Breaking barriers: A conversation with Barracuda’s female trailblazers
March holds special significance as both Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (IWD) happen this month, with IWD observed on March 8. This day unites communities globally to honor the incredible accomplishments, contributions, and progress of women throughout history. It also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for change around ongoing matters such as gender inequality, underrepresentation in leadership, and more.
Each year, an IWD theme is selected to bring attention to specific areas where action is needed. These themes inspire conversations related to women’s rights, opportunities, and challenges. This year’s IWD theme, “Accelerate Action,” calls for accelerating the pace toward greater gender parity through the amplification of strategies and resources that positively impact women's advancement. Based on the current rate of change, full gender parity won't be achieved until 2158.
In recognition of IWD, we spoke with several remarkable women in leadership at Barracuda to hear their thoughts on IWD, gender equality, and the empowering work still to be done. Here’s what they had to say.
What actionable steps can we take to ensure more women are able to pursue leadership roles across industries like cybersecurity?
Siroui Mushegian, Chief Information Officer: “Ensuring that women are able to pursue leadership roles involves work on behalf of the current female and male leaders. It means that individuals have to bootstrap themselves, but in terms of how we can support that, we should provide opportunities for people by recognizing those who possess the talent and making sure that they have the space to progress in the organization. Providing training and leadership opportunities is critical. When organizations seek to hire for leadership roles, there are many skilled internal candidates, so locating those prospects is one approach to fostering the inclusion of more women in leadership positions.
“Also, if there are internal employees who are individual contributors, but have talent in the making, it is important that they are exposed to development opportunities in leadership. A lot of times this involves influence without authority opportunities, meaning they could be placed in projects where there’s a matrix of decision-making and having leadership over other people within the company involved, which would allow them to exercise leadership acumen. This way, they would demonstrate leadership in practice, just without the formal title.”
Kim Mota, Chief Human Resources Officer: "It’s important that we continue to prioritize and invest in the development and advancement of women in leadership roles. We must ensure that they are given equal opportunities and consideration for the same positions as men, fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse leadership."
Heather Driscoll, Senior National Account Manager: “To foster a more inclusive workplace culture, companies should implement policies such as equal pay audits, parental leave, and allyship programs to ensure fairness and support for all employees. Additionally, improving work-life balance through flexible schedules and well-being initiatives can enhance overall job satisfaction and retention. Finally, advocating for industry-wide change by promoting visibility and positive representation of diverse leaders can help drive long-term progress and inclusivity in the field.”
Alli Oneal, Senior Manager, Global Partner Programs & Experience: “As we all know, there are so many amazing leadership roles available in cybersecurity, but I think there can sometimes be gaps in the visibility created for these roles and the paths for how individuals can get there. I am very thankful that many mentors in my career have been able to transparently help me build the stepping stones needed to get where I am today, but I know that is not always the case. I would encourage us all to actively promote leadership opportunities that are available within our own networks and share the stories of others who have grown their careers.
“Barracuda has so many amazing women in leadership, each with their own unique story, and I think the more we can share and create visibility into those successes and what the paths to getting there have been, the more we can encourage others to try and do the same for their careers.”
Merium Khalid, Director, SOC Offensive Security: “One of the most impactful steps is creating platforms for mentorship and guidance that equip women with the skills and confidence needed to excel in leadership roles. It's important to acknowledge that women are still underrepresented in technology, especially in cybersecurity, and take intentional action to bridge this gap.
“Recognizing the lack of women in leadership and actively working to close the gender disparity is crucial. To drive meaningful change, we must ensure equal access to resources, opportunities, and sponsorship. This means fostering an inclusive culture where women have the same support systems, leadership training, and career advancement pathways as their male counterparts. The first step is awareness, the second is active support, and the third is a deliberate and consistent effort to create lasting change.”
Jenna Renaud, Channel Director, National Accounts: “The world is changing at lightning speed, and our role as female leaders is incredibly important and more relevant than it has ever been before. To keep proactively growing our female leaders within an organization, we have to have inclusive hiring practices while establishing robust mentorship programs along the way. We need to identify who our female leaders are and be able to highlight them within our organization and make them feel empowered to help them get to their full potential.
“We need to be able to provide these women leaders with leadership training opportunities while fostering a supportive work culture along the way.”
In what ways can we ensure that gender equality is not just a conversation but a daily action in the workplace?
