We recently connected with Kassandra Pierre and have shared our conversation below.
Kassandra, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?
I grew up with parents who lived the values of hard work, resilience and fortitude daily. Leaving the islands and emigrating to the United States, they knew that a better life existed for us, so we were encouraged to focus on our education and personal development.
They regularly communicated the importance of getting good grades and taking advantage of opportunities in front of me. My siblings and I were provided with the resources we needed to excel and were encouraged to explore our strengths in music, sports, community leadership and other extracurricular activities.
My father grew up in poverty and at a young age, was responsible for supporting his family. Hearing his stories during my childhood encouraged me to make him proud. My mother, who left school to become a wife and mother tutored us in reading, math and science, as she was a strong student in her youth. They both encouraged us to find our individual strengths, to embrace discipline and to try again and again. As a result, my siblings and I have all been able to find our own versions of success.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Kassandra Pierre is a champion of advocacy. She has seen firsthand the positive impact diverse spaces can have on women, individuals with disabilities, and multi-minority individuals
and she recognizes allyship as imperative to unlocking human and organizational potential.
Her work with youth and adults in education and mental health care settings fuels her
ongoing mental health advocacy and has enabled her to empower many people to overcome
personal and professional obstacles. She is a trained crisis Interventionist and support group
facilitator with over fifteen years of experience providing technical assistance and governance in
the nonprofit, public and private sectors.
Kassandra is a founding member and past Affiliate President of the WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity) Neurodiversity Affiliate and was recently appointed as a Google Women’s Techmakers Ambassador. She serves as an advisor on the Cyber Guild’s Diverse Mind Movement committee and is a Senior Advisor with Link OT Consulting. She has presented at Day of Shecurity, the Diana Initiative Conference, DefCon and WinterCon with Blacks in Cybersecurity. Her advocacy work, both in technology and mental health lead her to create the Hibiscus Health Collaborative, a social enterprise charged with illuminating women in technology and highlighting the connection between prioritized mental wellness and professional success.
Kassandra is a Certified Scrum Master and a Certified Scrum Product Owner currently
employed as an VP Program/Project Manager in Payments Operations with a global financial institution. A technology enthusiast, she helps to design software solutions and applications. Kassandra loves being in innovative spaces where she can learn new things. She enjoys mentoring, reading, gardening, playing with her dogs and cooking for friends and family.
During 2024, the HIbiscus Health Collaborative will feature the #100WomeninTech Speaker series, an initiative created with Google Women Techmakers to provide visibility, community and resources to women in technology.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think my resilience, confidence in my skills and love of learning have been the most impactful in my professional journey.
I have been told NO many times in my career, more than I can count. At first, the NOs I received would knock the wind out of my sails, causing me to doubt my ability to persevere in the face of hardship. I learned early on to solicit the wisdom of my elders and to reach out to mentors who could help me sort out what may lay ahead for me. They also helped me to make better decisions, to rely on rational thinking and to do my research.
As a result, I have followed an evidence-based framework for thought, so that anxiety and negative thinking cannot overwhelm or cloud my judgement, fact and reason. By focusing on what is real and true I have been able to incrementally develop areas of weakness, which in turn has strengthened my self-concept.
I also regularly leverage my personal board of directors- sponsors, elders, friends- so that I can navigate life with purpose and a sense of direction, avoiding roadblocks well known to this group. I listen to them and their feedback, continue to grow analytical thinking, and confidently chart a course for my life defined by continuous development.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was to allow me to be myself. As a child I was very shy, painfully so. I was also a late bloomer.
Outside of my house I struggled to make friends and often dealt with criticism from classmates because I was so different.
At home, however, life was good. I loved to read and would often steal away to my room to disappear in a book.
There was no shortage of books in my house. My parents recognized that I had strong academic aptitude, so they actively exposed me to new subjects, and enrolled me in one of the best schools on the island.
I also loved animals, so I was given time to explore outdoors, foster animals, volunteer and help the community.
Wholehearted acceptance is a gift that keeps on giving, to this day. My parents never made me feel different, never scorned me or made me feel less than because my interests were not typical.
To this day, when I decide to take the path less traveled or to double down on an interest not shared by many, I do so with the understanding that these differences make me unique. I thank my parents for this gift every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thehibiscushealth.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassandrapierre340/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHibiscusHealthCollaborative
