Sonali Srivastava
Developer Advocate
Navi Mumbai, India
Actions
My expertise in software development allows me to perform POCs and craft engaging demos, tutorials, and videos that showcase the power of cloud-native solutions. Over the past five years, I’ve worn many hats: monitoring Linux servers as a system administrator, developing a cloud native solution for a Linux-based training platform, and contributing to the open source project systemd during my Outreachy internship.
Currently, I am passionate about advocating for open source tools and technologies through blogs, videos, webinars, and talks at meetups and conferences. I am an organizer and community coordinator at the Women in CNCF community group. Having returned to work after a break, I strongly advocate for creating supportive and nurturing environments for women in tech. Giving back to the community drives me, which inspired my contributions to the documentation of Testkube and Kyverno.
I am an active member of the CNCF Application Development Working Group, which focuses on bridging the gap between developers and CNCF projects. I also created LFS255: Mastering Kubernetes Security with Kyverno, a course hosted by The Linux Foundation. My blogs have been featured in the CNCF blog and the Kubeweekly newsletter. Additionally, I’ve had the privilege of speaking at SOSS Community Day India 2024 and delivering a project lightning talk at KubeCon India 2024.
Links
Area of Expertise
Kubernetes Policy as Code For Platform Engineers
Platform engineers are tasked with ensuring Kubernetes environments are secure, compliant, and well-governed with high operational efficiencies. This session will explore the power of "Policy as Code" (PaC) using Kyverno to automate and enforce configurations directly within the Kubernetes control plane.
You will learn how to define, deploy, and manage policies as code, enabling proactive risk mitigation, improved consistency, and reduced operational overhead for your platform. Attendees will gain practical insights into implementing PaC workflows and best practices for platform teams.
The session will also showcase new features in Kyverno and discuss the future of policy as code for Kubernetes.
Security: The Thing That Everyone Loves To Hate
Security often takes center stage—only after “something” goes wrong. When DevOps teams return a DevOops response! Teams scramble after breaches, misconfigurations, and compliance failures only to realize too late that preventive measures had been missing all along.
For the millions of marketing dollars poured into Shift-left and DevSecOps, security shouldn’t be an afterthought—it needs to be woven into every stage of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
In this panel, we will share real-world stories and discuss how to build a more security-conscious team culture. Security issues span a spectrum of causes ranging from communication breakdowns, lack of training, and plain old human error. We'll cut through the marketing noise and explore the tools and techniques that make a difference. No buzzwords. Just actionable advice you can take home and implement. Honest narratives, shot straight from the heart.
Fixing the Leaky Pipeline: How CNCF is Driving Inclusion in Cloud Native
The cloud native ecosystem thrives on innovation, but its long-term sustainability depends on retaining and advancing diverse talent. While technical excellence is at the forefront, the industry continues to struggle with a “leaky pipeline,” where individuals—especially those from underrepresented backgrounds—drop out due to a lack of support, accessibility, and visibility.
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) is actively working to address this issue through events, open source projects, training courses, sponsorships, structured mentorship programs, and dedicated inclusion initiatives. But what impact are these programs having? Are they effectively bridging the gaps?
The answer is YES.
I am a woman, a mother, and a person of color. In 2022, when I was looking to return to work after my maternity break, CNCF-backed initiatives played a crucial role in my journey. An internship program called Outreachy, for which CNCF is a sponsor gave me a chance—not based on my name or background but on my willingness to learn and contribute. This opportunity provided me with the skills and experience I needed to transition into full-time employment in the cloud native space.
We need to raise awareness about such initiatives that are actively closing gaps and making the community more inclusive.
Among the many underrepresented groups in cloud native, women face unique challenges. One major yet often overlooked challenge that is driving women out of the workforce is the gender pay gap. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2023-2024 report, India’s gender pay gap stands at 60%, meaning women earn just 40% of what men earn for the same work. This disparity affects not just financial independence but also access to essential financial products like insurance, making women more vulnerable to economic uncertainties.
To further emphasize the persistent challenges underrepresented groups face in the corporate landscape, we are bringing together an all-women panel featuring speakers at different stages of their careers. The discussion will focus on:
- Challenges faced by underrepresented groups in cloud native at different career stages.
- CNCF-backed initiatives that are creating pathways for sustained participation.
- Organizational practices needed to foster an inclusive and supportive work environment.
We will also get to know the panels’ journey and make the audience aware with answers to questions like:
- Why we need a supportive environment for the growth of underrepresented groups
- Is tech the only option to contribute and grow in the community? If not, then what else is there?
- When is the right time to join the community?
This session aims to provide actionable insights and inspire real change—because fixing the leaky pipeline requires collective effort.
Intro to the CNCF App Development Working Group
We are excited to introduce the newly formed Application Development Working Group (WG) under the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for App Delivery within the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). Co-chaired by Mauricio Salatino, Daniel Oh, and Thomas Vitale, this WG aims to foster the growth of developers in the cloud native space. The Application Development WG was established to address the increasing need for specialized focus on cloud native application development. Our mission is to engage and support developers transitioning to or enhancing their practices within the cloud native ecosystem. This initiative is integral to the CNCF’s broader strategy of promoting cloud native technologies and fostering a vibrant, collaborative community.
AI-Driven Policy Automation with Kyverno
Finalizing the right policies to secure a Kubernetes cluster involves tedious manual effort, from selecting relevant policies to running them in AUDIT mode and reviewing compliance reports. Moreover, addressing non-compliant configurations and handling exceptions, such as Istio's `initContainer` requiring `runAsRoot` but conflicting with a `runAsNonRoot` policy, further complicates the workflow. Managing policies at scale is a significant challenge, often leading to misconfigurations, delays, and security risks.
In this talk, we'll explore tools like k8sGPT or GPTScript to simplify Kyverno policy management by scanning a Kubernetes cluster and suggesting optimal policies based on best practices. Compliant policies can be automatically applied, while non-compliant ones are analyzed with AI-driven checks for fixes to your infrastructure. By integrating it as part of platform engineering, organizations can reduce human intervention, and ensure compliance and security with zero downtime.
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon India 2025 Sessionize Event Upcoming
KCD Bengaluru 2025 Sessionize Event
SOSS Community Day India 2024 Sessionize Event
Sonali Srivastava
Developer Advocate
Navi Mumbai, India
Links
Actions
Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers. If you suspect this profile to be fake or spam, please let us know.
Jump to top