A Googler's Guide to an Imperfect Career Path

** IMPORTANT ** NEW MEETING LOCATION **

Our next local AITP Chapter will be meeting on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, in the Trexler Room at DeSales University Center & Bookstore.

This presentation is open for members and non-members, faculty, staff, and students.

ABSTRACT:

The Best Career Advice I Never Followed: A Googler's Guide to an Imperfect Career Path

If you think everyone who ends up at Google had a perfectly straight career path, think again. Ryan Dickson’s journey has been anything but linear - full of detours, missed opportunities, wrong turns, and lessons learned the hard way. In this candid and funny talk, Ryan shares the best advice he ignored (and sometimes should have followed), how mistakes became stepping stones, and why “imperfect” paths often lead to the most meaningful careers. Students will leave with practical takeaways for building resilience, navigating uncertainty, and spotting opportunities - even when things don’t go according to plan.

Ryan can share his experiences at Google.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Ryan Dickson leads the Chrome Root Program at Google, the team responsible for deciding which organizations are trusted to secure nearly every encrypted connection made by billions of Chrome users every day. Before joining Google, Ryan spent more than a decade in the world of cybersecurity, public key infrastructure (PKI), and digital identity - working with the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, the federal government, and commercial providers to keep networks secure and people connected.

Ryan holds master’s degrees in both Cybersecurity and Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and a B.S. in Information Sciences and Technology from Penn State. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Project Management Professional (PMP).

Outside of PKI policy debates and making the web a safer place, Ryan enjoys time with his family in Reston, Virginia, and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of technologists.

LOCATION & DIRECTIONS:

The meeting will be held on campus in the Trexler Room at the DeSales University Center & Bookstore located at 2755 Station Avenue Center Valley, PA 18034. click here for driving directions

DINNER FEES:

If you are planning to join us for the in-person optional networking dinner at 6 PM, there is a $20 fee via cash or credit/debit at the door. If you are not planning for dinner, please join us at 7 p.m. complimentary presentation (in-person or remote).

If you wish to attend the presentation portion virtually, you are welcome to use this Zoom connection: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81747041229.

AGENDA:

5:30 PM – 6:00 PM (Arrival and professional networking)
6:00 – 7:00 PM (Networking Dinner)
7:00 – 8:00 or 8:30 PM EST (Presentation -- FREE)

For a listing of our AITP Lehigh Valley Chapter events, please visit our website at http://www.lv-aitp.org/

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th!!