Home: Dallas, TX. Age: 32. Birthplace: Texas. Profession: Risk management. Organization: S&A Legal Management Services, Inc. Title: Risk and controls manager. Alma mater: University of Texas at Austin.
Current project: Expanding the risk management department and adding personnel. Latest accomplishment: I helped to craft and publish the company’s first AI policy and framework for AI interaction. Latest contribution to others: I’ve shifted some of my volunteer time to the American Donkey and Mule Society. Recent travel or adventure: Hiking in Lapland, Finland. The views were breathtaking.
Personality profile: Open-minded, empathetic, pragmatic, and grounded. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Reflective. Moral compass: The Golden Rule, but I would say that my perspective on the matter is a bit more sobering. How do you define a perfect friendship? Being able to call up a friend during an important moment to either celebrate a win or help talk you through a tough time. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Open and straightforward. Mutual understanding. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Special needs professionals. The patience and care needed is truly remarkable. What is at the top of your bucket list? Walk around the countryside of Scotland and visit as many distilleries as I can. How do you relieve stress? A long walk. Nothing clears your mind better.
What was your first paying job? Mowing lawns in my neighborhood. What was your favorite college course? Japanese Foreign Policy was extremely interesting to me. What book have you repeatedly read? The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. What movie have you repeatedly watched? The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Shining. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? I like to get a poster from each country I visit. I try to aim for old vintage posters that I find across random resale shops. What is your go-to source of news and information? The Wall Street Journal is a classic. Project-Syndicate is hidden gem, too.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field?
Automation of regulatory/compliance tasks, more so with RegTech tools.
What change would you like to see in the world? We could all use a little more empathy in the world. What mega-trend most excites you? Integrated risk platforms that pull together data to get holistic, enterprise-level risk visibility. What mega-trend most concerns you? The boundaries between cyber incidents, operational failures, and human factors collapsing.
What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Someone has in the past compared me to Justin Long. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A sports broadcaster. It’s kind of hard to beat watching and talking about sports all day. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My phone. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Hiking with family that would lead us to the peak where we can relax and sit in peace until the end. What advice would you give your younger self? Trust your gut. You know what’s right and wrong and what’s good for you more often than not. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? My Dad surprised me one day and took me out of class in the fifth grade to go to Six Flags Over Texas.
Personal motto: A life well-lived, even amid regrets, is one in which you can close your eyes and feel the love of family, pride in your work, and the calm of a clear conscience. Favorite quote: “The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself” (Michel de Montaigne).
