Megan Roddie - How Neurodiversity can be Leveraged for an Excellent ROI

Title: How Neurodiversity can be Leveraged for an Excellent ROI Presenter: Megan Roddie (@megan_roddie) Track: In The Thick of It 04 Time: 1300 BSides San Antonio 2019 June 08 at St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas Abstract: While the cybersecurity industry talks about a skills shortage and the struggle to fill the ever-growing number of job openings, there is an untapped talent pool being overlooked. Neurodiverse individuals are often passed over for jobs due to difficulty interviewing, social stigmas surrounding mental health disorders, or other situations that make them seem less qualified than other applicants. Those neurodiverse individuals that do end up finding jobs in cybersecurity often struggle to hold those jobs. However, if companies choose to work with neurodiverse individuals to ensure that their unique needs are met, the return on investment will be huge. In this talk, the experiences of autistic, bipolar, and ADHD cybersecurity employees will be presented. Each of these mental health disorders come with struggles, but given the right environment to thrive in, individuals facing these disorders can also be an employer’s most valuable asset. Speaker Bio: Megan Roddie is currently working as a Cyber Threat Analyst. She recently graduated with her Master's in Digital Forensics and also holds her GCIH and GCFA. As a 22-year old with Asperger's Syndrome (High Functioning Autism), Megan offers a unique perspective in any topic she discusses. Megan can articulate her struggles and how small modifications in daily life have made her successful.