What Inspires Us Binds Us Together

Sometimes it was reading a book about robots or some other technology subject as a child. In some cases, it was news coverage of a splashy technology topic that caught a future ISACA member’s eye. Oftentimes, a piece of career advice from a friend or classmate coaxed a future IT auditor, governance professional or information security practitioner down their eventual career path.

There are nearly as many inspirations for pursuing careers in the technology workforce as ISACA members themselves, but the common denominator has been linking up with a professional association that provided the knowledge, networking and community to support that chosen career path.

Theresa Grafenstine, ISACA’s board chair in 2017-18 and managing director at Deloitte & Touche LLP, said part of what interested her in fields such as the governance of technology and audit/assurance was the buildup to “Y2K,” in which there was widespread concern that the turn of the century would wreak havoc on computer programs and information systems. She decided to reinvent herself from a financial auditor to an IT auditor, discovering ISACA as the ideal partner for her educational and credentialing needs.

The IT audit profession also eventually intrigued Vernon Lomberg, past president of ISACA’s Auckland Chapter. Lomberg traces his technology interest back to his family’s first home computer, a 286 DOS PC that fascinated him with the various games and programs it could run.

“Looking back, it was the best decision I could have made, as IT systems have become a part of everything we do, and this is only the beginning,” Lomberg said.

Miguel Angel Alvarado, an ISACA member from Mexico, studied industrial engineering before gravitating toward a career in information systems. He said he recognized information systems provide the foundation for any product or tool, and became increasingly intrigued by the related expertise through gaining ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certifications.

ISACA member Ashley Holmes recalls being 8-years-old when her family got its first desktop computer and excitedly learning how to “burn” CDs and create music playlists in the years to follow. Her continued interest in technology emboldened her to pursue an information systems assurance role fresh out of college, even though it was not the original role for which she had applied. She then looked to industry organizations for support in her professional development, and found ISACA to be especially welcoming.

“Most were hesitant to let me volunteer due to my youth and inexperience with the industry, but my local ISACA chapter embraced my millennial way of thinking and let me run with new ideas,” Holmes said. “Looking back on my childhood and young adult life, I am able to piece some moments together which have brought me where I am today.”

As the organization’s 50-year history has unfolded, leveraging technology effectively and securely has become increasingly critical for enterprises. ISACA members have risen and, no doubt, will continue to embrace the occasion in translating whatever sparked their interest into vital contributions for their organizations.

Ron Hale, former chief knowledge officer and acting CEO of ISACA and now VP of cyber training, development and policy at DarkMatter LLC, said the confluence of new and emerging technologies in various eras has driven the need for an association like ISACA, and thus prompted the interest of practitioners to forge career paths that support those advancements.

“When you had mobile, internet, cloud – those things came together and were a major change in society and how people use technology,” Hale said. “And when you start looking now at big data analytics, artificial intelligence, robotics, things like blockchain, smart contracts, autonomous vehicles – we’re entering a new era where the augmented systems that people will use in work and at home, smart systems, are going to change a great many things.”

Not to mention, send a whole new wave of technology-minded individuals into the workforce.