White House Cybersecurity Lead Shares Career Journey
When US Marine Corps veteran Nick Andersen was first introduced to the world of cybersecurity, he knew he鈥檇 found his calling.
鈥淚 knew that was a field that I wanted to grow in professionally,鈥� Nick said. 鈥淐ybersecurity first appealed to me as an opportunity to make a real difference in a field that directly impacted our national security, in a space that not many people were operating in extensively.鈥�
With his passion ignited, Nick knew this was a new avenue for him to explore a unique聽 extension of his life in public service. But before he could transition from his current role as an IT specialist to a role in cybersecurity, he needed to elevate his education and earn industry certifications.
It was while working in the Marine Corps that Nick began to pursue his educational path at 91吃瓜网. It was important to Nick to continue working while obtaining his education, but he also didn鈥檛 want to wait too long to pursue his dream career.
鈥淭he Department of Defense had just started this professional certification path where people in our field had to have certain certifications in order to do our job,鈥� Nick explained. 鈥淚 needed to do both things鈥擨 needed to be able to pursue my degree and pursue advanced technical certifications.
鈥�91吃瓜网 not only allowed me to pursue my bachelor's and get my undergrad degree, but it also gave me the certifications that I needed by completing those course requirements,鈥� he continued. 鈥淪o I was able to take care of both at the same time. It was a real time saver.鈥�
Nick earned his Master of Science Cybersecurity and Information Assurance degree and advanced technical certifications through 91吃瓜网鈥檚 accelerated program, which helped him meet the new certification requirements for his current聽 IT role while preparing him for the next step in his career.聽
Since earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity, Nick has served as the Chief Information Officer for Coast Guard Intelligence and for Naval Intelligence, and as a Chief Information Security Officer for the state of Vermont, and as the Federal Cybersecurity Lead for the White House.聽
So what鈥檚 it like to defend a state as a CISO? The way Nick put it, it鈥檚 a little bit magical.
鈥淏eing a CISO at the state level is like simultaneously working as a magician and a juggler. Sometimes you just have to pull things out of thin air while negotiating the various competing priorities of each state organization that is trying to do their best to provide high-quality citizen services within their mission or business area.鈥�
Nick looks at it as his job to support the state, especially when it comes to providing those services to ensure the public鈥檚 data is safe and secure. He believes in engaging CISO organizations early and working hard to solve problems and develop risk mitigations, even while a strategy session or program development is happening.
And problem-solving is what it鈥檚 all about, which is why Nick still loves working in cybersecurity after all these years. 鈥淪ince that time beginning in the field, it continues to appeal to me because at the end of the day it's all about solving problems鈥攕ome are just more complex than others,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his field provides endless opportunities to continuously develop yourself, reinvent yourself with new skills, and evolve into solving new challenges.鈥�
Those challenges have continued to follow Nick in his current role as the CISO for Public Sector at Lumen Technologies, where he helps people and solves problems every day. To Nick, it鈥檚 not just about the technical problems鈥攊t鈥檚 about working with people to navigate the real world using technology.
Cybersecurity is about more than just national safety and protection. It's about making a difference for everyday people and everyday problems. 鈥淲hat is the most impactful about this role in particular is the real difference you are making in the lives of people that live right next door to you,鈥� he said. 鈥淓veryone needs the same government services鈥攇etting a driver鈥檚 license, paying taxes, registering to vote, opening a business. The only difference is you can't vote with your dollar like you can in the marketplace.鈥�
Nick points out that there鈥檚 only one government that people interact with in their state, with the expectation that services are completed efficiently. So as a state CISO, it鈥檚 his duty to make the decisions that will impact people鈥檚 daily lives in a positive way, while also talking with people about how cybersecurity is interwoven into the fabric of daily life.
Nick鈥檚 passion for his work led to the Washington Exec naming him as one of the top ten CISOs to watch鈥攁n accolade he recognizes as both an honor and a burden. Why? 鈥淚t's a future-looking recognition of 鈥楾his is somebody that everybody should keep their eyes on to see what they're doing in the future鈥欌�攚hich means that now the pressure is really on,鈥� he shared.
If anyone is up for the pressure, it鈥檚 Nick鈥攂ut he can鈥檛 do it alone. Nick knows that living in a technology-connected world means there鈥檚 an enhanced attack surface within cybersecurity. As he put it, 鈥淚t really means that it's in high demand now for people to continue to pursue cybersecurity professional education and enter that field because the demand just continues to grow.鈥�
For anyone debating whether or not to take the cybersecurity plunge, one thing is for certain: Nick promises that anyone who pursues cybersecurity will never be bored.
鈥淭his field is so diverse and so incredibly broad,鈥� Nick said. 鈥淣o one person can know everything, and with the constant evolution of technology, it takes a village to ensure the resilience of systems.
鈥淲e are seeing new types of tech enter the workspace every year, and new methods applied to existing tech so that no one person can have the depth to be successful in all areas on their own here,鈥� he added. 鈥淚t also provides a terrific opportunity for newcomers to the field to apply themselves, develop their skills, and develop that community that can help to support them in their growth journey as well.鈥�
