Biography
Christine previously served as the Senior Content Manager, Education and Advocacy at Venminder. In this role, she supported the marketing team by creating thought leadership content pieces that educated business leaders on third-party risk management best practices and regulatory expectations. Christine’s professional background began in marketing, where she discovered her passion for building and executing creative strategies that helped businesses grow. Her marketing skills eventually led her to a Content Specialist position at Venminder, where she was introduced to the complex business practice of third-party risk management. Her research and knowledge of third-party risk management helped build a wide range of content pieces across different formats including eBooks, infographics, checklists, podcasts, and webinars.
Leadership Characteristics
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work under outstanding leaders throughout my career. Although I have not yet managed a team professionally, I have a clear picture of the leadership characteristics that I will strive to deliver. Open communication, transparency, and continuous growth are just some of the characteristics that my former managers have shown in our working relationships. I also believe that a great leader will step in to perform the necessary tasks to complete a job. I’ve never worked with a great leader that had the attitude of “that’s not my job”.
Leadership Challenges
As an introvert and chronic people-pleaser, I can predict a few key challenges that I would face in a leadership role. First, it would be difficult to delegate tasks because of my desire to minimize everyone’s workload. I’m typically a person who’s willing to carry the burden as long as others are satisfied, but I also realize the importance of collaboration and accepting help when needed. I’ve also been challenged in my ability to communicate a sense of urgency to stakeholders if certain tasks are falling behind schedule. I sometimes worry about overstepping boundaries, but I’ve found that others are always receptive to my requests when they’re clearly communicated.
Key Take-a-ways
When I first joined Venminder, third-party risk management was a foreign concept. I researched several different regulations and guidelines, many of which contained very complex language. However, I came to realize that many TPRM principles are built on simple practices and common sense. For instance, vendor due diligence involves a lot of moving pieces but the overall objective is to ensure that your organization is partnering with a legitimate third party that won’t harm your organization. Taking a step back from all the intricacies of TPRM and defining the ultimate goal can often bring clarity to these processes.
Fun Fact
I’m a southern California native, but I lived in Rochester, NY for one year through its inaugural Greater ROC Remote program. I’m grateful for the experience and enjoyed living in a place with four seasons, but I’m so happy to be back home in California!