The internet was born almost half a century ago, but the digital world is evolving faster than ever—and so are the threats that come with it.
At Palo Alto Networks, cybersecurity isn’t just about protection. It’s about innovation and making a global impact on a team that values continuous growth and ensuring everyone understands their value. From securing cloud environments to bridging the gap between developers and security teams, these five women are leading the charge in keeping organizations and individuals safe online.
With expertise spanning technical marketing, customer success, product management, and cybersecurity consulting, they are shaping the future of digital security. Discover how these women drive change, foster innovation, and build a safer internet—one solution at a time.
Bridging technology and people
Shivangi Sharma
Director - Technical Marketing Engineering
Location: Palo Alto Networks’ California headquarters
What she does: “I lead the team responsible for bridging the gap between technology and the people who use it.”
How she makes an impact:
“My work helps solve real-world problems on a global scale by addressing critical cybersecurity and connectivity challenges faced by organizations everywhere. In essence, day-to-day responsibilities are all about making the world a safer and more connected place by enabling businesses to protect their operations and data, no matter where they are or how they work and help our customers transition to the cloud while protecting digital assets.”
How she innovates:
“One project where I felt my contribution truly made a difference was leading the creation of a scaled demo system showcasing all the Prisma Access and data security capabilities. This system was designed to highlight real-world use cases and demonstrate the value our solutions bring during customer presentations.
“The goal was to provide a ‘seeing is believing’ experience for customers, allowing them to witness a live, production-level setup in action. This approach helped customers visualize how Prisma Access could protect their businesses, ultimately building trust and encouraging them to invest in us as their cybersecurity partner.”
Why Palo Alto Networks:
“As a working mother with two young boys, I’ve found Palo Alto Networks’ culture to be outcome-oriented and deeply supportive. The company embraces a mindset of innovation and continuous learning, encouraging us to fail fast, learn faster, and grow with each challenge. The leadership here is exceptional, fostering an environment where ideas are valued, innovation is rewarded, and mentorship is abundant.
“I am incredibly grateful for the support of amazing colleagues, a leadership team that champions growth, and a culture that empowers me to balance my personal and professional life while thriving in my career. There’s truly no other place like Palo Alto Networks.”
Strengthening cybersecurity partnerships
Michelle Hopkins
Public Cloud Business Development Associate - Azure
Location: Remote U.S.
What she does: I manage our Cloud Service Provider partnership with Microsoft for the Central U.S.
How she makes an impact:
“Palo Alto Network's mission is this: To be the cybersecurity partner of choice and to create a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. I resonate with the second half of this mission statement. To me, it means to always strive for more, and to work toward constant improvement. It's important to celebrate wins, and also push your own boundaries. You never know what you are capable of if you don't try! Strive for greatness. My mom gave me a magnet that says, ‘shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you will land among the stars.’”
How she innovates:
“Palo Alto Networks and Microsoft have competing products, but it is my job to educate both sales teams on how we can leverage each other and drive business together within our mutual customers. This strategy is a win-win-win for both account teams, and the customer. If we can jointly work together and approach the customer needs together, we can offer them the most comprehensive security solutions with optimal outcomes.”
Why Palo Alto Networks:
“Palo Alto Networks is a large company, but there are so many opportunities to make it feel small. Employee Network Groups have offered fantastic events and offer a sense of community. You're able to network with people outside your realm of business. I got the opportunity to travel for an event specific to women in tech. It's apparent that every one I meet at this company wants to see me succeed, and offers their hand in support of that.”
Elevating customer success in cybersecurity
Liz Lopanov
Sr. Customer Success Manager, Cortex
Location: Netherlands
What she does: I focus on ensuring that our customers successfully adopt our products and renew their services.
How she makes an impact:
“Engaging with customers from various industries and different levels of cybersecurity maturity gives me a unique perspective on the evolving threat landscape. I often tell my customers, ‘The internet was given to us with no instruction manual,’ and over the last decade, we’ve seen the consequences of that.
“Every day, I help organizations navigate this ever-changing digital world, implement best security practices, and strengthen their cyber defenses. The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that my work makes a tangible impact—helping businesses stay secure, whether they are from the healthcare system, banking, manufacturing or government, while contributing to a safer digital future for everyone. The cybersecurity industry isn’t slowing down, and being part of this journey is both exciting and meaningful.”
How she innovates:
“When I joined Palo Alto Networks, I leveraged my prior experience as a customer success manager (CSM) to introduce one of the most impactful initiatives in our customer journey—the Success Plan.
“This structured framework helps track milestones, achievements, and ROI, providing a clear, measurable view of progress. More than just a deliverable, it highlights the value of Customer Success, demonstrating the significant impact our role has on strengthening business partnerships.
