Women in Tech: Rossana Ludena

Finally: a blog featuring Security Compass’s amazing, vibrant and IT proficient women.

I will be writing about who these women really are and how they contribute to Security Compass’s culture, success and growth. These are women who go beyond the call of duty by doing exceptional work and brightening up a coworker’s day.

Meet Rossana Ludena

“Nobody is more than you, nobody is less than you. We’re human, not Google.”

We start the series with Rossana Ludena, a Security Compass Consulting Project Manager. She has recently joined the team and isn’t thinking about leaving us anytime soon (thank goodness).

She shows up to work day-to-day with a beaming smile on her face; if something was troubling her, you would never know. You’ll often see her bright personality reflected in some of her dazzling outfits.

To get to know her a little better, we went out for coffee. I began by asking her how she gained interest in technology.

“Ever since my childhood”, she said, “I saw a computer, a printer, etcetera and I became curious”. For that reason, she knew tech was the field for her. Even after her parents asked her to be a doctor or an accountant, she responded with “NO WAY”.

Skipping ahead to just 8 years ago, she worked at a company devoted to selling eBooks. Her position was amazingly titled “Web Master Developer”, but unfortunately it didn’t stay amazing for long. “We got hacked. Our entire platform was destroyed, it was very bad, and all of the client data was exposed.”

Fascinating enough, that’s what led her from being dazzled by tech to being smitten by Security. “We needed to contact a Security Consulting Company at that time, so I got to see what it was all about”, she said.

From being hacked to now helping others from getting hacked, she says she knows exactly how the clients feel.

Deciding to begin her career in Security, she became a Project Manager at IMECA in Venezuela working with SAP. She said her experience was wonderful but extremely challenging. “I did everything…Server Room, Telecommunication, License, Data Quality… I even did the hiring process”. After three and a half years of working with the complex platform, she said the project was like her baby.

Ultimately, she made the decision to depart from the company, but her heart was still searching for a Security conscious organization. And that eventually lead her here: Security Compass.

14 Questions to get to know Rossana better:

Why did you choose Security Compass?

When I had my interviews at Security Compass, I was relaxed as an interviewee.I felt more part of a fun IT security conversation than being part of an interview process. I also love the work environment, its culture and having to face new challenges every day.

What do you enjoy most about being a Consulting Project Manager?

Definitely working with really clever professionals. Every day I learn new concepts about IT security, share new experiences and have fun — I feel free and enjoy my days at work!

When did you start your position?

Actually, I do not remember! Wait let me think … oh yes, a month ago!

What is your favourite piece of technology?

Definitely my iPhone. It is my all: camera, keep in touch with my family and friends around the world, music, GPS, Twitter, news, etc. I don’t know how people lived in the past without a mobile!

How did you get into the security/tech industry?

From the time I was little girl, computer was a big enigma for me at that time. My father bought a computer and I started to develop on Basic Language. In regards to Security it wasn’t fun how I found out what “black hat hackers” can do. When the e-commerce company I was working for got hacked. We lost 4 days business days: no sells, no transactions and all our customer data were impacted. Since then, I’ve found it very interesting and I love it! I really enjoy seeing what “white hat hackers” can do and find in systems, applications or network.

What is your nickname?

People sometimes call me Ro!

How do you take your coffee in the morning?

Vanilla flavoured coffee — double milk and no sugar. Vanilla coffee is definitely my favorite coffee.

What is your favourite Disney movie?

Bambi — It is a cute and lovely animal, also it reminds me of my childhood.

What’s your karaoke song?

Spanish version — ‘La bamba’ by Los Lobos. Do you not know it? Google it!

English version — ‘It’s my life’ by Bon Jovi

If anybody in the entire world could be your best friend, who would it be?

Steve Jobs (before his passing) — He could have definitely been my best friend — good person to borrow money from, hah! But currently, Madonna because she has such a strong character, or Jennifer Lopez ’cause she is always very well dressed.

What’s the first thing you do when you get home from work?

Take off my shoes — it is the best feeling ever! After: my jacket and jewelry comes off, for sure!

What has been your favorite career moment?

There’s two, one was from when I was starting in University, and I was the first to go into the internship at IBM and get a full time position! And second was when I got the opportunity to be a speaker and talk in front of 500 people at an IT National event!

What has been your greatest accomplishment?

I finished an ambitious project at a retail company (SAP-ERP platform). It was from scratch: server room, hardware, telecom, SAP licenses, built a new team, DATA code consolidation, QA process, etc. My team and I could set up a SAP platform by connecting 35 stores with 300 POS- cashers by maximizing store inventory and client satisfaction with data centralize at warehouse store.

If you could switch your field to anything, what would you choose?

No medical or law career, but even though I am a frustrating singer…I wish I had singing skills! You do not want to hear me sing, believe me! Anyway, I really love technology.

Given the opportunity to switch her field, she wouldn’t; she says she’s a true technology lover. In a year, she is returning to school to get her Masters in Security.

Ambitious, bold and brilliant, Rossana Ludena is one of Security Compass’s fabulous women in tech.

“Give a woman the right shoes and she is ready to ‘hack’ the world!” — Rossana Ludena