How Volunteering Supercharged My Career
(And Why Yours Might Be Next)

When people ask how I learned to lead diverse teams, manage tough stakeholders, and ship results without burning out a board… I don’t start with my cybersecurity resume. I start with one word: volunteering.

I began quietly, helping with the chapter newsletter. Then I raised my hand for marketing, which was decidedly not in my comfort zone as a cybersecurity professional. That single stretch role rewired my career. It taught me to translate technical value into human value, to tell better stories, and to build programs people actually want to attend.

Over the years I’ve observed four different ISACA GWDC presidents up close. If you ever want a real-world leadership lab, host an event powered entirely by volunteers. You don’t have performance appraisals or bonuses to motivate people; only inspiration, kind words, and a clear vision. It forces you to lead with purpose, to coach rather than command, and to communicate so that mission beats inertia.

 

What volunteering taught me (that no course could)

1. Influence without authority
   Persuading busy professionals to give time is a masterclass in stakeholder management. It strengthened my executive presence more than any formal training.
2. Product thinking
   Marketing roles and program planning taught me to start with the user. What problem are we solving for members? What’s the smallest valuable experiment we can run next month, not next year?
3. Operational discipline
   I’ve run events, expanded how we recruit volunteers, optimized spending, and introduced structured strategy planning for teams. Those frameworks now live in my day job running cyber programs: roadmaps, dashboards, retros, and more.
4. Resilience and people savvy
   Let’s be honest: you will encounter difficult personalities, people who love titles more than outcomes or try to be “director for life.” You’ll also meet the best kind of humans: dedicated, generous, and hungry to help others grow. Navigating both builds emotional intelligence and grit.

 

Outcomes that we have achieved as a team

• Founded FutureTech DC to spotlight real-world innovation.
• Built partnerships (hello, SANS!), launched our podcast, and brought in new sponsors.
• Optimized our scholarship program to expand opportunity.
• Scaled better processes with an inspired, hard-working board. None of this happens without volunteers who show up and own outcomes.

 

Why this matters for your career

• Visibility: Real contributions create stories you can tell in interviews and performance reviews.
• Range: You’ll practice skills your day job might not give you, including marketing, IT, budgeting, facilitation, and vendor management.
• Network: You’ll build relationships with IT auditors, CISOs, and consultants across the region. Those connections open doors.
• Purpose: Giving back reminds you why our profession matters and keeps burnout at bay.

 

 

A realistic note

Volunteering isn’t always tidy. You’ll have last-minute speaker changes, vendor surprises, and the occasional tough conversation. That’s exactly why it’s valuable: it’s leadership with the safety rails off. You’ll learn to prioritize, de-escalate, and still deliver.

 

How to get started (and get the most from it)

• Start small, start now: Newsletter, social posts, a single event role, then level up.
• Own a metric: Attendance, budget variance, volunteer retention, pick one and move it.
• Communicate well: Write briefs, share updates, celebrate wins publicly.
• Build successors: Document what you do and train someone to replace you. That’s leadership.
• Reflect and reuse: Take the templates, agendas, and playbooks back to your workplace.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it. Join us at a networking session, meet the board, and see where you can plug in: IT audit support, IT/website, certification courses, workshops, socials, student chapters, sponsorships, marketing, or communications. Volunteering grew my capabilities, my community, and my career. It can do the same for you.

See you at the next event, and maybe on the volunteer roster soon.

 

Sushila Nair
President, ISACA Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter (2024–2026)