Alison Adkins
ThreatQuotient – Business Development Manager

What do you do at ThreatQuotient?
I help manage and develop relationships within our partner ecosystem – channel partners and alliance partners alike.

How long have you worked there?
I just passed my 5-year mark (which is really hard to believe)! I started with ThreatQuotient right before we moved from a startup incubator into our first, official ThreatQ office in Reston, VA. Now we’ve expanded and have a presence in many countries around the globe.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I’m confident that my career wouldn’t be where it is today without the support and collaborative environment at ThreatQ. My favorite part of working here is that I am consistently challenged & am learning something new every day. It could be learning a new partner technology, working alongside top industry professionals or keeping up with the latest cyber buzzwords – there is never a boring day working at ThreatQ.

What do you enjoy most about the company?
Besides being a great company in a growing industry, the team (or the “crash” 🦏) is what makes ThreatQ an amazing place to work. Our company is filled to the brim with dedicated teammates, industry leaders and to put it simply, good people. Creative ideas are always welcome & hard work is always recognized.

How did you get into cybersecurity?
I would be lying if I said that I didn’t fall face first into cybersecurity. I was working part time in a startup incubator trying to get a grasp on what I wanted to do after graduating from UVA. ThreatQ happened to be getting “kicked out” of the incubator at the time as they had just raised their Series A and were outgrowing the space as they started a hiring spree.

I got the job by cracking a pretty risky joke at our CFO’s expense (sorry Lenn Kurtzman). It worked out in my favor (thankfully) and is now a fun story to tell around the office and to friends who ask how I found ThreatQ in my post-grad job hunt.

What are your hopes for women in cybersecurity in the future?
I’m extremely fortunate to be surrounded by impressive, resilient women – my mom, my sisters, my girlfriends and now, my coworkers – but not all young women are lucky enough to have female role models and mentors within their reach. My hope is that women in our industry will continue to be encouraged to bring new and innovative ideas to the table – which has historically been occupied by men – but also to serve as mentors and guides for younger women. The beauty in breaking barriers is creating an easier path for those after us.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #ChooseToChallenge. How will you help forge a gender-equal world?
The first thing that comes to mind is a phrase we hear so frequently today, but don’t always see in practice – “women supporting women”. I think that one of the most important things that we can do to help forge a gender equal world is to support one another and recognize achievements in order to help pave the way for younger generations of women with hopes for a future with no glass ceiling.