“WiCyS was the turning point in my transition from healthcare to cybersecurity. The community gave me direction, confidence and a sense of belonging during a long and uncertain career shift. From my first CTF with WiCyS to receiving a SANS scholarship, the support and connections I found opened doors, connected me with mentors and helped me step into my first cybersecurity role.”
– Elizabeth Vos, Information Risk Assurance Associate, IS Partners
Elizabeth Vos’s path into cybersecurity didn’t begin in a classroom or a tech lab. It started in the high-stakes environment of an ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic, where years of critical care nursing eventually led to burnout and a quiet, persistent question: What else is possible?
For over a decade, Elizabeth dedicated her life to caring for others. As a Registered Nurse specializing in ICU and PACU care, she spent 11 years guiding patients through their most vulnerable moments, responding to Code Blue emergencies, assisting with complex procedures, and providing end-of-life care. Alongside direct patient care, she audited medical records, generated operational reports and worked extensively with clinical informatics and electronic health records.
While the work was deeply meaningful, the emotional toll of frontline care during the pandemic was significant. Like many healthcare professionals, Elizabeth found herself burnt out and wondering what her future might look like outside of clinical practice.
Driven by curiosity, she began exploring technology in her spare time, teaching herself HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Initially, she thought software development might be her next step. But as she explored different technical avenues, cybersecurity immediately resonated. “It’s just something that—I don’t want to say came easy—but I understand this world of cybersecurity, and it is very comforting,” she shared.
Determined to break into the field, Elizabeth sought out communities where she could connect with industry professionals. That search led her to Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS). Attending events hosted by the WiCyS Colorado Affiliate, she found an inclusive community that welcomed newcomers and actively encouraged growth. Those early interactions gave her something just as vital as technical knowledge: the confidence that she belonged in tech.
Then came a pivotal turning point. In 2023, while on vacation in Hawaii, Elizabeth discovered a WiCyS Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. There was just one catch. She hadn’t brought a computer.
Refusing to let the opportunity pass, she was so determined to participate that she drove to Costco while on vacation and purchased a laptop specifically so she could compete. Surrounded by nearly 1,700 virtual competitors, she didn’t expect to rank high, but that wasn’t the point. Competing gave her a taste of real-world security challenges, introduced her to a passionate network and left her completely hooked. Looking back, buying a laptop in paradise is a fun story, but at the time, it was the exact moment cybersecurity began to feel like a career she could genuinely see herself pursuing.
That single event created a powerful ripple effect. Shortly after, Elizabeth applied for the SANS Cyber Academy Scholarship offered through WiCyS’s partnership with the SANS Institute. Demonstrating the persistence that would come to define her transition, she applied multiple times before securing a spot.
Through the scholarship, she earned multiple GIAC certifications while gaining hands-on experience through Cyversity’s mentorship program and the GRC Fundamentals Practicum, honing skills in policy development, risk assessments, security controls, and emerging areas such as AI and privacy. By August 2024, her growth earned her a seat on the GIAC Advisory Board.
As her skills grew, Elizabeth naturally looked for ways to give back. She joined the WiCyS Mentorship Program to refine her leadership abilities and build lasting industry relationships. Soon after, she stepped into a leadership role as Communications Director for the WiCyS Colorado Affiliate, advocating for inclusivity and guiding incoming career changers. “I feel like it’s a wonderful way of paying it forward,” she noted.
Yet, even with certifications and an expanding network, breaking into the field required immense patience and resilience. The transition was far from quick or linear. Elizabeth navigated a long and challenging job search throughout nearly all of 2025, facing rejections and uncertainty while persistently continuing to study, earn certifications, network, participate in CTFs, and build hands-on experience. That determination paid off in November 2025, when she accepted her first cybersecurity role as an Information Risk Assurance Associate at IS Partners, performing audits and navigating governance, risk and compliance (GRC) frameworks.
Reflecting on the milestone, Elizabeth shared: “After more than ten years in healthcare, a few years of studying cybersecurity, nearly a year of searching for the right opportunity, countless nights of self-study, three GIAC certifications, dozens of CTF flags, and at least one rabbit hole involving packet captures at 2 a.m., I’m officially stepping into a new chapter. This transition into cybersecurity has been anything but linear. It has been shaped by learning, persistence and an incredible sense of community.”
The gravity of the change fully hit her during her final nursing shift. “I didn’t fully realize the weight of this transition until I worked my final shift as a nurse,” she reflected. “Leaving healthcare, a role that shaped so much of who I am, was bittersweet. But I’m excited to begin this new chapter in cybersecurity, continuing to protect people in new ways. I may be trading scrubs for frameworks, but I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead!”
Today, Elizabeth is fully focused on her cybersecurity career, professional growth and continued involvement with WiCyS. Her next goals include pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity policy and continuing her work with the organization, including attending the WiCyS 2027 Conference right her home state of Colorado.
Looking back, it’s clear Elizabeth’s nursing background formed a foundational springboard for her new career. Her experience in highly regulated healthcare environments, auditing documentation, identifying risk, maintaining meticulous attention to detail, and remaining calm in high-pressure situations translated naturally into GRC and assurance work. The defining traits of a great nurse are the very qualities that make her a formidable cybersecurity professional.
From ICU nurse to cybersecurity auditor. From a Costco laptop run in Hawaii to a seat on the GIAC Advisory Board. From mentee to Affiliate Communications Director. Elizabeth’s story proves that career paths rarely follow a straight line, but with curiosity, grit and the support of a strong community, a complete transformation is always within reach. As she puts it best: “I really like what I’m doing right now. It’s something that just feels right.”
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