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In this episode, we dive into the evolving world of IT workforce development—from internships and apprenticeships to change management and inclusion.

Feevan shares her inspiring journey into tech, starting from George Washington University to discovering her passion for cybersecurity through e-commerce security and IT strategy classes.

We also explore:

• The power of sponsors and mentors in opening doors for underrepresented voices in tech.
• Why inclusive practices are critical to sustainable workforce programs.
• The ethics of unpaid internships and how trust drives long-term career growth.
• The importance of effective change management during organizational shifts.
• Reintegrating professionals into the workforce through certifications, degrees, and upskilling programs.

If you’re passionate about leading with purpose, building inclusive pathways, and shaping the next generation of tech leaders—this episode is for you.

Call to Action:
It's critical that your voice is heard! If you need help finding, rediscovering or using your voice, I want to help. Learn more here.

Ask Me Anything (AMA)

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Connect with us:

Feevan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feevan-megersa/

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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In this conversation, I’m joined by Rob T. Lee, Chief AI Officer and Chief of Research at SANS Institute—a globally respected voice in cyber, AI, and education who also happens to be down‑to‑earth, funny, and incredibly relatable.

Together, we unpack what the future of cybersecurity careers looks like in an AI‑driven world, and what it really means to lead through rapid, messy, exhilarating technological change.

We get into:

• Why AI feels different from past tech shifts—and why anxiety, fear, and hope all show up at once
• The “framework of no” in cyber, shadow AI, and how leaders can move to a thoughtful “default yes” instead
• Practical ways to balance innovation and cyber risk without killing creativity or pretending “risk zero” exists
• Technical authenticity, vulnerability, and collaboration as real superpowers in AI + cyber work
• AI ethics, digital avatars, family stories, and the hard questions we must ask as tech evolves
• Pathways into cybersecurity, the power of role models, and why diverse, quieter voices are urgently needed

If you’ve wondered how AI will impact your job, your leadership, and your career path—or how to lean into this wave without burning out—this episode will give you language, perspective, and a few courageous next steps.

About Rob T. Lee

Rob T. Lee is the Chief AI Officer and Chief of Research at the SANS Institute, where he advises on AI governance and security. He authored the SANS Secure AI Blueprint and led the development of the SANS Critical AI Security Guidelines. With a career spanning the U.S. Air Force, NSA, CIA, and Mandiant, Rob pioneered digital forensics (DFIR) and cyber threat intelligence (CTI) and developed the widely used SIFT Workstation. Known for his contributions to cybersecurity education, he has trained over 100,000 professionals and is a sought-after speaker and advisor.

Connect with us

Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leerob/

Dawn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to Season 3 of Bytes, Bits, and Brilliance! 🎙️

In this solo episode, I share my vision for the season ahead.

This season is all about intention, courage, and authentic leadership in a rapidly evolving world.

We'll explore emerging themes from Season 2—leadership, growth, and well-being—and shines a light on the big questions we’re all asking:

• How do we use our voices—even when they shake?
• How do we move from visibility to positioning?
• What does belonging look like in today’s hybrid, tech-driven world?
• And how do we engage with AI in ways that still center our humanity?

As always, Bytes, Bits, and Brilliance is about connection and mentorship at scale—helping you lead, grow, and thrive through every transition.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA)

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send a text

As Season 2 closes, I want to pause—not to summarize, but to celebrate.
This season was never just about tech or cybersecurity. It was about you.
The listener taking notes mid-episode. The one who pressed play through grief, career shifts, and imposter syndrome. The lifelong learner who found mentorship, belonging, and community through this space.

In this episode, we reflect on:

• The impact of creating safe spaces in tech leadership and cybersecurity
• Season 2 milestones: 74 episodes, 2,953 downloads, and listeners spanning 54 countries
• The evolution from bi-weekly to weekly episodes and our first media coverage at the Aspen Cyber Summit
• The deeper mission—building courage, access, and connection for underrepresented voices in tech

This isn’t just a wrap-up. It’s gratitude in motion and a love letter to every listener who showed up, learned, and grew this year.

