Podcast · Tech & Science

Root To CISO

by Kris Rides · English · Tech & Science

Do you aspire to become a Chief Information Security Officer? The Root to CISO podcast provides firsthand career stories from experienced CISOs on their journey to success in the cybersecurity industry. Offering valuable guidance for aspiring professionals in the field through personal…

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 23 min
Latest: 6 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026 · 18 minNew

Cybersecurity Comes With Pressure. Here's How You Handle It | Root To CISO Podcast

Cybersecurity comes with pressure. So how do you manage it without letting it take over? In this Root To CISO Bite Size episode, we bring together perspectives from experienced cybersecurity leaders on managing stress, knowing when to switch off, and finding ways to stay grounded through demanding periods in your career. You’ll hear conversations about: 🔹 Why lean security teams can create additional pressure, and why cyber professionals sometimes make it harder on themselves by always trying...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

29 Sep 2026 · 39 min

Leadership Is More Than a Title. This is What Actually Matters | Root To CISO Podcast

Getting the leadership title is one thing. Knowing how to lead when the decisions get harder is another. In Part 2 of our conversation with Yonesy Nunez, Kris Rides digs into what leadership actually looks like once you are responsible for people, risk, business decisions and the problems you inherit. Strong leadership is not about being the person who always says yes, it is not about being the person who always says no either. It is about understanding the problem, knowing the risk, and bein...
22 Sep 2026 · 37 min

How The Experience You Dismiss Could Shape Your Career | Root To CISO Podcast

What if the job you think is “just a job” is actually the experience that changes your entire career? In this episode of the Root To CISO Podcast, Kris Rides sits down with Yonesy Nunez, to unpack the unconventional career path that took him from folding mail and teaching himself a programming language over one weekend to becoming a cybersecurity executive. Yonesy Nunez didn’t start out planning to become a CISO. He started in accounting, discovered computing, worked multiple jobs while at un...
15 Sep 2026 · 11 min

If I Could Start My Career Again, I’d Do These Things Differently | Root To CISO Podcast

What career advice only makes sense once you’ve lived through it? In Part 2 of our “advice to your younger self” series, experienced cybersecurity leaders shares these career lessons they wish they had understood earlier, so you can make more informed decisions. From building relationships with people who can advocate for you, to getting comfortable around senior executives, knowing when loyalty is keeping you in the wrong place, and staying open to opportunities you never thought you w...
8 Sep 2026 · 33 min

As AI Changes Cybersecurity, What Will Set You Apart? | Root To CISO Podcast

How is AI changing cybersecurity, and what does that mean for the modern CISO? In Part 2 of this Root to CISO conversation, Kris Rides and AJ Debole look at how artificial intelligence is changing the pressure, priorities and expectations facing cybersecurity leaders. AJ argues that while much of AI security still comes back to first principles, access control, segmentation, patching and strong security fundamentals, the scale and speed of the challenge are changing dramatically. The conversa...
1 Sep 2026 · 32 min

Breaking Into Cybersecurity By Starting With What You Already Know | Root To CISO Podcast

What happens when the experience you already have starts to make sense in a completely different career? In this episode of Root to CISO, Kris Rides sits down with AJ Debole, Field CISO at Oracle Cloud, to talk through a career journey shaped by curiosity, unexpected decisions, persistence and experience gained far beyond cybersecurity. AJ started out studying political science before going to law school, joining the Army Reserve and later working in telecom, procurement and logistics. Cybers...
25 Aug 2026 · 12 min

Career Advice These CISOs Wish They Had Earlier In Their Careers | Root To CISO Podcast

What do experienced CISOs wish they had known at the beginning of their cybersecurity careers? In this bite-sized episode, Kris Rides looks back at conversations with cybersecurity leaders over the years and brings together one question we ask every guest: What advice would you give your younger self? and their answers reveal lessons that often take years of experience, career changes, mistakes and leadership to fully understand. From learning to take more risks and ask harder questions...
18 Aug 2026 · 40 min

