Cybersecurity architect Kate Scarcella discovered that the principles she used to restore compromised systems offered an unexpected framework for navigating grief and profound change following the loss of her partner Jill after more than 35 years together.
In this deeply personal talk, Kate explores how grief, loss, and life-changing disruption require something surprisingly similar to system recovery: discovering what still works, what remains true, and restoring yourself based on what responds.
Kate’s work explores what technology can teach us about life when we can no longer return to a previous version of ourselves. Kate has spent more than 25 years helping organizations recover from some of their most challenging technology failures. A cybersecurity architect, advisor, and speaker, she has worked with Fortune 50 enterprises, served on IBM’s Security Board of Advisors, and chairs the CI/CD Cybersecurity SIG at the Continuous Delivery Foundation.
This talk was given at the TEDxPortsmouth event on May 8, 2026.
