Today, I'm joined by Akira Brand, the AVP of Application Security at PRA Group. With nearly five years of experience in the security space, Akira has a diverse background, starting as a Developer Relations Engineer and transitioning into an Application Security role.
Passionate about education and Infosec, Akira has established herself as a distinguished public speaker, co-hosting the AppSec Weekly Podcast for several years and sharing her expertise as a cybersecurity instructor at Katilyst.
Akira is also a professional opera singer. You can hear her singing at her Elephant in AppSec conference talk!
In this episode, we discuss the maturity level organizations need to achieve before hiring their first application security engineer, the latest AppSec hiring trends, and her insights on DAST from her time at a DAST vendor organization. We also touch on how early exposure to puzzles helps kids develop problem-solving skills and set the stage for a career in engineering.
Dive right in!