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.
Building a Culture of Inclusion Employee Network Groups Offer Support and Amplify Voices
Mathew Donoghue, Vice President of Global Marketing
Originally posted on Palo Alto Networks Corporate Blog
The many changes we all faced in 2020 have led people to look more actively for communities to support, where they can share views and amplify their voices. As an Australian citizen living in the United States who is unable to vote, I found myself searching for other ways to support human rights and add my voice in some way. So when an opportunity to serve as executive sponsor for Palo Alto Networks’ LGBTQIA+ Employee Network presented itself, I immediately raised my hand.
Laying the Foundation
I’ve never been someone who has been “out” publicly in the workplace — fortunately, my sexuality has never been a problem for me at work. However, when I joined a Palo Alto Networks’ Employee Network Group (ENG) webcast on understanding privilege, I found it incredibly informative and eye-opening. It was a wake-up call of sorts, reminding me that far too often, many people’s basic human rights are infringed upon, and I saw how privileged I’ve been in my career to not be the subject of discrimination. It was at that moment that I decided I needed to become a voice for those around me who have not been as fortunate. I reached out to our Chief People Officer and let her know that I was interested in doing my part to contribute or give back in some way, and before long, I had the executive sponsorship role.
Palo Alto Networks hosts several ENGs, not just for LGBTQIA+ members but also Black, Asian, Muslim, LatinX, women, veterans, and early-in-career employees, all of whom face their own challenges and concerns in their lives and the workplace. The groups provide a sense of community for people who may at times feel isolated, unseen, or unheard. They offer a forum in which to share experiences, unify, validate, and amplify their voices to deepen understanding and promote advocacy.
In the LGBTQIA+ Network, I was surprised to discover that we had a membership of only 200 employees, including those who identify as members of the group as well as allies. It seemed astonishing to me that our numbers would be so small, particularly given the size of the company with thousands of employees across the globe and the fact that queer people tend to be generally fabulous. Upon reflection, it became clear that life can be quite different for some. In several countries, it is illegal to be gay (even punishable by death). For certain cultures where it may not be illegal, there’s still considerable shame associated with it.. People who live under these circumstances are forced to live in the shadows, often in fear and suffering in silence. This realization only increased my determination to help in any way I could.
I’ve learned a lot from participating in this ENG, which continues to be incredibly rewarding. One of the first things I learned was the language related to how members identify themselves, which can be critically important to a person’s sense of self. When someone is referred to with the wrong pronoun, it can make them feel disrespected, invalidated, dismissed, or alienated. Asking and correctly using someone’s pronouns is one of the most basic ways we can show respect for someone’s gender identity. We offer a safe space to ask questions and gain understanding so that we can all be better colleagues, communicators, friends, and allies.
Inclusion and Diversity at the Heart
Diversity of experience, thought, and background really does drive creativity and innovation, and I’m very pleased to know that the leaders at Palo Alto Networks are behind this notion every step of the way. They have intentionally and thoughtfully made this company a very safe and inclusive space that welcomes all people, and I’m seeing the ENGs making huge strides in connecting people, offering safe spaces in order to have frank conversations, and addressing injustices in real, tangible ways.
The hard work put in by our employees, leadership, and LGBTQIA+ group is showing results as Palo Alto Networks, for the second year in a row, has received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) and has been named a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality. The CEI is the nation’s premier benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality. This recognition is a testament to Palo Alto Networks’ commitment to inclusion and diversity.
Finding Purpose
As an executive sponsor, I have discovered a sense of purpose, and I look forward to the continued opportunity to help others — people who for whatever reason may have been denied rights or told they are not worthy — to feel that they are important and to know that what they say matters. In my professional role with the company and as a member of the marketing leadership team, I elevate ENG members’ voices, further drive awareness of issues across the organization, and champion members’ efforts with our executive team. This involves organizing and consulting on events, identifying and sharing resources with the ENG, or helping to clear roadblocks that might stand in the way of their efforts. Or it may mean listening to members’ ideas and concerns and then sharing them with the people who are in a position to make a difference. One of our initiatives is a book club, where we read literature that contains LGBTQIA+ characters or topics that might spur discussions between people of all backgrounds within the company. Ultimately, the goal is to help people find a way to connect with each other, recognize and address stigmas, and educate them about the many ways they can help, not hurt, others.
