Kristi Shehu

General Info

What will be your most valuable contribution to your TechWomen mentorship?

Through the TechWomen mentorship, I hope to contribute meaningfully by sharing the skills and experiences I've gained in secure system design, cloud security, security automation and cybersecurity compliance. My work across European and Balkan tech environments has given me practical experience in navigating regulatory challenges and building scalable solutions. I'm still learning every day, but I hope that my background in cybersecurity consulting and technical writing can offer a clear, collaborative perspective. Most of all, I look forward to meaningful exchange, sharing what I know, learning from others and growing both personally and professionally through this opportunity.

The Top Three Things I Would Like to Learn or Experience During my Mentorship

1. Increase skills related to strategic leadership and innovation in cybersecurity teams.
2. Gain exposure to AI-driven cybersecurity automation and innovative optimization approaches.
3. Hone technical expertise in scalable and secure system architecture.

Mentorship Characteristic

• Visit an office or attend a site-visit
• Focus on leadership skills building
• Present my current work to professionals in my industry
• Identify a short-term project I can work on at the partnering company
• Have exposure to specialized industry techniques

Ideal Company Type

My ideal mentor works in a large innovation-driven tech company, known for structured processes, innovation and a strong security culture. I'm eager to learn from environments where best practices in cybersecurity are not only followed but actively shaped. A mentor with experience leading secure-by-design initiatives, managing security programs and guiding teams through digital transformation would be ideal. I would love to learn how mature organizations lead digital transformation, manage complex security programs and drive innovation through different integrations. I'm especially interested in gaining insight into how security leadership supports business goals by managing and scaling secure architectures across enterprise environments.

What are three adjectives that best describe you in the work place?

1. Passionate
2. Strategic
3. Forward-thinking

What impact will your mentorship have on your career and professional path?

I see the 15-day mentorship as a rare chance to step into a new environment, challenge my perspective and grow as both a security engineer and a leader. Working alongside an experienced mentor will allow me to experience how large tech companies innovate, build securely at scale and approach innovative integrations with purpose. I hope to deepen my technical skills, gain leadership insight and return to Albania with a renewed vision, ready to apply what I've learned to build more resilient systems, mentor others and lead with clarity and confidence in real-world challenges.

After participating in the TechWomen program, how will you leverage your mentorship experience to make an impact in your home country?

After TechWomen, I will use the mentorship experience to strengthen cybersecurity leadership in my home country by sharing best practices, mentoring aspiring professionals and promoting secure-by-design principles. I am currently developing a new cybersecurity framework that rethinks traditional approaches, aimed at scaling secure practices across organizations, and I hope to turn it into a larger initiative that can be shared globally. My goal is to offer real opportunities for collaboration, empower women to be more present in the tech and security fields and help shape a more resilient, inclusive and future-ready tech ecosystem in Albania and beyond.

Work History

Years of Full-time Work Experience

6.5

Primary Professional Focus

• Computer operations and/or security
• Overseeing the delivery of technology products
• Solutions architect

Education History