The regulatory environment has fundamentally changed what boards need. NYDFS, SEC cyber disclosure rules, DORA — board members are now personally accountable for cybersecurity oversight in ways they weren't five years ago. That creates real demand for security-literate directors. We'll discuss why the CISO skill set has never been more valued in board settings, and why most organizations still don't have it in the room.

There's a meaningful difference between a formal board directorship, an advisory board seat, and a governance advisor role — in fiduciary exposure, time commitment, compensation, and how you get there. We'll map the landscape: what each role looks like at a public company, a Russell 3000, and a PE or VC-backed portfolio company — and which path makes most sense depending on where you are in your career.

Board seats are rarely advertised. They come through networks, search firms, and relationships built over years. We'll cover the practical mechanics: how to position your experience for a board audience, which search firms specialize in board placements for security leaders, how NACD and governance organizations can accelerate your path, and what due diligence looks like on both sides of the table.

Once you're in the room, the expectations are different from the CISO chair. Boards want strategic oversight, risk framing, and governance perspective — not technical deep dives. We'll cover how to translate CISO experience into board-level value, what audit committee and risk committee dynamics look like, and how to navigate the relationship between the board and the management team's CISO without the two stepping on each other.

Open floor for the group. Whether you're actively pursuing your first board seat, have already served in an advisory capacity, or are just beginning to think about what comes after the CISO role — this is the space to share where you are and what questions remain unanswered. Off the record. Peer-to-peer.