Trevor Bell

Briefly describe your daily job duties.
Protecting people, patients, and data while tracking bad guys across the Internet.

As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job.
Interfacing with third-party/vendors in virtual meetings. Most of my team is aware of the fact I stutter, however, meeting with external customers always presents more of a challenge.

What are your long-term career aspirations?
My career aspirations are to continue up the cybersecurity ladder and eventually teach. I love mentoring aspiring cybersecurity enthusiasts. I was fortunate to have a few mentors when I was just starting out. I enjoy helping others get to where he or she wants to be, professionally.

Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process?
In 2021, I had the pleasure of participating in a research study where I worked with Speech Pathologists on placing more emphasis on other facets of communications. These facets included eye contact, tempo, hand gestures, and disclosure. This program really showed me how disclosure helps everyone, the listener and myself. I make it a point to disclose at the beginning of the hiring process and other social interactions.

What is your proudest moment at your current company?
Aside from professional moments, my proudest moment is just blending in with my coworkers. I have been with the company for over a year and being hired during the pandemic made things difficult but I made the most of it.

Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work.
For a lack of a better phrase, stuttering has allowed me to work with a “chip on my shoulder”. Throughout my younger years, I’ve always felt like I had to work harder because I did not have the “gift of gab” and I could not articulate my work as well as others. So, I always let my work speak for myself, which made me work harder not smarter.

What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success?
Disclose, disclose, disclose. Hearing the words, “I am a person who stutters” goes a very long way.