Tech Woke

About Tech Woke

Join us as we demystify the tech landscape, offer guidance on educational pathways, and showcase inspirational stories of individuals who have successfully transitioned into tech careers. We address challenges, celebrate triumphs, and equip you with the knowledge and motivation to take your first steps or advance further in the tech world.

Publisher

Christopher Okpala

Category

education · news · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Jul 2024

Latest episode

27 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

84 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Aug 2026

   How to Prepare for a CMMC Assessment (CMMC Assessor Explains)

   🚨 Want to break into DoD cybersecurity but don't have eMASS experience? Gain hands on experience with RMF Academy eMASS Lab Access and build the confidence employers are looking for. Link below 👇 https://www.rmfacademy.io/courses/RMF-Academy-eMASS-Lab-Access 🚀 Ready to break into DoD cybersecurity? RMF Academy gives you the hands on training, practical resources, and real world guidance to build the skills employers are looking for. Link below 👇 https://www.rmfacademy.io/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:59 Meet CMMC Assessor Carter Schoenberg 02:23 What Is CMMC and Who Actually Needs It? 05:49 What Is CUI? 06:40 CMMC Levels Explained 09:03 The Problem With CUI and Government Contracts 10:43 CMMC Phase 1 and Phase 2 Explained 11:38 What Happened to CMMC Phase 2? 14:28 The Real Cost of CMMC Compliance 16:54 Why Protecting CUI Matters 19:42 How Companies Should Start Preparing for CMMC 24:04 Understanding Your CUI Data Flow 24:24 What CMMC Assessors Look for in Documentation 25:36 What Actually Happens During a CMMC Assessment 27:50 How to Prepare Your CMMC Evidence and Artifacts 29:27 Common CMMC Documentation Mistakes 31:11 How CMMC Controls Are Actually Assessed 32:31 What Happens After the Assessment? 33:18 What Happens When Evidence Is Missing? 36:33 Should You Get a CMMC Mock Assessment? 38:06 Why So Many Companies Use Microsoft Intune for CMMC 40:11 CMMC Implementation Mistakes to Avoid 42:50 What It Takes to Pass a CMMC Assessment 46:29 CMMC Assessment Preparation Checklist 48:40 How to Use the CMMC Assessor Guides 49:24 Understanding CUI Assets and Assessment Scope 50:40 Why Universities May Need CMMC 52:03 Universities Already Being Required to Meet CMMC Level 2 53:01 CMMC vs Other Cybersecurity Assessments 54:49 The Future of CUI Requirements 57:34 CMMC Level 2 Certification Requirements 59:57 The Cost of CMMC Implementation and Certification 01:01:49 How to Choose a Good CMMC Assessor 01:04:00 Final Thoughts VIdeo Description: What does a CMMC assessor actually look for during an assessment? In this episode of the Tech Woke Podcast, Christopher Okpala sits down with CMMC assessor Carter Schoenberg to break down the CMMC assessment process, what organizations should expect, and how defense contractors can properly prepare before an assessor arrives. We discuss CMMC, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), CMMC Level 2, assessment scope, security controls, evidence, artifacts, documentation, and implementation. Carter explains why simply having policies isn't enough and what organizations need to demonstrate to show that their cybersecurity practices are actually implemented. We also discuss common documentation mistakes, missing evidence, mock assessments, Microsoft Intune, the cost of CMMC compliance, and what happens when an assessor identifies gaps. If you're an ISSO, GRC professional, cybersecurity professional, government contractor, CMMC consultant, MSP/MSSP, or business operating within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), this conversation provides a practical look at how CMMC assessments work and how organizations can prepare. In this episode: What CMMC is and who needs it What CUI is and why it must be protected CMMC levels and assessment requirements How to prepare for a CMMC assessment What CMMC assessors actually look for How to prepare controls, evidence, and artifacts CMMC documentation requirements How assessors validate control implementation What happens when evidence is missing Common CMMC preparation mistakes Why companies use Microsoft Intune for CMMC environments CMMC assessment scope and CUI data flows Whether companies should conduct mock assessments The cost of preparing for CMMC How to choose a CMMC assessor or consultant How cybersecurity professionals can get involved in the CMMC ecosystem If your organization is preparing for a CMMC assessment, don't wait until assessment day to figure out whether your documentation, evidence, and technical implementation align. This episode gives you an assessor's perspective on what preparation actually looks like. Subscribe to Tech Woke for more conversations about CMMC, RMF, GRC, ISSO careers, federal cybersecurity, GovTech, eMASS, NIST 800-53, and cybersecurity compliance. Question for you: Is your organization currently preparing for CMMC? #CMMC #Cybersecurity #GRC

2. 

   29 Jul 2026

   How to Become a Senior ISSO in 12 Months (Complete Roadmap)