Building A Cybersecurity Career That Adapts To Change | Root To CISO Podcast

How do you build a cybersecurity career that can adapt when the industry around you keeps changing? In this episode of Root to CISO, Kris Rides continues his conversation with John Masserini, cybersecurity consultant and experienced security leader, to explore what decades of change in cybersecurity can teach us about building a career that lasts. Throughout his career, John has had to adapt to different industries, technologies, regulations and responsibilities. From the early days of cybers...
11 Aug 2026 · 32 min

You Have The Cybersecurity Certification But What Can You Do With It? | Root To CISO Podcast

What does it actually take to build a successful career in cybersecurity? In this episode of Root to CISO, Kris Rides sits down with John Masserini, cybersecurity consultant and experienced security leader, to unpack the real-world skills, experiences, and career decisions that shaped his journey into cybersecurity. He talks about how his career did not begin with a cybersecurity degree or a perfectly defined career path and how he worked in programming and banking, worked across application ...
4 Aug 2026 · 10 min

The Number #1 Skill Every Successful CISO Has Than No One Teaches You | Root To CISO Podcast

Cybersecurity professionals are taught to focus on tools, threats, and technical expertise. While it's important to have technical skill, the reality is that for you to advance you need this In this week's episode we recap a cybersecurity skill that has come up almost in all our chats with successful CISO and one thing is clear. The most successful security leaders aren’t just technical experts, they understand the business inside and out and know how to align their work to business objective...
28 Jul 2026 · 33 min

How To Identify What Is For You And Move On From One That Isn’t | Root To CISO Podcast

In today’s part 2 episode of our chat with Zachary Lewis, CIO & CISO at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, we go deeper into the side of cybersecurity careers most people avoid talking about: what happens when the role you took turns out to be the wrong one. From walking into an understaffed team that couldn’t hire, to navigating internal politics, leadership misalignment, and roles that look good on paper but fall apart in practice, this conversation breaks down...
21 Jul 2026 · 33 min

Stop Waiting For Opportunities And Start Taking Initiative | Root To CISO Podcast

Most people are waiting for the "right opportunity” but most times, you have to create the opportunity yourself. In this week's episode of the Root to CISO podcast, Zachary Lewis breaks down how taking initiative early completely changed the trajectory of his career. From fixing computers in high school to stepping into leadership roles across IT and cybersecurity, he had never been one to just wait for the opportunities he wanted. He approached companies directly, started a side business bef...
14 Jul 2026 · 16 min

Why Taking a “Step Back” Might Be A Smart Cybersecurity Career Move | Root To CISO Podcast

In today's episode, we take a look into the stories of senior cybersecurity leaders we've had the privilege of talking. We unpack a reality most people don’t talk about: the best career moves often look like steps backward. From turning down higher-paying roles and CISO titles… to choosing opportunities that offer more learning, impact, and long-term growth, this conversation breaks down what it really means to think long-term in cybersecurity. They get into: 📌 Why “backward” or sideways move...
7 Jul 2026 · 36 min

You Don’t Need Another Cybersecurity Certification…Do This Instead | Root To CISO Podcast

Certifications feel like progress… but this episode shows why they’re often not what actually moves your career forward. In part 2 of our conversation with Adam Robertson, VP of Enterprise Technology & Information Security at Virgin Galactic, he unpacks what really creates momentum in a cybersecurity career and why relying on certifications alone can leave people feeling stuck. As he reflects on his own journey, from early roles through to leadership, it becomes obvious that the big...
30 Jun 2026 · 33 min

The Cybersecurity Advice That Seems Obvious But Most People Ignore | Root To CISO Podcast

