When I began my career in cybersecurity, I could’ve never guessed how the industry would develop. That’s what is so interesting about cybersecurity—it’s an exciting field that never stops changing.
It’s also what makes my work at Booz Allen so meaningful. By creating secure environments, we help organizations and people protect what’s valuable and important to them.
Eric Reddel is a cyber leader in Booz Allen’s Financial Services business. Based out of the Herndon, Virginia, office, he’s responsible for cyber project delivery management and solutions integration work for the firm’s financial clients.
When Eric joined Booz Allen in 2014, he worked with a large hedge fund client before focusing on solutions integration for major financial institutions in the U.S. and European markets. Eric has partnered closely with the account management team to shape client opportunities and oversee the delivery of our cyber capabilities.
Prior to joining Booz Allen, Eric led a global team of security professionals in network security operations, key management, identity and access management, and threat management at First Data/Fiserv. As an information security officer at Bank of America, he was responsible for the security posture of a $2 trillion tax collection system on behalf of the U.S. Treasury.
Eric is a certified information systems security professional (CISSP). He earned an M.P.A. from the University of Texas and a B.A. in international studies and French literature from Trinity University.
What makes you excited to come to work every day?
Our people. From the day I started here, I’ve been impressed by the caliber of my colleagues. There’s a reason that people have such long careers at Booz Allen and many who leave come back.
What’s a lesson you learned from your family growing up, and how is it still relevant to you today?
My parents taught me the value of patience and persistence. The problems we work on for our clients are complex, and while it’s essential to have the right skills, we also have to approach these challenges with balance and tenacity.
Why are you passionate about cybersecurity?
I chose to focus on cybersecurity at a time when it wasn’t in the headlines almost every day, but it turned out to be an exciting field that developed in ways I never would have predicted. I’m motivated by the idea of helping organizations create secure environments to enable their objectives and missions.
How do you inspire your teams to do excellent work? How do your teams inspire you?
I think about what I would want from a leader and the traits that define inspirational leaders. When working with my team, I keep in mind the good leadership experiences I’ve had, especially at Booz Allen. We have such great and talented people. I focus on what I can do to maximize their potential and impact.
How are you contributing to creating and maintaining diversity and a culture of inclusion at Booz Allen?
Diversity and inclusion help us achieve better solutions and outcomes—for our clients and for each other. As we bring talented team members into Booz Allen, I look for people with diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, beliefs, perspectives, and genders. This diversity makes us stronger and is a powerful way to make Booz Allen better at what we do.
