Connector. Human. Leader. A Conversation with Judith Meyer

Some people lead with their title. Others lead with their presence. From the moment I met Judith Meyer, I was struck by her kindness, her light, and the quiet strength she carries into every room. She’s warm, selfless, and full of joy—and also one of the most grounded and impactful leaders I’ve ever met. When I asked her to be my mentor, she said yes without hesitation. Since then, she’s guided me with kindness, opened doors, and introduced me to incredible people like Anitha Manoharan, who you met in our last feature.

In this conversation, Judith shares her journey from communications to risk management, her belief in building people-centered teams, and the importance of embracing who you are—even in spaces that expect you to fit a certain mold. Her story is honest, refreshing, and a powerful reminder that leadership done right is always human.

Career Journey

Your career journey from communications to risk management is so inspiring. What motivated you to make this transition, and how has your communications background influenced your leadership in security?

Honestly, I was voluntold into the transition — and we laugh about that word! I didn’t set out to become a risk management expert or a data protection leader. What motivates me is knowing the mission and understanding how meaningful this work is. I also enjoy mixing it up, learning new things, and bringing fresh eyes to areas that might need a new approach. It wasn’t a planned career change; it was about staying open to change, adapting, and stepping into areas that felt uncomfortable.

My communications background deeply shapes how I lead. Everything really comes back to relationships — understanding your audience, speaking their language, showing empathy, and connecting around a shared purpose. Communication is the output of deeper work: understanding people, understanding systems, thinking through change management, analyzing behavior. It's psychology, sociology, and change management — not just sending messages. Some people can talk for days and say nothing. True communication influences, connects, and drives real change.

Creating Space for Every Strength

You are known for connecting the right people to create great teams. What is your approach to identifying and fostering the unique strengths of team members?

One of the leadership courses I went through really made me think about my personal brand — who I want to be and the legacy I want to leave. There’s no right or wrong answer. Some people want to become subject matter experts, and we absolutely need that. But for me, self-awareness showed me that my strength is in connecting people.

I’m great at understanding what someone needs — and realizing when others need the same thing. It’s a gift I've had from the beginning. Becoming a world-renowned risk management expert would have required me to stretch in ways that don’t come as naturally — not that I couldn’t do it, but it’s not where I shine most. I’m most true to myself when I’m building connections, relationships, and helping others find the right resources.

Having been a new employee myself, I know how hard it is to navigate a complex organization. Now as a leader, I see the real value in knowing who to call, when to have the meeting before the meeting, and how to connect people to each other or to resources that help them succeed. At the end of the day, it's all about enabling people to get their jobs done faster, better, and with stronger support around them. 

Why do you believe it’s important to have diverse types of people in a team, and how do you ensure everyone feels valued despite their different working styles?

I've never seen a rainbow with just one color — and I just came up with that! (laughs)

Diversity in a team isn’t just about checking a box. It’s about bringing together different strengths, different ways of thinking, and different perspectives. That’s what makes the final outcome so much better.

One of the best pieces of advice I received was from a leader who told me: when you're hiring, your natural instinct is to look for someone just like you. We’re comfortable with what we know. But real growth happens when you challenge that instinct and intentionally look for someone who has strengths you don't — someone who will complement you, even if it takes more work to integrate different styles.

In security, we know you can't just focus on confidentiality, or integrity, or availability — you have to think about all three. It’s the same with building a team. You need people who think differently, approach problems differently, and fill in the gaps you can’t see yourself. I naturally think more about administrative controls, training, and people — but I know I need others who are deep in technology, operations, or other areas I’m less familiar with.

It comes back to relationships again. Over time, you realize that someone in a department you’ve never even heard of might have the perfect insight you need. That’s the beauty of diversity: together, we see things no one person could see alone.

Why is it okay for team members to function differently, and how do you create an environment where those differences become strengths rather than challenges?

It has to be that way. I can understand if you're in an operational role where everyone is doing the exact same task, like making widgets — then maybe having everyone function the same way makes sense. But in a department, a program, or a company where you need to achieve a variety of things, you need a variety of perspectives and people. 

I'm not a young spry person anymore, and I recognize I can't think like a 20- or 30-something today — life is different now than it was when I was that age. So we have to be intentional about finding people with different generational views, different strengths, different approaches.

Tools like Working Genius, Enneagram, StrengthsFinder — they all help us better understand ourselves and each other. It ties back to communication: know your audience. If you walk into a brainstorming meeting, but everyone in the room is highly task-focused and just wants to check off milestones, you’ll end up brainstorming by yourself — and feeling frustrated because no new ideas are flowing. Flip it: if you're in a planning meeting where you need clear dates and deliverables, but the group is full of idea people who want to keep dreaming and exploring, you'll feel equally frustrated because nothing is getting finalized. Appreciating those differences — and setting the right expectations — is key to making it all work.

