'20 under 40' 2014—Sheba Gopaul

Sheba Gopaul, 34
Chief financial officer, Go Safer Security, Laurel, Md.

What inspired you to get into the security industry?
I was working at the University of Maryland [as a finance director and a senior account manager] and I worked on a lot of cyber security projects and I helped develop a cyber security think tank for the university as well. I know it's different from this type of security but I was really interested in cyber, and then I started a health care graduate program last year, not to per se work in health care but to gain patient safety quality experience through the program, … and I started working part-time with the company [Go Safer Security]. I was doing accounting and helping move the business forward and when I finished my program, they asked me to come on full time. [The physical security field] is very interesting work because there is a lot of opportunity. … Maybe because of my background in health care, as well as finance and some cyber, I can help to develop some sort of security device for people to integrate in their homes for medical reasons.

What can be done to boost the ranks of young people in the industry?
I feel that young people will be attracted the same way I was because … [the industry] is integrating more technology into homes. Google is acquiring more of these technologies itself, so that's the wave of the future. … More young people will be interested in helping market and design these products.

Where, in terms of technology and trends, do you see the security industry going next?
Soon, everyone is going to be looking in at their house and every room when they're sitting at work in their office. The wave of the future is in all these devices but I think that integration is important. I think what people are going to look for more is the best integration in their home and for [things like] medical devices and security devices for children, pets and older people.