If you want to grow fast in cybersecurity, put yourself in situations where you’re forced to learn. In this episode of Root to CISO, Kris sits down with Adam Robertson, VP of Enterprise Technology & Information Security at Virgin Galactic, to break down what his cybersecurity career journey looks like. He had no perfect roadmap, no textbook progression, just real decisions, real risks, and real growth. From starting out as an apprentice and getting made redundant during the dot-com ...
23 Jun 2026 · 14 min

Unconventional Journeys to Cybersecurity Leadership | Root To CISO Podcast

Want to become a CISO? Sometimes things don't go as planned and it's oka In this bite-sized episode of Root to CISO Byte Size, we recap the career journeys of some cybersecurity leaders. They share their real career journeys, from finance, helpdesk, government, and consulting into senior security leadership roles. You’ll learn why there’s no single path into cybersecurity leadership, and what actually matters if you want to stand out and progress. The episode covers: * How these CISOs act...
16 Jun 2026 · 36 min

The Leadership Lessons No One Teaches You in Cybersecurity | Root To CISO Podcast

What does it really take to become a great leader in cybersecurity? In this episode of the Root to CISO Podcast, Kris Rides sits down for part 2 with Jenai Marinkovic to break down more of her career and the real traits, habits, and mindset that separate average professionals from exceptional leaders in cybersecurity. From building side projects and leading without authority to thinking differently and creating your own opportunities, this episode is packed with practical advice for anyone lo...
9 Jun 2026 · 32 min

This Career Mistake Slows Many Cybersecurity Professionals Down | Root To CISO Podcast

What does it really take to become a CISO? In this episode of the Root to CISO Podcast (Season 3), we sit down with Jenai Marinkovic, a cybersecurity leader with over 25 years of experience, vCISO at our company, Tiro Security & CEO, GRCIE. Jenai, breaks down the reality behind building a career in cybersecurity leadership. She shares how she entered cybersecurity in the early days of the internet and worked her way through nearly every role in the industry, from engineering and architect...
2 Jun 2026 · 19 min

How To Become A CISO & What Top CISOs Actually Look For | Root To CISO Podcast

In this episode, we speak to leading Chief Information Security Officers and we ask them to break down the real skills, mindset, and strategies behind successful cybersecurity careers from their personal experience. If you're aiming for a CISO role or growing in cybersecurity, this episode covers: The top skills every CISO needs (beyond technical knowledge) Why communication, curiosity, and likability matter more than you think How to build trust and influence stak...
26 May 2026 · 8 min

How To Advance And Get Promoted In Cybersecurity | Root To CISO Podcast

Relying solely on technical skills and certifications is no longer enough to scale your career. In this episode of Root to CISO, top security executives break down the mindset, attitude, and connections needed to advance into cybersecurity leadership. Melina Scotto shares her personal journey, explaining why saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities is a major career catalyst. She narrates how a close professional connection opened the door to a major job opportunity—proving that relationships...
19 May 2026 · 7 min

Having Skills Is No Longer Enough, You Need To Be Visible | Root To CISO Podcast

In today’s competitive market, having top-tier technical skills and certifications is no longer enough to get you hired or promoted. If nobody knows who you are, your talent goes to waste. In this episode, top cybersecurity leaders and CISOs break down why technical expertise is just the baseline, and why mastering "visibility" through networking and authentic branding is the ultimate career accelerator. Learn how to stop hiding behind your screen, step out of your comfort zone, and bu...
12 May 2026 · 29 min

AI Won't Steal Your Job... But Those Who Use It Might | With Yonesy Nunez | Root To CISO Podcast

Are you worried that AI is going to take your job? This episode is a must listen. Recorded live from the ServiceNow conference, with Yonesy Nunez, CISO at Surf AI, this episode explores how AI is reshaping cybersecurity careers, and why professionals who adapt now will stay ahead. We break down the growing gap between those embracing AI and those falling behind, the impact on entry-level roles, and how cybersecurity professionals can lead business transformation. If you want to stay r...
5 May 2026 · 11 min

