What we talked about
Jonathan Hernandez is an Information Security and Risk professional at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and a CISSP-certified cybersecurity expert with experience across governance, risk, compliance, and ethical hacking. He is also a public speaker and a Master of Divinity student at Southern Seminary, and he shares the story behind the credentials, starting with the day he arrived from the Philippines at nineteen.
Show notes
Jonathan Hernandez arrived from the Philippines at nineteen, looking for Disneyland and touching snow for the first time, then weathered the loneliness and identity loss that followed. A CISSP-certified security professional who is also pursuing a Master of Divinity, he makes the case that our value is not our output or efficiency, and that technology should serve people rather than the other way around.
What we covered
- The story behind the credentials, starting with arriving from the Philippines at nineteen, and the loneliness and identity loss that followed.
- Why he walked away from a booming tech career in Columbus to study theology full time while working full time, and how he came to believe career change is not about money but about purpose.
- How his faith became a real anchor during rejection, visa delays, and starting over from scratch, and why he refuses to let a title or a paycheck define his worth.
- Where his two worlds meet: ethics in cybersecurity. How an ethical hacking professor’s warning shaped him, why he grounds his ethics beyond just not getting caught, and how he uses his skills to protect churches, nonprofits, and everyday people who cannot afford enterprise-grade security.
- What it means to protect human dignity in an AI-powered world, and the case that people are not data points or employee numbers.
- A conversation about resilience, contentment, and building a life on a foundation that does not crack.
About Jonathan
Jonathan Hernandez is an Information Security and Risk professional at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a CISSP-certified cybersecurity expert with experience across governance, risk, compliance, and ethical hacking. He is also a public speaker and a Master of Divinity student at Southern Seminary.
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thantology/
- Website: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/
Episode 158 of the PreVetted Podcast.
Full transcript
Federico Ramallo (00:00) Welcome back to the Pre-Vered podcast, where we spotlight extraordinary people and remarkable talent reshaping our world. Today I am joined by Jonathan Hernandez. He’s an information security and risk professional at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, an assist certified cybersecurity expert with experience spawning GRC, pen test, and regulatory compliance at companies like Liberty Mutual and State Auto.
He’s also public speaker and a Master of Divinity Student at Southern Seminary, which gives him a rare perspective on technology, faith, and human dignity. Jonathan immigrated from the Philippines and built his career from the ground up. He’s passionate about purpose-driven work and the human side of security. Jonathan, welcome to the show.
Jonathan Hernandez (00:49) Yeah, it’s a privilege to be here today, Federico. Sna thank you for inviting me today.
Federico Ramallo (00:54) Yes, I’m honored to have you here today. so for people knowing you for the first time, can you tell us a little bit more about what you do?
Jonathan Hernandez (01:03) Yeah, yeah. So I’m currently an information security analyst for a hospital in Columbus, Ohio where I do risk business continuity. I do a lot of stuff and then that includes public speaking, training. I also I’m active also in the community by providing some security training, security awareness presentations and whether it’s about fate or about
about tech cy just for cybersecurity and even the intersection between two those topics. I also contribute by attending different conferences, you know by providing some insights from from both from two worlds if you will so yeah.
Federico Ramallo (01:42) Amazing. so tell me about your life in Philippines and how was your experience when you arrived to the US?
Jonathan Hernandez (01:49) Yeah, yeah, thank you. So yeah, I I was nineteen when I moved here in the United States, that was what, 2016. So growing up in the Philippines, like a life was shaped by different rhythms of life, like a community, vibrant rich in relationships, if you will. And the Philippines has a lot of influence from the Western world, from Spanish to you know to the United States, and also we’re influenced by Japanese just because.
So I have this particular
perspective about America when I came here. You know, like I was looking about I’m familiar with Disneyland. I was watching like movies like Frozen, Marvel, X-Men and those kind of stuff. So when I came here, I was looking for those things. You know, when I I arrived in Columbus, Ohio at that time and I still remember the time when I asked my mom and my dad like, hey, where’s Disneyland? And like I’m looking for Disneyland. And I was just surprised that
It’s it’s not in Columbus, Ohio. You know, because I thought every state have their own Disneyland. I was so wrong. And I was telling my mom and my dad like, hey, can we drive to you know to Times Square? Because I want to go to New York. I thought it’s just like two hours two hours two hour drive. So I it was it was funny. And then I still remember the time when I came here and actually f touching a snow for the first time.
