How I Got My Start in Privacy

This series brings together the personal stories of seasoned privacy professionals, offering readers a look at how diverse career paths can lead into the privacy field. Through reflections from practitioners who began in roles as varied as law, marketing, brand strategy, compliance, and technology, the series highlights the unexpected moments, accidental opportunities and industry shifts that sparked their transitions into privacy work.

The series aims to help new privacy professionals gain insights and ideas on how they might jumpstart their own careers.

Series Overview

Kirk Nahra
This article recounts how Kirk Nahra entered the privacy field unintentionally through work investigating insurance fraud, eventually becoming a leading expert in health and financial privacy as new laws like GLBA and HIPAA emerged.
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Emily Johnson
This article describes how Emily Johnson transitioned into privacy after volunteering for a corporate messaging project on data protection, which led to mentorship, deeper involvement in privacy work, and ultimately a major career shift into the field.
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Ryan Barker
This article tells how Ryan Barker began his privacy career by leading early data mapping and compliance efforts at Novell, later expanding into global privacy roles across industries and becoming part of the IAPP’s inaugural CIPP certification class.
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Katy Lovell
This article shares the lessons Katy Lovell learned entering the privacy profession, offering advice on foundational communication, managing organizational change, and building confidence through experience in developing a privacy program.
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