Full episode and show notes

SC Awards Finalist: Best Professional Certification Program – ISACA – Mary Carmichael – SCA26 #1

At RSAC 2026, Mike Shema speaks with Mary Carmichael of ISACA, finalist for Best Professional Certification Program in the SC Awards Excellence category. Carmichael discusses the role of certifications in building a stronger cybersecurity workforce. The SC Awards recognize excellence and impact across the cybersecurity community. Segment Resources: https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cisa https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cism https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/aaia https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/aaism https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/aair https://www.isaca.org/resources/artificial-intelligence. This segment is sponsored by ISACA. Visit https://securityweekly.com/isacarsac to lear...

March 27, 2026

This episode is sponsored by

Full Segment Notes

At RSAC 2026, Mike Shema speaks with Mary Carmichael of ISACA, finalist for Best Professional Certification Program in the SC Awards Excellence category. Carmichael discusses the role of certifications in building a stronger cybersecurity workforce.

The SC Awards recognize excellence and impact across the cybersecurity community.

Segment Resources:

https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cisa https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cism https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/aaia https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/aaism https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/aair https://www.isaca.org/resources/artificial-intelligence

This segment is sponsored by ISACA. Visit https://securityweekly.com/isacarsac to learn more about them!

Key Moments

0:00 - Welcome to SC Awards 2026
0:15 - Introduction to ISACA & Global Community
0:35 - ISACA Certifications: CISA, Risk, Security & AI
01:10 - The Evolution of IT Auditing to AI Systems
01:46 - Why Cybersecurity Requires Diverse Expertise
02:25 - AI in Business: Trust, Risk & Third-Party Systems
03:05 - Evaluating AI Risk & Vendor Trust (SOC 2, Controls)
03:42 - AI Use Cases: Chatbots, Automation & Decision Systems
04:28 - Building Trust in AI Through Context & Controls
05:20 - AI vs Traditional Automation Explained
06:00 - Digital Transformation Lessons for AI Adoption
06:45 - Workforce Impact & New AI Roles
07:01 - Do You Really Need AI? ROI & Cost Considerations
07:43 - AI Implementation Challenges & Operating Models
08:48 - Human Accountability in AI Systems
09:03 - ISACA Chapters, Mentorship & Networking Benefits
10:04 - Community Collaboration & Industry Partnerships
10:55 - Cybersecurity Bootcamps & Career Pathways
11:58 - Transitioning Into Cybersecurity Careers
12:34 - Importance of Information Sharing in Security
12:47 - New AI Risk Management Certification (Preview)
13:33 - Risk Frameworks, OWASP & AI Security Controls
14:06 - Managing Prompt Injection & AI Threats
14:53 - Business Value vs Risk in AI Adoption
15:01 - Why You Should Embrace AI (Not Avoid It)
15:18 - Final Thoughts: Join the Cybersecurity Community

Guest

Mary Carmichael

Principal Director, Strategy, Risk & Delivery at Momentum Technology; Board Member, ISACA Vancouver at ISACA

Mary Carmichael is the Managing Director of Risk Advisory at Momentum Technology, with over 15 years of experience in technology risk management. Her expertise spans multiple sectors, including higher education, government, and energy, with a strong focus on third-party risk management, including vendor assessment and due diligence activities for systems procurement. Mary is a Member of the ISACA Global CRISC Committee and the Emerging Trends Working Group, where she offers insights on AI’s implications for governance, risk, and compliance functions. A published author and global speaker, Mary also serves as President of ISACA’s Vancouver Canada Chapter and is a speaker on the transformative effects of emerging technologies on business operations.

Host

https://dangerouserrors.com

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