Voices of the Vigilant podcast:

humanizing cybersecurity
with candid tales from cyberspace and beyond

About the Voices of the Vigilant podcast

Voices of the Vigilant is a cybersecurity podcast about the humans behind the work — their stories, their pivots, their hard-earned lessons. Each episode is a candid conversation with practitioners, leaders, and thinkers doing meaningful things in the field.

 New episodes drop monthly. Find the full catalog below or on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.

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Voices of the Vigilant reaches a targeted audience of cybersecurity professionals, career changers, and security leaders. If your product or service belongs in that conversation, let’s talk about a sponsorship.

Sponsorship Rate Sheet

Voices of the Vigilant episode catalog

Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP7 | Downloading Random AI Tools Is...A Career Choice
cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training, grc, compliance, risk management, Product & Engineering, Community & Culture Jess Vachon cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training, grc, compliance, risk management, Product & Engineering, Community & Culture Jess Vachon

Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP7 | Downloading Random AI Tools Is...A Career Choice

This episode features Amber Bennoui, a founding researcher at Jiffy Labs,

""Everyone wants to use AI. It's not just developers anymore downloading random things off the internet — it's the marketing team, HR, the executive assistant team. And as security folks, we have no visibility. I see this as a bigger blind spot than application security has ever been."

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Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP6 | GRC Has Layers!
cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training, grc, National Association of Black Compliance and Risk Professionals, compliance, risk management Jess Vachon cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training, grc, National Association of Black Compliance and Risk Professionals, compliance, risk management Jess Vachon

Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP6 | GRC Has Layers!

This episode features Monica Reagor, Manager of Information Security Compliance at Crestron Electronics.

"I don't make the money — but I protect your money."

That's Monica cutting through the noise on what GRC professionals actually do. In this episode, Monica brings her signature clarity to the real challenges facing compliance leaders today: articulating ROI to skeptical executives, navigating 200+ regulatory changes daily, and keeping pace with AI, quantum, and a global patchwork of evolving frameworks — all while being the last person invited to the room and the first held accountable when something breaks.

Her path here was anything but conventional — from IT implementation engineer to compliance by accident, from Louisiana to New Jersey, from legal outsider to the person her legal team calls first. Monica is also Chair of the Privacy and Data Security Work Group at NABCRMP and host of the My GRC POV podcast, proof that GRC is a community worth building.

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Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP5 | Podcasthon 2026 Special - Cyberjutsu’s Playbook For Belonging In Cybersecurity
cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training Jess Vachon cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training Jess Vachon

Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP5 | Podcasthon 2026 Special - Cyberjutsu’s Playbook For Belonging In Cybersecurity

This episode features Mari Galloway , CEO and founding board member of Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC), one of the fastest-growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit cybersecurity communities focused on advancing women and girls in cybersecurity.

"When you come into Cyberjutsu, the vibe is — let me find a place where I can squeeze in here, because I like this."

That's Mari, describing what makes this organization different. Not a conference where you disappear into the crowd. Not a nonprofit where you feel like a number. A community where hands-on learning, real mentorship, and genuine belonging are the whole point — and have been since 2012.

This June, that community converges at CyberjutsuCon 2026 in Washington, D.C. Technical workshops, keynotes, a CTF sponsored by Hack the Box, a career village, and yes — a sneaker ball. The theme: Beyond the Patterns. Because AI is here, quantum is coming, and the cybersecurity workforce needs to be ready.

Tickets start at $100. Sponsorships start at $2,500. The mission is priceless.

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Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP4 | Speaking Security: Leadership Language and Learning to Pivot
cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training Jess Vachon cybersecurity, information security, authenticity, leadership, human connection, artificial intelligence, education, mentoring, mental health, vigilance, cybersecurity training Jess Vachon

Voices of the Vigilant S2 EP4 | Speaking Security: Leadership Language and Learning to Pivot

This episode features Ash Mohanaprakas , a cybersecurity and privacy leader who helps modern organizations turn security, GRC, and compliance from cost centres into strategic business advantage.

“I see ISO 27001 as a relational database — all of these different artifacts link together and interact, giving the organization a contextual and accurate view of their risks and opportunities. People want to do the right thing. They just don't know what that looks like, or they need a little guidance to say, this is why you need to care about this."

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The human side of tech

As a gifted speaker and connector, Jess is super excited to share this project with you! Each episode features a candid conversation with folks in the infosec space on a specific topic and is designed to educate and inspire you to take action on your own terms.

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Apply to be a guest

Know someone, or are someone, with a story worth hearing? We’re always looking for practitioners, leaders, and unconventional voices from across the security landscape.