Editor’s note:ISACA’s Career Catalyst Stories showcase how members have been supported by ISACA throughout all stages of their careers. Today, we profile Natalie H. Perez, Internal IT Audit Manager. Find out more about ISACA membership here.
Natalie Hingco Perez has filled multiple roles with the ISACA Melbourne Chapter, and she acknowledges a succession plan is always in the back of her mind.
It’s not that Natalie is not invested in whatever she is doing at the moment – she very much is, as reflected in her recent designation as an ISACA Outstanding Chapter Leader – but she also is determined to make sure that progress is sustained by whoever comes next.
So, whether serving as the chapter’s SheLeadsTech liaison, professional development director or in her current role as the chapter’s marketing director, Natalie is always thinking beyond what is happening now, and about who can help drive further progress.
“I always have a forward-looking view of being replaced, but as for where I’m going to go next, it really depends on if I’m going to get a tap on the shoulder,” she said.
Natalie has received those taps through ISACA at key times over the past 20-plus years, dating all the way back to when she still lived in her native Philippines.
Natalie and ISACA: early career
In the early 2000s, Natalie worked for KPMG in Manila. The Information Risk Management (IRM) director at that time was passionate about the COBIT framework, putting ISACA on her radar.
That familiarity prompted Natalie to set her sights on the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) credential. Once she attained it and added CISA to her CV that she had posted online, a headhunter connected her with numerous job opportunities.
“Having that CISA helped me stand out against many other applicants,” Natalie said. “Employers looking for skilled workers overseas really recognized and valued the certification.”
She recalls one job opportunity in Glasgow, Scotland, but that location was too chilly for her tastes, so she instead chose to work in Australia – first Adelaide, then Melbourne.
A string of assurance and advisory roles kept Natalie busy after the move, as did her growing family. Balancing work and her four children meant taking a break from volunteer activities with ISACA, but in recent years, she has made up for lost time.
What’s happening now?
An ISACA Melbourne Chapter colleague, Reshma Devi, asked Perez if she was interested in being an ISACA SheLeadsTech Ambassador. This was just before the initial COVID lockdowns took effect, freeing up time for Natalie to channel toward a cause she felt passionately about – advancing women in the tech workforce. Earlier in her career, Natalie took note of too few women role models in her field, so her colleague’s invitation resonated.
“I felt it was wrong, and something has to change, because you shouldn’t be restricted in terms of what roles you can have or what you should be doing because of your gender,” she said. “That motivated me to become involved with SheLeadsTech.”
Soon, her scope with the Melbourne Chapter expanded to other volunteer roles, including professional development director and her current role as marketing director. Natalie said the marketing position allows her to showcase her creative side as well as to collaborate on ideas with chapter colleagues on how to expand the chapter’s visibility and reach.
“It gives me an opportunity to coach and mentor people, and that’s something I don’t often get to do in my regular day job,” Natalie said.
Her creative approach to organizing ISACA Melbourne Chapter conferences in 2023 and 2024, developing engaging marketing materials and pursuing sponsorship agreements, led to Natalie being recognized with an ISACA Outstanding Chapter Leader Award in May at ISACA Conference North America.
What’s next for Natalie?
That trip to Orlando, Florida, USA for the conference allowed Natalie to connect in person with other ISACA chapter leaders from around the world – and to brainstorm how they can help each other going forward. From Philippines to Australia and beyond, Natalie has found ISACA’s global scope to be valuable in her career journey.
“Borders and boundaries are becoming blurred with technology like AI, so ISACA being a global organization is an advantage,” she said. “If you are a member, it gives you access to resources that might not be available locally, so it gives you a much broader view of what is to come.”
As far as what is to come on a personal level, Natalie prefers to focus her forward lens on growing the ISACA Melbourne community instead of her own next steps. Reflecting on her past 20-plus years with ISACA – from attaining her CISA early on, to the many job opportunities that resulted, to taking a step back to focus on family, and now diving energetically into chapter leadership, Natalie points to the customizable nature of members’ career journeys with ISACA.
“You can always start small, and then when you’re ready, go for a bigger responsibility,” she said.