   🚨 Want to break into DoD cybersecurity but don't have eMASS experience? Gain hands on experience with RMF Academy eMASS Lab Access and build the confidence employers are looking for. Link below 👇 https://www.rmfacademy.io/courses/RMF-Academy-eMASS-Lab-Access 🚀 Ready to break into DoD cybersecurity? RMF Academy gives you the hands on training, practical resources, and real world guidance to build the skills employers are looking for. Link below 👇 https://www.rmfacademy.io/ Timesstamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:41 Meet Emmanuel and His Cybersecurity Journey 02:12 How Emmanuel Earned a Top Secret Clearance at 23 04:04 Using AI and LinkedIn to Land an ISSO Role 05:08 Does a Security Clearance Increase Your Salary? 07:28 How Employers Verify Your Background 10:42 How to Become an ISSO with No Experience 12:55 Networking Tips That Actually Work 14:55 What ISSOs Really Do vs. Common Misconceptions 17:08 Building Hands-On RMF Experience 19:25 Best Resources to Learn RMF and Cybersecurity 22:18 How to Stand Out in Cybersecurity Interviews 24:15 What Hiring Managers Are Really Looking For 27:18 Why Continuous Learning Matters 30:12 How to Grow Into a Senior ISSO 33:21 Teaching Cybersecurity vs. Working in the Field 36:12 The Biggest Problems with Cybersecurity Education 39:40 Should You Get a Cybersecurity Degree? 42:48 Certifications vs. Skills: What Matters Most? 45:15 Cloud Security, AI, and the Future of Cybersecurity 47:31 The Skills Every Cybersecurity Professional Should Learn 50:12 Advice for Breaking Into Federal Cybersecurity 52:18 Where to Connect with Emmanuel 53:05 Final Thoughts Video description: How Emmanuel Went From No Experience to a Federal Cybersecurity Career | ISSO, RMF & Security Clearance How do you break into federal cybersecurity if you have little or no experience? What does it really take to become an Information System Security Officer (ISSO), earn a security clearance, and build a successful career in Risk Management Framework (RMF)? In this episode of Tech Woke, I sit down with Emmanuel to discuss his journey into federal cybersecurity, how he landed an ISSO role, the importance of networking, certifications, LinkedIn, and the strategies that helped him build a career in one of the fastest-growing areas of cybersecurity. Whether you're trying to land your first cybersecurity job, transition into Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), or understand how to get into the federal space, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world lessons. In this episode, we discuss: How Emmanuel broke into federal cybersecurity What an Information System Security Officer (ISSO) actually does How to gain RMF experience without already working in RMF The role of security clearances in cybersecurity careers Networking strategies that lead to job opportunities How LinkedIn can help you land interviews The certifications that helped Emmanuel succeed Common mistakes new cybersecurity professionals make Federal cybersecurity career advice AI, cloud security, and the future of cybersecurity How to grow from entry-level to senior cybersecurity roles If you're serious about building a career in RMF, ISSO, GRC, NIST 800-53, CMMC, or federal cybersecurity, this episode is for you. 🎥 Watch the full episode and let us know in the comments: What is the biggest challenge you're facing in your cybersecurity career?

3. 

   22 Jul 2026

   This Cybersecurity Career Path Is About to Explode (Here's Why)

   🚨 Want to break into DoD cybersecurity but don't have eMASS experience? Gain hands on experience with RMF Academy eMASS Lab Access and build the confidence employers are looking for. Link below 👇 https://www.rmfacademy.io/courses/RMF-Academy-eMASS-Lab-Access 🚀 Ready to break into DoD cybersecurity? RMF Academy gives you the hands on training, practical resources, and real world guidance to build the skills employers are looking for. Link below 👇 https://www.rmfacademy.io/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:43 What Is the Risk Management Framework (RMF)? 04:15 Why RMF Is So Important in Government Cybersecurity 08:32 Common Misconceptions About RMF Careers 12:18 How to Prepare for RMF & ISSO Interviews 17:20 Losing My Job and Rebuilding My Career 18:42 Why I Doubled Down on RMF Academy 21:38 The Biggest Gap in RMF & GRC Training 22:20 How to Actually Succeed in an RMF Interview 26:10 Why Security+ and a Clearance Aren't Enough 28:05 Why I Built the eMASS Lab 28:50 The 7 Steps of RMF Explained 31:28 What You'll Actually Do as an ISSO 33:05 How RMF Academy Prepares You for the Job 36:21 The Future of RMF Careers 38:44 AI, Government Cybersecurity & RMF 40:08 How Quantum Computing Will Impact Cybersecurity 42:32 Future Skills Every RMF Professional Needs 43:30 Cloud, Automation & the Future of GRC 45:45 Why I Moved to New Mexico 46:35 What's Next for RMF Academy 47:50 Final Advice for Future ISSOs 48:20 Outro Video description: What does it really take to build a successful career in RMF and federal cybersecurity? In this special episode of Tech Woke, the roles are reversed. Instead of interviewing a guest, I'm in the hot seat as Osasu Asaji interviews me about my journey from working as an Information System Security Officer (ISSO) to building RMF Academy, overcoming career setbacks, and helping thousands of cybersecurity professionals break into GovTech. We dive deep into what the Risk Management Framework (RMF) really is, why it's one of the fastest-growing areas in federal cybersecurity, and what aspiring ISSOs, GRC professionals, and cybersecurity practitioners need to know to stay competitive in today's market. Whether you're trying to land your first cybersecurity job, transition into an RMF role, or understand where AI, cloud security, and quantum computing are taking federal cybersecurity, this conversation is packed with practical advice and real-world lessons. In this episode, we discuss: What the Risk Management Framework (RMF) is How to become an Information System Security Officer (ISSO) My journey into federal cybersecurity Losing my job and rebuilding through entrepreneurship Why I created RMF Academy The biggest mistakes aspiring ISSOs make Why Security+ and a clearance aren't always enough The importance of hands-on RMF and eMASS experience AI's impact on RMF and GRC careers How quantum computing could reshape cybersecurity The future of government cybersecurity careers Advice for anyone looking to break into GovTech If you're serious about building a career in federal cybersecurity, this episode will give you the roadmap and mindset to move forward. If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to Like, Subscribe, and turn on notifications for more interviews with cybersecurity leaders and career experts.

Who has been a guest on Tech Woke

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dahlia
• Dontae Tyler
• Desiree Jones
• Derrich Phillips
• Davon

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

223,296

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

19 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 75 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

94

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

51

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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