Defense in Depth Don't Try to Win with Technical Expertise. Win by Partnering.
Jan 15, 2026
Pam Lindemoen, CSO and VP of Strategy at RH-ISAC, shares her insights from years in security and infrastructure. She emphasizes that winning means building trust rather than just proving technical expertise. The conversation touches on transforming security from an obstacle to an enabler, the importance of listening to stakeholders, and aligning security with business success. Pam also highlights early career lessons, encouraging empathy and strong relationship skills alongside technical knowledge.
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Leadership Means Growing Others
- You're not hired to be the smartest person in the room; you're hired to make others smarter about risk.
- Winning technical arguments but losing influence prevents strategic outcomes and real change.
Be An Enabler, Not A Gatekeeper
- Treat security as a team sport and enable the business rather than be a roadblock.
- Build influence by making people want you in meetings, then lead them to where you need them to go.
Policy Exceptions Revealed Hidden Risk
- Pam discovered policy exceptions were approved at analyst level and causing multimillion-dollar impacts.
- They added governance and required VPs to explain risks so decisions aligned with business needs.