Federico Ramallo (03:03) Mm-hmm.
Jonathan Hernandez (03:09) So I was watching this one from Frozen and I was like, this one is nice, you know, and then after seven days I wanna go back home because it is just too cold. It’s just it is just it’s different, you know, and
Federico Ramallo (03:19) Ha ha.
Jonathan Hernandez (03:23) I think when you arrive for the first time, you have this romanticized idea, you know, of moving to a new country and then collides with the reality, like, no, it’s different, you know, and there’s a lot of obstacles that you need to to face one by one, you know. Yeah.
Federico Ramallo (03:37) Right,
right. Very interesting. how how was your experience with loning loneliness when you arrived?
Jonathan Hernandez (03:44) yeah, loneliness. Like I think since our culture is like big in family and community and that it that those things are woven into your day-to-day thing, you know. It’s like you meet your uncle, your friends, and then suddenly you go to a a place where you don’t even know someone. You know, and another thing is like individualism is still big at that time. So I was like, man, like I’m adjusting
to the whole culture and I miss the warmth of dropping by of my friends just like hey you know we’re how are you doing and I think there was a time in my life that I just cried.
I think that was my second month. Just like reha reality hits that I’m in a different country, that I am going to start again from the scratch. And then you know, the identity that you have before is gone. And it’s like I don’t know what to do. And you just need to be strong, you know, and I learned a lot from that. Yeah.
Federico Ramallo (04:42) Amazing. and how did your faith show up during the hardest past part of immigration?
Jonathan Hernandez (04:44) Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yes, yes. So I think when you immigrate, you know, when I immigrate you essentially loss your identity or resume overnight. You know, you you lose your network, your community, your you know, even the professional titles that you have, you know, because I’ve heard this one from different immig from immigrants like
Excuse me. Yeah. Before there were there were a doctor, you know, before there were a nurse, like to have a title, and now they’re starting again. And it is sometimes hard, it is sudden, sometimes it’s just like you don’t know what to do. And there’s always
A part of a person that you know lean into optimism, trying to tell yourself, like, hey, I’m sure everything will be alright, you know, and those kind of stuff. But when you’re in the middle of hardship, when when you’re when you’re facing rejection, you know, like when you experiencing delays from your paperwork, and honestly, you don’t know what to do, you know, when people are saying a lot of you know,
inaccurate words towards who you are about your background like sometimes optimism is not enough from drowning in anxiety you know and I think that’s where my fate showed up it’s not just about vague positive vibe but it’s a real anchor at that time so I remember there’s a Bible verse it’s like a first Peter chapter five verse seven it said cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you which is you know just God
And that truth of the Christian worldview or faith is that my word is not attached or it’s not entirely detached from my productivity or status, you know, or what I can achieve on the paper. It’s not who’s defining me or what’s defining me. But instead it’s anchored completely in what Jesus has achieved for me on the cross, you know, as a as a Christian. And because of that one, you know, that because of what he did for me on the cross, like.
I had some brokenness, I had some uncertainty that you know that may change the trajectory of my life, but it doesn’t have the final word in my story, you know. You know, like it’s not about the delays, it’s not just about
the the what people are perceiving me now because at the end of the day I know I was fully known and fully loved by God. And that shifted my perspective from a state of constant anxiety or people pleasing to to peace. It’s some it’s not about the it’s not just about the outcome. It’s about you know like trusting on the processed
You know, that whatever happens to me, that Jesus is not vr it’s not it’s not gonna live me in the process. So I think that’s helpful for me. So yeah.
Federico Ramallo (07:26) Right. Very interesting.
Jonathan Hernandez (07:29) Yeah, have you have
you experienced that once as well in some ways like you know, like as as when you go to other places, like how do you feel that
Federico Ramallo (07:38) So
For me the immigration has also been challenging but rewarding as at the same time. It’s very interesting. because the as you said, you you are you know, you don’t have any network anymore, it’s you alone in the world, in a in a different world if you like, right? so the it i it is challenging. I I I met my wife here so, you know, it it was also, you know, very
Jonathan Hernandez (07:54) Mm-hmm.
Right.
Federico Ramallo (08:08) Very positive, right? But but even though I I’m I’ve been here seventeen years, I still feel that that pain of of having to leave leave the country, right? Yeah.
Jonathan Hernandez (08:09) That’s real.
