“Do the right thing” is a simple but foundational mindset I try to live up to both personally and professionally.
ISACA’s network of digital trust professionals is uniquely positioned to help organizations around the world do the right thing at a time when “the right thing” is much easier said than done. That is why I am incredibly honored – and energized – to start this week as ISACA’s Board Chair for the 2023-24 board term.
There is no shortage of major challenges faced by our community of digital trust professionals, now and in the near future: in AI, ethical considerations for privacy, and ensuring objective, truth-based logic; in cloud computing, maintaining security postures and knowing and controlling where data resides and who has access to it; in quantum computing, rethinking implications of faster computing speeds that will quickly break security and encryption protections; with new algorithms, understanding and exposing the biases that might be embedded in them; in software engineering, with rapid continuous software development, where the timeframe between idea and implementation keeps shrinking – leaving little time for audit and control to weigh in.
The training, skills and qualifications ISACA provides can equip professionals to navigate these and other challenges, but as a professional community, we will need to break some glass – or, more to the point, systems and processes – and recalibrate them for success in this new era. This might seem daunting, but as somebody who has helped companies in these spaces operate for decades – stretching back from the dial-up modem days to navigating the modern proliferation of connected devices – I am continuously impressed at how digital trust professionals are able to reimagine timeless elements of sound systems hygiene and make them applicable to new technology models. For many companies, the challenge of applying new technologies to legacy systems and business models will be decisive in their ability to survive, and ISACA professionals have the needed expertise to make these digital transformations successful.
Automation will continue to drive progress in the field. Some practitioners might hear the word “automation” and think of jobs being lost, but digital trust professionals are needed to put the right strategic vision, implementation and guardrails around automation. The potential upside is massive: if we are able to automate doing the right thing into everyday business operations, many of the risks and threats companies face will be mitigated, and we can reinforce the good practices that ultimately lead to building trust with customers and stakeholders.
With more than 50 years of well-earned credibility in this space, ISACA has a leading part to play in making this a reality. My term as board chair comes at an especially promising time for the organization with the recent announcement of our new CEO, Erik Prusch. I look forward to ensuring the board provides the support Erik and his team of dedicated professionals need to advance our professional community.
Finally, I want to salute my predecessor, Pam Nigro, for the outstanding work she has done as board chair over the past year. I’m glad that Pam will remain on the ISACA Board to continue serving this organization that means so much to her.
I have not been part of the ISACA community as long as Pam or some others who have served in this role in the past, but I have long been focused on many of the same business challenges that are front-and-center for digital trust professionals.
A little about me: born in the Bronx (New York City); a dual citizen of the US and Italy; worked in technology since graduating university; lived and worked in Europe for over 20 years; home is both in Italy just south of Rome (my family’s homestead, with lots of olive trees), and in the USA, (my wife’s family’s homestead) in the northeast on the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, about 100 kilometers from Canada. My entire career has been in the software and networking space: in engineering, software development, marketing, sales, and general management, and I’ve had three gigs as CEO of venture-backed companies. Professionally, these days, I only do board work.
I have been married to Cindy, my lovely wife and smarter half, for 42 years, with two overachieving sons of whom we are both very proud, and two conniving and hilarious Dachshunds; one of my great joys is playing with my tractor on an 82-acre farm in Vermont where we tap trees to make maple syrup, harvest timber, and are restoring an old farmhouse and barn built in 1866. I reclaim fields, expose stone walls and startle beavers and other wildlife every morning as I take an early walk before the phone calls start.
Yes, ISACA work brings me back to earth with a bump, but I look forward to playing a part in the important progress ahead, together with my Board colleagues, the ISACA staff and our outstanding community of professionals. Collectively, we can ensure we are doing the right things to prepare for what will be a fascinating future.