Program
Program content for the CISO Dinner is developed and delivered by the CISO community and the Bay Area Leadership Board.
An Evening With the Community - CISO Dinner Series
For our 2025 CISO Dinner Series, the regional leadership board members prioritized their focus on creating better opportunities to hear practical and relevant stories from their peers. These member-driven dinners feature local security leaders and experts who share insights on key threats, leadership skills, or challenging projects. These interactive presentations are followed by roundtable discussions, where attendees take deep dives into the community-curated theme.
Join us for an exclusive reception celebrating the CyberRisk Collaborative CISO community, where security leaders come together for an evening of networking, knowledge-sharing, and camaraderie. Connect with fellow CISOs, security executives, and industry experts in a relaxed atmosphere while discussing the latest challenges and innovations in cybersecurity. Enjoy refreshments, engage in thought-provoking conversations, and strengthen relationships with peers who understand the complexities of protecting today’s digital landscape.
In an era where breaches are inevitable, the most dangerous vulnerability in your enterprise might not be in your code—it might be in your C-suite. Sheila Hamilton, five-time Emmy Award–winning journalist and author of All the Things We Never Knew: Chasing the Chaos of Mental Illness, has interviewed hundreds of CISOs and CIOs across the globe. Her findings reveal a stark and pressing truth: the leaders tasked with defending our digital infrastructure are themselves under siege—from within.
The Data:
- Over 70% of CISOs report difficulty with basic health maintenance—sleep, nutrition, exercise—compromising both personal resilience and professional performance.
- Nearly half say the job has negatively impacted their mental health.
- The average tenure of a CISO? Two to four years—a churn rate more volatile than the threats they face.
In cybersecurity, CISO’s obsess over early detection, yet they routinely miss the warning signs in themselves and their peers. In her powerful keynote, Sheila shares the harrowing story of her late husband’s decline into mental illness—a cascade of missed signals, misunderstandings, and unspoken suffering. It’s a narrative that mirrors what many CISOs endure silently in their high-stakes roles.
This isn’t just about wellness—it’s about operational sustainability.
Through compelling research and real-world strategies, Sheila:
- Equips CISOs with evidence-based tools to manage chronic stress
- Offers mental models to recalibrate perspective under pressure
- Shows how to harden your human firewall against burnout, isolation, and emotional fatigue
Sheila also leads a vital conversation around destigmatizing mental health at the executive level—because resilience isn't just a personal trait. It’s a leadership strategy.
Engage directly with your peers during dinner to share strategies, exchange lessons learned, and explore innovative approaches to safeguarding the business in an ever-changing threat landscape. This is your opportunity to step beyond formal presentations and build meaningful connections through candid conversations in a collaborative setting.
As the dinner concludes, we’ll gather final insights and reflections from our discussions. We will highlight the most impactful ideas shared around the tables, and you will leave with peer-tested strategies and fresh perspectives to take back to your teams, along with new connections to support your ongoing leadership journey.
We will wrap up the evening with continued networking and conversations. Don't miss this additional opportunity to strengthen professional relationships and build new partnerships that will expand your leadership and cybersecurity priorities.