The CCIE Flyer’s Queen of Lebanon
by Sandra Salame
There are CCIEs all over the world and there are places with good numbers of them but no matter where you look the number of Voice CCIEs remain very low. So when looking at the population and then filtering them by gender I was delighted that despite all my hard work M (CCIE Agent Girl Friday) managed to trump me and introduced me to the only woman CCIE Voice in Lebanon! What a find, huh! CCIE #17863 is also PMP certified. So M set me up for a call and I reached out to Sandra to say hi and to learn about this very unique woman. As research I read, “Caught in the Middle: Women in Lebanon” by Ghada Khouri. It is true that there is a real clash of cultures in Lebanon and often women are not given equal chances to education and jobs that men are accustomed to. Still religious affiliation determines most women’s fates in this region of the world. In 1996 Lebanon ratified the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Some might say that was too little too late but in the broader context of the entire Middle East this was a bold move.
Q: Sandra I was so flattered by your reaction to our call and wanted to start by saying thanks for the warm reception and your flattering comments about the CCIE Flyer. Can you tell our readers about your ethnic and religious background?
A: First allow me to say that it is a real pleasure and honor to be your interviewee. Of course, my background is quite simply LEBANESE. Our country, as so many others throughout the world, has paid too high a price already because most of us tend to focus on our ethnic and religious differences. Therefore I prefer myself to simply state that I am Lebanese, and mention that the foundation of my social consciousness and civic education has been, and still is, my experience as a Lebanese Red Cross first aid volunteer for 8 years now.
Q: As a child were you given equal support as a son might receive as you selected an educational course of study?
A: Of course, I never had to fight for my right to education. I was lucky to be born in a family, live in a community, and study in a school where men and women have equal opportunities and potential which is very common in Lebanon. It is at the level of university, or higher education, that I was surprised to find in my computer and communications engineering class, around 150 men and only 8 women. Women have yet a long way to prove themselves as capable peers and active actors in the IT field. Things are starting to change at a quick pace in my country as awareness and real examples of successful women are portrayed in most enterprise environments.
Q: Many women have had role models and women mentors. Did you have a mentor and was this mentor a woman?
A: I have had quite a few mentors and role models, regardless of gender. I look for and find qualities like integrity, constant self-development, love of challenge, continuous improvement, inner strength and wisdom in both men and women. I was though always impressed by my mother, who at the age of 50, married with 4 kids, still wakes up every day to pursue her career and fight for her opinions and views. She has taught me to never give up, believe in myself and always surpass my potential.
Q: What made you select IT and more specifically Cisco Networking as a career path?
A: I selected computer engineer without much reflection when I was a university student as there was a lack of IT resources nation-wide and there was a high demand for computer engineers at that time. I found the IT field very interesting, constantly changing affecting the way we live, work and communicate. I was hired by a Cisco Gold partner at the onset of my graduation. My company believed in my potential and gave me the opportunity to integrate and design Cisco unified communications solutions. I was a fast and eager learner, impressed by Cisco’s vision and its ability to affect the way one could do business.
Q: What do you think about multiple CCIE certifications?
A: For now, I am not considering the option of pursuing a second certification. I have discovered that there is a lot that still I don’t know and would like to indulge in learning with respect to the business field. I am currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration which will complete my global view of things and teach me how to speak the business language of executives when proposing IT solutions. For the solution to be adopted in any enterprise environment, it has to be accepted by higher management and suit their needs. My current studies are awakening my curiosity of a new kind of knowledge.
Q: What tools did you use to prepare for the Written? The Lab?
A: I used IPExpert and CCBootcamp, it was mostly self study as I am sure Voice CCIEs know this already, resources for this certification are quite rare which made it even more challenging for me. I mostly relied on my years of experience working with the unified communications portfolio.
Q: Have you met other CCIEs who were women?
A: Unfortunately, I haven’t met any. I would love to though, it would be great if we could all get together and aid in promoting more and more women to pursue challenging careers and certifications. The CCIE exam is not only about your technical skills, it is about discovering one’s potential, the extent and willingness to handle the pressure of preparation and the exam as well as sacrificing a huge amount of personal time.
Q: What advice would you give to a girl starting out on their journey in IT as a career?
A: I would strongly advise her to explore that field of study. Men and women both have an important say in determining how IT is changing our lives and how we can change IT. She should aim for a career that helps her fulfill her ambitions and lets her maximize the use of her intellectual capabilities . She shouldn’t waste her chance to make a change.
Q: The economy is causing havoc all around the world. Has your professional life been impacted by the roller coaster of economic strife?
A: Lebanon and the Lebanese people have always shown a tremendous resilience and ability to recover quickly from all sorts of crisis –and we have had our share- so we have not been affected by this latest economic downturn as much as some other parts of the world, and my professional life has until now not been impacted.
Q: Do you read the CCIE Flyer?
A: Of course I do! I am always on the lookout for the latest news and trends as well as Eman’s views and famous trips :). It is very informative, interesting and a change from all the technical papers we read all day. It brings this huge community of professionals and career seekers closer together and allows us all to communicate constructively. Great work and keep it up.
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