We’re making great progress at Palo Alto Networks, but there’s still work to be done, and I’m excited about the road ahead. With great pleasure and immense pride, I’m able to play a role in ensuring EVERYONE at Palo Alto Networks is not just accepted but welcomed and celebrated!
Do you wake up ready to take on the world? Palo Alto Networks wants you.
I have built my career on being a “growth guy.” I’ve worked for several multinational technology companies and have been tasked with growing teams and revenues over a short period of time. However, none of them have had the opportunities and potential that I’ve found here at Palo Alto Networks. Our incredible growth is like no other company’s in the industry, but we need talented, hungry professionals to join us and help take us to the next level.
It should come as no surprise that cybersecurity is the hottest segment of the technology industry. And when you look at any list of the key players in the market, Palo Alto Networks is consistently ranked at the top of the heap. In fact, the company was recently named one of the Fortune 50 alongside such names as Amazon, Tesla, and PayPal. Plus, the company’s acquisition strategy and ability to integrate new cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are unmatched.
But aside from those facts, which were very attractive to me, I could see that the people who work here clearly care deeply for this company. All of them come from different backgrounds and have different talents and experiences, but they all share an obvious love for the company and its mission to be the cybersecurity partner of choice by protecting our digital way of life. All of these factors combined are what drew me to work here in late 2020.
Our recent growth in the EMEA market is astounding. In the last year, we’ve grown six times faster than the rest of the market. Companies are becoming more digitized at an unprecedented pace — it is among the top three goals on the agenda of every CEO — and chief digitization officers are taking prominent roles in their companies’ futures. This has been further accelerated by COVID, which has driven workers and students, by necessity, to work remotely and move more of their interactions online. And you cannot have digitization without security, particularly cloud security. We are helping to keep businesses alive and working in a secure environment. Demand is growing rapidly for the security we offer, but to meet that demand, it is essential that we add motivated, talented, energetic, experienced professionals capable of dealing with the complexity of this work — particularly C-level executives — to our team in Germany.
Culture of Success
Our German team comprises a healthy mix of very experienced people who have worked in the industry for 25 or 30 years along with recent graduates and young professionals who are new to the industry but passionate about what we do and eager to learn and grow. The culture on this team de-emphasizes hierarchies: We all contribute, and all our voices are heard, at all levels of the organization. We aren’t focused on titles; we do what needs to be done, and no task is beneath us.
This company also is tremendously generous with its people. Yes, we often use words such as “grow faster” and “overdeliver,” but social engagement within our team is also a priority. This company is focused on caring for its employees and their families, ensuring that their needs are met. Many companies say that, but here it is truly lived every day.
I’m also excited about the level of diversity I increasingly have seen within our team — in fact, three of our leadership roles with our German office are held by females and 25% of our recent new hires were women. I’ve rarely seen a company so committed to inclusion, and it is seen and felt by everyone every day.
Perhaps what is best about working here is that despite our incredible rate of growth, our size still allows us to remain agile. We are the perfect size to make a difference. Here, you can be heard, and you have the freedom to create and innovate — we have the right balance of corporate sustainability and individual freedom. Although we are at the top of our game, we still operate as a startup, which is how we have gotten to where we are today.
Technical experience and training are useful in any new employee, of course, but even more important is your desire for challenge, your hunger to make a difference in the security space. I’m looking for people who are passionate about security, ready to live and breathe it and to employ creative solutions to move us to the next level. You should have a big-picture strategy for getting ahead and have a vision for growing the company and your own career. If you wake up ready to tackle the world, there’s a place for you here at Palo Alto Networks.
Asking the Questions that Matter: Sponsoring an Employee Network Group
Amy and her “grandpuppy,” Tucker.
Career development has been a passion of mine and an important part of my career since long before I joined Palo Alto Networks three years ago. So, it was a fortunate coincidence that I was asked, within two months of coming to work here, to step in as an executive sponsor for the company’s Early in Career Employee Network Group (ENG).