Yeah. Right. I
Federico Ramallo (08:22) And I I I love Mexico and I and I became a Mexican citizen so you know, i I I have greater appreci appreciation for the people, for the culture and I I fully integrate it, but still there is, you know, in the background a little bit of of pain of of yeah. so yeah. I th that has been my experience, yeah.
Jonathan Hernandez (08:27) Mm-hmm.
Absolutely. Yeah, yeah.
Okay.
Thank you for sharing, yeah.
Federico Ramallo (08:47) So you said a career change is not about money, right? it’s also about purpose. When did that become real for you?
Jonathan Hernandez (08:52) Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I think that’s a good question because that reality became real for me when I made a decision to pack up my life from Columbus, Ohio to move to Louisville, Kentucky to attend seminary. So currently I’m a full time in our work full time and then I’m studying full time as well in seminary. So on the paper there’s a lot of people in my professional circles in Columbus, Ohio
were completely s caught off guard or were completely surprised on on my decision because I was in a point of my life where Columbus, Ohio is booming, it’s getting big in terms of technology. There’s a lot of big companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon is going there. And you know the trajectory point is like higher salary, prestige, honor, and professional fame.
Federico Ramallo (09:40) nice.
Jonathan Hernandez (09:46) And to step away from that trajectory to study theology, you know, like people were asking me, like, what’s going on with you? You know, like why are you choosing that? You know, and I think that is a good question for for me, you know, like what’s driving me to move? And I
I s remember one point of my life I ask myself, what am I actually building my life on? You know, like what’s my purpose? You know? Because I realized pr that
You know, a high salary can buy a lot of stuff. You know, like, you know, we could have comfort and those kind of stuff, but it cannot buy a firm foundation for me. You know, I’m in a real serious relationship and as I look forward the future and building a family in the future, I want to give my future wife and a children a solid foundation that won’t crack, if you will, when the c economy shifts or when a career path hits the wall. You know, like I want like something stable.
And I want that foundation built on on a fate, on character, and you know, eternal purpose that we have, you know, and that choice makes sense to me because fate is a central aspect of my life. You know, like
The Lord has been good in my life. And you know, part of this one is the gospel tells me that, you know, like money, status, applause are temporary. It’s fleeting, you know, because there are people that I know that even though they have a lot of things in their life, but they cannot sleep at night just because of anxiety and all of the things that they’re worried about. And they ask me, like Jonathan, like
You know, a aside from all of the things that you’ve done, how can you do this one? Why are you not worried about things? You know, because I told them, like, hey, I’m worrying about things, you know, because a lot of people are dealing with uncertainties and pain and suffering and those kind of stuff. But I told them, like, i if my if I’m building my life on temporary things, you know, even our life is temporary, you know? It’s like
It’s gonna be disappointing. But if I invest my life knowing that God is there and investing my life to other people as well, mentoring people and just like helping them on their careers, you know, whether it’s cybersecurity or in fate, man, that is good for me. You know, I have my purpose. You know, so
moving to Louvo at first seems a sacrifice for me, you know, because man, it’s you know, like I remember there’s some kar opportunities outside of the United States, like expat positions that I need to turn down. Because like because I’m I’m focused on seminary, you know, but I just realized as I see myself right now, it’s not as it’s not a wasted sacrifice.
investment that I’m so happy with my work as well. You know, and it’s amazing that the Lord blessed me with a good job, with a good workplace, and a good community as well where I could practice my profession and also serve my community as well at the same time. So yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Federico Ramallo (12:47) Very interesting. Yeah, the
I think that no money can buy peace of mind, right? And happiness.
Jonathan Hernandez (12:53) no, no.
Yeah, that’s true, that’s real.
Federico Ramallo (12:56) And that’s I think that’s the key, right? I mean, have you heard of the the story about the fisherman? I don’t remember if I told you that story. So the fisherman is the the you know an executive or an entrepreneur goes to to a beach. the story is in Mexico, but you know, could be in many other places. And there is this fisherman that has a a very small house and is, you know, just selling the fish that caught that day.
Jonathan Hernandez (13:00) No, no, no. No.
Mm-hmm.
Federico Ramallo (13:24) And the the businessman comes, the entrepreneur says, Well you can you you can you can scale it up, you can build a franchise, you can buy more boats, you can, you know, you can scale your business, right? And the fisherman was like, Why? I mean I I w wake up at five AM, I go and fish, I sell my fish, by noon I’m free and I can spend the rest of the evening with my family. I have everything I need.
