Keep Pushing: Ken Hopson
Back before we were work colleagues, before either of us were fathers or even husbands, Ken Hopson and I were friends more than 20 years ago. Introduced by mutual friends back in Silver Spring, Maryland, we had a lot in common — including being men of color working in tech — and even roomed together for a short time. I knew him as many things, but among them was as a great runner. Few who work with him today know that he was a Division I track star at Kansas State University, one who consistently broke records. Ken always knew at a young age that he had a God-given talent and used sports as a tool to escape poverty and pay for college.
In my experience, I’ve always particularly enjoyed working with athletes. They’re not only exceptional at time management, but they’re great problem-solvers. They love a challenge, they give 100 percent, they’re never complacent, and they don’t give up easily. They want to win, and after a loss they fight even harder to come back and win next time. This certainly describes Ken.
Early in his career, he received the same advice offered to Black men the world over: that his best wasn’t good enough. A young IT consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, fresh out of college, Ken was pulled aside one day by the company’s one and only African American partner and offered some advice. The older man, in his distinguished suit, recommended that Ken make more of an effort to “dress to impress.” When Ken asked why, the man, who became a sort of mentor to him, said, “It’s a lot harder to climb the ladder as a Black man. You’re going to have to work twice as hard as everyone else.” Ken credits this as a key turning point, realizing the harsh reality that he’d have to work twice as hard as a man of color to be considered on par with his peers. This was the experience of his mentor, and it was a reality he too had to face. But instead of letting it deter him, it gave him fuel to prove he could be successful.
Several years ago, comedian Steve Harvey coined the phrase “You have to jump” to be successful, meaning every successful person, at some point, had to jump off a cliff, so to speak, and take a leap of faith to reach his goals. This has been Ken’s mantra for his career, and he is starting to see the fruits.
His road to Palo Alto Networks was not easy. He applied not once but three times — the first two times making it through the interview process but neither time finding the right fit. I saw in him qualities valued at this company and knew he’d be a great addition; it just wasn’t his time yet. But like Ken does, he kept pushing. He regrouped, applied again several months later, and the third time was the charm. He joined Palo Alto Networks as a Services Account Manager in 2019, eventually moving into a Senior GSI Partner Services Manager role last April. He continues to impress with his talent, his drive, and his desire to keep learning and getting better at what he does every day.
As an accomplished professional who has provided a better life for his kids in terms of neighborhood, schooling, and opportunities, this past year has been very tough. In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, he has had to coach his kids on the frequent double standard applied to people of color by law enforcement. While these conversations are never pleasant, it’s one that many black fathers have had with their kids.
Ken says that as he reflects on the importance of Black History Month, he thinks of it as a moment of time to ask ourselves what we’re doing each day to combat the problem of racism. He believes corporations must do the same. That’s one of the things he appreciates about the culture of Palo Alto Networks, which provides a spotlight to allow people of color to tell their stories. It’s also making very meaningful changes on hiring and promotional opportunities for underrepresented communities.
Perhaps that’s why he has been profoundly influenced by Malcolm X — for his leadership within the African American community and his personal and spiritual transformation — and modern-day civil rights activist Shaun King — who works to promote social justice causes through social media.
Though the two men are separated by decades, Ken sees in them qualities he admires and strives to have in his own life: the willingness to keep pushing against obstacles, the desire to question the status quo, and the courage to speak up even when it is difficult, all in the name of fighting for change.
Joie de Vivre: Monique Head
Monique Head, Senior Manager, Security Education & Awareness, brings an open and artistic spirit to our Infosec team. Her work during last October’s Cyberfest activities was incroyable. She turned a call with a small group from all over the organization, most of whom had never met before, into a fully functional, cohesive team excited to execute and engage a wide variety of participants. Under her leadership, we had the best Cyberfest in company history.
Monique has a passion for “edutainment” or “gamification” in learning. As an owner-operator of her own consulting business while living in France, she explored acting, modeling, and design. These experiences now allow for the creation of meaningful educational training, which she has developed for a wide variety of learners.
Visibility and representation drive Monique’s passion. From working to build programs introducing computer use in the rural South to educational programs with Black Girls CODE, her work is motivated by the example of pioneers such as Gladys Mae West. Focusing on the empowering element of education, she works to create programs for youth education.
