Check Point is proud to announce that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Christina Ruth, Channel Account Manager, to its 2023 Channel Women on the Rise list. This list honors up-and-coming, dedicated, driven women who are making a difference for solution providers throughout the IT channel. The selection process involved recommendations from esteemed channel chiefs and other channel management executives. To celebrate Christina’s achievements, we asked her some questions to get to know her better.

How did you get into cybersecurity?

Before I worked at Check Point, I was an IT recruiter. I recruited specifically for infrastructure roles and remember the first time I was working on a cybersecurity requisition. I’d called an individual with a cybersecurity background after 5 pm while they were driving home from work. To be polite, I asked if they were hands free and using Bluetooth during rush hour traffic. They swiftly replied, “Heck no, I’m not using Bluetooth! Do you know that they can hack into your car using Bluetooth?!”

Well, I didn’t know that, and I left that call thinking the guy I’d been talking to must wear a tinfoil hat. Later that week, WIRED came out with an article and YouTube video showing how a Jeep (which is the vehicle I drove at that time) could be stopped on the highway through a vulnerability in their UConnect Bluetooth. And that was it. I was hooked! I wanted to learn as much as I could about cybersecurity, so I started getting involved in the local user groups and the InfoSec community. I attended ISSA events and more. It was while I was at a local user group called 920Sec where I met an employee of Check Point and found out they were hiring. The rest is history.

You say that you’re a believer in being authentic at work. What does this mean to you?

One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received in my career was from a VP at a current customer who, within one meeting with me, told me that I was authentic. To me, being authentic is sticking to the golden rule and treating those the way in which you’d want to be treated. It’s mutual respect and trust that is gained through transparency. Being authentic is sticking to your values and true to yourself in all situations. This is highly important in cyber work, where there are so many things hidden within technology. Being open and transparent with your coworkers, peers, and clients can help to grow the trust necessary to make a real difference.

What’s the biggest misconception people have about working in cybersecurity?

The biggest misconception is that to work in InfoSec, you need to wear a tin foil hat (from my story above) or work in a dark basement. There are so many roles and responsibilities that fall into cybersecurity that people don’t think about. TV series like Mr. Robot might have you thinking one way about cyber, but the truth is that every day as we get more and more connected through the Internet of Things, there are even more opportunities for a career in cybersecurity. Look at the capabilities of our smartphones and how far that’s advanced in a few years. There are roles specific to mobile security that didn’t exist with flip phones. What I love about this industry is that as it continues to grow, there is a place for everyone. The role I have today didn’t exist at my company four years ago, and it’s exciting to think about the future and what other roles might be created in years to come.

What do you do for fun outside of work?

I love to read, and reading the dark page turning thrillers is something that leads into why I am so passionate about cybersecurity. Learning about hacks leaves you hanging in suspense just like the fictionist books I read. I spend a lot of time traveling and love listening to DarkNet Diaries while on the road—it’s a really great cybersecurity podcast that shares true stories of the dark side of the internet. I am also recently married and enjoy spending time with my husband and dogs adventuring in the great outdoors.

What are you most looking forward to in 2024?

In 2024, I’m most looking forward to personal growth. Every year in my life and career, there’s been new obstacles and challenges, and every year I find out more about myself as I overcome them. 2023 was a great year, personally and professionally, but I have a feeling that 2024 will be even greater!

Learn more about the CRN Women on the Rise

The 2023 Channel Women on the Rise list will be featured online November 27th at www.CRN.com/womenontherise and in the December issue of CRN Magazine released December 4th.

To learn more about working at Check Point, visit our Careers page and apply today!

You may also like