Siroui Mushegian: “Looking at people for the skills that they bring is key to facilitating gender equality in workplaces. Like the term “color blind,” being gender blind and viewing a person for who they are and not for whether they are male or female is very important. In my experience, I feel like I have never been perceived in terms of my gender, and maybe I have, but I have never been made to feel that way. This is a critical point to make because taking gender out of the equation will allow them to feel as though they do not have to bring that factor to the table — whether in a conversation, a project, or in anything they are doing. Simply bringing the skills or experience they possess automatically levels the playing field. Thus, people will feel comfortable knowing they are being appreciated solely for their abilities and nothing more.”
Kim Mota: "We must actively give everyone a seat at the table and promote diverse voices in decision-making. The value of different perspectives makes our workplace richer and more innovative.
"Fair hiring practices, mentorship opportunities, and open communication about gender equality foster a culture where all employees feel valued and empowered."
Heather Driscoll: “To make gender equality a daily action, companies must embed it into their values through clear policies, leadership commitment, and regular bias training. Tracking metrics, offering equal opportunities, and providing flexible work and parental leave ensure fairness. Encouraging allyship, supporting employee resource groups, and celebrating successes further promote equality. With ongoing action, gender equality becomes an integral part of the workplace culture.”
Alli Oneal: “To ensure we can move gender equality in the workplace beyond just a conversation, I feel that we must prioritize building work environments where (as much as we can) every voice is heard, and opinions from all are valued. To me, this involves purpose-driven daily decisions to build a space in our teams and in our companies where we ensure all perspectives are sought out, heard, and included. Tactically, I think that we can build work environments like this by creating open, comfortable, and trusted channels for communication amongst teams to share ideas without being dismissed, by structuring group conversations with a ‘facilitator’ mindset to ensure input is heard from traditionally quieter members, and by always striving to be involved and active listeners who genuinely hear feedback.”
Merium Khalid: “Ensuring gender equality in the workplace isn’t just about talking; it’s about taking action every day. It starts with creating real opportunities for women to grow, lead, and succeed. Companies need to hire and promote inclusively, making sure women have the same chances as men to step into leadership roles and take on meaningful projects. This also means mentorship and sponsorship should be a priority, so women have strong advocates who support their career growth and help them get the recognition they deserve.
“Fair pay and transparent policies are essential to breaking down barriers that hold women back. Regularly reviewing salaries, promotions, and project assignments ensures that bias isn’t standing in the way of progress. Education also plays a big role; having open conversations about workplace inclusivity and unconscious bias helps make gender equality more than just a box to check. Creating an environment where women feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their opinions requires intentional effort. It’s about building a culture where fairness and inclusivity are part of every decision, every opportunity, and every step forward.”
Jenna Renaud: “Continue to audit to ensure that both females and males in the same positions are getting compensated fairly with equal pay and continue to build and promote strong leadership mentorship programs year-round to help foster career development.”
What are some specific actions that women in leadership can take to support other women at work?
Siroui Mushegian: “Women in leadership can help support other females in the workplace by seeking out other women and overseeing their development. They should ensure that they carve out time from their busy schedules to do so. Also, finding mentorship opportunities with other women across your organization or even in your personal life is important and a very rewarding feeling. I do everything I can to make sure that I constantly have something happening in my life involving other females in my network so that I have a feedback loop that makes me feel like I am growing as a leader. The exchange of information is helpful and creates a positive feeling for both parties involved.”
Kim Mota: I think it’s so important for women to use each other as resources and allies. We have all had our own journeys, each different from one another and I think it’s critical that we remind each other how far we have come and what those journeys have looked like. Listen, it is not easy all the time to be a woman in any workforce, but we need to strike our power poses. We should always be reminding each other how amazing we are.”
Heather Driscoll: “Women in leadership can play a vital role in supporting other women in the workplace by fostering an environment of trust, inclusivity, and empowerment. One of the most important actions is to be a safe space for other women, ensuring they feel comfortable seeking guidance or discussing challenges without fear of criticism. By maintaining an open-door policy and offering support without judgment, women in leadership can create a space where others feel heard, valued, and encouraged to grow.
“Another key action is promoting inclusivity by actively advocating for diverse voices, perspectives, and opportunities for all women. This can include ensuring equal access to mentorship, career development, and leadership opportunities for women across all levels. Women in leadership can also be intentional about addressing unconscious biases in hiring, promotions, and team dynamics, ensuring that women of all backgrounds are represented and supported.
“Additionally, they can act as role models by demonstrating collaboration, offering constructive feedback, and sharing their own experiences to help others navigate their careers. By championing these inclusive practices, women in leadership can help build a supportive, empowering culture that fosters growth and success for all women in the workplace.”
Liz Panepinto, Senior Field Marketing Manager: “Women in leadership can support and empower other women at work in many ways, such as being a mentor and offering career guidance and leadership advice. It’s important to advocate for promotions, leadership opportunities, and key projects. Leaders can also create networking opportunities and foster connections through industry panels, roundtables, and conferences. It’s important to advocate for equitable policies such as transparent promotion criteria and support paid parental leave/flexible work arrangements.”