Monique offers Palo Alto Networks a dynamic and passionate educator. The chance to turn her vision of cybersecurity education and training into reality is a benefit in strengthening our culture. The success of Cyberfest was dependent on its appeal to, and engagement with, all levels of learners. Monique’s focus on each individual level, even children via special Cyber Academy classes, is evidence of her diligence and passion toward educating future generations on cybersecurity.
As an educator, Monique asks her participants to lean into their discomfort zone. As with a traveler working to develop a new language, discomfort can nudge one to work just a bit harder to understand and succeed. The next time you’re able to participate in one of Monique’s events, I’m sure you’ll agree that it has that certain je ne sais quoi.
Undeterred by Challenges: Jamie Fitz-Gerald
When Jamie was hired at Palo Alto Networks in 2011, I told him, “We’re a startup and we need you delivering on day one.” I almost feel bad in retrospect because Jamie didn’t have any product management experience at the time, but I must have known that he would thrive under the challenge. I believed then (as I do now) that in product management, talent is often more important than experience. Knowing Jamie as I now do, I can see how he was not only undeterred, but he seeks out and embraces new challenges, so it probably actually attracted him more to the role and company.
A little more about Jamie: He went to college at UC Santa Barbara, where he earned both a BS and MS in computer engineering. He claims he studied hard, but given the quality of his Santa Maria-style BBQ, I’m not so sure. He was also the president of his chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) while at UCSB, an early indication of his interest in giving back to the community and helping others. In fact, when I think about Jamie, it is the person that always comes to my mind first before the great work that he does. He’s always willing to step up, always learning, always helping, always listening, and always focused on what’s important. These traits are on full display whether he’s working with a customer, attending NSBE conferences representing Palo Alto Networks, speaking at SKO or the SE Summit, or working with internal teams. It’s this combination that makes Jamie a role model for others.
As for Jamie’s work at Palo Alto Networks, when he joined the company, he initially took on Panorama when it was still a very early-stage product and worked on it until it reached well over 10,000 customers. He quickly became an expert in the product, which speaks to his technical expertise, and he became one of the most requested and popular speakers at our Executive Briefing Center (EBC). He extended himself across all products and features so that he would understand the entire context of what we do and how to work with customers to solve their challenges. You can now find Jamie focused on stopping advanced cyber attacks as the leader of our Threat Prevention product, which is used by nearly all of our customers.
As we celebrate Black History Month, I’m honored to highlight Jamie, a true asset to the organization and someone I’m fortunate to know.
Creative Connections with Lewis Hill
My favorite part about being a people manager is the opportunity you have to find someone early in their career – someone who is unhampered by the (sometimes self-imposed) limitations of a corporate environment. It’s the bright-eyed perspective of potential, of an entirely new way of thinking – one that will most likely feel uncomfortable but will ultimately lead to something different and better.
That’s what I remember the most about my first meeting with Lewis Hill. We met over Zoom and interviewed for a position on my team – one centered on creating. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most creative of people – I think in hundreds of lines, but lines nonetheless. Lewis thinks in circles, and squiggles, and dots. He thinks in potential and possibility. But mostly he thinks in stories.
I think about how Lewis came to be at Palo Alto Networks – and it wasn’t a story of accidents. That’s not Lewis. Lewis is a strategy, a plan, and an intention. Lewis is someone who sees potential in every person, and part of that is the potential he sees in himself. I met Lewis several times through the interview process – and each time was a thoughtful presentation of his capability. Lewis is a dreamer – with a solid foundation in possibility.
Perhaps the best part of Lewis is his creative energy. When Lewis first started at Palo Alto Networks – he joined a team that had been a unit for two years. We all knew each other well – had built a foundation of trust, respect, and capability. What we didn’t know about our team, though, was what we were missing. Or rather, who. Lewis joined our team with ease that I have never seen before. His ability to connect with others by putting them at ease built a rapid trust that has led to creativity we have never had.
I’ve never met someone as passionately creative as Lewis. His ideas make us stronger, more capable of bringing people together. His job title could never reflect the connections he makes and the sense of belonging he creates.
To really know Lewis, you have to spend time with him. Whether it’s joining a phone call to hear his endlessly positive voice, or hearing his passion when speaking about celebrity real estate, his role model, Lebron James, or grapefruits, he’s a constant presence in our working lives that will never be quite the same. It could be the time that you pitch a creative idea, and he takes it and runs to show you something you never thought possible. Or it could be the time he took your feedback (and made it better), by creating a better way of telling a story.