“What started as a single initiative quickly gained traction, earning recognition from leadership. Today, two-and-a-half years later, the Success Plan has become a cornerstone of our global customer engagement strategy, benefiting our entire customer base. Seeing its widespread adoption is a proud achievement for me and a testament to the power of customer-centric innovation.”
Why Palo Alto Networks:
“At Palo Alto Networks, I’m surrounded by brilliant, driven professionals who share a common goal: to make the digital world a safer place. The ability to collaborate with teams across different regions, industries, and levels of expertise has not only expanded my perspective but has also reinforced the importance of teamwork and shared responsibility in cybersecurity.
Ultimately, what drives me is knowing that the work we do has a real and lasting impact—not just for individual organizations but for the security of our digital future as a whole. It’s exciting, meaningful, and exactly the kind of work I always hoped to be a part of!”
A high-level read of Palo Alto Networks' InHerSight scorecard tells us quite a bit about the next-generation cybersecurity company: Consistently ranked on our list of Best Places to Work, Palo Alto Networks exceeds expectations for many of our 18 key metrics, but their top marks go to Support for Diversity, The People You Work With, and Paid Time Off. Women also tell us they feel they are paid fairly, receive helpful feedback, and that their growth and success are prioritized. Click to explore Palo Alto Networks' ratings, benefits, and open positions.
Securing the future of application development
Sarit Tager
Vice President of Product Management at Cortex & Cloud
Location: Israel
What she does: “My work bridges the gap between application security practitioners and developers, ensuring that security is seamlessly integrated into the development process.”
How she makes an impact:
“Palo Alto Networks' mission profoundly resonates with me because it’s not just about security—it’s about being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life. The challenge of securing modern applications is growing exponentially, and having the ability to drive cutting-edge solutions that make a real impact on the market is what motivates me. Being part of a company that sets the standard while continuously innovating aligns perfectly with my passion for pushing boundaries and solving complex security challenges.
“With the rise of AI, the volume of code is growing exponentially, increasing the risk of vulnerabilities. My work helps address this by enabling fast and effective identification and remediation of security issues.”
How she innovates:
“One of the biggest challenges in application security today is the gap between application security practitioners and developers. Both face an overwhelming number of security alerts but often lack an efficient workflow to manage and remediate them effectively. As part of our application security solution, we bridge this gap by providing smart context and seamless workflows that help both teams prioritize and resolve issues faster. At Cortex Cloud, we empower developers to write secure code and enable application security teams to create safer environments, ultimately strengthening overall application security.”
Why Palo Alto Networks:
“Palo Alto Networks fosters an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives come together to solve complex problems. It’s rewarding to not only help organizations secure their digital future but also to influence the industry, redefine best practices, and create a more inclusive and collaborative security community.”
Educating and empowering cybersecurity leaders
Lina Norton
Domain Consultant SASE
Location: Switzerland
What she does: “I help customers in Switzerland across all industries and verticals understand how our cybersecurity products can benefit them.”
How she makes an impact:
“By educating customers and partners on cutting-edge security solutions and industry trends such as AI threats, I contribute to enhancing global cybersecurity awareness and preparedness. Additionally, by identifying gaps in organizations' current security strategies and working collaboratively to develop optimal protective architectures, I help bolster overall cybersecurity defenses on a global scale. My work directly aligns with addressing real-world cybersecurity challenges and facilitating a more secure digital environment for companies worldwide.”
How she innovates:
“Last year, I worked on a tough project with several technical hurdles that was part of a large and complex proof of concept with an international customer. I took the lead in managing the project and maintaining a calm and focused approach during , which was necessary as there were many different stakeholders involved and we were working on a tight schedule. I swiftly pulled in the necessary people to drive the initiative forward and ensured that we moved quickly towards our goals. With the support of my colleagues and the collaborative culture at Palo Alto Networks, we worked together as a team to overcome the obstacles.”
Why Palo Alto Networks:
“Palo Alto Networks has offered me various avenues for personal growth, including exposure to complex projects, representing the company at cybersecurity events, and conducting trainings for partners and internal teams. These experiences have facilitated my professional development and allowed me to broaden my skill set and expertise within the cybersecurity field.
“What I really value at Palo Alto Networks are the numerous opportunities for personal growth that the company has provided me, allowing me to expand not only my technical expertise but also skills in areas like project management and sales. The projects I work on hold significant relevance to me, as they involve safeguarding customers against cyber threats, which are crucial for the functioning of our interconnected world. I am grateful for the chance to contribute to such impactful work.”
