Avani Desai is Chief Executive Officer at Schellman, the largest niche cybersecurity assessment firm in the world that focuses on technology assessments. Avani is an accomplished executive with domestic and international experience in information security, operations, P&L, oversight, and marketing involving both start-up and growth organizations. She has been featured in Forbes, CIO.com, and the Wall Street Journal, and is a sought-after speaker as a voice on a variety of emerging topics, including security, privacy, information security, future technology trends, and the expansion of young women involved in technology.
Also passionate about strategic philanthropy, Avani sits on the board of Arnold Palmer Medical Center and Philanos. She is the Audit Committee chairwoman at the Central Florida Foundation, and is the co-chair of 100 Women Strong, a female-only venture capital giving circle that focuses on solving community-based problems specific to women and children by using data analytics and big data. Avani is also an avid runner, always looking to sign up for the next Disney marathon.
With all that being said, Avani still considers her greatest accomplishment to be personal rather than professional—she is the proud mother to her 10-year-old son, Sahil, 7-year-old daughter, Sareena, and newborn son, Hastin.
In this episode, Avani and Bryan discuss:
- How agility and flexibility are tied to success
- Finding and maintaining a balance between your career and your personal life
- Why women should not be forced to choose between career success and motherhood