Sarah Olsen installed her first security patch as a teenager, responding to a remote buffer overflow attack—known as a “nuke”—in the early days of the internet. Today she leads risk assessments for cyber-physical systems in a variety of domains at Booz Allen.

Olsen shares highlights from her career journey—and advice for others who have a passion for cyber.

A career that evolved with the internet

Hovering roughly 250 miles above Earth and circling it in roughly an hour and a half, the International Space Station is more than a research laboratory for a range of experiments. It’s a place where mission-critical spacecraft systems and equipment are tested, yielding invaluable insights for the journeys to the moon and Mars.

Many of the more than 15 million working-age Americans with a disability can work with minor accommodations. Yet, many struggle to find employment and fewer than one in three (29%) are working, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.¹

Booz Allen aims to change this reality for the better with its inclusive environmental, social, and governance policies. And for the fifth year in a row, the firm has been recognized for its efforts with a perfect score on the Disability Equality Index (DEI®).

A company’s brand tells its story, from what job candidates can expect from a workplace to the value clients and investors will receive from products and services. Brand strategy impacts public perception, customer and employee engagement, and sales.  

In today’s era of rapid innovation, however, it’s easy for a company’s products, services, and technology to evolve more quickly than its brand.  When this happens, employees, customers, and stockholders can be unaware of a company’s true value.