Message from the Chair

Wow, it is hard to believe that it has already been over 3 months since the annual conference! I hope everyone has been able to continue leveraging the knowledge gained and the relationships formed or strengthened at the conference to empower your local security communities and beyond.

It has also been a busy and exciting first few months of serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors. The rest of the board members, some of the staff, and I were recently able to meet in person in Oslo, Norway. We are working hard to explore options to make FIRST more financially sound and to evolve the programs and services available to members. Change is not always an easy process, even when the goals of those changes are highly desired by all parties. Cybersecurity professionals are resilient and no strangers to frequent change. That is why I have no doubt that we will soon begin seeing an even greater positive impact made by FIRST and its members.

One of things FIRST members already do extremely well is to share knowledge and skills with each other. The comments I heard countless times at the annual conference in Montreal were “everyone is so friendly and helpful” and “I have learned so much this week.” Keep this in mind as the call for speakers for next year’s conference opens soon. I would like to extend my personal challenge to each of you to make a submission or encourage your colleagues to do so. FIRST is a diverse community with members around the globe, but the conference program cannot reflect that unless underrepresented countries or individuals submit abstracts. I know it can be daunting, and you may feel like you are not experienced enough to present. Take the leap anyway! We have many FIRST members willing to coach you and help you prepare. If you do not know where to start, contact me personally (tbills@first.org), and I will help connect you.

Never underestimate the impact you can have – the information you have to share just might be the missing link for someone else!

Published on FIRST POST: Oct-Dec 2023