During this episode, we will chat with Jessica (Bair) Oppenheimer, the Director of Security Operations within Cisco’s Threat Detection & Response team, where she leads efforts to build a global, open ecosystem for security operations. Jessica heads the Cisco Security Operations Centers for Black Hat, RSAC, Cisco Live, and GovWare, and serves as a trusted subject matter expert to the SOCs supporting the NFL Super Bowl and Draft, as well as the Paris 2024 and LA 2028 Olympics—bringing cyber defense to some of the world’s highest-profile live events.
Jessica’s journey into cybersecurity began as a special agent and computer forensic examiner in the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and evolved through leadership roles at ThreatGRID, Guidance Software/EnCase, and now Cisco, impacting both technology innovation and operational excellence. With an MBA from Pepperdine University and decades of hands-on and executive experience, Jessica brings a unique blend of technical depth, operational leadership, and strategic insight.
In this episode, we’ll explore her career path, lessons learned from securing global events at scale, what it takes to run elite SOC operations, and how the future of cybersecurity is being shaped by innovation, partnerships, and real-world experience.
If you’re interested in how Jessica and her team secure some of the biggest events on the planet, this conversation with her is one you won’t want to miss.