In fact, the opportunity landed on my lap — my colleague, who was the sponsor at the time, was unable to attend the group’s meet and greet and asked if I could take his place at the event. Soon afterward, he realized that his schedule didn’t really allow him to continue as a sponsor, and it made good sense for me to take on that role. After all, it was congruent with my position at the company, which at the time was Vice President of Corporate Sales — a role that, among other things, involved bringing on new talent through LEAP, the company’s early-in-career recruitment and training program.
The Early in Career ENG plays an important part in helping employees who are just starting out in their careers to make connections, seek advice, share concerns or frustrations, and develop their skills. It doesn’t necessarily mean its members have to be fresh out of college — some have been working for many years but are just starting out in cybersecurity. Issues that crop up for members include such things as establishing work-life balance, navigating finances, finding answers to work-related questions, strengthening time-management skills, identifying mentors, finding training opportunities, building professional and personal confidence, forming friendships, and finding their voice. Events range from book clubs to speaker sessions, educational presentations, training webinars, the occasional virtual happy hour, and much more.
The year 2020 has presented additional challenges, including isolation — many are recent grads and single, living alone — or feelings of disconnectedness from peers. Socials and meet-and-greet events are often a lifeline for those starting out in their careers, and with those opportunities taken off the table due to the pandemic, finding alternative ways to connect and network is essential in helping these employees stay engaged. For those fresh out of college or new to full-time employment, basic infrastructure, such as desks or designated work areas, is lacking, which adds to the difficulty of working from home. The support, advice, and connection this ENG provides are especially valuable to this group of employees, who appreciate being able to share their experiences with others who “get it.”
Being an executive sponsor doesn’t make me a leader, but rather a sounding board, advocate, cheerleader, and advisor. All the various ENG groups at Palo Alto Networks develop programs and events that are intended to be meaningful to constituent members and drive visibility across the organization. This involves considerable planning and budgeting, which I participate in. Because of my background, I can assist them in building their personal brands and bring vision to the group. I can also help spread the word about issues or concerns facing these employees or opportunities for others in the organization to participate in events or be more inclusive of early-in-career employees.
I also see raising questions as an important part of my role — questions related to what outcomes they’re seeking and how they can achieve them. I see it as the executive sponsor’s responsibility to raise questions they didn’t think to consider, to tease out their thinking and help them come up with solutions.
We all remember our first or second job, and we remember the people who were there to help lift us off. That’s why the Early in Career ENG — as well as the many ENGs we have here at Palo Alto Networks — is so important. It offers a sense of belonging as well as opportunities to both lead and follow, growing their confidence as they do. I avidly study social psychology, and one person known in this space, Brené Brown, once wrote, “We’re hardwired for connection.” Without connection in a company as large as ours, a person can easily get lost. An ENG creates a community where a person can feel safe and understood, and in turn, it helps them to feel more closely tied to the company. It not only benefits the individual but as a result, the company enjoys less turnover and happier, more productive, more engaged employees.
A company always has to be cautious that it doesn’t become exclusive in its efforts to be inclusive. That’s why an ENG is valuable for every employee, whatever affinity group we identify with. Participating in an ENG, even if you aren’t early in your career, offers a window into the issues facing those employees, as well as a deeper understanding of their ideas and perspectives, which can aid in innovation as well as recruitment and retention efforts. We’re never too experienced to learn from others which is why establishing and sponsoring ENG groups is a worthwhile investment.
Where Design Meets Technology
Since the beginning of my career in 2004, I’ve been concerned with how end-users interact with technology. My work addresses the intersection between web design and back-end technology, and my focus is on functionality, readability, and quality of user interface (UI) on Palo Alto Networks’ XDR threat detection and response application. As Senior Front-End Developer, I create the UI that enables customers to successfully visualize security incidents, allow those incidents to be analyzed, isolate infected machines, and more, all resulting in superior protection against cyber attacks. What I find most exciting about my work is that the features I develop impact and help secure the largest companies in the world and that every single line of code I write has a meaning and is visible by tens of thousands of people (at least!).
