Rupa Parameswaran

Inquirer
DISC Type : cd

VP of Security & IT at Handshake

San Francisco, California, United States

Overview

Rupa Parameswaran is the VP of Security & IT at Handshake, leveraging over 20 years of experience building security programs for major brands like Microsoft and Pinterest. A holder of a PhD from Georgia Tech and a CISSP certification, she excels at creating secure-by-design controls. Peers describe her as a talented and highly effective security professional.

Outside of work, Rupa is a mother to twins and enjoys cooking and hiking with her family. She is passionate about mentoring and allyship, frequently speaking on panels and interviews about the importance of diversity and inclusion in cybersecurity, and empowering women in the field.

She has a unique pattern of establishing "Security Champions" initiatives, successfully launching them at both Pinterest and Amplitude to embed a security-first mindset.

Personality Overview

Hard To Convince

Upfront

Demanding

They don’t always try to control the conversation but neither do they like yielding it fully.  They care equally about the product and its potential impact. They focus on objectivity in a pitch and pay little attention to bells and whistles.

Topics They Care About

AI in Cybersecurity
She frequently discusses the impact of AI on security roadmaps and budgets for 2025, indicating a strong focus on emerging technologies in her strategic planning.
Women in Security
Actively participates in panels like "Women Leading Security, " discussing her own journey, mentorship, and the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Building Security Programs
Her career is defined by building security and incident response programs from the ground up at companies like Amplitude and Pinterest.

Media Appearances

Rupa has no verified media appearances

Work History

12-2022
VP of Security & IT at Handshake
6-2021 - 12-2022
Head Of Security at Amplitude
2-2019 - 6-2021
Security Architect, CISO at Demandbase
6-2016 - 12-2018
Security & Privacy Architect at Pinterest
7-2012 - 6-2016
Senior Program Manager, Privacy & Security in Personalization and Social Search at Microsoft

Education

2001 - 2006
PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology
2001 - 2002
M.S. from Georgia Institute of Technology

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 13 Location : San Francisco, California, United States Job Level : Senior Designation : VP of Security & IT at Handshake
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Insights For Selling To Rupa

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Tell them that you are there to help them create visible impact within their organization
  • Make sure that you you respond to any queries from them quickly
  • Get to the point quickly instead of spending too much time on pleasantries

DONT's

  • Don't try too hard to get friendly, let it happen with time
  • Avoid long winding pitches, stay objective
  • Refrain from asking too many questions

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Rupa is

  • Confidence in the product plays an important role, followed by powerful testimonials.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Rupa

  • They might hesitate a little, but they will say no if they are not convinced.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Rupa move?

  • Their decision making speed is somewhere in the middle.
  • Can Rupa take some risk or not?

  • Once they have analyzed the pros and cons, they can take some risks.

You And Rupa

Personality Compatibility


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