Home » Security Bloggers Network » Introducing The Identity Heroes

Introducing The Identity Heroes

by Mark Callahan on May 29, 2025

“I don’t think I’ve ever shared this story before!” – Identifluencer Guest on The Identity Heroes

Not all heroes wear a cape

Every identity professional has a story.

Not just a resume or a list of certifications — but a journey.

A moment where things broke at scale. A time when a deployment failed — and the lesson stuck. A shift from vendor to practitioner (or vice versa) that changed everything. That’s what we explore at the heart of The Identity Heroes Videocast.

This new series brings the hero’s journey to life in the identity world. It’s a place for practitioners — CISOs, architects, and IAM strategists — to share how they got here, what they’ve learned, and how they’re shaping the future of identity in real-time.

No vendor pitches. No theory-only conversations. Just straight talk from those in the arena.

Why The Identity Heroes matters

The identity community is full of heroes. But unlike comic books, there are no capes or origin myths.

There are, however:

2 a.m. outages and production hotfixes
Hours of stakeholder meetings just to get a rollout approved
And years of learning how to make IAM matter to the business

The Identity Heroes is about capturing those stories. Here’s why:

To elevate the voices of practitioners. Too often, only vendors or analysts get the mic. We’re here for the people solving identity in the trenches.
To bring leadership to life. Identity doesn’t come with a manual. We learn by hearing how others have done it—and by sharing what didn’t go as planned.
To build community, trust, and momentum. Our guests aren’t just experts. They’re mentors, mentors-in-the-making, and humans who care about the craft.
To generate meaningful content. These conversations power our blogs, newsletters, social posts, and internal learning—because they’re worth revisiting.

This is not just another podcast. This is about keeping the connection with the humans in identity in a world of AI and non-human identity (NHI). People matter.

The journey so far: Meet our first identity heroes

We’ve kicked off with three powerful episodes—each one revealing a different arc in the identity journey:

A person with curly blonde hair, glasses, and a leather jacket smiles slightly at the camera against a light background, embodying the confident spirit of Identity Heroes.

Eve Maler – The Inventor and Visionary

Eve started out editing tech manuals and ended up co-authoring major identity standards, becoming CTO of ForgeRock, and now leading at Venn Factory. Her episode is a masterclass in courage, curiosity, and long-game innovation—from agentic AI to why “consent is dead” and what’s next for privacy. Her advice to other heroes? Get just uncomfortable enough to grow.

Portrait of a middle-aged man with gray hair and beard, wearing a white shirt, smiling slightly, against a plain background with a pink circular border—an ideal image for Identity Heroes.

Sebastian Rohr – The Mentor and Maker

Sebastian’s path wound from chemistry labs to Linux firewalls to Microsoft—and ultimately to founding multiple IAM-focused companies. He shares how getting fired launched his entrepreneurial arc, how mentorship transformed his career, and how the identity community is stronger when we support each other. Oh, and yes—he also brews IdentiBeer.

Black and white portrait of a woman with long hair, wearing a patterned top and a necklace, framed by a pink circular border—a striking tribute to modern Identity Heroes.

Sulohita Vaddadi – The Builder and Bridge-Builder

From biomedical engineering to IBM to CISO at GE, Sulohita’s story is one of adaptability, grit, and leadership through humility. She shares how a failed project shaped her approach to risk, why identity must be framed in business terms, and how true partners don’t oversell—they guide. Her path reminds us that identity isn’t a product—it’s a relationship.

What connects them all?

Each of these guests walked a different path.
But every story follows the classic hero’s journey:

A beginning that didn’t predict the destination
A challenge (or plot twist) that changed everything
A lesson learned—and shared
And a call to help others rise

That’s what The Identity Heroes is all about: giving identity pros the stage to tell their stories—and helping the next generation find their own path forward.