It's like baking a pie — you can't make a pie with just sugar. You need the butter, the pan, the cherries, all the ingredients. You need all the different parts working together to create something great.

Staying True, Leading Strong

You have a bright and cheerful personality that motivates others. How do you maintain that positivity, especially during challenging times, and how do you pass it on to your team?

Maybe it's a little bit of life wisdom. The older I get, the more I've learned the value of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and choosing to focus on the positive rather than the negative. In any situation, you can either see the glass half full or half empty — but what truly serves you and the people around you is choosing to see it half full.

That's not to say we don't acknowledge real challenges. When you're transitioning to a new boss or moving from remote work back into the office, there's real grief and disruption involved. I’ve always tried to be honest with my team about that — to say out loud, 'Forget the title — I'm just like you. This change is interrupting my life too.' But then I step back into my role as a leader and think about how to help the team move through it. I focus on how we can make the experience meaningful, how we can make the most of the time we do have together.

It all comes back to empathy. When people understand the 'why' behind a change, and when they know their leaders truly see them, it makes all the difference. I’ve learned that positivity isn’t about pretending everything is easy — it’s about acknowledging challenges and helping people navigate them with support and understanding.

I also believe deeply that we control our emotions. One of the most impactful things I learned 18 years ago from Crucial Conversations training is that no one can make you mad — you choose how you respond. I try to catch myself when I'm starting to tell myself a negative story and ask, 'Why would a rational person act this way?' When you do that, you find empathy instead of anger. The same choice applies to happiness, excitement, and support. Positivity is a decision — and it’s a decision I try to make every day. 

Your bright and cheerful personality is a hallmark of who you are, but there’s often a stigma, especially for women, that being bubbly or upbeat can lead to being underestimated or not taken seriously. How have you navigated and broken through this stereotype to not only be authentically yourself but also pave the way for others to embrace their own unique personalities in professional spaces?

First of all, it comes with wisdom — something I wish I could go back and teach 25-year-old me. It's so important to be your authentic self. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t grow, take feedback, or improve. It just means you shouldn’t try to turn yourself into someone you're not.

For me, being bubbly is who I am. I've had to learn when to adjust — like knowing that a senior leadership meeting isn’t always the right time for a joke — but I still walk in with a big smile and a warm handshake. I stay true to myself, just with the right balance for the setting.

It hasn’t always been easy. Add being blonde — sometimes with a little red — and the fact that I had the honor of being a professional NFL cheerleader — and you can imagine the stereotypes. For a long time, I was oblivious to it. But once I entered the corporate world, I saw how often people underestimated my intellectual capacity because of how I looked or how positive I seemed.

At some point, I realized — that’s their issue, not mine. And instead of letting it diminish me, I turned it into a superpower. I focused on what really matters: the work, the outcomes, the results we’re trying to achieve together. I don’t have to change who I am. My goal isn’t for you to like me — my goal is for us to succeed. Ironically, when you stay authentic, people usually end up liking you even more.

How has staying true to who you are helped you succeed as a leader and connector, and what advice would you give to those who feel pressured to wear a facade to fit in?

I've had the privilege of speaking at new hire orientation recently, and one of the first things I tell new employees is: congratulations, you won the job. I say that because we often forget — you didn’t just get a job, you won it. You were chosen over other candidates because something about you stood out. The hiring manager saw value in you — whether it was your attitude, your knowledge, your eagerness, your potential, or the relationships you bring.

We don't emphasize that enough. You’re in the role you’re in because you bring something unique and important to the table. And that’s why staying true to yourself matters. You don’t need to put on a facade. You don't need to be someone else to succeed. Being authentic is what earned you your seat — and it’s what will keep you growing.

What’s your favorite self-care habit, and why is self-care important in high-pressure roles like ours?

Sleep — 100%. Early in my career, I used to stay up all night trying to impress people, living on four hours of sleep and pushing myself to get projects done faster. And I could do it back then — but that’s not sustainable, and it’s definitely not where I do my best work.

Now, I've learned to recognize what I need. For me, it’s sleep. When I'm tired, I don't make the best decisions, and I'm much more likely to make mistakes. So I've gotten comfortable with checking out from work when I know I’m running low. I’ll get some rest and come back sharper, with clearer thinking and a much better end product.

Everyone's needs are different, but for me, prioritizing rest isn’t a luxury — it’s essential to being the best version of myself, both professionally and personally.

Vision, Growth, and the Road Ahead

What is your vision for the future of team leadership in the cybersecurity and risk management space, and how can organizations prepare to adapt to new challenges?