Jonathan Hernandez (13:33) Mm-hmm.
That’s true. And the fish is always in the sea though, right? It’s always there. Right? Yeah, yeah.
Federico Ramallo (13:51) Right. Right.
so
from the fisherman perspective he was fulfilled.
Jonathan Hernandez (14:01) Yeah. Yeah.
Federico Ramallo (14:02) So what is the point of pursuing more, you know, if you if if you can cannot be fulfilled what you have?
Jonathan Hernandez (14:11) That’s real. And I think it’s also about the discussion of contentment as well, you know, as a person, right? And I think yeah, I think that’s that word is so important for me, you know, because when I think there’s always a temptation, at least for me, to you know to ask for more things with and then and you know, I get disappointed. You know, like why I don’t have this one, right? And then
And then one day I wake up, I realize like, hey, a lot of people want my job. You know, like a lot of people want the life that I want. And then when was the last time that I become thankful for that?
You know, and it think I and I think it instead of I have a hard time on that, to be honest. Like sometimes, you know, like there’s always a time for me where I struggle to to appreciate small things until one day I realize that hey, instead of complaining, instead of you know, like looking about what other people ha
you know, what do they possess, you know, what do they have. I just realized like, you know what? A lot of people want my job, a lot of people want what I have, and yet when was the last time that I become thankful for that? And now it changes my my life. You know, I become more grateful what I have and it
enables me to help other people in a better way, knowing that I don’t need to define myself on what I have, but on on ways of what I can help other people as well. And you will see that your life becomes more better, you know, becomes better.
Federico Ramallo (15:38) Right.
Right. Very interesting.
Jonathan Hernandez (15:41) Yeah, yeah.
Federico Ramallo (15:43) and what does living as a Christian look like for you, you know, in in your daily life while working on technology?
Jonathan Hernandez (15:51) That is a
Good question because a lot of people ask me about it, you know, especially here in seminary, like hey, you know, like you’re working full-time in cybersecurity and you become you know Christian, how do you balance that, right? And I’ll share your story. when I was still at pursuing my undergrad, I’ll never forget my first ethical hacking class. my professor told me, told us, told the class, like, hey, the only thing that different
Differentiates us, you know, you from the criminals is your ethics. You know, like that is something that he highlights. And then you’re going to have the keys to the kingdom. You’re go you’re the the only barrier between you using that power for good and for the destruction is your internal you know conscience, if you will. And then you know the the things that you live by because you know we we practice and we you know we know stuff, right? What other people is doing, and our goal is to found.
Federico Ramallo (16:19) Right.
Jonathan Hernandez (16:41) The rules. And I think that statement really haunted me for quite some time. And it forces me to ask a deeper question about myself.
a question that where do I actually ground my ethics? You know, if if that thing differentiates me from the hackers, like where do I ground on this? And I think in our industry, you know, like a modifus or an IT, like you know, ethics is something that, you know, like is so important, you know, you know, because we follow the rules, right? And then and
Personally I believe this that if someone just think that ethics is just based on w not getting caught
Or a shifting culture, I I think it’s a it’s a fragile, you know, like you know, truth can be, you know, can be flexible, you know. But I think for me, my at that time I was contemplating about this as a Christian, as a cybersecurity professional at that time. It’s like ethics should be grounded first in the character of God and the scriptures. And you know, other people are saying, like, why? Why are you doing that? Because I think that is important.
Federico Ramallo (17:26) Right.
Jonathan Hernandez (17:42) For me, because even though I follow a lot of code of conduct, right, code of rules, ethics of a professional bodies, if you will, at the end of the day, you know, like I’m answering to the to my creator, you know, because I believe that we’re all image of God, you know, and and the in this in the right and wrong.
is something that is there, you know, they’re create or they’re troted on the creator who who valued truth justice and the dignity of every human being. Right? And if I have this
you know if if I had to go for ethics or measure of ethics or truth that is beyond me, you know that is that is good because I I’m accountable to him now, right? I’m not just accountable to to the governing body. I’m gv I’m accountable to God himself. You know, and I think that helps me a lot, you know, because I don’t see other people just a mere you know someone.
You know, it’s like it is this is something that I value. This person has a dignity. And I think that that that helps me a lot, especially when I was doing my ethical hacking. you know,
ethical hacking practice before. You know, like without this moral compass, you know, like skills of a hacker can be dangerous, correct? You know, and but for for me, it’s my ethics, my belief is the anchor that keeps my technical technical power aligned with protecting people rat rather than just exploiting them. You know? Because
Federico Ramallo (18:53) Right.
