The biggest perk of my job is when I meet a person I did not know and walk away wondering how that was possible given the amazing work they do and also how I can’t wait to have an opportunity to work with them. And that is exactly how I felt after spending time with Pamela Cyr, SVP Business and Corporate Development at Tufin – a publicly traded cybersecurity company with a Boston-based US headquarters.
An engineer by training, Pamela is responsible for business and corporate development, working with strategic technology alliance and emerging technology alliance partners as well as leading the global business consultancy program. That pathway for her was followed due to having a great mentor, and exhibiting great tenacity.
Starting her career at Raytheon, then joining RSA, Pamela spent about 10 years as an engineer. Luckily for her, the CEO saw a different path and afforded her the opportunity to work in a number of different roles including: product management, leading the office of the CTO and then fundamentally doing corporate development and M&A as part of strategy teams – ultimately acquiring herself out of a job. That is when she moved into business development and learned she could still solve the big problems, while also solving the customer problems, and making her own company better. She credits that nudge from her mentor as a significant reason she is where she is today.
Pamela’s journey into tech was not always easy. She had college professors that did not hide the fact they did not think women belonged in their classroom. But she did not back away. And today she is ensuring that other women are supported in their journeys, particularly in cybersecurity. She, along with colleagues, peers, and other women leaders, have stood up the Tufin Women in Cyber initiative, which celebrate the success of women and their contribution to the industry. Additionally, Pam is a founding member of Chief Boston, a private membership network for women executive leaders.
When I asked Pam what some of her defining moments were professionally, she had extremely sage advice, “Get out of your comfort zone.” For all women, and anyone that has a passion to learn and to grow, Pamela’s lessons should be to continue to challenge yourself and do things that you find enriching.
___
