Every MVP journey looks different, shaped by curiosity, community, and a commitment to sharing what’s learned along the way. This reflection follows Mona’s experience — one defined by multiple career pivots, a passion for security, and a strong belief in learning in public. Over the past several years, her work has grown alongside the Microsoft community, reaching meaningful milestones while staying grounded in a simple goal: helping people feel more confident navigating an ever changing security landscape.
By Guest Blogger Mona Ghadiri
I’ve learned that the MVP journey is unique for everyone. Well, my journey is more like a set of tabs you swear you’ll close later. Sentinel launches in 2019, on April 1, 2024, Security Copilot launches. Here we are, April 2026! Time files.
I would know. I’m on technically my 4th career. I started as an editorial assistant and researcher, moved to being a plastics injection molding process engineer, and then became a product manager and now I’m a Vice President at Capgemini.
Somewhere between shipping deadlines, community calls, and one too many conference coffees, I found my favorite kind of work: helping people feel more confident with security.
This April, I’m celebrating four years as a Microsoft MVP (Security) and two years of Security Copilot. I’m also celebrating a milestone I’m still processing: being the only woman in the world with the Security Copilot designation in Security Copilot’s second year. I’m grateful, a little proud, and also very aware that my browser history is still mostly “how do I connect with more women in cybersecurity.” This MVP story is a bit of an online ad: Looking for friendship, empowerment and more representation.
Two Years of Security Copilot (and the Real Lesson It Taught Me)
When Security Copilot was still new, and was called Copilot for Security, and everyone was trying to decide whether “AI for security” meant magic or mayhem, I leaned into curiosity. I tested, asked questions, broke things (responsibly), and kept coming back to the same point: the best security outcomes happen when we pair strong fundamentals with smart automation.
That’s why the “two-year” moment feels bigger than a product anniversary. It marks two years of listening to what defenders actually need, learning in public, and translating fast-moving capabilities into practical guidance. The Security Copilot designation milestone isn’t a finish line for me at all. It’s a reminder that I’m trusted to keep showing up, staying grounded, and sharing what works (and what definitely did not work the first time), leaning in with the Microsoft PG teams and other MVPs and doing what we do best: co-creating.
Community Impact: From Stages to Study Groups
Over the last few years, I’ve had the privilege of presenting and participating at every major Microsoft conference, from the AI Tour to Build to Ignite, and they are some of the moments I am most proud of. I try to treat every session the same way: make it useful, make it real, and leave people with something they can apply on Monday morning (even if they’re low on sleep!)
Behind the scenes, I also love the work that doesn’t come with a spotlight, like helping organize community conferences, building speaker lineups, reviewing abstracts, and connecting people who should absolutely know each other. Security moves fast, and community is how we keep up without burning out.
Mentoring is the part I take most personally. I’ve created a special space to mentor women and Farsi speakers through communities like MS Farsi and Azure Zero to Hero because sometimes the biggest barrier isn’t the technology, it’s feeling like you don’t belong in the room yet. (Spoiler: you do.) Watching someone go from “I’m not sure I can” to “I just shipped it” will never get old.
What I’m Focusing on Next: AI Security + Securing the SDLC (and the Basics)
Right now, my energy is going into AI security and securing the software development lifecycle because if AI is becoming part of everything we build, it has to become part of everything we protect. That means thinking about identity, data boundaries, prompt and plugin safety, model risk, and also the very unglamorous work of improving detection, response, and governance.
And here’s the part I keep reminding myself (often): the future is exciting, but the basics still pay the rent. Before we ask AI to save the day, we should probably make sure the doors are locked: least privilege, clean identity hygiene, sensible logging, patching, and threat modeling that happens before the “launch” button gets clicked. I’m aiming to help teams do both: adopt what’s new and do a better job with what’s always mattered.
Looking Ahead - Together
To everyone who’s attended a session, asked a hard question, volunteered at an event, or sent a message that started with “Quick question…” (and ended 47 minutes later): thank you. You’ve shaped my MVP journey more than any title ever could. If you’re building in security, curious about Security Copilot, or trying to level up your secure SDLC practices, I’d love to connect and if you’re a woman or a Farsi speaker looking for a supportive place to grow, you have a spot with us.
Connect with Mona on LinkedIn
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