Jonathan Hernandez (19:06) In addition to this one, it’s like I believe my skills in cybersecurity is not just in my eight to five job. You know, I I see this one as an extension of my ministry, you know, because this is my way to love people, to protect people, you know, because in cybersecurity, you notice right in IT, we’re dealing with the weaknesses, with vulnerability, with risk and trust. And I’ve seen people in our community where a lot of scammers are targeting these people.
You know? And you know, and I want I told myself like hey, this is my purpose right here. I want to use this skills to to educate them, to love them, to walk through with them and say like, hey, instead of judging them like hey, why you why did you click lick? You know, like, hey, let me educate you why, you know.
When a when a church, when a non profit, when everyday person get hacked, you know, they they’re not just being hacked, it shutter their peace of mind, you know. So like what did I do wrong? You know, like and other people are just judging them. And I think living out my faith is also means using that expertise to step into that gap. You know, I use my my my technical skills to secure local churches, protect non profit
And serve people who cannot afford enterprise grade security, if you will, right? Because it’s expensive. And I use these things to build relationships with people, you know, as a mirror of what Jesus has done for me. Because I said, like faith is really big for me. You know, like what Jesus has done for us, like a story of rescue, protection, restoring that was that was broken. And every time I help people, you know, I’m not just helping.
them just because they need help. Like I am reflecting, you know, a fraction of the gospel through my action and through my words and transform like hey don’t worry I I got you. We’re gonna I’m gonna help you you know because I want to show the love of God through my words and my deeds. Yeah yeah yes yes
Federico Ramallo (20:57) Right.
Amazing. Very interesting.
And and how are you personally defining success today?
Jonathan Hernandez (21:08) that is yeah, especially in our in our field, you know. I think if you you know like yeah, I think that is a really good question. Let me think about it.
Federico Ramallo (21:11) Right.
Jonathan Hernandez (21:19) I think if you ask me a few years ago, I think I would define success about climbing the ladder, if you will, you know, professional ladder, getting a lot of trophies, hitting a certain salary bracket, achieving a name or status in my field. And I think
Yeah, you know, it’s not bad. It’s not bad because I think those are good. But I think for me in my I I I believe I’m in a unique position. You know, I have a high paying tech career. I’m also pursuing seminary. And I think balancing those is
eye-opening and I think it completely redefined how I view my life. So I think I’m gonna define success in through two words. I think faithfulness and legacy. You know like I believe that true success is not just about corporate title.
You know, like I’m not letting my corporate title or my paycheck define my worth. Because if you if I do that one, man, I’m gonna be anxious every day. You know, it’s like is it am I secured on this? You know. It’s but for me it’s about building a legacy for my family on a foundation that you know that would still be firm when something happens to us.
You know, and I think also for me it’s about looking past this life, you know, because life is short, you know, like we know this, like life is short, we could die tomorrow. So I always ask this to myself: if I stand today in front of the creator, how would I define success then, you know? You know, if I stood before him and he asked me, hey.
Why do I belong in his presence? You know, like probab my answer would had would not be a single thing about my accomplishment. It’s not about my cybersecurity career. It’s not about my salary or my seminar degrees. You know, if I try to present my resume to have a perfect to a perfect God.
man, like none of our resume can do it. So that’s the reason why I’m building my life on the success that is defined through the point of cheeses. And I think throughout this this podcast I’m going to reference that over and over again. It’s just because I
see my life on that, that eternal success is realizing that it’s not just about what we have in this world, because life is like temporary. Everything is temporary, right? It’s about about the transcendent.
You know, it’s about eternity. And what Jesus did for us is like he lived a perfect life, died on a cross, paid for our debts, and he rose again. So success means for me is using one of my key indicators, like success means using the tech skills and resources that God has given me today to serve other people.
You know that n well knowing that my ultimate security is already settled. That I don’t need to prove myself to other people because it’s already there. You know, like I think once I have that one, once I know that my identity is already secured in God, I don’t need to be insecure with a lot of things, you know. That I could serve a lot of
people knowing that if ever people get better you know gets better than me or have a higher position than me, it’s okay. And I would love for them to do that. Because my purpose is like, man, it’s for them to to glorify God in my life. You know, through helping other people and to enjoy him. So yeah.