One of the most visible features I have developed is the application’s dashboard, which loads as the default page when customers open the application and is, therefore, the most-viewed page. It summarizes the security incidents collected by our system and allows users to navigate from there to specific incidents they would like to explore in more detail. And probably the feature I’m most proud of developing is the Remote Terminal, a useful and sophisticated feature that allows a security specialist to connect to an endpoint that might be infected by malware, run remote commands on it, view the task manager, pause and stop processes, and more, just as they would if they were working locally on that machine.
A Positive Culture
Since the moment when my hiring process began at Palo Alto Networks in 2018, I have felt that this is truly one of the best places to work — it is definitely the best place I’ve ever worked. Not only is it appealing to work for the largest cybersecurity company in the world, but my interactions with everyone at the company, from the professional and courteous recruitment specialist to my hiring manager, my department’s vice president, and everyone on my team, have been positive and welcoming.
Even after being here for over two years, I still feel this way. The company places high value on knowledge sharing, collaboration between teams, and trust between managers and employees. There’s no micromanaging. You won’t see Human Resources or managers tracking every work hour we put in; they don’t need to. Instead, there’s implicit trust and mutual accountability because everyone is dedicated to doing their best work here. This creates a unique work environment where people give their all and, even in stressful times, the feeling is positive and supportive.
In my short time with this company, I’ve learned a tremendous amount. I’ve learned how to cope with colleagues of different types and personalities. I’ve learned to prioritize tasks and work independently while also improving my multitasking ability. And I’ve learned that knowledge sharing and collaboration are the best ways to make the company succeed. I’ve taken these lessons to heart as I’ve grown in my ability to deliver the best possible features for customers.
As a woman, I can say that Palo Alto Networks has excellent employees of both genders, and I work daily with other great female developers, product managers, and quality engineers. Although I think some women may feel intimidated to work in technology, they shouldn’t. The atmosphere here is very empowering for women, and I’ve never felt like I was a minority.
I hope more women join this company because I’d like everyone to be able to experience the same positive environment and perks as I do.
Worth the Work
I was at the beginning of my sophomore year at Bismarck State College’s cybersecurity/computer networks program in fall 2019 when I learned about the Secure the Future competition. My professor would often bring event and competition opportunities to his students, and this competition, sponsored by Palo Alto Networks, came with a chance to win a cash prize and an interview for an internship or employment with the company.
As the competition paperwork explained, Secure the Future was designed “to challenge student candidates to make decisions regarding the protection of operational assets through the analysis, comparison, and selection of advanced security tools, methodologies, and implementation options.”
I had to move quickly — we had about two hours to decide whether we were interested. I’m the kind of person who likes to say yes to things, and I figured, why not? If nothing else, I would learn a lot from the experience. I went to my professor’s office and told him I was interested, and he gave me access to the pretest that screened applicants for the baseline skills needed to qualify for the competition. I passed the pretest, thanks to what I’d already learned about networking in my program, and I qualified to move on to Phase 2 of the four-phase competition.
Phase 2 was the competition research and learning phase. I needed to select an industry — I chose the financial industry, having worked for several years in banking — and conduct independent research while also completing a four-module course of assignments and assessments having to do with cybersecurity threats and challenges in that industry. Following that, Phase 3 involved compiling our research and producing a report and five-minute video summary of the research. And in Phase 4 (if you were one of the 10 lucky finalists to make it that far) included a trip to Palo Alto Networks’ headquarters in Santa Clara, California, to present our research live to panelists and participate in a five-minute Q&A session with the company’s board of directors.
As you’d expect, the work involved got progressively more challenging as the weeks went on. Because I was conducting research into information that was new and didn’t exist in many places, it would often take hours of my time to uncover it. In fact, the competition involved a pretty significant investment of my time; I spent about 15 hours a week on average, over the course of roughly six months, working on the competition. I did this all while completing my school work and holding a job where I put in over 30 hours a week. In fact, many students simply couldn’t complete the competition because the demands placed on us were quite heavy. But as I watched the numbers of competitors tick downward week after week, I started feeling hopeful that making it to the top 10 was actually within my reach.
In January 2020, I was notified that I’d been selected as a Phase 4 finalist! I had never been to California before, and that was exciting. But right as I thought the extensive work and research had come to an end, I had to produce a lengthy report of my research as well as a five-minute video summary.
