At just 16, Jennifer “Jen” DeTrani started her professional career as an intern at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).  Later becoming an attorney at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Jen loved the issues and challenges that the “IC” (the national intelligence community) presented, but ultimately she found it wasn’t the right fit.  Instead of the adversarial mindset of a politically-fueled legal environment within the federal government, Jen now works collaboratively as the top business lawyer for a cybersecurity company that serves the public good in innovative ways.

In our TendingBar interview, Jen describes how the COVID-19 era has taught us to pay more attention to the well-being of our co-workers, and to offer compassion through our jobs. As an outspoken advocate for corporate diversity, Jen explains that diverse teams are good for business.  More importantly, Jen argues that every business should aspire to fit the values of its people, and that good business management should be an expression of respect and regard for one’s colleagues. 

And, if you listen closely during the interview, you might just hear the jangle of dog collars or the pitter-patter of little paws while Jen’s THREE (3!) pugs walk around her desk.  Be sure to watch for pug outtakes at the end of the episode!

Key Topics (minute:second): 

3:58: Graduating high school while interning for the CIA

7:26: Working for the DOJ, an adversarial mindset at work

9:34: The private sector meets IC experience against cyber threats

13:45: COVID-19, a remote workforce, and massive cyber vulnerabilities

16:51: Supporting diversity in cybersecurity

30:25 Jen’s advice on finding the right career

33:33: Having compassion in the “COVID era”

About Jennifer DeTrani:

Jen DeTrani is General Counsel of NISOS, Inc., a cybersecurity firm founded by former National Security Agency (NSA) cybersecurity experts co-headquartered in San Diego and Washington, D.C.  Having worked to defend the nation’s IT infrastructure from nation-state-level cyber-attacks, Jen and her colleagues now work to protect Fortune 1000 companies against those same threats.  If the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated anything, it has convincingly demonstrated how much the American economy relies upon its IT infrastructure in the private sector.  Businesses like NISOS are therefore a key part of the equation for defending the nation’s vital interests.