We are thrilled to pay tribute to Cheryl Hearne, one of Edafio’s esteemed vCISO and associate spotlight for January.
The comings and goings of staff are a part of every dynamic organization; therefore, it can be challenging to get to know our coworkers better as people, especially during a time of social distancing. We have to be mindful that our company culture thrives on our exceptional people as much as their outstanding technical skills. As such, we are finding that our periodic interviews with associates allow us to acknowledge and celebrate the beautiful life stories, extraordinary professional accomplishments, and even the little quirks that make us uniquely beautiful human beings.
We hope you find each Edafio associate story as inspiring as we do in gathering and sharing them.
Get to know more about Cheryl by watching the video or reading our conversation below :
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Cheryl Hearne. This year I will have been married to my best friend for ten years. We were rescued by our old lady, a Blue Heeler, born-in-the-pound mix, 12 years ago. We’re both in IT but on completely different spectrums. Our favorite thing in the world is to travel to places we’ve never been before, whether that’s in our beautiful state or a distant country.
Have any favorite quotes?
It isn’t easy to choose just one, but I have a favorite poem that I always come back to.
The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world and am free.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Playing guitar, hiking, yoga, creative writing, photography.
What would be impossible for you to give up?
Music
I’ve had the pleasure to work closely with Cheryl over the last 18 months and come to appreciate her candidness on the subject of cybersecurity. Through her leadership, we’ve established a foundational Security Awareness Program at Conway Regional that has become the cornerstone of the client’s security blueprint. As a result of the program, we’ve identified numerous security initiatives driving the roadmap for Conway Regional. Cheryl’s technical skills and her ability to effectively communicate to all levels have been instrumental in displaying Edafio services’ value to the client. So much so that with the recent signing of the new agreement Conway Regional included a full-time vCSO role. I’m thrilled to have Cheryl as part of the Conway Regional client team!
Kevin Jordan, Client Engagement Leader
If you could spend one day with anyone in the world, who would it be?
If I had one core message for the world, what would it be?
Put down your phone.
Describe your proudest moment at Edafio so far.
I had the opportunity to present at the University of Central Arkansas’ (UCA) Business Information Technology (BIT) Club and show students what options were available to them when specializing in Cybersecurity. I came to UCA in 2004 after having been homeschooled for ten years. In my very first class, I had to stand and introduce myself—I was physically shaking. Fifteen years later, I stood in front of a class twice the size of my first and couldn’t have been more excited to share my passion for Cybersecurity.
Who or what made you smile at work today?
Ryan Brown, the Information Systems Manager at Conway Regional Health Systems, is always making me smile. He’s one of the most cheerful people I’ve ever met, and he’s always going above and beyond to help others.
Quarantine can be a time of learning, self-reflection and personal discovery. That said, is there anything you would like to share that COVID-19 and this quarantine has taught you?
It’s easy to get lost behind our screens when we’re unable to be in each other’s presence and see one another’s smiles. It’s easy to become disconnected. It’s easy for our differences to take center stage. This year has taught me how important it is to reach out to those you love, how important it is to ask the question, “How are you?” and how important it is to listen.
Everyone at Edafio has a story about why they joined the team. What’s yours?
I knew someone who had been with Edafio for quite some time but didn’t know much about them as a company. I saw that they offered Cybersecurity Services on their website but didn’t list any open positions. I pitched myself as a Cybersecurity enthusiast and said that I would have attached my resume to the email, but I wouldn’t expect Cybersecurity professionals to open it. I’d like to believe that my nerdy humor helped get my foot in the door.
Edafio is always looking for exceptional candidates to join our team. For an opportunity to work with folks like Cheryl, be sure to visit our careers page to learn more.