✨ You are the reason this podcast exists.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send a text

Season 2 started with a commitment to consistency.

It ended with clarity about power.

In this closing episode, I step back and examine the patterns that emerged across solo episodes and interviews—from career pivots and layoffs to financial literacy, mentorship, leadership, and legacy.

Across every conversation, one theme echoed:
Power isn’t granted. It’s chosen.

This episode is a synthesis of what Season 2 encompassed—authority, alignment, ownership, and the intentional building of influence.

If you’ve been navigating growth in tech, cybersecurity, leadership, or entrepreneurship, this reflection will help you see your own patterns more clearly.

Thank you for building this season with me.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send a text

This episode dives deep into the seismic shift from Generative AI (GenAI) to Agentic AI, moving beyond mere content creation toward autonomous, goal-driven systems.

We unpack the fundamental differences between these technologies, providing listeners with a clear roadmap for understanding how AI is evolving from a reactive tool that responds to prompts into a proactive "digital employee" capable of reasoning, planning, and executing complex workflows

Whether you are a business leader looking to orchestrate an ecosystem of agents or a hobbyist building a smart email triage system, this podcast provides the foundational knowledge to navigate the future of autonomous AI systems.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming soon

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send a text

As Season 2 closes, I reflect on what hosting this podcast revealed about me—not just as a leader in tech, but as a builder.

This isn’t a motivational episode.

It’s a reclamation.

In this episode, I unpack what audacity really means in leadership and career growth—especially for women navigating tech and cybersecurity spaces where visibility can feel costly.

This conversation is about authority, professional evolution, capacity, and the exhaustion that comes from shrinking yourself.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between ambition and acceptance, this episode will resonate.

Season 2 was about alignment.

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming in 2026

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

Send a text

In this episode, we dive into the world of alternative tech pathways, exploring how apprenticeships and returnships are dismantling traditional barriers to entry. We break down how these "learn-and-earn" models allow participants to gain hands-on experience and professional mentorship while addressing the industry’s persistent skills gap and lack of diversity.

We also tackle the "career gap penalty" by looking at returnships, which provide a structured, paid "on-ramp" for experienced professionals re-entering the workforce after a break for caregiving or other reasons. Beyond these core programs, we discuss the broader ecosystem of coding bootcamps, microcredentials, and skills-based hiring that help career changers "stack" their way into technical roles.

Whether you are a newcomer starting from scratch or a mid-career veteran rebuilding confidence, these pathways offer a high-conversion route to a permanent role in the modern tech landscape

For women in tech and cybersecurity

If you’re working to find, refine, and use your voice—whether through leadership, speaking, or visibility—this is part of the work I deeply care about and actively support. Explore how I can help

Ask Me Anything (AMA) — coming soon

If you have questions—from career navigation to cyber pathways to dealing with being “the only one” in the room 👉🏽 send them in.

Podcast season update

Season Two of Bytes, Bits & Brilliance is coming to a close. I'd love your feedback as we shape Season Three. Share here

Support the show

Hey, listeners and tech enthusiasts! 🌟 If you've been enjoying our podcast and finding value in the insights shared, we'd love your support. You can:

• Take a moment to share this podcast with someone.
• Submit the interest form if you’d like to be a guest.
• Let us know how we're doing. We’d love to hear from you.
• Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
• If you’re in a position to support financially, consider supporting via the Tip Jar, or Buy Me a Coffee. This podcast is a self-funded and how we give back, especially to underrepresented voices in tech and cybersecurity.

Your support keeps us going and growing. Thanks for being part of this journey and our community!

Stay connected! Sign up for the weekly newsletter, Courageous Circuits: https://tinyurl.com/wz8fepyc

Looking for mentorship? Let's talk about what you need and how I may be able to help: Mentor Moments

The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.