An Inspired Chat with Delisha Hodo of South ATL

We recently had the chance to connect with Delisha Hodo and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Delisha, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I felt genuinely proud when I held my first public meet and greet and went door to door. As someone who’s naturally more reserved, putting myself out there like that was terrifying, but seeing neighbors actually show up and engage in real conversations about our community’s future was incredibly validating. As well as having them open their doors to get to know who I am and why I am running, meant a lot to me.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Delisha Hodo, and I’m running for city council because I believe in the power of communities to transform lives; something I’ve witnessed firsthand throughout my career.

For the past five years, I’ve served as Assistant Director at SANS Technology Institute, where I’ve helped build pathways into cybersecurity careers for underrepresented groups and streamlined programs that have reduced onboarding time by 50% while boosting retention rates. My work spans from mentoring early-career professionals to designing scalable systems that support thousands of learners nationwide.

What drives me professionally is the same thing that’s drawn me to public service: seeing potential in people and communities, then building the frameworks to help that potential flourish. Whether I’m developing college success curricula for diverse student populations or chairing initiatives to increase diversity in cybersecurity, I’m always asking: “How do we remove barriers and create genuine opportunity?”

This passion for community building isn’t new – I’ve quietly supported our local youth sports programs and nonprofits for years because I believe in investing in our neighbors’ success. But watching our community navigate recent challenges made me realize it was time to step from behind the scenes into public service.

My background in program development, data-driven decision making, and fostering collaboration across diverse groups has prepared me to tackle the complex challenges facing our city. I know how to build systems that work, bring people together around shared goals, and turn vision into measurable results.

I’m running because our community deserves leaders who combine professional expertise with genuine grassroots commitment, and who aren’t afraid to push outside their comfort zone to serve.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I had to make myself smaller to make others comfortable.

I used to sing and dance all the time, completely uninhibited, taking up space with joy and confidence. But somewhere along the way, I absorbed this quiet message that being reserved, being less visible, was somehow better or more appropriate. I’m honestly not sure when that switch happened or what caused it, but I internalized this belief that my voice wasn’t as important, that I should step back and let others lead.

For years, I carried this idea that being quiet meant being respectful, that holding back my thoughts and ideas was the right thing to do. I became extremely reserved, almost like I was trying to apologize for existing.

But running for city council has forced me to confront that old belief head-on. I’ve realized that staying quiet isn’t serving anyone; not me, not my community. My thoughts and ideas matter just as much as anyone else’s. People deserve to hear my voice, and I deserve to hear my own voice and honor it.

That little girl who used to sing and dance without hesitation knew something I forgot for a while: that we’re meant to take up space, to contribute, to be heard. I can’t afford to be quiet anymore, not when there’s work to be done and a community that needs advocates who aren’t afraid to speak up.

Sometimes the beliefs we outgrow aren’t just personal revelations, they’re invitations to step into who we’re meant to become.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
As a reformed people pleaser, I spent years putting everyone else before myself because I was terrified of disappointing others or having them think poorly of me. It was always easier to shrink myself, to accommodate, to keep the peace – even when it cost me my own voice or needs.

Looking back, I think it started when I was bullied as a child. That experience left a mark. I eventually became someone who defended or protected those most likely to be bullied, but I also developed this deep-seated fear that if people didn’t like me, I had somehow failed. I carried that weight for years.

That fear fed into an unhealthy perfectionism in certain parts of my life. I held myself to impossible standards, trying to be everything to everyone, constantly seeking approval. The irony is that perfectionism isn’t really about excellence, it’s about control. It’s about trying to manage how others see you so they can’t reject you.

Running for city council has forced me to confront this fear directly. You can’t run for public office and avoid being disliked, it’s literally impossible. There will always be people who disagree with you, who don’t support you, who actively oppose you. And that’s okay. It has to be okay.

I’ve realized that being liked by everyone isn’t just unrealistic, it’s not even desirable. Because when you’re trying to please everyone, you’re really serving no one. The work that matters, the change our community needs, requires me to take positions, make tough calls, and stand firm even when it’s uncomfortable.

I’m learning that disappointing some people is inevitable when you’re doing meaningful work. And honestly? That little girl who stood up for others being bullied knew something important: sometimes the right thing to do isn’t the popular thing. She was braver than she knew.

I still have to actively push against that old fear, but I can’t afford to let it drive my decisions anymore; not when there’s a community counting on leaders who will advocate for what’s right, not just what’s comfortable.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie the cybersecurity industry tells itself? That there’s a talent shortage.

We love to talk about the massive employment gap, the hundreds of thousands of unfilled positions, the desperate need for cybersecurity professionals. But the truth is far less comfortable: there’s not a shortage of talent. There’s a shortage of the desire to train, uplift, support, and mentor new talent into the field.

There are thousands of talented, diverse professionals right now who are ready and capable of applying their knowledge and skills, but they’ve been shut out. They’re forced to compete with thousands of others for a single job posting that requires three years of experience for an “entry-level” role. It’s tone-deaf.

The path to landing that first cybersecurity job is becoming increasingly difficult, especially as the market shifts and more experienced or senior-level practitioners re-enter the workforce. Now you’ve got career changers and recent graduates competing against people with a decade of experience for the same positions. The barriers aren’t about capability, they’re about access and opportunity.

What we need are more intentional pathways: apprenticeships, rotational programs, re-entry programs that account for unique circumstances and non-traditional backgrounds. We need employers willing to invest in people, not just poach already-trained talent from competitors. We need to stop gatekeeping and start building.

This isn’t just an industry problem, it’s a community problem. When we talk about workforce development and economic opportunity, we have to be honest about the barriers we’re creating. I’ve spent my career helping build those pathways and break down those barriers because I’ve seen what happens when we actually invest in people: they thrive.

The talent is there. The question is whether we’re willing to do the work to meet them where they are.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
My heart, my word, and the time I gave; no matter who was asking.

Strip away my name, my title, my career accomplishments, everything I own, what’s left is how I’ve shown up for people. Long before anyone knew who I was, before I started my career, before any of the external markers of success, I was someone who considered others’ feelings deeply. Someone who gave my whole heart, kept my word, and offered my full time and attention to whoever needed it.

I’ve always shown up, even when I probably shouldn’t have, even when I realistically wasn’t in the shape to. That’s not something I say with pride necessarily; it’s just who I am at my core. I can’t help but care. I can’t help but invest myself fully.
What would remain is the countless quiet moments: the conversations where I listened without checking my phone, the times I followed through on something small that mattered to someone else, the way I treated people regardless of their title or what they could do for me. Because the truth is, how we treat people when there’s nothing to gain tells you everything about character.

I think about all the people I’ve mentored, advised, or supported over the years, many of whom never knew my title or background when we first connected. What remained in those interactions wasn’t my credentials. It was my genuine investment in their success, my willingness to show up consistently, my refusal to make them feel like an inconvenience.

At the end of the day, we’re not remembered for our résumés or our possessions. We’re remembered for how we made people feel, whether we kept our commitments, and whether we showed up with our whole hearts.

That’s what I want to remain. That’s what I’m bringing to this city council race – not just my experience, but my heart.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delishahodo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579427619262

Image Credits
SANS/Hacker Valley Media (Both photos from SANS Difference Makers Awards Ceremony)