Recently, I’m proud to be starting a new community development journey with The Professional Association of CISOs (PAC), and reflecting on the need for community at all levels of the profession. It’s not just another industry group — PAC is on a mission to make cybersecurity leadership pathways and expectations more clear and accessible. We’re working on defining skill paths, tackling confusion around roles and titles, creating education and mentorship around best practices, and putting structure to what it means to be a security leader. 

This isn’t about collecting badges — it’s about building a better future for CISOs by aligning expectations and creating space for meaningful growth. I’m especially proud that PAC will be launching its first summit at RSA this year.

Funny enough, last year’s RSA felt like a milestone for me, too — it was the first time I attended with a full conference pass. Honestly, I was a little nervous going in. As a woman in a male-dominated space, I definitely had that Day One imposter syndrome creeping in.

Then I bumped into two people I’d met years ago through WiCyS. We started catching up, sharing how far we’d come in our careers. It quickly shifted my mindset as it reminded me how much we, the women in cybersecurity community, belong and are needed there. Later that week, I joined a Women in Trust gathering and spent the rest of the conference with some new (and familiar) faces. These spaces fueled my week.

The talks were solid. But the real highlight? That sense of belonging—the reminder that showing up and investing in community always pays off.

Keep building your community before you need it. Find your people — the ones who get you and the ones who’ve got your back. For me, that looked like raising my hand and asking, “How can I help?” Whether it’s individuals or orgs I care about, I’ve tried to keep my giving-to-asking ratio high. 

People don’t always know what kind of help they need, and that’s okay. Start small. Add value where you can. Keep showing up. When you do, you build something that can’t be bought — trust and authentic connection.

Whether it’s through volunteering with WiCyS or building community at Nextdoor (yes, literally the business of community), I’ve seen the impact that starts with a simple question: How can I help?