TheBridge profile: Camille Stewart Gloster
Name: Camille Stewart Gloster
Current city: Washington, DC
Current job: Deputy National Cyber Director, Technology and Ecosystem Security, White House
Past job: Head of Security Policy, Google Play & Android, Google; Manager, Cyber Risk & Emerging Technologies at Deloitte; Senior Policy Advisor for Cyber, Infrastructure, & Resilience Policy at DHS in the Obama Administration
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Culture Coffee Too
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job. In my first job, I learned the value of identifying the gaps and opportunities at work and elevating them coupled with a solution. This skill is valuable because it shows your colleagues and superiors you're paying attention and invested; you're likely to be able to take on some of those responsibilities which goes a long way toward you building the role of your dreams; you learn so much more about your industry when you're paying attention; and your employer is likely to trust you with more.
Q. Job advice in three words? Advocate for yourself
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech / innovation and regulation? I am really passionate about making complex tech, cyber, & legal issues relatable and digestible. Technology has the potential to elevate and be an equalizer but there are a number of pitfalls and tradeoffs if that, if not understood, can cause lead a person to work counter to their own best interest. I work with a number of organizations, speak, and write to break down tech policy issues for everyone.
Q. What can innovators teach policymakers? Always seek out the "best" way to do something. Don't let routine deter you from identifying an opportunity to improve or innovate around an old construct.
Q. What can policymakers teach innovators? Don't prioritize short-term gain over long-term sustainability and your customers' best interests.
Q: How often do you work from home? I work from home once or twice a week. I don't like to work from home too much. It's convenient but interacting with my colleagues and getting out of the house are important to me.
Q: Last time you were completely unplugged? The last time I was completely unplugged I went to Saudi Arabia & the UAE. It was fun, relaxing, intellectually stimulating, and culturally enriching. I encourage everyone to seek out opportunities to explore the world and collaborate internationally.
Q: Best advice you’ve received? Apply for the job! Don't let years of experience or not having all the skills listed deter you. Tell the story of why you are the best person for the job and let your work speak for you. Most people don't have everything on that list so you've self-selected out of the running for no reason. If you know how to talk about how your unique set of skills and experiences fit the role and will add value, you have a real chance to get the job no matter what they have in the job posting. Oh and use your network!!
Q: How do you unwind after work? I podcast and host a radio show. I really enjoy promoting the work of others. It energizes and motivates me. There are so many people doing cool things and taking big risks. On my podcast Hustle Over Entitlement, my co-host and I tell stories of trailblazers and risk takers who have taken career pivots. Check out www.HustleOver Entitlement.com And on my radio segment STEMSpeaks I feature people doing cool things in STEM and tech on a local DC/VA radio station. I also watch trash TV to completely forget the real world.
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