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It’s hard to tell whether ������ý faculty Stephanie Benoit-Kurtz is more excited about the strategic implementation of IT and cybersecurity solutions or sharing its nuances and potential with students. For this industry pioneer and two-time Phoenix, empowering students with career-relevant skills is a moral obligation. In this Q&A, she shares how ������ý transformed her life as a working adult returning to school — and how she pays it forward today.

A: Investing in the future of IT and cybersecurity is essential to strengthening the resilience and innovation of our digital society. I contribute to this mission through teaching and mentorship. My goal is to help prepare the next generation of professionals to drive meaningful and lasting change.

A: I serve as VCISO advisor [chief information security officer advisor] and regional director of security at a technology solutions provider and IT consultancy. In my role, I manage a team that works with Fortune 500 companies to create resilient environments that drive business value and implement layered cybersecurity defense strategies. 

A: Earning a doctoral degree in cybersecurity. It represents an important milestone in my commitment to advancing the field while allowing me to continue doing work that I am deeply passionate about!

A: I have the opportunity to bring real-world experience into the classroom each day by sharing current cybersecurity incidents, emerging threats and trends in innovation. Connecting these field-based insights to course content helps students better understand how cybersecurity concepts apply in real-world environments. 

From creating policy and procedures to creating strategic security plans, I also get to share what executives are looking for as trends are emerging in the field.

A: Students often share even years later that learning how to research, write and think critically has provided the differentiation to create opportunities from promotions to complete transformation of their careers.

Additionally, the capstone courses both in IT and cybersecurity are where students often [recognize the] artifacts they have leveraged to change the trajectory of their careers.

This journey for me is all about creating opportunities and changing lives through education.

A: I am a living example of how the ������ý model supports working adult learners. As a single mother working 60 to 80 hours per week, it took me more than 10 years to complete my first degree. At one point, I had accumulated over 150 credit hours without earning a credential.

Enrolling at ������ý changed the trajectory of my life. I was able to complete my bachelor’s degree and then continue to earn a master’s degree in business — milestones that [prepared me for] new professional opportunities and strengthened my confidence as a learner and leader.

From that moment forward, I was able to apply what I learned directly to real-world challenges in business and IT environments. The program strengthened my ability to translate business requirements into strategic solutions, an essential skill that I developed through my coursework and quickly applied in the workplace. The critical thinking, communication and presentation skills I gained became the foundation for my continued growth, supporting my advancement into leadership roles and eventually executive-level positions throughout my career.

Today, I bring that same perspective into the classroom as both a professional and an educator, demonstrating to students what is possible when education is designed to support working adults and connect learning directly to career enhancement. The journey of this adventure is, in some ways, just getting started. 

A: Time management and finding ways to focus are critical. You have to find a way to prioritize the completion of the work. UOPX taught me to focus by getting creative about when and where I spent time to complete research, assignments and tasks. I would get up two hours early or stay up two hours later after everyone was gone to finish critical tasks. All of these strategies then translated to skills that have lasted a lifetime. I still get up early or stay up late to create items that are required in my career.

I remember my daughter at a young age asking me why I spent time doing schoolwork.  The classes and coursework not only changed my life but helped me create generational change. My family did not really value a degree or understand the power of what opportunities a formal education could generate, but here I am with three degrees and a role model for my daughter.

A: I would still seek meaningful ways to contribute to the IT and cybersecurity field. Mentoring and preparing the next generation of professionals is critical to the continued strength and innovation of the industry. Sharing the lessons I have learned throughout my career is one of the ways I support students as they develop both confidence and capability in the field.

I believe that helping students learn how to navigate challenges more efficiently and apply knowledge more quickly allows them to contribute sooner in their careers and create opportunities for themselves. 

Stephanie Benoit-Kurtz is a technology innovator and leader with a sophisticated grasp on how to apply emerging and existing technology to drive business performance improvement and strategy. She holds a doctorate in cybersecurity and has more than 30 years of IT operations support and project management experience with virtual project teams across multilocation organizations, multivendor partners and customer resources. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate level in IT, MIS, healthcare and business process investment. She connects the classroom experience to careers by maintaining a strong presence in the professional and philanthropic worlds. Benoit-Kurtz provides cybersecurity consulting and VCISO advisory services to organizations nationwide as the regional security director at an IT consultancy firm. Additionally, she sits on a number of boards and committees that impact the community, and she works directly with nonprofits, state and local government, and at-risk youth to develop IT skills that lead to living-wage careers.

Read more ������ý faculty profiles and learn about real-world faculty at UOPX.