Federico Ramallo (24:31) Great. Great. That is very interesting.
Jonathan Hernandez (24:32) Yeah.
Yeah.
What do you think about that? Yeah, I want to know your thoughts.
Federico Ramallo (24:41) So
when while I was hearing you remind me to my definition of a definition that I learned from some book that I don’t remember right now about happiness. So happiness is it’s a mountain that has significant to you, right? Or to each of us, right? It’s it’s our own mountain. So
Jonathan Hernandez (24:51) Okay.
Yes, yes.
Federico Ramallo (25:05) What is happiness? Happiness is not getting to the top of the mountain. It’s about walking towards the top of the mountain. It’s enjoying that activity. That that is happiness. It’s a process. Because once we reach we look for another mountain, you know. and this mountain has to have some uphill. It has to have some challenge. Otherwise if it’s too easy, then it it
Jonathan Hernandez (25:15) Mm-hmm.
Right, the process. Yeah.
That’s true. That’s true.
It’s gonna be like
Federico Ramallo (25:34) It’s it’s boring, you know, it becomes boring for us. It’s it’s we lose purpose, right? so we we need some challenge, we need to feel that we are improving and and because it has a personal significance, then we enjoy the act of climbing.
Jonathan Hernandez (25:36) Yeah.
That’s real.
That’s true. Let me let me share a story about that. So I remember when I was starting my career, I think this one is like seventeen, two thousand seventeen or two thousand eighteen. Like I was trying to apply for my internship. Like looking for a job, you know. At that time I was working for a restaurant at that time. So I spent two years in in a Chinese buffet. So since I’m immigrant, like I don’t know how to speak English properly. So I’m just like try
My best to practice it every day. I talked to a lot of people and then so my dad told me like hey Jonathan, it’s time, it’s time for you to look for a good IT job because at that time I’m pursuing cybersecurity. At first I was scared, like it’s comfort zone, you know, it’s a comfort zone in in in the restaurant, and then I tried to send my first resume.
Federico Ramallo (26:17) Yeah.
Jonathan Hernandez (26:37) It was it was rejected. You know, I thought myself, man, like it’s crazy, like I am. And then I I think I was rejected multiple times. It was like, man, like there was a ton that I was doubting like if I’m gonna be successful. It’s like like how can I be successful in this like if people are not giving me a chance.
You know. There was a time that they told me like, Hey, you’re overqualified, there was a time like, you don’t have experience and I was like
get a good job, you know. And then and I I tried to refine my resumes on that one. I just remember I was building different labs just to learn and to prove it to my manager, like hey, this may work. You know, like this is what I can do and those kind of stuff. And then I talked to someone. They mentioned like hey you know like you just need to wait.
You know, build yourself, refine what you have, and don’t don’t doubt who you are. You know, because I was at that time as an immigrant, I was doubting. Because I was like, am I there was a time that I was telling myself like am I a second class person? You know, just because like I I don’t know a lot.
Is there a lot of people can you know can can hire me on this? And this particular person like, no, don’t doubt yourself. You have your skills. You know, just wait, you know, and you’ll be alright. And I’m so happy that I’ve learned that. That throughout that waiting, you know, like you mentioned, like the process, right? The climbing, like like I was, I’ve seen how those moments build me up.
Federico Ramallo (28:02) Right.
Jonathan Hernandez (28:08) And to help me see that success doesn’t always like this, you know, going up. It’s like there’s like like ups and downs, ups and downs because you will you will cherish.
She would cherish it. And now I I s I remember like when when people from, you know, the cybersecure who’s pursuing cybersecurity asking me some some advice on that one and they’re facing the almost the same struggles that I had before. And what I did is like, hey, you know what? Let’s set up a a time. Let’s personalize your your career because I’m teaching how you know, for them I’m teaching how to we’re set to
to do or to approach their their their career and also I created a document for like the starters like hey these are the things that you need to learn, these are the certifications that you need to do, websites that you need to do. And I think creating that that document and seeing other cybersecurity professionals that I know right now, like they got their job.
