Talent First

Hosted by Michelle Edmondson

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Oct 2026

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Conversations about cybersecurity & tech, leadership and the human side of innovation. Because whatever is happening in technology, it's always Talent First.

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60 recent

October 15, 2026Episode 651 min

‘Staying Human: Why Community, Connection and Trust Matter More Than Ever in the Age of AI’ - With Mariana Padilla

SEASON SIX: In this week's episode I chat to Mariana Padilla, Community Evangelist at Harmonic Security, former cybersecurity startup CEO and someone who is passionate about bringing people together across the industry. We explore how AI is changing the way cybersecurity companies engage with their audiences, why trust and genuine relationships matter more than ever, and the role the community plays in helping security leaders navigate an increasingly crowded market. We also discuss who should be accountable for AI security, whether it's time to rethink the conversation around women in cyber, and how to build a professional network and personal brand without it all feeling rather performative. A fascinating conversation about the changing cybersecurity landscape and the importance of genuine connection. About Our Guest: Mariana Padilla is the Community Evangelist at Harmonic Security and the former CEO and founder of HACKERverse. A seasoned entrepreneur and community builder, she created HACKERverse after growing frustrated with impersonal, transactional B2B buying experiences. Mariana believes human connection is the missing ingredient in B2B and that the companies who build genuine community and trust will be the ones that dominate their markets. She speaks on AI security, community-led growth, personal branding, and professional networking, and is deeply committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in cybersecurity.

September 25, 2026Episode 452 min

'Breaking the Firewalls: Building a Career, a Voice and a Future in Cybersecurity.' - With Roberta Anderson

SEASON SIX: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Roberta Anderson, CISO at Onterris and author of 'Breaking the Firewall: How Women in Cybersecurity Rise from Entry-Level to the C-Suite'. We talk about getting in and up in cybersecurity, the barriers that stop people getting the CISO role and how to overcome them, and whether or not the role itself has become unmanageable. About Our Guest: Roberta Anderson is the CISO of Onterris, a global environmental solutions company, where she reports directly to the Board. A 25-year cybersecurity veteran and Air Force veteran, Roberta began her career as a cryptographic linguist before transitioning into computers and security — a path that shaped how she thinks about people, trust, and risk. She previously served as the City of Colorado Springs' first CISO and as VP of Information Security at Brightside Health. Roberta holds a M.S. in Cybersecurity from National University and a B.S. in Cybercrime Investigation from Colorado Technical University, along with the CISSP, CRISC, CDPSE, Security+, and Network+ credentials. Roberta is also the co-founder of TrustDossier, a published author, and a professional speaker who champions the next generation of cybersecurity talent — particularly women entering the field. She's a member of WiCyS, ISC2, ISACA, and ISSA, and lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter, a college sophomore who keeps her grounded in what the next generation of talent actually needs. Link to Roberta's book here : https://www.amazon.com/BREAKING-FIREWALL-Cybersecurity-Entry-Level-Understanding/dp/B0H68J4KR3/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

September 3, 2026Episode 453 min

‘The Future of Women in Cybersecurity Community, Mentoring and the WiCyS Mission’ - with Lynn Dohm

SEASON SIX: In this weeks' episode of Talent First, I chat to the Executive Director of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), Lynn Dohm - and what a brilliant way to get started after our summer holiday. We talk recruiting and retaining women in cyber, how to build a diverse workforce, the potential leadership crisis, and all about the brilliant work that Lynn and her team are doing support women at all stages of their career journeys. About Our Guest: Lynn Dohm, Executive Director of Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), leads initiatives to recruit, retain and advance women in cybersecurity. With over two decades of experience as a strategist, she has successfully aligned businesses, nonprofits and grant-funded programs with workforce goals. Her accolades include an honorary Doctor of Science & Technology from Champlain College (2024), two SANS Difference Maker Awards and recognition as one of CS Hub’s Top 25 Cybersecurity Leaders. Lynn also contributes to the cybersecurity community through her roles on the CSA AI Initiative, the UMGC CIT Advisory Board, and as a Board Member for the CIS Alan Paller Laureate Program.

July 9, 2026Episode 325 min

The Power of the Multi-Channel Job Search (and how to do it) - with Michelle Edmondson

TALENT FIRST TOOLKIT: In this week's episode of the Talent First Toolkit , I'm talking about one of the biggest misconceptions I see among senior technology and cybersecurity leaders: that finding your next executive role starts when you quickly update your LinkedIn profile or send your resume to a recruiter. It doesn't. In this episode, I explain why the most successful executive careers are built through a multi-channel job search . We explore how to position yourself with a compelling executive resume, why your personal brand is about far more than social media, and how to build a strategic network that creates opportunities long before a role is advertised. If you're targeting your first C-suite position, planning your next CIO, CTO or CISO move, or simply want to take a more intentional approach to your career, this episode is packed with practical advice from the hiring side of the table. I also share a special launch offer for the Talent First Toolkit: Executive LinkedIn Branding Support for a reduced fee for our listeners , designed to help senior technology leaders position themselves for the opportunities they really want.

