From English Major to Cybersecurity Leader
When people picture a leader in cybersecurity, they often imagine someone with a computer science degree, years of technical training, and a background in IT. For Giana Whitver, the path was anything but traditional. She studied English and advertising in college, began her career outside of tech, and only later discovered an unexpected opportunity in cybersecurity. That decision completely changed the trajectory of her career.
That first role was at a small cybersecurity company, where Giana immediately saw how different the industry was from anything she had worked in before. The field was packed with jargon, acronyms, and professionals who often seemed perpetually frustrated because they were dealing with high-stakes challenges like data breaches or security failures. It was a culture shock, but instead of backing away, she leaned into the challenge. Giana taught herself the lingo, learned by fire on the job, and gradually began to find her footing in a space that initially felt like a foreign language.
Her persistence also played a key role in breaking in. While working on the South by Southwest Pitch competition in Austin, she came across a cybersecurity startup that impressed her. She believed in their mission and asked if they needed help. When they didn’t immediately hire her, she kept following up every two weeks for months until they finally gave her a chance. That persistence turned into the opportunity that launched her cybersecurity career.
The transition wasn’t easy, but Giana’s mindset made all the difference. Instead of letting the steep learning curve intimidate her, she focused on persistence, hard work, and accepting that failure was part of the process. “You learn on the job,” she explains, “and sometimes you just have to figure it out by trying.” That approach not only carried her through the early years but eventually set the foundation for her role as the CEO and co-founder of the Cyber Security Marketing Society, a global community that helps others navigate the same challenges she once faced.
