SunSecCon Keynote: From IC to Manager....and Then Doing It Again

The path from individual contributor (IC) to leadership in security engineering is often seen as a one-way trajectory—but what happens when the reality of management doesn’t align with your passion for deep technical work? Many security practitioners strive for leadership roles to drive meaningful change, only to find themselves frustrated by the bureaucratic and interpersonal challenges that come with management. Some return to IC roles, seeking hands-on impact, only to realize that true influence often requires a seat at the leadership table.

In this keynote, I’ll share my journey through multiple transitions between IC and leadership, exploring the hard lessons learned at each stage. I’ll. discuss the common pitfalls of security management—perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and struggling to earn respect from engineering teams—and how to avoid becoming the kind of leader we once resented. Those willing to listen should walk away with one way to balance technical expertise and strategic leadership, how to recognize when it’s time to step up (or step back), and how to shape an engineering culture that values both strong leadership and empowered ICs.