Voices of the Vigilant
Voices of the Vigilant is where bold conversations meet unflinching purpose. Hosted by Jess Vachon, cybersecurity leader, Buddhist minister, and founder of Vigilant Violet LLC, this podcast explores the front lines of digital resilience, ethical leadership, and equitable transformation in tech.
Through authentic dialogue with boundary-pushers, disruptors, and unsung heroes, each episode dives deep into the human side of cybersecurity—where strategy meets values, and innovation is grounded in integrity. From career pivots and cultural shifts to systemic inequities and visionary leadership, nothing is off the table.
This isn’t another tech podcast filled with jargon. Voices of the Vigilant is for those who lead with intention, speak truth to power, and are ready to reimagine what’s possible in an industry that’s overdue for change.
🔔 Subscribe, share, and step into a community where vigilance is both a practice and a path forward.
"Humanizing cybersecurity with candid tales from cyberspace and beyond!"
Episodes
15 episodes
Protecting What Matters: Disney, Diversity, and Doing the Work
What if the fastest way to break into cybersecurity isn’t another cert, but a soldering iron, a home lab, and the courage to say “I don’t know”? We sit down with Rob “Bowtie Security Guy” Whetstine—prop builder, mentor, and former Disney...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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57:01
Running Toward the Fire - Cybersecurity, Motherhood, and Marathons
Reinvention isn’t a neat pivot. It’s a grind, a choice you make on hard mornings, and a mindset you carry when no one’s clapping. We sit down with Saeger Fischer of Omada Technologies—former educator, mom of three, and 17‑time marathoner—who re...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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52:33
Muted to Unmuted: Finding Your Voice in Cybersecurity
If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out in tech, this conversation will feel like oxygen. Akira Brand joins us to share how a shy kid, bullied for being different, found sanctuary in two unlikely rooms—the choir room and the computer lab—and t...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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45:37
Fear into Fluency: Building Real Cyber Literacy
Panic is not a security strategy. We sit down with Craig Taylor, co-founder of Cyberhoot and longtime virtual CISO, to unpack a people-first blueprint that replaces shame and fear with positive reinforcement, practical safeguards, and repeatabl...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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42:27
Calm Under Fire: The Psychology of Thriving in Cybersecurity
Ever wonder why your brain feels sharp at 2 p.m. triaging alerts but foggy by 7 p.m. at home? We sit down with psychologist and behavioral scientist Dr. Sara Rabinovich to unpack the hidden cost of constant vigilance—and the small, evidence-bas...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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40:37
The Groundbreaker: Lessons from the Many Layers of Cyber
Careers aren’t linear, and the most resilient defenders are forged in the messy middle. We sit down with Andreae Pohlman—Air Force veteran, former Microsoft incident responder, and enterprise security advisor—to trace a path from identit...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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48:08
The Mentor’s Map: Empowering Pathways to Cyber
Chris Lemon's cybersecurity journey defies conventional paths. As Director of Security Engineering at Secure Yeti and an educator at City Colleges of Chicago, she's building bridges between education and employment while championing diversity i...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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40:46
The Grid Guardian: Strength through The Circle
What if protecting yourself online wasn't mysterious or intimidating, but as normal as locking your front door? Dd Budiharto, founder of CyberPoint Advisory LLC and self-proclaimed "cybersecurity equivalent of a Swiss army knife," is on a missi...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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47:23
The Risk Whisperer's Guide to Cyber Resilience
What happens when cybersecurity expertise meets fifth-generation quilting passion? In this thought-provoking conversation with Mea Clift, Principal Executive Advisor for Cyber Risk Engineering at Liberty Mutual, we uncover the fascinating inter...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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51:27
The Relentless Rise - Smashing Cybersecurity's Status Quo
Ever clicked that dreaded "Talk to Sales" button on a cybersecurity vendor's website and immediately regretted it? You're not alone. The traditional cybersecurity sales process is broken – endless calls, months-long POCs, legal paperwork, and f...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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40:13
Breaking Down the Gates
What happens when AI replaces the careers we've built our identities around? This question sits at the heart of my conversation with Naomi Buckwalter, Director of Product Security at Contrast Security and founder of Cybersecurity Gatebreakers F...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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44:50
Cyber Resiliency - Strategy Meets Security: How Authenticity Drives Strategic Partnerships
What happens when we bring our authentic selves to work? Rachel Arnold, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Secure Nation, reveals the power of human connection in building lasting client relationships in cybersecurity.Rachel describe...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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46:02
Leading CyberSecurity with Purpose
Sivan Tehila, CEO and founder of Onyxia Cyber, shares her journey from Israeli military CISO to innovative startup founder and cybersecurity educator, revealing how personal resilience shaped her multi-faceted career.• Started as a cybe...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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44:27
Hacking the Glass Ceiling: How Women Can Win in Cybersecurity with Stacey Champagne
The battle for representation in the cybersecurity field takes center stage in this podcast episode featuring Stacey Champagne, founder of Hacker Heels.Stacey Champagne is the Founder & CEO of Hacker in Heels, a pioneering organizati...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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50:54
Into the AppSec Den: Transforming Cybersecurity Through Leadership and Collaboration with Wolfpack Security's CEO Clea Ostendorf
Clea Ostendorf, the dynamic CEO and co-founder of Wolfpack Security, unveils her journey from startup highs and lows to the impactful changes in the cybersecurity field. You'll gain a firsthand account of how she's transforming the industry by ...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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44:33