At HUMAN, we believe everyone is a hacker. But even though we share a similar mindset and a common mission we know that our true strength lies in the diverse people and backgrounds that make our team a community. Learn what it’s like to work with us through the experiences of our Humans.
Meet Nana Osei
Nana Osei’s passion is contagious. Give her 10 minutes and she’ll have you inspired in five. A banker turned compliance expert, Nana thrives on building connections with her community—whether in the workplace here at HUMAN, in her current New Jersey neighborhood, or in Ghana, where she is an actual princess.
Driven by the desire to show independence to her community, Nana left some of the comforts that royalty afforded her and relocated to the United States to develop her career. At HUMAN, Nana is known for her royal heritage, but she is celebrated for the passion she brings to the workplace and the ways in which she builds camaraderie with her colleagues.
Describe your role at HUMAN
“I work with the IT and security team to oversee compliance frameworks and help gather evidence for reports. I also train Humans on how to be security-conscious by trying to make technical policies as practical and relatable as they can be.
“Educating Humans on how to stay compliant gives me a real sense of joy. On top of that, I work on a winning team, and I have a great relationship with them. It’s been everything I envisioned since I started working here.”
What does being a HUMAN hacker mean to you?
“If you’re interested in what you do, understand what you’re trying to accomplish, and express your talent to the best of your ability, you’re thinking like a hacker. I’m a hacker because I’m able to put together security programs that effectively educate all Humans, counter attacks, and help protect the internet.”
What are you good at hacking outside of work?
“I love to cook, so my hacking experience apart from work is fishing out ingredients from foods I eat in restaurants to bring it into my home. I tie my passion for learning to my hobby of cooking by learning new recipes and being great in the kitchen. My goal is always to win peoples’ souls and hearts with my food.”
What inspired you to leave Ghana and pursue a career in cybersecurity?
“My dad is a king. I had all the luxury in Ghana that if I decided not to do anything for the rest of my life, then I would have been fine. But that wasn’t my passion. My passion is to be able to do things for myself. I wanted to bring back to my community the essence of being an independent person and making it in life. In Ghana, I was a banker—I worked at Ecobank in compliance. I decided to come to the United States to develop myself through compliance—and it worked. But it was very challenging. I had to do so many other menial jobs to put myself through school. But if you have a positive vibe and a positive objective, then there’s no way you cannot make it regardless of where you’re coming from.”
What is a memorable moment you’ve had on the job?
“I spent weeks preparing a presentation on compliance for one of our larger offsite gatherings in New York. I felt good about what I put together, but what made it so memorable was the response I got from those in attendance. People wanted to listen to me. They wanted to learn more about what I knew and how they could use it to protect the company. Some people later told me that it was the best presentation they had all day—even all week.”
What advice do you have for future Humans?
“We’re not perfect. We’re a startup. You have to have an open mind and the mentality to learn and grow. I still learn on the job day in and day out, but that openness and readiness to work has helped me become more confident. I’m completely different from the person I was when I first started here two years ago.”
Learn more about the HUMAN experience.