Cybersecurity, Pancakes, and Life Lessons: Lesley Carhart’s Guide to Success and Snafus
Lesley Carhart, Technical Director of Incident Response at Dragos, shares insights on bridging the gap between enterprise and operational technology security. Passionate about mentorship and authenticity, Carhart tackles cybersecurity challenges with humor and a love for pancakes. Learn why repairing relationships in cybersecurity is as crucial as bringing doughnuts to team meetings.

Hot Take:
Lesley Carhart is the cybersecurity industry’s Gandalf, guiding us not just through the Mines of Moria (aka industrial cybersecurity) but also urging us to bridge gaps, mentor the next generation, and be our authentic selves—even if it means wielding a pancake as a weapon of choice. Carhart’s story is proof that whether you’re dealing with industrial threats or societal divides, nothing beats a good mentor, a stack of pancakes, and a solid incident response plan.
Key Points:
- Lesley Carhart emphasizes bridging the gap between enterprise security and operational technology to accelerate progress.
- Carhart champions mentorship in cybersecurity and believes in the power of authentic, diverse voices.
- They highlight the lower barrier to entry for industrial cyberattacks and the need for robust defensive strategies.
- Carhart argues for more critical thinking skills to address biases, disinformation, and threats.
- Despite leaving Twitter for ethical reasons, Carhart remains active on platforms like LinkedIn, Mastodon, and BlueSky.