From Kenya to Seattle: Sheryl’s Journey into Cybersecurity and Resilience

Sheryl Mbai grew up in Kenya with a natural curiosity about technology, often watching people work on computers and wondering how it all worked. However, the tech scene back home wasn’t as advanced, so she mainly learned the basics at school. In 2019, she made the bold move to the U.S. to pursue her dream of working in tech. Now, at 25 (turning 26 soon), she’s finished her bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. Having first earned an associate degree focused on network and server administration. Starting school in the U.S. was a new experience; many classmates had already built computers or coded for years, while Sheryl’s knowledge was mostly academic from Kenya. Getting hands-on with technology fueled her passion even more. One of her most interesting projects involved analyzing network traffic for Federal Way to detect potential cyberattacks, which opened her eyes to the real-world impact of cybersecurity. She especially enjoys working on IT support tickets, where solving tech problems feels like detective work in collaboration with security analysts.

Sheryl faces the added challenge of living with sickle cell disease, which means managing pain and hospital visits alongside her studies. “Every semester felt like climbing a mountain,” she says. Being far from family made it tougher, but her university’s disability office provided essential support like extra time on tests. Adjusting to Seattle’s cold, rainy weather was also difficult, causing frequent illness at first, so she learned to pace herself and practice self-care. After completing her associate degree, Sheryll gained hands-on experience through healthcare IT jobs involving UW Medicine contracts, where she supported network hardware and hospital systems, discovering how technology improves patient care. 

Currently, she’s preparing to earn her Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification to deepen her understanding of networks. If she could advise her younger self, it would be: “Don’t give up. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but keep going.” For Sheryl, her degree symbolizes resilience and determination. Her journey shows that with grit and heart, anyone can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams, no matter how challenging the path. 

We’re excited to see where Sheryl’s tech career takes her next.