From Foundations to the Future: A Journey into Cybersecurity

The following is a transcript of KaYesu Machayo's presentation at the 2026 NICE Conference, where she shared her journey into cybersecurity and the people and organizations that helped shape her path.

Good morning everyone, my name is KaYesu, and it is a pleasure to be here with you today.

As an Information Security Engineer, I've learned that securing the future isn't a destination—it’s a constant, evolving process. I am incredibly honored to be here today to share the journey that brought me into this field.

Before we dive into cyber, I want to start by taking you back to the summer of 2016. The summer before my senior year of high school, I walked into a Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program classroom with absolutely no idea what computer science was.

I didn't know how to code.

I didn't know what cybersecurity was.

And if I'm being honest, I had no idea that I was walking into a room that would change the trajectory of my life.

At the time, I was simply curious. What I didn't realize was that curiosity would become the foundation of my future career. Girls Who Code is an incredible nonprofit dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology. Through the Summer Immersion Program, students learn everything from web development to robotics.

But what impacted me most wasn't just the technical skills. It was the environment.

For the first time, I found a space where curiosity was celebrated. A space where candor was just as valued as intellect. And most importantly, a space where bravery mattered more than perfection.

As a first-generation American and the daughter of a refugee, I was keenly aware that for previous generations of women in my family, opportunities like this were simply unavailable. Becoming the first woman in my lineage to walk a path like this was the ultimate realization of my family's sacrifices. And this opportunity arrived at the exact moment I needed it most.

That summer, my family was navigating one of the most difficult seasons of our lives. It took a relentless team of family and friends rallying through every single crisis just to ensure I could show up every day. For seven incredible weeks, they kept me moving forward. Walking into that Girls Who Code classroom didn't fix the deep uncertainty my family and I were facing...but it became the catalyst that changed the entire trajectory of my life.

Every morning I crossed that threshold, I felt like I was building a future. I felt a wave of hope - for myself and for my family. Looking back, it's remarkable to think where that single opportunity has led.

At the time, I could never have imagined that years later I would have the privilege of being mentored by leaders like Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code, and the organization's current CEO, Dr. Tarika Barrett.

But that's the beautiful thing about opportunities. When you're standing at the starting line, you can rarely see just how far the path will take you.

Because the very next summer, I walked back into that very same classroom. This time, I was stepping to the front of the room—joining the teaching team as a TA. Over the years, I continued volunteering, mentoring, and staying deeply engaged as an alumna. Girls Who Code became far more than a summer program. It became my launchpad.

So when I arrived at university, there was really only one path forward. I declared my major in Computer Science. And I became determined to create the same sense of belonging that had transformed my own experience.

I served as the founding President of my university's Girls Who Code College Loop, creating spaces where students could find community and connection. I spent a summer as a Generation Cybersecurity Camp Counselor, introducing middle school students to cybersecurity concepts and showing them that they, too, belonged in technology.

Again and again, I found myself returning to the same lesson: Potential thrives when people feel like they belong.

Then came 2020. Like millions of students, I was just a young adult when I watched the world change almost overnight. The pandemic arrived during my junior year, and suddenly the quiet battles so many students were already navigating became a fight for survival.

Financial obstacles became larger. Uncertainty became constant. And for a while, it felt like everyone was trying to find solid ground. That’s when I was introduced to the Last Mile Education Fund—a nonprofit dedicated to closing critical funding gaps for students in need and ensuring they have the resources to cross the finish line.

I still remember receiving my first COVID-19 emergency grant. I felt a weight that I'd been carrying for months lift off my shoulders. In a moment when everything felt uncertain, that support became a source of stability. It allowed me to continue focusing on my education instead of wondering how I would overcome the next financial hurdle.

But what stayed with me wasn't just the funding. It was the message... and the community behind it.

Last Mile proved that even in a global crisis, students like me didn't have to navigate hurdles alone. That community didn't just support us—it validated our potential.

And then, right ahead of my graduation, came a moment that still feels entirely surreal. I was selected as one of only 22 recipients nationwide for Last Mile's Debt Relief Initiative for Tech Equity, eliminating Twenty. Thousand. Dollars. of my student debt.

In a single moment, possibilities that once felt distant suddenly felt achievable.

Last Mile ensured I didn't just graduate, but that I launched.

Because of them, I stepped into my career with more momentum.

Today, four years into my career as an Information Security Engineer at Bank of America, I often think back to the summer of 2016. I picture the high school student I was, navigating crises at home, walking into her very first Girls Who Code classroom...knowing absolutely nothing about cybersecurity.

The student who was simply curious.

The student who dared to dream in the face of uncertainty, but could never have anticipated just how far those dreams would take her.

I know she would be amazed to see where this journey has led.

Today, I am incredibly proud to be sharing in the momentum here at the NICE Conference. And this journey reflects something important about this year's conference theme: From Foundations to the Future: Transforming the Cybersecurity Workforce.

Because the future of cybersecurity doesn't begin with advanced technology.

It begins with curiosity, fueled by opportunity.

It begins with mentorship.

It begins with community.

And it begins...when someone chooses to invest in a student's potential, long before that student can see it in themselves.

Today, I stand on foundations built by others. I stand on the shoulders of generations of resilient women. I think of my grandmother—whose education was cut short by circumstances beyond her control. I think of my mother—who arrived in a new country as a refugee, and created opportunities that had never existed for the women in our family.

Because of them, I am here.

I also stand on a foundation built by the educators, the mentors, the nonprofits, and the communities that chose to open doors for me. Recognizing that privilege has shaped my purpose. It is why I advocate for intentional mentorship—because I know firsthand what it means to be guided.

It is why I try to clear the path for the talent coming behind me. Because our greatest impact lies in our collective efforts to build a stronger foundation for the future.

Cybersecurity is constantly evolving. And every single day, we contend with a shifting landscape:

We contend with threats that change by the minute and we contend with technologies that disrupt seemingly overnight - but one thing remains constant:

The future of this field will always depend on the people we choose to invest in today.

So my challenge to all of us is to think about the people, the experiences, and the mentors that brought us into this room. Then ask ourselves: Whose foundation are we helping to build next?

Because the next engineer, researcher, analyst, or leader is just one opportunity away from discovering what is truly possible.

In an industry that evolves at breakneck speed, I will always remain a lifelong student.

We're honoring the sacrifices of those before us and doing our part today, but my greatest hope is to empower tomorrow’s talent to see that the foundation we’ve inherited is theirs to build upon. So, as we accelerate forward into the future, let us invest deeply in the potential around us and build a cybersecurity community where everyone belongs.

Thank you so much!