How to Actually Stand Out in a Competitive Cyber Job Market | Root To CISO Podcast

Breaking into a CISO role, or even landing the interview, requires more than just hitting “apply.” In this bite-sized highlight, Kristina Belnap, Don Baham, and Ben Harris share real-world insights on what actually works (and what doesn’t) in today’s competitive cybersecurity job market. From the power of referrals and building strong networks, to avoiding short tenure red flags and using AI strategically rather than blindly, this episode gives practical advice to help you stand out and posit...
28 Apr 2026 · 7 min

What Top Cyber Leaders Would Tell Their Younger Selves | Root To CISO Podcast

What would today’s cybersecurity leaders tell their younger selves? In this bite-sized highlight, Melina Scotto, Chris Carter, and Will Gregorian share powerful reflections on the lessons that shaped their careers—from practicing patience and avoiding rushed decisions, to saying yes to new opportunities and staying grounded through it all. Whether it’s embracing risk, building resilience, or focusing on long-term growth, this episode is packed with honest advice for anyone navigating their pa...
21 Apr 2026 · 46 min

Mythos, Glasswing and the CSA Whitepaper | Root To CISO Podcast
14 Apr 2026 · 11 min

Landing Your First Cybersecurity Role | Highlights from the Root To CISO Podcast

In this byte-sized episode of The Root To CISO Podcast, we bring together insights from Margarita Rivera, Greg Rogers, and John Yeoh on what it really takes to land your first cybersecurity role and build toward a future as a CISO. From leveraging transferable skills and gaining hands-on experience to understanding how to provide value from day one, this episode breaks down practical strategies for standing out in a competitive market. Whether you're transitioning careers or just starting out...
7 Apr 2026 · 11 min

The Professionals Who Win in the AI Era | Root To CISO Podcast

In this Root to CISO Byte Size episode recorded live at RSA, Yonesy Nunez joins the conversation to explore the growing impact of AI on cybersecurity careers. While many professionals feel uncertainty about AI’s role, Yonesy shares a powerful perspective: this is one of the greatest opportunities of our time to learn, adapt, and become more multidimensional. From accelerating innovation to removing repetitive work, AI has the potential to help professionals focus on what truly matters. The ke...
17 Mar 2026 · 23 min

Stand Out by Being Yourself in Cybersecurity | Root To CISO Podcast

In this episode of Root to CISO Byte Size, Dave Ruiz shares why authenticity is one of the most powerful and overlooked drivers of career growth in cybersecurity. Drawing on his background in military service and critical infrastructure, Davey explains how staying true to yourself, embracing your individuality, and sharing your passions can help you build stronger connections and stand out in a crowded, AI-driven world. From personal branding on LinkedIn to avoiding burnout through creative o...
3 Mar 2026 · 23 min

Building Your Career With Smart AI Use | Root To CISO Podcast

In this episode of Root to CISO Byte Size, Ben Harris shares why there has never been a better time to accelerate your learning and career using AI. From rapidly building deep knowledge in new domains to creating personal tools like job search CRMs and habit trackers, Ben explains how curiosity and intentional experimentation can create a meaningful edge. He also explores the growing opportunity around AI governance, why strategic networking beats “spray and pray” applications, and how using ...
24 Feb 2026 · 23 min

Closing the Skills Gap the Smart Way | Cybersecurity | Root To CISO Podcast

In this episode of Root to CISO Byte Size, Kayne McGladrey shares practical insights on how cybersecurity professionals can align technical skills with business priorities to strengthen their impact. From conducting meaningful skills gap analyses to communicating security in revenue-focused terms, Kayne explains how CISOs can protect budget, support growth, and position security as a strategic enabler. He also offers grounded advice for early-career professionals on building the right skills,...

About Root To CISO

Root To CISO is a English tech & science podcast from Kris Rides. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Kris Rides
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 23 min
Latest episode: 6 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1772962128
Website: roottociso.buzzsprout.com

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