What if every setback you face is a launching pad to unstoppable strength?

In this episode, Nicole McMackin sits down with Dr. Lovelie Moore, a trailblazing cybersecurity leader who journeyed from foster care and profound adversity to national impact and thought leadership. Through hard-won lessons, faith, and the surprising wisdom of Whitney Houston, Lovelie reveals how she rewired her mindset from surviving every form of abuse to setting daring goals and breaking industry barriers as a woman of color.

Stop letting your past restrict your future. Tune in now for the real secrets to resilience, optimism, and powerful self-advocacy, because the cost of waiting—staying stuck, disconnected, unseen—is too high. Today’s episode delivers practical breakthroughs and personal truth bombs you won’t find anywhere else.

[00:00] – A foster child’s vow: What surviving every form of abuse really teaches about ambition

[00:01:50] – “Jesus and Whitney Houston carried me through”—the faith and voices behind resilience

[00:04:47] – Jewelry, ribs, and self-reinvention: The unlikely hobbies that sparked Lovelie’s leadership style

[00:07:38] – Cooking on a radiator and teaching siblings to braid: Finding purpose and skills in chaos

[00:13:12] – Forgiving her father, caring for her abuser, and freeing herself from “anger” labels

[00:16:21] – The breakthrough moment: On sticky floors, glass ceilings, and relentless pursuit of “the best that can happen”

[00:23:28] – “My Vulnerabilities are Patched”—Applying cybersecurity lessons to emotional healing

[00:38:03] – For anyone stuck in an abusive or unfulfilling career: Lovelie’s urgent advice to break cycles today

Lovelie Moore is an award-winning cybersecurity leader, educator, and author, currently writing and speaking nationwide on resilience, faith, and representation for women of color in tech. Her journey—from surviving the foster system and overcoming personal trauma to rising as a US Navy officer and becoming a doctoral expert in cybersecurity—defines uncommon leadership. Lovelie’s new book, My Vulnerabilities are Patched, reframes personal challenges as code to break, empowering every reader to transform setbacks into strength.

🔗 LinkedIn

• My Vulnerabilities are Patched (Book, launching February 2026)
• Whitney Houston
• Glass Ceiling or Sticky Floor (Book)
• Barnes & Noble

• Irvine Technology Corporation
• Nicole McMackin on LinkedIn

Elevate Your Career is an original podcast hosted by Nicole McMackin. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.