We are thrilled to welcome four amazing summer interns to the CTA team! This talented group brings fresh perspectives, curiosity, and a passion for cybersecurity that we are excited to nurture over the coming months. We can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make and the growth they’ll experience as part of our CTA community. Here is to a summer of collaboration and innovation. Let us introduce them in their own words…
Arya Vasani
My name is Arya Vasani, and I am a Computer Science major from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I grew up in the Bay Area, California, and outside of tech, am very passionate about music. As a percussionist, I enjoy playing everything from keyboard instruments to drum sets. I’m also an avid sports fan — whether it’s basketball, football, or baseball, I love playing and watching them. I discovered my interest in cybersecurity through a couple of college courses that made me curious about how cryptography, network protocols, and data analytics are used to combat digital threats. That curiosity drew me to an internship with the CTA because of their role in sharing threat intelligence. I saw this opportunity as a great chance to immerse myself in the middle of the cybersecurity field and learn about the big industry leaders the CTA works with. Having been at the CTA for a month now, I’ve learned a lot about the protection practices different companies employ, as well as the many ways intelligence is shared in our industry. As I look ahead to completing my internship this summer, I’m confident that the knowledge and perspective I’ve gained at the CTA will become a strong foundation for the rest of my cybersecurity career.
Mridu Nanda
Hi! My name is Mridu, and I’m entering the fifth year of my PhD in computer science at Duke University, where I’m advised by Michael Reiter. My research focuses on system security and mechanism design, with an emphasis on how to incentivize organizations to share threat intelligence to collectively detect large-scale cyber threats, such as credential database breaches. I’m especially interested in the underlying motivations that drive organizations to share in the first place and how these can be reinforced through system design. I chose to intern with CTA because of its unique position bringing together diverse members to collaborate on shared security goals. This summer, I’m excited to learn how threat intelligence is operationalized in practice, what types of intelligence are most valuable to members, and how CTA helps foster meaningful, high-value exchanges among contributors. In my free time I enjoy pottery, collecting plants, and interior design!
Olamide Olayiwola
Hi everyone! My name is Olamide, and I’m from New York. I graduated from Colorado College in May 2024 with a degree in Economics, where I wrote my thesis on “The Impact of Increased Cybersecurity Expenditure on Countries’ Development Over Time.” This fall, I’ll be starting my master’s program in Cybersecurity Risk Management at Georgetown University. I’m excited to work with you all this summer and look forward to meeting everyone soon. I’m interested in exploring the connection between cybersecurity risk and economic resilience. That interest led me to write my senior thesis on how increased cybersecurity expenditure affects a country’s development over time. From working in Switzerland as a financial analyst intern focused on ethics and risk, to interning at Aon as a cyber broker, I was exposed to cyber risk from a business perspective. That role confirmed my interest in helping organizations better manage and navigate digital threats.
What drew me to CTA is its unique blend of technical threat analysis and strategic thinking, which is the kind of intersection I hope to work in moving forward. While here, I’m excited to dive deeper into the economic and policy sides of cyber threats, including nation-state activity and shared defense efforts. The chance to learn directly from experts and be part of CTA’s broader network is the perfect preparation as I head into my master’s in Cybersecurity Risk Management at Georgetown this fall. Outside of work, I love spending quality time with loved ones, whether it’s exploring the city with my family, relaxing at the beach with my best friends, or visiting different mountains to snowboard. It’s these connections and adventures that keep me grounded and inspired.
Mobina Riazi
Cybersecurity often feels like something reserved for big tech companies, government agencies, or specialized industry experts. The technical abstraction can make it feel disconnected from everyday life. But in reality, cybersecurity is deeply woven into our daily routines—whether we’re checking email, shopping online, using smart devices, social media, or simply logging onto Wi-Fi. There is a growing need for greater transparency and accessibility not only for industry but also for the public on how to protect oneself and their communities online. That belief is at the heart of why I’ve joined the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) and their global coalition working to make cybersecurity more collaborative and effective. As a recent Stanford graduate completing an M.A. in Communication with honors—building on a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Political Economy and Data Science, and a minor in Iranian Studies—my academic and research interests lie at the intersection of ethics, technology, domestic policy, and international security. Throughout my studies, I’ve focused on how digital infrastructures shape global power dynamics, influence governance, and affect public life. This summer, I’m excited to contribute to the mission of the Cyber Threat Alliance by producing blog content that brings greater transparency to the cybersecurity landscape. My goal is to translate complex issues into accessible insights—bridging the gap between expert knowledge and public understanding and emphasizing why cybersecurity matters not just for industry insiders, but for everyone navigating our increasingly connected world.
It is an honor to welcome this talented group to the CTA team, and we are excited to see how their passion and potential will shape not only their future, but CTA’s as well.