I told myself that is so amazing, you know. And then I still remember as well, like I during COVID, like I went I spoke to you know, spoke to different schools overseas in the Philippines because we had a nonprofit organization before called X Seed Philippines where we’re pre partner with different schools and people are asking me like advices like how how I need to do this, can you help
Me to be successful and those kind of stuff. And then I told them, like, how do you define success first? You know, because I want to make sure that I’m helping you with with the things that you’re aspiring to be. You know, and I think I think with the whole journey and until now, in the current moment of my life, it’s like seeing other people walking beside you, you know.
do in being so self sex suc successful in their own ways makes me happy. And I told myself it’s good. It’s a good feeling. Yeah. Yes, yes.
Federico Ramallo (29:54) Right. Right. Amazing. So
w we’re running almost running out of time, but I have one last question to ask you. what does it mean to protect human dignity in an AI powered world?
Jonathan Hernandez (30:01) Yes. Sure, sure, sure.
that is that is a good question right there as well. So yeah, I I think I think being in a seminary and being in a tech you know sector gives me a unique perspective. So this is like a something that I presented in a in a conference recently. So I think in the in in the in different places, you know, we
There’s always a temptation to off accidentally define human work by what we can produce, you know, with our efficiency and our speed, our data output, our ability to process information, right? And that’s the reason why you see it in the news where people are experiencing this depression or this you know anxiety about AI replacing human beings. Because at the background of that one
is that we thought our word is defined by, you know, like I said, efficiency or data. Those about data output. But if your value is tied to just your processing power or your efficiency, and that the moment that AI model can do your job, man, like your perceived dignity now drops to zero.
Like that creates anxiety, right? That’s what I’m talking about. And I think protecting human dignity both inside a company and our society means reminding people that human beings like you and me are not just computers.
We’re people, right? And I think I’m happy to read this one over and over again, even if by the tech leaders, that hey, human beings are still human beings. And I think that is a good reminder for us that
You know, like AI is something that we use, not to replace us, right? So in in the Christian worldview, human dignity s is not something that we earn through our productivity. You know, your dignity is is there. It’s not something that algorithm can repl replicate or take away. It is rooted in the fact that we are created in the image of God, that we have the capacity for relationship, because AI
you know, cannot have the relationship that both of us have, right? Like Federico, like we talk like like like this, right? And the intrinsic worth that we have as human beings cannot be simulated, right? And I think inside companies that means designing systems that elevates and protecting people rather than treating them like data points. Like just another you know like a employee number.
Right, you know, because it in society it means like ensuring you know like technology serves us, not us serving the technology, right? Because I’ve seen this one over and over and over again, you know, through my friends, through my family members, that when they felt that their companies are treating them just like a mere computers or like just another employee number. And that hurts to hear that, you know, because the
being human is now reduced to how much can you output. And I think we need to build a r a solid relationship with people to say like, hey, AI is coming. And it’s it’s there, right? It’s there as part of our progress. But I think it’s a solid a constant solid reminder that even though AI is there, you know, it’s they can replace you.
Federico Ramallo (33:00) Right.
Jonathan Hernandez (33:18) You know, like when your dignity is secured, you know, by the love of God, no technology shift can replace you. No corporate restructuring or no AI model can diminish your value, you know, because you are loved by the Lord. He died for sinners like us. And I think we can see that one. That our word is intrinsic to us. Because we’re created by God and you know.
We’re not just machines. So, yeah.
Federico Ramallo (33:43) Right.
Amazing. Amazing. Jonathan, I truly appreciated you being here today. I think we we we had a very interesting conversation. A any final remarks before we wrap it up?
Jonathan Hernandez (33:45) Yes, yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah, yeah. So it’s a privilege to be here today, you know. And throughout this podcast, you know, like maybe you’re wondering like Jonathan is is an IT professional and he’s talking about religion and those kind of stuff. And I can say that because faith is central to my you know, to our
And I want to share that to people as well. You know, in in a world where you know when in a world where everything is measured by what you can do and what you you know, by optimization and those kind of stuff, like hey, you know, like look look to look to God and because
it’s it’s there. Like God loves us and He died for us and the peace that we’re that you’re looking for can only be found in God. And this reality helps me as an IT professional.
in no numerous ways. And I want to extend it to people. And if anyone of you, you know, like wants to like I wants to talk more about this, not just the fate, but also the cybersecurity, like I’m happy to connect with you all. So yeah, it’s a privilege Federico to talk to you again. It’s amazing.
Federico Ramallo (35:01) Yes, yes. I I truly appreciate you being here today. I think we had a great conversation. So thank you, Jonathan, for joining.
Jonathan Hernandez (35:07) Yes, yes.
Yes, yes. See ya.