Alli Oneal: “As someone who has found so much amazing value in professional mentorship, both as a mentee and a mentor, I can’t stress enough how important the opportunity of mentorship is in helping our fellow women find opportunities and grow their careers. I would encourage other women in leadership to do their best to make themselves available to others as a mentor. It can sometimes be difficult to ask someone to be a mentor (some may have busy schedules or are not comfortable with mentoring, etc.), so I encourage others to proactively reach out to other women and offer support and guidance and open the door to mentorship for them. The learnings that we each have from our own unique career experiences can be incredibly helpful for our colleagues who are looking for extra guidance or are early in their career working to build a path.”
Merium Khalid: “Women in leadership have the power to uplift and empower others by fostering a supportive workplace. It starts with mentorship and advocacy — taking the time to guide, coach, and open doors for other women, whether by helping them develop leadership skills, navigate challenges, or gain visibility in key conversations. Creating an environment where women feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their opinions requires intentional effort. Ensuring that their voices are heard in meetings and decision-making spaces is essential to driving meaningful change.
“Confidence is key, and women in leadership can encourage and empower their colleagues by reinforcing their strengths, offering constructive feedback, and reminding them of their capabilities. Building strong networks and connections also plays a vital role; introducing women to influential peers, recommending them for opportunities to get their voices out (webinars, presentations, etc.), and creating spaces where they can thrive. True leadership is not just about personal success, but about lifting others and creating more leaders along the way.”
Jenna Renaud: “Make an effort to build a bond with other female leaders and female coworkers within your organization. Get to know them. Rise up one another, and don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone to reach out and make someone feel valued to help them reach their full potential within your organization.”
Michelle Vo: “Listen to the soft voice in the room. Often, valuable ideas and insights come from those who may not feel confident speaking up. Creating a space where all voices are heard can empower women and support them at work.”
If you could give one empowering message to the next generation of women entering cybersecurity or tech, what would it be?
Siroui Mushegian: “If I had to give an inspirational message to the next generation of women, it would be this: Be confident in being authentic and always remain open to feedback. This message is essential for encouraging personal growth, self-awareness, and meaningful connections.”
Kim Mota: Don’t be afraid to ask for more; to ask “What can I do”, or “How can I help.” Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you, go grab them!
Heather Driscoll: “To the next generation of women entering cybersecurity and tech: Don’t be shy, be yourself, and be confident in who you are. The unique perspective and skills you bring are invaluable, and the world of tech needs your voice. Never second guess yourself — you have earned your place here. If you ever face imposter syndrome, remember, it’s not about fitting into a mold; it’s about being true to who you are. Your ideas and contributions matter, and your voice is important. Trust in your abilities, stand tall, and let your authenticity drive your success.”
Liz Panepinto: “Enter the industry with confidence and take your place at the table! Always remain curious, keep learning, and help others as you advance in your career. Your skills, perspective, and voice are needed now more than ever.”
Alli Oneal: “If I could give one empowering message to the next generation of female tech rockstars, it would be this: Advocate, advocate, advocate for your interests and your career growth goals. As you start to build a foundation in your career, consciously take the time to think about the areas of your work that you are passionate about. Grow your network strategically through peers, forums, events, and mentors to help you explore all of the great opportunities that are available in the cybersecurity and tech space.
“I feel that the more we as women in the industry do to verbalize our growth interests, the more feasible it becomes to identify the realistic next steps to getting there and solicit support along the way. Don’t be afraid to voice your ambitions, ideas, and skills!”
Merium Khalid: “Never take "no" for an answer. If you have a dream and a goal, you can achieve it; but it requires resilience and persistence. Don’t let others’ opinions about your skills or abilities define your potential. Keep going, keep learning, and keep pushing yourself. Hard work will never fail you. Even if you doubt your ability, do it anyway; you’ll surprise yourself with how far you can go. Confidence is built by mastering your skillset; become the best at what you do through continuous learning and practice.
“Remember, growth happens in the journey, not just the destination. Stay bold, stay curious, and never stop striving for more.”
Jenna Renaud: “Be bold, make your career path known within your leadership, and speak up for what you want. Make yourself known within your organization. Exposure to your peers and the leadership around you will help advance and grow your career. Your voice can change the world. She who has the will to win cannot be beaten.”
Michelle Vo: “To the next generation of women entering cybersecurity or tech: Don’t be afraid to ask for help and always be willing to offer it. Collaboration and mutual support will not only help you grow but will also create a more empowering community for everyone.”
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