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Cybersecurity Where You Are (audio)
Cybersecurity Where You Are (audio)

Episode 167: Volunteers as a Critical Cybersecurity Resource

24 December 2025 41:44 Center for Internet Security

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About this episode

In Episode 167 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Kelley Misata, Ph.D., Chief Trailblazer and Founder at Sightline Security. Together, they discuss how volunteers constitute a critical cybersecurity resource for the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Along the way, they explore the nature of volunteerism, the role of volunteers at CIS, and how CIS is looking to mature its engagement with volunteers going forward.

Here are some highlights from our episode:

  • 01:37. Introductions to Kelley and her experience with cybersecurity volunteers
  • 03:09. Kelley's use of research, expertise, and an open mind to check in with CIS volunteers
  • 04:50. How volunteers have deepened their passion and dedication with CIS for 25 years
  • 06:55. Volunteers as a critical cybersecurity resource for "One CIS" going forward
  • 10:51. Commitment, conflict resolution, and openness to formal process in CIS Communities
  • 14:39. The use of directionality and accolades to encourage different types of contributors
  • 19:43. The importance of flexibility in management to meet volunteers where they are
  • 20:30. Leadership, storytelling, and recruitment as opportunities for volunteerism at CIS
  • 24:37. The risk of volunteer burnout and how to protect against it
  • 26:00. Collaboration with employers to treat volunteerism as a growth experience
  • 30:09. A balancing act of making volunteers useful without depleting the mission
  • 34:51. Sean's take: volunteer management as the original Large Language Model (LLM)
  • 38:32. Other observations and final thoughts

Resources

  • 25 Years of Creating Confidence in the Connected World
  • CIS Communities
  • Episode 160: Championing SME Security with the CIS Controls
  • StoryCorps

If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing[email protected].

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