Lewis truly has the Midas touch when it comes to graphic design and creativity. We don’t always work as ahead of schedule as we’d like, and we’ll get some last minute requests – but to Lewis, this isn’t a barrier. Lewis never just accepts a request for help – he finds ways to make it better. Instead of simply answering questions about font type and size, he digs into the behind the scenes feeling. He creates graphics that generate interest instead of fulfilling checkboxes. Aside from being extremely talented and creative, he’s a true embodiment of a team player.
But at the end of the day, Lewis has driven us to be a better version of ourselves. It’s hard not to sit with someone with that kind of passion for life without being driven to look for a deeper connection to it.
The Real Deal: Regina Acheampong
Since I started working with Regina, I’ve become convinced there’s nothing she can’t do.
With a law degree and more than 13 years’ experience in contract management, Regina joined Palo Alto Networks in 2016 to create more structure for our SLED organization. In her first year and a half, she helped take SLED from what almost felt like a side business for the company into a significant portion of our business.
Her success earned her a lead role with the Global Deal Response team, and now, in her fifth year with the company, she’s leading deal strategy and operations — including process improvement and automation — as Director of Business Operations.
But there’s much more to Regina than her business accomplishments. Aside from her pro-level Poker skills (seriously!), what I admire most is her dedication to uplifting the community and creating inclusive, welcoming environments in and outside the office. From her volunteerism supporting the homeless to her participation in our Black Employee Network Group, she gives back often and thoughtfully. This woman “walks the walk” on community service.
One of Regina’s passions is ensuring technology companies like ours are able to hire and nurture a strong, diverse workforce. She herself knows how difficult and unclear the path to success can be for underrepresented minorities; black women comprise just 3% of the American technology workforce, and even fewer hold leadership roles. It’s this personal connection that fuels her work in Cyber STARS, a Palo Alto Networks program that provides educational and mentorship opportunities in cybersecurity to Black and Brown youth.
“Technology is a lucrative field, and there are a lot of pathways that allow you to build a decent life for yourself,” she says. “But you have to know what’s available to you. To have diverse talent, companies have to create a diverse pipeline, and most kids, if they’re in low-income or Title I schools and at a racial or socioeconomic disadvantage, they’re not often shown that this is a pathway for them.”
Black History Month is not just an important time to reflect on past and present injustices, but also a time to challenge ourselves: are we actively uplifting this community for the future? It’s important to recognize who and what is actually moving the needle towards a better tomorrow. That’s why I’m highlighting my friend Regina, and hope others are just as inspired as I am by her dedication to creating real change for her community every month of the year.
Quiet Grace: Zeo Woldesilassie
I remember being interviewed by Zeo about eight years ago here at Palo Alto Networks and wondering, “Aren’t interviews supposed to be nerve-wracking? Why am I so much at ease with a total stranger?” That’s Zeo Woldesilassie for you! His calming aura and positivity are infectious and bring out the best in everyone.
What I’ve learned by simply observing this industry veteran over the years is that life doesn’t have to be complicated (cybersecurity included). His uncanny ability to break down the most complex concepts shows you what Feynman technique looks like in action! Zeo is one of the happiest people I know — full of gratitude, compassion, selflessness, strength, and grace. It is people like Zeo who’ve quietly, behind the scenes, laid the foundation of what Palo Alto Networks is today, constantly helping clinch mega deals and raising the bar for our competitors, such as the Lowe’s deal and creating demo and sandbox for the SE community.
Black History Month is a time to reflect back on what Black people endured in the past to get this far. Zeo believes it’s the responsibility of his generation to pay it forward and that networks like Ujima play a critical role in this effort, through various forms of mentorship, community service, and more. I think BHM provides a great opportunity for us to celebrate the achievements of not just the famous Black personalities, but also the hidden gems like the Zeos of the community, who can better serve as inspirations to pursue the American dream, which often looks bleak for the less-privileged sectors within the communities of color.
There’s still a long road ahead, but I know the mantle of responsibility is safe with the likes of Zeo, who keeps striving for the betterment of the community. I’m so fortunate and humbled to work with Zeo, and it’s colleagues like him that make me miss coming to work during this pandemic!
