The thing that always amazes me the most about working so closely with our global community is how alike we all are. When you get the amazing opportunity to see people from every country imaginable working alongside one another, aligned for the common good of ISACA—and, quite frankly, the world—it can be overwhelming. In a good way, of course. These people have families and jobs and hobbies, and yet, they give of their valuable time to help advance their professions and pave the way for the leaders that will follow in their footsteps. It is a beautiful and magical thing to witness.
I never dreamed I would have such an amazing job, surrounded by even more amazing people. I have interacted with tens of thousands of chapter leaders during my nearly 17 years at ISACA, and I am always left feeling humbled and inspired by what they do for ISACA. My favorite thing about the work I do may sound a tad selfish, but I love being a “big fish in a small pond.” I love that nearly every chapter leader knows who I am and trusts me to always have their best interests at heart. In the office, I am their voice: I learn from them every day. They have also (subliminally, I believe) turned me into a bit of an auditor. Not at the level where they are, of course, but enough that I am always looking for the “why” in things. I feel like I should have been doing a bit more of that throughout my entire life.
I have been truly inspired by members of our community countless times. But if I had to choose one moment in time, I would have to say watching ISACA’s inaugural CommunITy Day unfold was one of the most incredibly inspiring moments of my life, and not just my ISACA life. To watch, in real time, the members of our community come together for dozens of different causes around the globe was an emotional powerhouse. From New Zealand to Hawaii, and everywhere in-between—Nigeria, India, Japan, Spain, Mexico—the ISACA community truly became “one” that day, in a way they never had…in a way I only dreamed possible. Thinking back on it still gives me goosebumps and makes me misty-eyed. (I love our chapter leaders so much!)
Working at ISACA for nearly 40 percent of my life has undoubtedly shaped me into the person I am today. ISACA is not “just a job” to me. In many ways, it is my first- (and perhaps second- and third-) born child. It has been the gateway to hundreds of friendships. It has taught me discipline and humor, humility and humbleness. In a world full of unknowns and constant change—even at ISACA itself—ISACA has been my anchor. I feel as much a part of ISACA as it is a part of me.