To tell women that they can achieve anything is one thing. However, to actively demonstrate that growth can be accomplished through hard work and dedication is another thing entirely.
Women play an integral role in building the path towards gender equality and female empowerment, but it is also up
to each one of us to get involved and make a difference in our community. There is no action too small to get started. Lorena Garza seems to implement this mindset in her role at Perficient.
Lorena is often called “Lore” by her friends. She works as a Sr. Security Compliance Analyst in Monterrey, Mexico, and has been a key member of our team for eight years. We celebrate Lorena as she is our first colleague to join our corporate team from Mexico.
What is your role? Describe a typical day in your life.
My role is Sr. Security and Compliance Analyst. I work with the corporate team to ensure conformity with our information security certifications, guaranteeing that our global colleagues have access to the best security practices, and assuring clients that their data maintains its confidentiality, integrity and availability. Right now, we are focusing on our global ISO 27001 certification.
Whether big or small, how do you make a difference for our clients, colleagues, communities, or teams? 
I make a difference for our clients and teams every time I help our colleagues identify and contain security risks. This helps our clients trust us with their information and gives us the opportunity to provide solutions for their needs.
In a much more personal sense, I think by being here for my teammates, either for a work-related issue or sometimes personal, by simply being available to listen to them, I can feel how they leave much more relaxed after a good talk with me. It is always nice to be validated by your peers, especially as a woman in tech. Those conversations with my female colleagues really make a difference on how motivated I feel towards our work. I like to think that I can be an example to young girls, just how other women have served as an inspiration to me.
What has your experience at Perficient taught you?
It really comes down to creating bonds. None of my career milestones would have been possible without the relationships and friendships that I have been making along the way. I consider myself very lucky to have met each of these amazing people.
I have also learned the value of hard work, the fact that we are forever learning, and you have to be continuously studying your craft. But, especially in my field, it is all about teamwork. We alone cannot do everything; we achieve much better results when sharing our expertise and learning from each other.
What are your proudest accomplishments, personally and professionally? Any milestone moments at Perficient?
It has been eight years full of accomplishments for me, honestly. I started my professional career in the Process department, and I fell in love with the information security world. One of our biggest milestones was obtaining our ISO 27001 certification in 2019.
My next milestone was being promoted from Process Analyst to Information Security Lead. I became responsible for our whole ISMS, and that came with a lot of new challenges. I have enjoyed every second and have gained a couple certifications myself since then, such as lead implementer and lead auditor for ISO27001. One of my proudest moments in this role was winning an international award for our Security Awareness Program, which was granted by the INFOSEC Institute. It validated all of the effort made during the pandemic to keep our colleagues trained and safe from cybersecurity threats.
My most recent accomplishment came with joining Perficient Mexico. I was honored to be the first person on our team to make the jump to the corporate team. Working directly with an international team has been such a joy.
If you had to define yourself using one Perficient value, which would it be and why?
Pride; I feel very fortunate and proud of the work I do and the impact we have as a company. People who have met me know I am a spokesperson for my workplace.
Why are you #ProudlyPerficient?
The challenges keep coming, and every single time we face them with a fully motivated team that provides amazing solutions for our clients. I love that about our company culture.
More about Lorena Garza:
She is a proud cat mom. Her 4-year-old tuxedo cat named Zushi owns her heart… and her house. #adoptdontshop. She is very into
fashion, nail art, anime, feminism, and traveling. Her more recent hobby is visiting cute local cafés. She has an extensive ballet background of over +10 years. She loves to chat and meet new people.
Lorena´s motivation and mentorship has been led by women. She champions and recognizes her first leader, Lyzett Uribe, who has been an amazing teacher. Now, she is inspired by her new manager, Sarah Taney. Lorena has many women to look up to as examples and role models. Her relationships at Perficient are genuine. She´s looked at for opportunities and challenges; Perficient trusts her.
Lorena would like to share a piece of advice with all girls and women who have been told that they can achieve anything: Be present. Make a difference. Do not fade into the background. Be seen and give it your all. Participate in every initiative, culture group, or seminar that you find interesting. Sometimes, it is in these activities where you really get to know your colleagues and develop long-lasting relationships that can inspire growth.
SEE MORE PEOPLE OF PERFICIENT
It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people.
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