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

More from Root To CISO

1. 

   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...

2. 

   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...

3. 

   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...

4. 

   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,...

5. 

   6 Oct 2026 · 18 min

   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...

6. 

   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...

7. 

   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...

8. 

   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...

9. 

   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...

10. 

    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...

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