In this episode of The Resilience Room, host Sam Dickison and co-host Jamie Knobles sit down with Mahdi Raza, a lifelong tech enthusiast and cyber ecosystem activator. Mahdi shares his nostalgic journey into the digital world—from accidentally brute-forcing his way into AOL at age 12 to navigating today’s complex, fast-moving threat landscape.

The conversation dives deep into why traditional security awareness training fails and how Mahdi’s company, SiberX, is turning the industry upside down. By leveraging the power of gamification, immersive physical escape rooms, and eSports principles, they are shifting the narrative from boring, repetitive checklists to hands-on, high-stakes defense learning.

They also break down the mechanics of "Operation Defend the North"—a massive, real-world tabletop crisis simulation designed alongside partners like Immersive to test critical infrastructure against modern threats. With the rise of AI, deep fakes, and quantum computing, Mahdi explains why organizations can no longer rely on static playbooks or outdated fishing campaigns. Instead, he reveals how SiberX's "Now AI" war room workshops—featuring real-world crisis simulators from NATO and the Pentagon—are building genuine resilience for both enterprise leaders and the next generation of digital defenders.

Topics covered: Breaking into cyber security, gamification of security training, eSports and cyber skills, building a cyber ecosystem, tabletop exercises and crisis simulation, deep fakes and AI threat management, human-in-the-loop decision-making, and the evolution of local LLMs.

In this episode of The Resilience Room, Sam and James are joined by Nasser Arif, an award-winning cybersecurity leader in the NHS who journeyed from aeronautical engineering to finding his true "home" in cyber. Nasser shares his unique transition from a non-traditional background into a field engineer role, and the pivotal moment an observant manager invited him to join the security team.

The trio dives deep into the mindset of curiosity required to survive a rapidly changing industry. Nasser provides a refreshingly human perspective on AI adoption, moving past the "doom and gloom" to discuss how LLMs can streamline tedious tasks—like meeting minutes—to make space for more creative, strategic work and genuine human connection. He also reveals his "secret" use for AI: visualizing his dreams and even predicting his award-winning fashion choices.

Nasser reflects on winning the National Cyber Award for the NHS, battling imposter syndrome by staying authentic, and his new role as a judge for the upcoming awards. Whether you are a student looking for free resources or a professional feeling overwhelmed by the speed of tech, this episode is a masterclass in staying grounded while moving at a rapid pace.

Topics covered: Non-traditional routes into cyber, transferable engineering skills, managing burnout and industry change, AI in healthcare and enterprise, the ethics of data ownership, overcoming imposter syndrome through authenticity, and the "butterfly effect" of mentorship.

[The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of their employer.]

In this episode of The Resilience Room, Sam and James sit down with Hazel, a seasoned cyber security professional who spent 15 years in technical IT before discovering her true calling through an ISC2 pilot programme in the NHS. Hazel opens up about the moment a tutor changed her entire perspective on security — and why that hacker mindset still defines how she approaches the industry today.

The conversation covers the very real challenge facing mid-career professionals who've outgrown entry-level resources but haven't yet reached the executive tier, and why Hazel believes the cyber security community is one of the most genuinely collaborative in tech. Hazel also discusses her work with Women in Cyber Security UK & Ireland and B-Sides Bristol, before introducing Seasides — her own initiative bringing cyber security education and opportunity to coastal communities in the South West, starting in Weston-super-Mare.

They also tackle the AI question head-on: will it kill entry-level jobs? Hazel gives a grounded, refreshingly non-hysterical take on where AI genuinely helps, where it fails, and why the people doing hands-on work have far less to fear than the headlines suggest.

Topics covered: breaking into cyber security, mentorship and community, women in tech, the mid-career gap, AI and the future of security roles, coastal community outreach, vibe coding, and knowing when to question your AI tools.