Two Women Behind the OneWelcome Thales - Versasec Partnership

Date: 2025-03-10
Author: Versasec

What are some things that drew you to cybersecurity, and how did you find your current role?

Sarah: I joined the cybersecurity branch of Thales thanks to Product Marketing. After several years in support functions inside Thales, such as Quality, CRM, Business Analyst, Project Manager, and Corporate Marketing, I wanted to contribute to a new product and solution with Go-to-Market initiatives. I joined a Product Marketing position in Identity and I discovered the cybersecurity world, and more specifically the IAM market in 2018. It’s been a great experience, and I’m so glad I was able to discover it. The culture and the people working in cybersecurity are really all a highlight of my time here.

 

Tanya: It was somewhat accidental, though I do believe my strong sense of intuition played a part! It certainly wasn’t the career path I initially envisioned. My first role in the field was as a Worldwide Business Administrator at Versasec. To be honest, even though I didn’t have a formal cybersecurity background at the time, I was immediately captivated by the Versasec mission. The idea of contributing to that vital sense of security genuinely resonated with me.

That experience sparked a real passion, and now as Business Development Analyst, I work with our partners and am proud to provide government and private sector organizations with one of the most impactful solutions on the market – PKI and FIDO hardware-based multi-factor authentication. 

 

What are some professional achievements you are proud of?

Sarah: I’m proud of contributing to the adoption of passwordless and FIDO authentication by the Enterprise through my activities with the FIDO Alliance and with Thales partners. Cybersecurity identity professionals want to learn about FIDO technology, hear about good practices from their peers and are looking for integrated solutions.

Tanya: I’m proud of the role I’m playing in building and strengthening Versasec’s partner network. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact of those partnerships.

 

What would you say to other women considering entering the cybersecurity field?

Sarah: Welcome and take your seat at the table and don’t be reluctant to be more visible. I find that women frequently hesitate being visible. Many times feeling they are not experts or don’t bring valuable insights. And I can speak from personal experience, sometimes I experience this daily. But women’s voices bring diversity and help develop solutions that work for everyone. I agree with my colleague Sara Sokorelis who called women in the identity space to action in our first Thales IAM 360 magazine issue (which is wonderful! Great job, Sara!). Sokorelis’ call to action included, “If you’re a woman in this field, your voice is essential. Please use it. If you know women who are interested in IAM, encourage them to dive in.”

Tanya:  If you’re passionate about cybersecurity or you recognize that your personal skills and experience align with this field, I encourage you to pursue it without hesitation. Don’t let fear hold you back. It’s not only a man’s world. Although, by the way, James Brown’s “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” is one of my favorite songs (smiling).

 

What does the OneWelcome Thales – Versasec partnership mean to your organization?

Sarah: Thales – Versasec is a strategic partnership. Together, we are facilitating the shift towards FIDO, a new authentication technology with real security benefits, user productivity and IT efficiency. Our long-standing partnership of 18 years in PKI authentication helps us to build a joint solution tailored to organizations who are looking to deploy FIDO at scale and control their FIDO key lifecycle.

Tanya: Versasec’s vSEC:CMS plays a crucial role within the end-to-end solution offered by Thales OneWelcome FIDO Key Lifecycle Management. This collaboration effectively addresses the growing need for robust protection against cyber threats through the implementation of FIDO2 MFA for enterprises. The partnership facilitates secure cloud application access via FIDO device-bound passkeys, complemented by Versasec’s comprehensive credential management. 

Additionally, the synergy between Thales and Versasec enables enterprises to go beyond FIDO CTAP 2.1 standards. With the Versasec and Thales OneWelcome new capabilities, IT teams gain access to unique features. To me, this represents a significant step forward in enabling enterprises to take full control of their FIDO deployments. It’s about providing the tools and flexibility needed to adapt to evolving security requirements and ensure that security remains the top priority.

What are some fun hobbies you enjoy?

Sarah: When I’m not involved in passwordless and FIDO topics, I like to play music and sing. With Thales’ office in the south of France I have the chance to be part of a musician community group. I also sing in a choir and play guitar in a band.

Tanya: I’m a very diverse person, changing hobbies every year. I love to travel and meet new people. Music and dance are things I enjoy every day. Also, I’m almost finished with my family tree mandala. On weekends, I spend my time with the family, which is incredibly important to me. 

 

Appreciations

Sarah and Tanya, thank you, for valuable and immeasurable contributions to the security of our digital world. We are all extremely grateful for the work you do behind the scenes. We hope you celebrate your accomplishments this International Women’s Day and we look forward to seeing you around more in the Versasec Blog! Cheers.

 

Disclaimer:

Opinions on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of their employer.