I think the biggest change we’re facing — is change itself. That’s the real challenge.

It’s not easy, especially when you think about it generationally. I’ll admit, it’s harder for me to accept things like AI compared to someone fresh out of college who has grown up with it. It’s a new space for me, and it can be hard to understand how it will fit into what we do. The same was true when hybrid work first came onto the scene — it challenged everything we knew about how work should be structured.

Leaders, especially those who have been around a long time, have to push themselves out of their comfort zones. We have to ask: what does society look like now? What does technology look like now? What do the risks look like now — not what they looked like 10 or 20 years ago. And most importantly, we have to break out of the mindset of 'we've always done it this way.' That mentality is one of the biggest barriers to moving forward.

What are your aspirations for the future, both personally and professionally?

Personally, my aspiration is to retire — but not just retire, to retire while I can still enjoy my life. I don’t want money to be the only motivator; I want to truly enjoy the moments I have. Right now, I’m entering a new chapter as my third child goes off to college, and we move into the 'empty nest' stage. It’s exciting, weird, and a little sad all at the same time.

Professionally, I’m taking on new responsibilities in data protection, retention, and legal holds — areas that were completely new to me not long ago. It’s been a challenge, but also incredibly rewarding. Six months ago, I knew very little about these areas, and today I know so much more. I’m excited to see how we can transform our data protection efforts, and it’s fulfilling to realize that even after all these years, I still have so much room to learn, grow, and make a real impact.

If you could give one piece of advice to professionals who want to create exceptional teams, what would it be?

If I could give just one piece of advice, it would be this: balance your focus between the work and the people — and if anything, lean a little more toward the people.

It’s easy to get caught up in the work, thinking that’s the best way to drive results. But if you neglect the people, you lose the trust and connection that truly fuel success. When you invest in your team as human beings, the work will naturally follow.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Patrick Lencioni: 'People will walk through fire for a leader who is true and human.' And that’s my advice — be human. Show up authentically. Care genuinely. People can feel the difference. 

One of my favorite memories of this came during COVID. Everything felt heavy and isolated, and honestly, I just needed to get out of the house. It was a beautiful day — sunshine, blue skies — and I decided to drive around and drop off small gifts at my team members’ homes. We even tracked it like a 'Santa tracker' for fun. At the time, it wasn’t about strategy or leadership techniques — it was just about doing something human, something that felt good.

Later, my executive coach told me that those small moments had built a deep 'trust bank' with my team — trust I could lean on when we inevitably faced harder times. I hadn’t even realized it then, but it reminded me that real leadership isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about the small, human moments that build lasting trust.

Exceptional teams are built by leaders who show up with empathy, authenticity, and heart — and who never lose sight of the people at the center of it all.

Finally, tell us about the 'BADdest' challenge you've taken on in your career—the boldest, most authentic, and driven moment you're most proud of—and how it shaped you.

When I think about the boldest and most authentic moment in my career, it wasn’t a single project or title — it was the decision to truly connect with myself. Years ago, I took a Crucial Conversations class, and it changed everything for me. I learned that I am in control of my actions, my emotions, and the stories I tell myself about other people. That realization — admitting when I was wrong, taking responsibility instead of blaming others — was life-changing.

It’s bold because it’s so much easier not to do that. It’s easier to blame others, to stay in your comfort zone, to let fear or assumptions drive you. But choosing to take personal accountability shaped everything that followed: it gave me the courage to challenge decisions when needed, to advocate for others, to take on new opportunities I might have once resisted. It opened up a path not just to professional growth, but to becoming a better leader, a better teammate, and a better human.

Ultimately, my 'BADdest' moment wasn’t about a title or a trophy — it was about making a choice to grow from the inside out. And that’s what drives everything I do today: helping people, including myself, become better humans.

Closing Reflections

Judith’s journey is a masterclass in staying true to who you are, even when you feel pressure to fit a mold. She reminds us that it’s possible to be joyful and respected, kind and powerful, approachable and deeply impactful. Through her selfless mentorship, tireless advocacy for others, and unwavering belief in human-centered leadership, Judith doesn’t just lead—she uplifts. I’m so grateful to have her in my corner, and even more grateful to share her voice with all of you. This conversation is a reminder that authenticity isn't a soft skill—it’s a leadership strength. And Judith embodies it beautifully.

Maliha

Disclaimer: The content on this blog and website reflects a combination of my personal experiences, perspectives, and insights, as well as interviews and contributions from other individuals. It does not represent the opinions, policies, or strategies of any organization I am currently affiliated with or have been affiliated with in the past. This platform serves as a personal space for sharing ideas, lessons learned, and meaningful reflections.