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What happens when cybersecurity expertise meets fifth-generation quilting passion? In this thought-provoking conversation with Mea Clift, Principal Executive Advisor for Cyber Risk Engineering at Liberty Mutual, we uncover the fascinating intersection of technical prowess and human diversity that powers effective security leadership.
Drawing from her 28-year journey through every corner of IT and cybersecurity, Mea reveals how her "Jill of all trades" background enables her to bridge critical communication gaps between technical teams and business leaders. At Liberty Mutual, she's revolutionizing the cyber insurance approach by evaluating companies through five distinct lenses - technology, culture, engineering practices, resilience, and vendor management - creating partnerships rather than simple transactional relationships.
Our discussion takes an urgent turn when addressing critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. Mea highlights how municipalities forced to choose between immediate needs like broken water mains and cybersecurity investments create openings for nation-state actors already "living off the land" within these systems. Her innovative solution? A national program mirroring AmeriCorps that would simultaneously protect infrastructure while solving the cybersecurity talent pipeline challenge.
For professionals navigating today's competitive landscape, Mea offers candid advice about developing a distinctive voice through writing and speaking, while cautioning against the common tendency to undervalue oneself when pursuing new opportunities. "If I don't feel scared about taking a position, I don't take it," she explains, "because that means I'm not growing."
Perhaps most compelling is Mea's refreshingly pragmatic take on artificial intelligence. While acknowledging its benefits, she worries about its impact on critical thinking skills and the security risks of AI systems themselves - sharing a revealing anecdote about a CISO who incorrectly assumed internal AI systems required no security protections.
The conversation culminates with Mea's non-technical passions - from tin whistle playing to her extensive vintage sewing machine collection and quest to become a certified quilt appraiser. Her courage to relocate mid-career from Maryland to Minnesota perfectly illustrates her professional philosophy that growth requires embracing discomfort rather than settling for stagnation.
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