Insights from New Mexico: Chrisma Jackson and Mia Petersen
CyberUSA’s Up Front podcast recently featured a rich discussion with two leaders at the forefront of cybersecurity and innovation: Chrisma Jackson, Director of Cybersecurity and Mission Computing Center and CISO at Sandia National Laboratories, and Mia Petersen, Executive Director and CEO of the New Mexico Technology Council. Hosted by Adam Rak, the conversation explored how to communicate security concepts more effectively, attract and retain cyber talent, harness artificial intelligence responsibly, and learn from unconventional leadership journeys.
Petersen opened the conversation by sharing her vision for New Mexico’s technology community. Under her leadership, the New Mexico Technology Council has grown its programming, launched new peer-learning networks, and built influence statewide. She emphasized how technology can create sustainable prosperity across diverse communities — especially when people without traditional degrees or backgrounds find pathways into the field through training, apprenticeships, and nontraditional education.
Jackson then turned to the national stage, describing how Sandia Labs balances mission-critical work with the need to secure increasingly complex IT and OT systems. Her team has embraced zero trust not only as a technical framework but also as a cultural challenge. “Outside the cyber community, zero trust can sound like we don’t trust our people,” she explained. “We have to communicate that it’s about protection, resilience, and enabling the mission.”
The discussion also touched on the cyber workforce shortage and Sandia’s strategies for keeping top talent engaged. Jackson described the lab’s “cyber residency program,” modeled after medical rotations, which gives staff exposure to multiple disciplines before they specialize. Combined with Sandia’s long-running Center for Cyber Defenders internship pipeline, this approach creates opportunities for continuous learning, mentoring, and professional growth.
Looking ahead, both Petersen and Jackson see AI as a powerful but double-edged tool. While adversaries already use AI to craft more sophisticated attacks, defenders are starting to employ it to analyze massive datasets, identify subtle anomalies, and reduce repetitive work. Jackson emphasized the promise of AI to free cybersecurity professionals from compliance paperwork, allowing them to focus on solving the complex problems that drew them into the field in the first place.
This episode of Up Front underscored a central truth: the future of cybersecurity depends not just on technology but on people, culture, and communication. By broadening access to cyber careers, explaining critical concepts in human terms, and responsibly applying advanced tools, leaders like Jackson and Petersen are paving the way for a more resilient and inclusive digital future.