Although I wasn’t one of the three winners chosen to receive a cash prize, as a finalist, I was fortunate to be granted interviews with several members of the Palo Alto Networks team. I flew home, and a few weeks later, I received a formal offer for an internship!
Ultimately, this experience proved invaluable for me — I’m so glad I chose to do it, even as challenging and even exhausting as the competition itself was at times. I wound up with the internship of my dreams, with a company I hope to continue my career with in the future. I’m really thankful for the competition, which not only helped me get my foot in the door with this company, but which also, among other things, taught me the values of perseverance and time management. If you’re interested in the Secure the Future competition and you are willing to put in the commitment and time, I would highly recommend it — it could lead you to something great!
Frog in a Well: Employee Network Groups Expand Your View of the World
There is an old Hindi tale about kupamanduka, which translates to “frog in a well.” In the story, the frog imagines his well is the largest water body that exists and that the small circle of sky he sees above is the limit of the horizon. In his ignorance about the world, he is happy, but the tale offers a cautionary note about the dangers of insularity, which can lead to intolerance and a lack of personal growth or understanding of the world. In the technology sector, where innovation relies on a wealth of diversity, staying in the well can keep you from being successful.
I am originally from a small valley in the Kashmir region of India, where we were isolated and had limited visibility and access to the rest of the world. In short, I was a bit like kupamanduka. It wasn’t until I left for college in urban Bangalore that I came to realize how many different cultures and languages were spoken within India, and I began learning the nuances of other people’s culture like never before. It was only the beginning of my personal transformation as I moved to the United States soon after my bachelor’s degree to work and study for MBA at University of Arkansas.
We often hear of people in technology coming from Asia to the Bay Area, where it is possible to remain inside a bubble with people just like me. I believe if I had done that, to begin with, I wouldn’t have learned as much about American culture as I did. I was in the middle of nowhere and took a job working for Walmart — an American institution I had never heard — and I was one of the first Indians they had hired. It was a very monochromatic culture, mostly white and a few African Americans, so I really stood out as different. I am intensely curious by nature, and during my time there I learned a lot about American culture, had my portion of cultural gaffes, understood better the way Americans do things, and I built a lot of friendships. But I also experienced, outside of work, instances of racism and bias that are inherent with people who are ignorant or don’t know enough about other cultures beyond the stereotypes they’ve heard. I had to overcome that and was extremely fortunate to have really good friends and mentors who stood by me; we learned from each other and expanded our horizons as a result.
There are 48 countries in Asia, and roughly 25 of those are represented by employees here at Palo Alto Networks. For many non-Asian people, their understanding of those countries as distinct, and of the great diversity found among Asian people, are a lot like the frog’s — greatly limited. Ensuring that our Asian employees feel heard, understood, and supported and that others within the organization have the opportunity to learn from them and expand their understanding of the world, are top priorities in this organization. That’s why the InnovASIAN employee network group (ENG) was established in early 2020, joining a whole host of ENGs for a wide range of underrepresented populations within Palo Alto Networks. When I was approached about being the executive sponsor for this new ENG, I saw it as a great opportunity to expand horizons for myself and our employees.
As executive sponsor, I’m not leading or making decisions for the group, but I’m helping by offering guidance, advocating on behalf of the group to inform decision- and policy-making, and lending executive-level perspective to education and events. I can help spread the word about activities and discussions the group is developing, and lead by example by participating in them.
I’m able to use my role to offer guidance on career growth among our company’s Asian community — providing advice on finding mentors, taking on new responsibilities, and developing professional skills — and I can play an active role in trying to eradicate biases by helping our group to be external facing and educate others about our cultures, mentorship programs, through activities such as fares of Asia, making foods native to their countries, or participating in cultural holidays or observances. For example, for Diwali, the Festival of Lights, we welcomed our company CEO and Chairman Nikesh Arora and President Amit Singh to participate in making chai (tea) and share what Diwali means to them. It’s education that feels approachable, not onerous, and yet is powerful in how it allows people of different backgrounds to feel connected.
