CyberWire Daily Roya Gordon: Becoming a trailblazer. [Research] [Career Notes]
Mar 22, 2026
Roya Gordon, a Security Research Evangelist and former U.S. Navy intelligence specialist, shares her winding career path from naval cryptology to national lab research and industry roles. She talks about a rescinded NSA offer, breaking into control-systems cyber, mentoring others shifting into cyber, and advocating for women and people of color in the field.
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NSA Offer Rescinded Forced A Career Pivot
- Roya Gordon's NSA job offer was rescinded weeks before her start date, forcing her to reassess career plans.
- She moved back with her parents, cried for weeks, then pivoted to private-sector intelligence roles and applied broadly.
INL Hired Her Despite Limited Technical Background
- Roya applied to Idaho National Laboratory for a cybersecurity researcher role though she lacked technical chops.
- A recruiter rerouted her to a better fit, she endured an eight-hour interview, and INL hired her to teach her the cyber skills.
Small Companies Offer Broader Learning Opportunities
- Smaller companies let Roya work across marketing, sales engineering, alliances, and research, giving broader perspective.
- She contrasted that with large firms where people get pigeonholed into narrow roles and miss the big-vision view.