A conversation with Maria Thompson, CISSP, CRISC, SLG Leader, Cybersecurity Amazon Web Services (AWS). Maria has a passion for public service and in particular, cybersecurity awareness and readiness. Maria served as North Carolina’s top cybersecurity official, after six-and-a-half years as its chief risk officer where she often advocated for a “whole-of-state” mentality in protecting securing IT and infrastructural assets, an approach that resulted in closer collaboration not just between agencies in Raleigh, but with local governments and the education and private sectors. Before state government, Maria had a 20-year career in the Marine Corps, during which she was among the branch’s first group of cybersecurity personnel, ultimately retiring as its first cybersecurity and information assurance chief. We discuss the need to bring greater diversity into public service – and in particular tech.