A Man of Many Firsts: Laramie Mergerson
With his MBA in entrepreneurship, Laramie came to Palo Alto Networks in 2016, fresh off a stint with a startup and with an entrepreneurial desire to move up and often. He stumbled into tech sales after coming out of the Navy, but he soon found he had an appetite for it. His time in the military had taught him the value of networking, and it was his connection with a West Point grad, a Palo Alto Networks employee, who forwarded Laramie’s resume to the recruiting team, and the rest is history.
His love of learning impressed me right away when we met. He’d approached me soon after being hired here at Palo Alto Networks, hoping to pick my brain about my role and what I recommended for him to grow a business development career. I saw right away that he was not only very ambitious, but his startup mentality meant he was hungry to take on new activities and truly live a growth mindset.
I wasn’t the only one who saw that. In his four years with the company, he’s been tapped for several roles in which he was first: first employee to carry a bona fide sponsored stretch assignment, first in a brand-new hybrid role with Major and Global Accounts, the first sales rep handling Major Accounts in Texas for Cortex, and the only Black man working in sales in this territory.
His job performance was obviously strong. But as executive sponsor of Ujima, the Black Employee Network, I saw a man committed to cultural understanding and connection. He saw pretty quickly that his Black customers were wanting more customer engagement events that were uniquely tailored to their culture.
“We have a really diverse team at Palo Alto Networks, but that was really eye-opening for me,” Laramie remembers. “I had never really thought of it from the customer perspective. I had focused on being the only Black guy here in the office selling, but you know, a lot of times, you’re the only one as the customer — all your sales reps are white, probably primarily male, and they want to take you to dinners or shows, and you want to be a good sport and develop a relationship, but those experiences aren’t tailored to you. So I thought, let’s do something different for Black History Month.”
Laramie and his team put together a new kind of happy hour event specifically for Black customers during Black History Month. Such events usually get a low response rate — but 90% responded, and an incredible 75% of them actually came. It really spoke to the need and desire for affinity groups not just in the workplace but in our approach to customers too.
The son of a man who picked cotton to earn extra money in the summertime, Laramie realizes that although we now celebrate Black History Month around the world, racial oppression and stereotypes are not so much a relic of the past as many might believe. But now that he is a father himself, with 11-month-old twin daughters, he’s excited that they’re growing up in a world where a Black woman can be vice president. “Now they’ll see that anything is possible,” he says. “But I still want them to be aware of where they came from and what Black people had to overcome for them to now live the lives they have.”
Walking Through History: Yvonne Mosby
After Kamala Harris was elected as the United States’ first Black, Indian, female vice president, a powerful image by artist Bria Goeller widely circulated. An update to Norman Rockwell’s painting of six-year-old Ruby Bridges integrating her New Orleans elementary school in 1960, Goeller’s work showed Vice President Harris striding confidently with Bridge’s shadow beside her.
For Yvonne Mosby, Palo Alto Networks’ Senior Purchasing Analyst, this image was particularly meaningful: similar in age to Ruby Bridges, she was one of the first African American students to integrate McArthur Junior High in Beaumont, Texas. “I was older than she was [when I was in that situation], but to think of her as a little child, she is my hero.” While Ruby walked alone, Yvonne had 17 other African American students with her. “I had support [from other students and my family], but it was a challenge. I’d come home and my mother would say, ‘I can’t console you, because you have to go back again tomorrow.’”
Yvonne parlayed this strength into a successful multi-industry strategic sourcing and contract-management career, traveling the world for companies including Siemens Medical, Boston Scientific, GAP, Nestlé, and Johnson & Johnson. Across many international negotiating tables, she persevered over outdated attitudes about women and African Americans and was always able to exceed goals and deadlines to provide value to her employers.
“Near and dear to my heart is training. Just this year at Palo Alto Networks, I’ve been involved with the launch and training of Ariba, which closely aligns with my passion for training and mentoring high school students, college interns, and those early in career,” she says.
As part of the team tasked with the extremely high-profile transfer from one procurement system to another, this was a truly impactful project for the company. And now, she personally processes 40% of all purchase requests (PRs) that go through the company and makes recommendations for continuous improvement through automation, which helps all employees. It was through Yvonne’s ever-patient guidance while I’ve tried to open tricky PRs that we originally met. She’s never failed to reassure me that we would persevere through whatever issue I was trying to overcome.