June 12, 2026Episode 250 min

‘Speaking from Experience: Risk, Resilience & The Modern CISO’ with Karen O’Reilly Smith

SEASON SIX: In this week's episode of Talent First, 'Strictly Security', I chat to Karen O'Reilly Smith, Global CISO and advisory board member. We talk security and the business, building teams and what really happens when companies suffer a breach. We also talk about the rapidly evolving role of the CISO and why mentorship is so crucial for the future of the industry. If you are a CISO or future leader, this advice-driven episode is for you. About Our Guest: Karen O’Reilly Smith is a global cybersecurity leader whose career has been shaped by a simple belief: security is ultimately about people, trust, and resilience. Karen has led some of the world’s most complex security organizations—across financial services, healthcare, and global technology—guiding teams through rapid change, regulatory pressure, and evolving threats with a steady, humancentered approach. Most recently, Karen served as Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer at Rackspace, where she led a global team of more than 140 professionals. Known for her calm, decisive leadership, she helped the organization modernize its security operations and strengthen regulatory readiness. Before Rackspace, Karen held senior security leadership roles at Aetna/CVS Health, Citigroup, Barclays, Wells Fargo, IBM and American Express. Whether reducing critical vulnerabilities across international healthcare operations or transforming identity governance for one of the world’s largest financial institutions, she has consistently focused on creating clarity in complexity and empowering teams to deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes. Karen is widely recognized for her ability to translate technical risk into clear business language, helping executives and boards make confident, informed decisions. She is also known for developing strong leadership pipelines and fostering environments where global teams can thrive. Today, she continues to advise organizations on cyber risk, AI, cloud security strategy and resilience. She is an active member of the Dallas CISO Roundtable Forum and the Village8 Cyber Security International Forum and serves as a Board Advisor for Specular. At her core, Karen is driven by a passion for building resilient organizations—and resilient people—in a world where the stakes have never been higher.

June 5, 2026Episode 121 min

Three LinkedIn Mistakes Tech Leaders Make (and why it leads to overwhelm) with Michelle Edmondson

TALENT FIRST TOOLKIT: A new mini series that co-exists with our regular programming! This week, should senior technology leaders even bother with LinkedIn anymore? I explore why LinkedIn still matters, the three biggest mistakes I see technology and cybersecurity leaders making, and how those mistakes often lead to frustration, inconsistency, and overwhelm. I share practical insight into what recruiters and hiring leaders actually look for, how to engage without spending hours online, and what today's LinkedIn algorithm really rewards. If you've ever wondered whether LinkedIn is worth the effort, or how to make it work without becoming a full-time content creator, this episode is for you.

May 29, 2026Episode 230 min

Part Two - ‘The Art and Science of Cybersecurity: Leadership, Risk Translation and Protecting Critical Infrastructure’ - with India James

Season Six: Episode 1, Part #2 - This week's episode of the award-winning Talent First is a continuation of my conversation with India James, security leader and expert in the expansion and resilience of energy and critical infrastructure. We talk about OT security and its growing importance, OTS careers, and how all security leaders can use their artistry to prepare their organisation for breaches and beyond. About Our Guest: India James is an accomplished and nationally recognized executive whose career spans governance, risk, and enterprise execution and transformation across U.S. energy and critical infrastructure sectors. She delivers a combination of policy and operational expertise, grounded in almost two decades of private-sector leadership with public-sector collaboration focused on infrastructure development and resilience. India served as Director, Security and Technology Policy for one of the nation’s largest energy providers, where she directed enterprise-wide responsibilities across IT, operational technology, and physical security – leveraging her experience on both the regulated and competitive sides of energy alongside real estate, critical operations, and large load management. On the EEI Security and Technology Grid of the Future Committee, her contributions and collaborations impacted all the U.S. investor-owned electric companies. She has raised over $4 billion in energy financing leading real estate and held leadership roles in customer strategy, infrastructure risk, and regulatory compliance, where she led multi- million-dollar modernization and partnership initiatives. Her work has influenced national standards for grid modernization, operational technology security, and resilience planning, guiding how energy systems evolve in a data-driven, high-risk environment. India is internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of energy, security & technology, and critical infrastructure.