Since coming to America, I’ve seen that what makes us great is the diversity of thought and ability to surround ourselves with people from all walks of life and learn from each other, regardless of caste, color, or creed. It is only by doing this that we “frogs” can see beyond our wells and truly understand the world. That’s the power of an ENG.
Serving Those Who Served
When most people think of military veterans, they acknowledge the courage, the selflessness, and the discipline it takes to serve. They’re grateful, recognizing the sacrifices that often accompany the choice to stand and take an oath to defend their country against all enemies. Not many people can do that.
When veterans return home, they often face unexpected difficulties in transitioning the skills they’ve earned to civilian life and the workplace. Yet veterans are a tremendous asset to any workplace. They bring outstanding leadership skills, a willingness to volunteer for challenging assignments, as well as an ability to adapt to various situations quickly. They have sticktoitiveness that allows them to press through obstacles and accomplish goals in spite of them. Of course, from a technology standpoint, veterans also bring an impressive and unique skill set to any organization or enterprise. You know when you hand projects off to a veteran, those projects will be taken across the finish line successfully.
By the time I was 12 years old, I knew that I wanted to serve. I went on to attend the United States Naval Academy and served in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years. In my post-military career, I’ve been passionate about veterans affairs and advocating on their behalf, and I have actively sought opportunities to contribute in that way. It’s what led me to become a board member of the Marines Memorial Association, a nonprofit organization that honors veterans and their families through education and service. And a few months ago, another valuable opportunity landed in my lap — I was asked to serve as the executive sponsor for Palo Alto Networks’ employee network group (ENG) for veterans, the Veterans Employee Network.
The Power of ENGs
For those who participate in the Veteran Employee Network, the group offers a way to connect with others who have similar backgrounds and perspectives. This opportunity is a global one as nearly all veterans share common principles of the workplace and ethics. Though we come from different areas around the globe and served in a multitude of ways, those of us with military experience naturally seek out others who share that background and commitment. An ENG provides a convenient venue in which we can seek out professional connections and friendships with others who have similar mindsets and values. And it’s a way to enable veterans to join together in service efforts, such as fundraising events or other opportunities to volunteer for the community. Plus, who better to offer support to a veteran than another veteran?
ENGs in general provide an avenue for expressing concerns to company leaders, and they can act as a unified voice for a population that may not otherwise be understood or considered in the decision-making process. An ENG can amplify members’ input, for example, on how to attract and hire veteran talent or engage or support existing employees. Palo Alto Networks’ Black employee network, Ujima — a group for which I was executive sponsor until recently — was particularly valuable in the summer of 2020 during a period of intense social unrest. The perspectives shared by Ujima members were particularly valuable in helping to shape how company leaders approached and made decisions about the organization’s messaging on the issue and how it would take care of its employees. An ENG allows leaders to take a group’s pulse, solicit feedback, and use that feedback to shape their actions.
As an executive sponsor, the responsibilities of the role are mostly strategically oriented. I offer suggestions for increasing engagement by our company’s veterans and how we might have more impact as part of the Palo Alto Networks workforce. I can help share messaging about events so that veteran and non-veteran employees alike feel welcome to attend and can benefit from the insights offered. And as a member of the executive team, I can act as a conduit for information so that the group’s input is truly heard by the people who need to hear it.
Diversity and inclusion are top priorities at our company, but I also believe that every company can do more to identify prospective employees who are veterans and tap into the talents and experiences they can bring to the job. The two areas are in fact complementary to one another and not mutually exclusive. That’s why all employees are welcome to participate in ENGs, not just those who identify as members. In the Veteran Employee Network, we have members who are related to veterans and are familiar with those experiences and challenges and perhaps have even lost loved ones who served.
It’s so important that we give employees the space to continue to be who they are in the workplace and to express what makes them unique. And it’s crucial that their colleagues and managers understand the distinct challenges they face and what attributes they can bring to the table. Being an executive sponsor or participant in an ENG enables this kind of exchange.
I often joke with my wife that on my tombstone, I want written, “Husband, father, United States Marine.” I only served for a handful of years, but it made such a huge impact on who I am, personally and professionally. Most veterans feel that way about their service; it’s a component of their personalities, and I’m proud to say that our ENG provides space in which to share that.