Yvonne has contributed greatly to our community in the education sector, from years of mentoring youth in the area of workforce readiness to serving on a California state education task force. The task force contributed to the implementation of teaching methods known as service learning for community service credits at the high school level. Tommy Lindsey, 2004 MacArthur Fellow, recognized Yvonne for service to California state high school forensics programs. Yvonne credits her upbringing to her life of community service. Her mother was one of the first African American nurses in Texas, and her aunt was a respected civil rights leader. This transcends to the extremely close and tight-knit family Yvonne has built in her 40-plus-year marriage to her husband, Carl, son Carl III, and daughter-in-law Autumn. Their granddaughter, Trinity Mosby, spoke at the 2020 Black Womens’ March at the California State Capitol. Trinity’s brothers, Jaxon and Elijah, are part of the village.
She’s contributed greatly to her workplaces as well: Her efforts in the I & D space at Nestlé resulted in her profile being included in a book titled Women of Courage along with civil rights icon Rosa Parks, whom she met at the book launch event. She enjoys Palo Alto Networks’ culture of inclusion and diversity. “The company has taken a leap in communicating diversity numbers that have to be improved. There is commitment at the executive level to positive change and to inclusion being non-negotiable,” she says. “I’m proud and grateful to be a Palo Alto Networks employee.”
Additionally, she cites our strong and cross-collaborative ENG network as a contributor to effecting change. “The year 2020 was one of increasing public visibility to racism and poverty in America. The call for social justice was evident in nationwide demonstrations that created more awareness of the issues past and present,” Yvonne adds. “Covid impacted all in some way. Despite the pain felt in our country, I remain hopeful that more hearts and minds will desire to create positive societal changes and desire equality for all. Our company’s generosity and commitment to communities is displayed through employees’ countless hours of volunteer work and their donations to life-improving organizations.”
Hope, Humility, and Humanity: Kevin Dunbar
I was in an innocuous work meeting one day early in my tenure when the conversation turned to where people had attended college — Stanford, Yale, Michigan, Berkeley, Princeton. It was an impressive cohort. As the daughter of a Mexican immigrant and first-generation (state) college graduate, I found myself feeling not like the others.
When the meeting ended, I walked across the campus with Kevin Dunbar, who had also recently started at the company (back when we did that go-to-work thing). Maybe he sensed my internal reflection, but he turned to me and said emphatically, “Yeah, well, that’s great, but I graduated from San Jose State University and am damn proud of it.” A fellow Spartan alum like me! We bonded instantly.
Diversity — in background and experience and thought — is part of what makes Kevin so good at what he does. He leads from the premise that “backgrounds bring ideas,” and that the ideas you have about the problems you see today are shaped by every experience you’ve had leading up to that point. The more experiences you have represented “in the room,” the more ideas generated, the better chance you have of uncovering a truly great solution.
Kevin has an uncanny ability to understand different perspectives and drive alignment. Maybe that comes from a sense of purpose instilled by his parents. Perhaps it’s that his mother was a Black Panther and his father a police officer. A diversity of perspectives and experiences was in Kevin’s family down to its core. (Who wouldn’t have loved to go to the Dunbars’ for family dinner?) Growing up, he learned the importance of activism and the importance of playing by the rules. Uncommon beginnings creating equally uncommon vision and perspective.
In the cybersecurity space, it’s easy, and common, for brands to lead with fear — attaching technical features and benefits to everything in the world you want to avoid. But as our SVP of Brand, Digital, and Demand, Kevin captures people’s attention another way — by connecting to a sense of service and our mission of protecting people. I see the ways that Kevin infuses hope and humanity into the Palo Alto Networks brand, from our external creative expression to the way he shows up in his day to day.
He always picks up the phone. He responds to that late-night email. He is someone who is willing to lend a hand. And it’s not just the C-level executive for whom he creates space. It’s the project manager, the graphic designer, the administrative assistant. He’s that guy who always makes the time even when he doesn’t have it. The way Kevin shows up brings a sense of connectedness, and of family, to everyone he works with. Maybe it’s his humble beginnings in East San Jose and making his way through the ranks, or the sum of hundreds of other experiences. Or maybe it’s just who he is. But whatever the cause, I am certain we’re better for it.
Kevin has said given the year we’ve had, Black History Month will be different this go around. And with Kevin’s background, ideas, experiences, and passion, I know it will be for Palo Alto Networks as well. And I can’t wait.