BERNADETTE STURGISS

Nominee for what Award/s

Next Voice Rising Award

Next Voice Rising Award

When did you realize the power of your voice?

My voice came about 3 to 5 years after being in a really bad relationship where I was constantly questioned and gaslit, it took me a long time of healing and self-reflection for me to speak up and stand up for myself. Don’t get me wrong these days I still think whether I am right or wrong and if I am worthy or not, but now I tell myself, if I don’t say anything or do anything nothing will change.

What cause, message, or story matters most to you?


I am currently fighting the cause for Cyber Security awareness. I know a lot of people will roll their eyes about that, but the amount of lives ruined due to cyber-attacks is incomprehensible. This includes small to medium businesses who keep telling themselves, “oh we will look at it another day”, or a person in a domestic violence situation unaware that they are being tracked. I want to make sure people are safe and aware and know how to guard themselves from the dangers of the digital world.

How has speaking up changed your life or others' lives?


Speaking up has changed my life in that I have been able to back myself, know my worth and start to build an empire where I can help and educate people who are less knowledgeable about cyber security.

I have also been able to speak up about my past experiences where I recognise people going through similar situations that I did. I don’t have a problem telling my story as long as I can save one person, it will all be worth it.

What resistance or fear did you have to overcome?


I still face resistance and probably will for the rest of my life. My industry is in a very male dominated field and starting my own business in the area of Cyber leaves me open to attacks about my qualifications, about my knowledge about how I can run an organisation and don’t have kids at my age and it goes on.

While I have encountered challenges with female leadership, one particular incident stands out. Recently, I addressed a bullying issue within my team. Upon raising the concern with my manager and requesting her presence at a team meeting to resolve the matter, I was advised, "You cannot show how you feel, you need to come in everyday and smile like nothing is wrong." This experience left me feeling voiceless and unable to address the issue effectively. To overcome such limitations, I have established my own business. My objective is to provide unwavering support to all staff, regardless of gender, and maintain a zero-tolerance policy for bullying. This decision, while seemingly drastic, stems from a profound dissatisfaction with the operational dynamics of large organisations. Through my business, I now have a platform to advocate for smaller entities, empowering them to achieve their cybersecurity objectives with the same level of expertise and resources typically afforded to major corporations.

How do you stay brave when using your voice feels scary?

As I said before, I need to speak up about my concerns, because doing nothing means things will stay the same, which isn't good. I have a choice: either stay unhappy, or share my thoughts and see what happens. My input won't cause any harm, but if I stay quiet, others could face serious financial problems.