Cybersecurity Workshop

Session 3 — Tuesday 5 May 2026 | 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm academyEX, 99 Khyber Pass Road, Grafton, Auckland 1023 The third cohort of the HER WAKA series continues with a session focused on cybersecurity. Participants will hear from three industry experts through short lightning talks, each sharing a unique perspective and experience in the cybersecurity space. This is an opportunity to gain a broader understanding of the field, the different pathways into it, and the real-world challenges and opportunities it presents. In the second half of the session, participants will take part in a 45-minute recruiter networking activity with RCSA representatives. There will be 2–3 tables set up where small groups can connect directly with recruiters, ask questions, and practise real-world conversations in a supportive environment.

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What to Expect

• Three cybersecurity lightning talks from senior professionals — including business analysis, AI/cyber consultancy, and agile transformation perspectives
• A 45-minute RCSA recruiter networking activity — small-group rotations with multiple recruiters
• A grounded view of cybersecurity career pathways and the in-demand skills shaping safer digital workplaces

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Event Schedule

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Lightning Talk Speakers

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Prasanth Pavithran

Prasanth Pavithran works at the intersection of business architecture, transformation, people, and technology. With an MBA and over two decades of global experience, he serves as Senior Business Analyst in the Office of the CTO at Auckland University of Technology, mapping the relationships between strategy, capability, process, and technology. Before AUT he led a business analysis team at healthAlliance and spent nearly a decade at HCL Technologies delivering large-scale SAP programmes. He has been mentoring with SheSharp since 2017.

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Paula Gair

Paula Gair advises, teaches and assesses Master’s students at Tech Futures Lab on multiple aspects of emerging and disruptive technology — including AI, cybersecurity, privacy, and embedding Security and Privacy by Design. As founder of deriskme, she works with families, SMEs, schools and businesses on practical cyber security, online safety, and privacy. A frequent speaker and commentator on privacy, cyber security, online safety and emerging technology, Paula advocates for safer defaults and nudges that improve outcomes for everyone, and is passionate about seeing more girls study STEAM and more women found tech companies.

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Swapna Soni

Swapna Soni is a Transformation Strategist with 8+ years of experience designing and delivering enterprise-wide change across public and private sectors in New Zealand. She currently serves as Agility Coach at NZ Post, with prior roles at Air New Zealand, Vodafone, and the Ministry of Social Development. Her work spans value-stream-led delivery models, agility-maturity uplift and ADKAR-based change strategies. Swapna brings curiosity, structure and care to help organisations reimagine their operating models and deliver change that sticks.

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RCSA Recruiters

Multiple RCSA recruiters join the second half for a 45-minute networking activity, sharing insights into the current job market and offering practical guidance for jobseekers.

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Prerequisites

• This event is strictly by invitation only
• No prior tech experience required
• Come ready to learn and ask questions

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What You Will Learn

• The diverse pathways into cybersecurity careers
• How AI, privacy and security intersect in modern workplaces
• How transformation and agility shape large-scale change
• How to make the most of a short conversation with a recruiter

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Register