Tell me about how you became a risk manager?

While in college, I began working part-time for the City of Santa Clarita.  After receiving my degree, I promoted within the organization, eventually landing in the City Clerk’s Office performing support for City Council meetings and public records requests.  At the time, Risk Management was located in the same part of the building and our teams worked together on various matters.  As I learned more about their work, I developed a passion for the Risk Management field (finally my natural ability to identify worst-case scenarios would pay off!) and took every opportunity I could to partner with them.  Eventually I joined the Risk team as a Risk Technician, and became responsible for employee safety, incident prevention, contract administration, the insurance program, and claim/litigation support for our City Attorney’s Office and TPA.  My passion for the field continued to grow, and I frequently sought out opportunities to learn more and to develop my skill set.  I received my ARM designation, became certified in ergonomics, facilitated countless trainings, and attended and spoke at conferences.  This knowledge and experience greatly impacted the trajectory of my career, and I now work in Risk Control for the County of Ventura County Executive Office.   

What are the rewards you experience professionally by being a PARMA member?

PARMA has been a valuable resource to me throughout my career, I have been a member as long as I have been in the field.  The educational sessions offered at the annual conference and at chapter events throughout the year help me to continue growing as a risk professional and to remain up to date with regulatory updates and best practices.  I especially value the ability to connect with such a robust network of experienced Risk Management professionals. 

How has your professional knowledge expanded by interacting with other PARMA members?

Interacting with other PARMA members allows you to build connections that you can utilize throughout the year, not just at the conference. Conference networking and educational sessions are wonderful, but a lot can come up between the annual conferences. We are all working on similar things and navigating the same legislation and social climate, it is great to be able to share ideas and ask questions.  A great example of this is the recent workplace violence legislation. The majority of PARMA members are facing this and we are navigating the same issues.  I have already connected with other PARMA members to share ideas and learn how their organizations are implementing new procedures.  Being able to talk things through with others who understand and have the same goals is extremely valuable. 

When did you start realizing you wanted to move into a leadership role within PARMA?

I was in my 20s and relatively new to the field when I attended my first PARMA conference.  I remember feeling intimidated being surrounded by so many seasoned professionals who had been in the field for decades.  As I attended sessions and interacted with more people, I realized that everyone was there for the same reason I was, to grow and learn with each other.  The education and network of support is incredibly beneficial, especially to someone new to the field.  I quickly realized that I wanted to be able to help others who may be new to Risk Management or felt too intimidated to participate in the events.  As a chapter Vice Chair, I am able to learn from chapter members, and encourage them to participate.  I truly enjoy the opportunity to share knowledge and develop resources, and being a chapter officer has allowed me to do that within my County as well as with other cities and counties in the Gold Coast.     

After being a member of PARMA for some time now, how essential was joining your professional association?

PARMA has been invaluable to me in my career.  When I worked in Risk Management at the City level, we had an extremely small department, and there were not many people I could reach out to or learn from.  Participating in PARMA provided me with support and resources I would otherwise not have access to.  Now that I am deeper into my career and working at the County level, I continue to learn and find value in PARMA and the network of members. 

How would you respond to a risk manager who says they don’t have time to participate in PARMA and /or moving towards a leadership position?

At the very least, all risk managers should attend the annual conference.  It is a great opportunity to learn how other entities are navigating the risk world and can help to develop or validate practices and procedures.  I enjoy learning about all aspects of risk management, and the conference allows me to gain insight into subjects I would not come across in my daily work.  All risk managers benefit from making time to increase holistic knowledge and stay up to date with the state of public sector risk management.    

• What do you see being one of the largest challenges for the future of risk management?

Technology is advancing rapidly, and public agencies are faced with threats related to data breaches, server vulnerabilities, and cyberattacks. Public agencies need to quickly adapt to technological advancements and work harder than ever to ensure network security and stability.  In addition, technology allows our society to communicate and broadcast ideas, opinions, and experiences throughout the world in a matter of seconds.  While this increase in knowledge sharing can be beneficial, it often magnifies negativity that can impact public opinion.  Risk management professionals must be prepared to navigate cyber liability and data security, but also need to consider less tangible risk exposures associated with technology and social media, such as reputational risk and loss of confidence in public entities.   

• How will PARMA respond to that challenge? 

PARMA has established a strong board and facilitates frequent communication between chapter officers.  This allows experiences and knowledge to be shared in real time, and greatly shapes the topics presented at the annual conference.  PARMA maintains strong relationships with vendor partners known to be experts in their field, which increases the amount of resources available to members to navigate issues.  PARMA understands that risk management is a constantly evolving field and always strives to ensure growth and relevancy.