Why I joined Cloudflare as Chief Security Officer

I am absolutely thrilled and feel incredibly blessed to have joined Cloudflare as Chief Security Officer (CSO). Cybersecurity has always been my passion and focus of my career. I am grateful to join such a dynamic and innovative team. Cloudflare is a cybersecurity industry leader and offers unmatched technology that is second to none.

I have been a CSO for over 20 years in the financial and private sectors with SVB, HSBC, McAfee, Ameren, and Scottrade. I have been privileged to lead the security teams of some of the world's largest, most complex, and most innovative companies; however, my greatest honor has been working with and collaborating among some of the world's most amazing people. I have learned my dedication, expertise, and passion from my leaders, peers, and teams, which have taught me how to build and lead world-class security programs that protect organizations from the most sophisticated threats. Because security is constantly evolving, the key is, and always will be, to build an active, diverse community of highly empathetic people that will successfully protect the organization.

As I step into my new role as CSO at Cloudflare, I am excited to take on the challenge of defending the company and 20% of all websites. My charter is to protect Cloudflare from sophisticated threats and to promote a culture of innovation that enables us to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. By fostering a mindset of creativity and continuous improvement, we will develop solutions that protect our customers from the most complex cybersecurity challenges that significantly impact them.

The last aspect of my charter is to share the Cloudflare story with our customers to ensure they are protected and leverage all of the Cloudflare technology.  We can do this through collaboration and knowledge-sharing with our customers. By sharing the Cloudflare story and collaborating with our customers, we can all help build a better and more secure Internet.

As someone who is passionate about technology, security, and its potential to improve our lives, I knew that I wanted to work for a company that shared those values. So, when I began my job search, I set out to find the best company to work for that aligned with my interests and career goals. After researching and considering many different options, I met with Cloudflare, and I was blown away.

First and foremost, I was drawn to Cloudflare's mission to help create a secure, faster, and more reliable Internet for everyone. I was impressed by their strong mission, direction, and commitment to building a better Internet. As someone who shares their passion for making the Internet a better place, I found it inspiring to join a company with a mission that aligns so closely with my own values.

Another reason I chose to join Cloudflare was its network capabilities and cloud technology. They have built a highly sophisticated and innovative global network that I have not seen matched within the industry. As a CSO, I find Cloudflare in a unique leadership position to protect our customers due to their unmatched capabilities and unique market position. While Cloudflare is already a leader in every space where they operate, they have a significant track record of building on their fantastic platform by continuously improving their technology to be best in class.

In addition to their impressive technology, I was also impressed by their customer base. The most prominent and respected companies in the world use Cloudflare's services, and I am excited to share "How Cloudflare does it" to help our customers be even more successful and give them a unique opportunity to see how we do it internally.

Lastly, the interview process and the people I met at Cloudflare significantly influenced my decision to join the team. Throughout my 17 interviews, I was impressed by the professionalism and passion of the people I met. I connected with each person and was excited by the team's commitment to the company's mission. I am very proud and humbled to join the Cloudflare family! I look forward to hearing from our customers and employees and how I can help them!