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 Nipun Mahajan, Senior Cybersecurity Analyst and Executive Vice President of the ISACA Denver Chapter. Find out more about ISACA membership here.
Signing up for an ISACA academic relations volunteer opportunity soon turned into a position on the ISACA Denver Chapter Board for Nipun Mahajan.
That role on the chapter board led to several external board opportunities for Nipun in the academic arena.
And Nipun’s deepening involvement with the ISACA Denver Chapter also created networking opportunities that propelled Nipun to a new career opportunity.
In retrospect, that decision to pursue a single ISACA volunteer role in 2019 turned into so much more.
“You should not see it as one volunteer opportunity, you should see it as this could open doors in different fields and different career opportunities,” Nipun said. “Who knows what’s going to happen?”
Nipun and ISACA: early career
Nipun first learned about ISACA from a professional colleague. At the time, he was in an application security role but was interested in transitioning to information security.
After making connections in the ISACA Denver Chapter, Nipun developed an interest in information security and earned his first opportunity in the field at a biotechnology firm, where he now serves as a Senior Cybersecurity Analyst focused on securing critical infrastructure.
“I was lucky because the (chapter) president, Kaysi Veatch, connected me to the right folks within our chapter,” Nipun said. “Networking with the right folks at the Denver Chapter helped me transition to this role.”
Nipun also found a mentor through the ISACA Mentorship Program, Tom Schneider, and those conversations led to another important milestone in his professional development.
“I asked if I wanted to be a CISO one day, what path I should choose, so he mentioned it would be good to get the CISM,” Nipun said. “I was able to get a CISM as well and that management approach helped me prove that I would be good in this role. Even though my position is a cyber analyst, the roles and responsibilities I have are for a manager.”
What’s happening now?
Nipun has now served on the ISACA Denver Chapter board for several years with a focus on academic relations, reflecting his commitment to mentoring not only ISACA student members but also students from the wider community, fostering growth and inclusion. He is the chapter’s current executive vice president.
Nipun also has branched out to serve on the boards of local Colorado universities – an opportunity he attributes to the leadership and governance experience he has gained through ISACA. Nipun finds it especially rewarding to support students and academic institutions.
“You are building the future workforce,” Nipun said. “If they are not taught in the right way, it will create a gap, so having that opportunity to support these universities is very satisfying for me.”
Through his board role with the ISACA Denver Chapter, Nipun also serves as conference chair for the Rocky Mountain Information Security Conference (RMISC), the largest gathering of information security professionals in the Rocky Mountain region. He was especially enthused the past two years to introduce renowned keynote speakers such as Traci Brown (author of How to Detect Lies, Fraud and Identity Theft) and futurist Ben Hammersley.
“Being a chair and taking that responsibility of organizing this conference, it’s a big thing,” Nipun said. “You develop those management skills. I was really grateful to have that experience.”
What’s next for Nipun?
Those dominoes that were set in motion after Nipun’s initial ISACA volunteer opportunity continue to cascade.
Nipun has additional goals through ISACA, especially continued emphasis on workforce development, pursuing additional certifications like Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM) and helping to advocate for effective governance, risk management and cybersecurity standards.
“I am particularly passionate about helping ISACA prepare professionals for emerging challenges such as AI-driven cybersecurity and future workforce upskilling,” Nipun said.
Reflecting on his career journey, Nipun said his relationship with ISACA has “opened doors for me that I had never expected to happen.”
“ISACA has been the catalyst at every inflection point in my career, from mentee to mentor, from volunteer to chapter Executive Vice President, and from attendee to conference chair,” he said. “Each role has expanded not only my skills but also my ability to shape the cybersecurity landscape for others.”