May 22, 2026Episode 138 min

‘The Art and Science of Cybersecurity: Leadership, Risk Translation and Protecting Critical Infrastructure’ - with India James

SEASON SIX - ‘Strictly Security’: Part #1 - In this week’s episode of Talent First, and our first for Season Six, I chat to India James about why cybersecurity is both an art and a science. We explore the role creativity, intuition and judgement play in modern security leadership, and why the strongest security professionals are often the ones who can think beyond frameworks and controls. India also shares her perspective on translating cyber risk into language the business can actually understand, and why communication is becoming just as important as technical capability. A thoughtful start to our Strictly Security season, and the first part of a brilliant conversation with one of the most interesting voices in the space. About Our Guest: India James is an accomplished and nationally recognized executive whose career spans governance, risk, and enterprise execution and transformation across U.S. energy and critical infrastructure sectors. She delivers a combination of policy and operational expertise, grounded in almost two decades of private-sector leadership with public-sector collaboration focused on infrastructure development and resilience. India served as Director, Security and Technology Policy for one of the nation’s largest energy providers, where she directed enterprise-wide responsibilities across IT, operational technology, and physical security – leveraging her experience on both the regulated and competitive sides of energy alongside real estate, critical operations, and large load management. On the EEI Security and Technology Grid of the Future Committee, her contributions and collaborations impacted all the U.S. investor-owned electric companies. She has raised over $4 billion in energy financing leading real estate and held leadership roles in customer strategy, infrastructure risk, and regulatory compliance, where she led multi- million-dollar modernization and partnership initiatives. Her work has influenced national standards for grid modernization, operational technology security, and resilience planning, guiding how energy systems evolve in a data-driven, high-risk environment. India is internationally recognized for her work at the intersection of energy, security & technology, and critical infrastructure.

April 23, 2026Episode 2853 min

‘From Research to Reality: How AI Becomes Products, Platforms and Business Value’ - with Andrea Rosales

SEASON FIVE: In this week’s episode of Talent First, I chat to Andrea Rosales, data scientist and AI researcher and innovator, about what it really takes to adopt AI inside organisations beyond the hype. We talk about how companies are evaluating large language models and AI tools for enterprise use, and what decision makers should be looking for when the market is moving this quickly. Andrea shares her perspective on how AI, data science and traditional engineering are coming together, and what that means for how teams are built and structured, We also get into how ideas move from research into real products, the role of universities and industry collaboration, and why that gap between innovation and execution still matters. Our conversation explores governance and accountability, who owns AI once it is in production, and what this means for organisations operating in more regulated environments. We finish on the bigger picture. The AI Productivity Paradox, why more technology does not always mean more efficiency, and how companies can balance innovation with caution without falling behind. A practical and thoughtful conversation on how AI is being implemented and what leaders need to be thinking about now. About Our Guest: Andrea Rosales is an AI Research and Innovation Lead with over 15 years of experience delivering data and AI solutions across both industry and academia. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of St Andrews, where her research focused on how AI systems learn and adapt in complex, real-world environments. Her work has evolved from domain adaptation and continual learning to more recent research on large language model reasoning and reliability, with a strong emphasis on building AI systems that are explainable and robust. She was recognised as a UK Global Talent for her contributions to AI in industry and academia. Currently, she is an Associate Director of Data Science at Blend, where she works with organisations to design and deliver end-to-end AI solutions, with a focus on responsible AI adoption and “data for good”, ensuring that AI systems create meaningful and positive impact.

April 17, 2026Episode 2745 min

‘Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: Execution, Leadership and the Fractional COO’ - with Wendi Pannell

BONUS EPISODE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to the wonderful Wendi Pannell, Founder of Pannell Consulting, about what really happens inside tech companies as they grow — and why execution so often becomes the problem. We talk about the point where companies should be flying, strong teams, clear vision, but everything still seems to rely on the founder. Wendi shares what’s actually going on in those moments, and how to break the “founder bottleneck” that slows everything down. We get into why strategy isn’t usually the issue, what strong operating rhythms actually look like in practice, and the leadership and structural shifts companies need to move from early growth into something more sustainable. Wendi also shares her advice for CEOs navigating change, and we share our mutual love of Dolly Parton. A really practical conversation for anyone building, scaling or leading in tech. About Our Guest: Wendi Pannell is the founder of Pannell Consulting and a seasoned COO with over 25 years of experience spanning global enterprises like GE, high-growth startups, and her own SaaS venture, Lightstance. Known for her practical, no-nonsense approach, Wendi jumps in alongside leadership teams to turn organizational complexity into clarity and bridge the gap between business strategy and execution. Whether she is streamlining operations for technical leaders or helping small businesses scale with discipline, Wendi’s work is grounded in the belief that intentional action and shared purpose are essential for meaningful growth. Beyond consulting, she is an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech and a passionate advocate for empowering women in technology. Audiences and clients value Wendi for her ability to translate emerging tools—especially AI—into concrete business gains while maintaining a human-first perspective. When she isn’t guiding teams toward their next breakthrough, she is likely mentoring students, cheering on her three sons, or crafting a competitive charcuterie board. ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/wwp/⁠ ⁠https://wendipannell.com⁠