Celebrating the Women in our Global Network of Engaged Members

In honor of International Women’s Day, the ISACA Now Blog asked women who are helping elevate the profession about their volunteer roles with ISACA and their advice about getting involved. These members have served or are currently serving in roles on ISACA advisory groups, certification and exam item development working groups, as Engage topic leaders and in a range of other positions, forging friendships with women from around the world along the way. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Describe the sense of collegiality and friendship that you have experienced with other women at ISACA.
Mercy Omollo, CISA, CRISC, CDPSE: I have received networking opportunities to speak and mentor other women through ISACA. The women are always looking out for each other, so there is a sense of community. I mean, just take a look at how women seek assistance in the SheLeadsTech Engage community, and the responses they receive – one feels safe.

Joyce Chua, CISA, CISM, CDPSE: Though all of my engagements with ISACA are virtual, I work with great women, especially in my review work, on the CDPSE taskforce, and with my fellow female speakers in conference panels. As everyone is volunteering, we’re able to accommodate each other’s schedules and time zones.

Celine Tellez, CISA, CDPSE: As a woman who wants to be taken seriously in a mostly male field (tech/STEM), it's not always easy for me to relax into my more feminine strengths such as congeniality and connection. I have found ISACA groups to be a space where women can be themselves, a space where the minority can act and feel like their authentic selves because the groups are so diverse, nobody is in the majority! It's a space where there's no need to feel compromised about mixing business with friendship. Volunteering with ISACA has allowed me to form strong friendships while adhering to high standards of excellence, which I take as proof that women should not hide traditionally feminine strengths in the workplace, but rather give ourselves permission to let them shine and let them possibly become the new norm. 

How would you encourage other women to get engaged with ISACA and its network of professionals?
Tellez: I would encourage women to get engaged with ISACA and its network of professionals by following ISACA via its blog or on social media, attending ISACA conferences (my personal favorite has been CACS in Las Vegas!), and keeping an eye out for volunteer opportunities that align with personal interests and expertise.

Chua: I would encourage them to start with something they are passionate about. I started with book reviews, as I like to read and grow, and I have joined different initiatives, advisory roles and other challenging working groups, like the one for CDPSE. They can also join their local chapters, especially for seminars and engagement programs.

Omollo: It’s simple – just start! Use the SheLeadsTech platform to reach out to someone – message them and ask for an opportunity to mentor or network, ask them about their career journey in tech. Volunteer at your local chapter – there are different ways to add value in different capacities. Participate in your chapter elections and give yourself a shot at leadership.

Do you have a favorite memory of meeting a new friend or getting to know a woman you admire at an ISACA event or through volunteering?
Chua: My recent collaborations with Jenny Tan, SheLeadsTech champion for the ISACA Singapore chapter, for a webinar and conference our chapter produced, is one of my favorites. Her passion impresses me a lot and I’m glad to contribute to her work to increase the representation of women in technology leadership roles and the tech workforce through mentorship, professional development and leadership training.

Omollo: I met one of my very good friends, Veronica Rose, through our volunteer roles at our Kenyan chapter. I was drawn to her as she was a hard worker and go-getter like me, and ever since we have become so close, sharing with and challenging each other in various aspects relating to ISACA, and we now both serve as board members of our chapter.

Tellez: I'll share two favorite memories with women I've become friends with through ISACA working groups. One is going to a Cubs game with Anna Nimchenko, who had just flown to Chicago from Israel and was enthusiastic and ready to get to work, as well as to experience her first ballgame in the US. The second is experiencing a Hofbrahaus with Catherine MeLeady, who is an Irish/Canadian dear friend of mine. What a treasure to have female friends across the globe who I met through ISACA!

Find your new volunteer roles and networking opportunities: join Engage groups of interest; seek out global ISACA volunteer opportunities; become involved with your chapter; and support the One In Tech foundation, including its SheLeadsTech initiatives.