t your company - but your life?

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Hazel Cerra, a retired U.S. Secret Service agent who spent 25 years protecting world leaders before stepping into the world of digital security convergence at BlackCloak.

We explore how today’s threat landscape has evolved far beyond physical protection. Executives are now 12 times more likely to be targeted—not just because of what they do, but because of who they are and how visible they are online.

Hazel breaks down:

• The convergence of physical and digital threats—and why you can’t separate them anymore
• Sophisticated scams like spear phishing and “pig butchering” crypto fraud
• Why executives and their families are prime targets
• The psychological toll of cybercrime, from betrayal to loss of trust and relationships
• The growing risk of sextortion targeting young people

We also go deeper into leadership:

• Navigating high-pressure, male-dominated environments like the Secret Service
• Building confidence through worst-case scenario thinking
• The role of mentorship in advancing into leadership

This conversation is a wake-up call—and a reminder that cybersecurity is no longer just about systems. It’s about people.

If you’re a leader, a parent, or simply someone living in a connected world, this episode will change how you think about protection.

Connect with us:

Hazel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazelcerra-cybergal/

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/