As an ISACA member, you are connected to a global community of professionals, but making the most of that network takes more than attending an event or exchanging contact information. Meaningful professional relationships are built through shared learning, consistent engagement and a willingness to contribute to the community.
Whether you are new to ISACA, looking to expand your local connections or seeking ways to grow as a leader, your chapter can be an excellent source of support, insight and collaboration. Below, five ISACA chapter leaders share their top tips for networking and leveraging your ISACA community.
Create Trust Through Consistent Contribution
“Contribution creates trust. Don’t just network, build something together.
“The strongest relationships I have developed through ISACA did not begin with a request for an introduction, an opportunity or career advice. They began with shared work. Volunteer for a chapter initiative, contribute to a Special Interest Group, help deliver an event, mentor an emerging professional or offer a useful perspective on a problem the community is trying to solve. Working alongside people gives them direct evidence of how you think, communicate, follow through and create value. A business card or LinkedIn connection may create visibility, but contribution creates trust.
“That trust compounds when the relationship continues beyond a single meeting. Follow up on something specific from the conversation, share a genuinely relevant resource, make an introduction that helps the other person and stay engaged when there is no immediate opportunity attached.
“When I relocated from Denver to Sydney, the global ISACA community provided continuity and connection before I had an established local network. Over time, those relationships developed into leadership opportunities, professional collaborations, learning and lasting friendships. The most effective way to leverage an ISACA network is not to begin by asking what it can do for you. Become someone the community knows is useful, credible and dependable. Opportunities tend to follow trust, and trust is built through consistent contribution.”
— Chirag Joshi, President of the ISACA Sydney Chapter
Be a Regular at Events
“The objective of most ISACA chapters is to create opportunities for networking and build authentic, in-person connections. A unique feature of ISACA chapter events is that they draw attendees with not just different seniority levels, from students and early-stage professionals to mid-management and CXOs, but also from a cross-section of the industry, including IT auditors, GRC professionals and cybersecurity engineers. Attending or volunteering at these chapter events is a great way to meet and get to know attendees better. The key is consistency: be a regular at events so that you have more opportunities to meet new people and familiar faces. Be sure to introduce yourself, talk about your experience, interests and goals, and similarly learn about the other person’s area of work. You are bound to discover shared interests, common challenges or mutual connections that lead to an organic connection and opportunities to help each other. More often than not, at the next chapter event you will soon meet someone dealing with similar professional challenges, a study partner, your new best friend or reconnect with a former colleague. Happy networking!”
— Varun Prasad, President of the ISACA San Francisco Chapter
Build Genuine Relationships
“My biggest networking tip is: don’t just join a chapter or professional organization—get involved. Attend meetings, volunteer, mentor and build genuine relationships. Networking becomes much more meaningful when people know you because you contributed.
“I also believe strongly in innovation. Don’t just copy what other chapters or organizations are doing. Learn from them, but create something that reflects your own members and community. Ask for feedback, try new ideas, build a diverse leadership team with different perspectives and create experiences that make people proud to be part of the organization.
“Finally, leadership is also about knowing when to make room for others. You don’t have to hold a title forever to continue making an impact. You can remain a member, mentor, volunteer and supporter while allowing new leaders to bring fresh ideas and energy. And don’t try to please everyone—you won’t. Listen to your members, stay focused on the mission and keep moving the organization forward.”
— Gaelle Koanda, Executive Vice President of the ISACA Denver Chapter
Lead With Generosity
“What has worked for me is to lead with generosity. When you meet a fellow member, get curious about the challenge they’re wrestling with, rather than the title on their badge. Offer an introduction, share a resource, or simply follow up afterward with something useful. In a field like ours, where we’re all navigating the same evolving risk, audit and governance landscape, the people who freely share what they know are the ones everyone remembers, and the ones whose calls get answered.
“The other thing that genuinely built my network was showing up for the training. Some of my strongest chapter connections didn’t come from a networking event at all; they came from sitting in the same courses, study groups and certification prep sessions, working through the same material together. When you keep learning alongside other members, the relationships form on their own, and they’re grounded in something real. So my advice is simple: commit to continuous training, show up regularly and treat those rooms as where your network actually gets built.”
— Edjon Lacroes, President of the ISACA Curaçao Chapter
Personally Connect With New Chapter Members
“One thing I’ve found particularly valuable is making the effort to personally connect with new chapter members rather than waiting to meet them at an event. I often reach out through LinkedIn to welcome them, invite them to an upcoming chapter event, or simply start a conversation about what brought them to ISACA and what they are interested in.
“Where possible, I also like to meet members for a (virtual) coffee. Those informal conversations can be a great way to understand what someone is looking for from their ISACA network, introduce them to others with similar interests and let them know about opportunities to get involved. Networking doesn’t always need to happen at a large event—sometimes a simple message or a coffee is what turns chapter membership into a genuine professional connection.”
— Katja Feldtmann, President of the ISACA Wellington Chapter