Phishing for Potential: The "RTFM" Guide to Diverse Cybersecurity Talent

Openly neurodivergent and navigating a matrix of other personal challenges, Kayley Melton's journey not only shatters conventional barriers but also embodies the realization of their mentor Winn Schwartau's long-standing hiring vision. Together, they will dismantle the "unhireable" notion, revealing how unconventional talent can thrive if provided optimal operating conditions. This presentation goes beyond advocacy and memoir, offering practical tools for individuals and managers. Melton will guide the audience through creating their own "user manual" – a dynamic blueprint for understanding and optimizing one's unique working style and needs. Whether you are looking to debug your workflow, optimize your cognitive OS, or hack your mainframe, this manual can be crucial for self-discovery and advocacy and an invaluable resource for leaders to enable high-performance teams.

Kayley Melton: Kayley Melton is an innovative cybersecurity executive, eclectic artist, and dedicated advocate for DEI. Celebrated for their distinctive blend of technical acumen and artistic flair, Melton's career has showcased their unique approach to cybersecurity awareness and education. Currently leading the U.S. Remote Publishing division at KnowBe4, Melton is instrumental in shaping training programs for tomorrow. Additionally, as a co-host of the No Password Required podcast, they delve into the diverse world of cybersecurity, highlighting the industry's unsung heroes. Melton's artistic talents extend to the literary world, where they have collaborated with cybersecurity visionary Winn Schwartau to bring his complex cybersecurity topics to life. This consistent devotion to the synergy of art and technology underscores Melton's philosophy: that creativity and diversity are the "two-person rule" to advancing and understanding the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity. Winn Schwartau: "The Civilian Architect of Information Warfare" - Commodore Pat Tyrrell OBE Royal Navy, 1996 Winn has lived Cybersecurity since 1983 and his predictions about the internet & security have been scarily spot on. He coined the term Electronic Pearl Harbor before Congress in 1991. His seminal book, Information Warfare showed how and why cyberwar would become the norm, the military’s 5th domain of conflict. His magnum opus Analogue Network Security hybridized analogue and digital techniques. It will twist your mind. The Best Cybersecurity Book of All Time, Cyber Defense Magazine. Currently he is exploring the future of security & privacy in the Metaverse - whatever that might be through his unique time-based security prism. Some 30+ years after his pioneering work on Cyberwar, what has Schwartau come up with this time?