The first thought leadership, peer forum dedicated to Board Directors, Chief Risk Officers, and other Leaders in Risk Management.

Founded in 2020, the Board Risk Committee (BRC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a trusted, non-competitive, peer forum for the exchange of ideas, best practices, and topics of interest. BRC’s goal is to maximize directors’ and CROs’ risk role on boards by enabling optimal risk oversight and embedding risk considerations into organizational processes.

Our Founder

Catherine A. Allen

Founder and Chair of the Board

Catherine sits on a number of corporate, university and nonprofit boards, including, in the past, Synovus Financial, El Paso Electric Company, Stewart Information Services, RiskSense and NBS Technologies where she set up, chaired, and sat on a number of Risk Committees. She currently sits on the boards of CRI Advantage, the Belief Agency, PocketPatient MD and Supply Wisdom. She also serves on the New Mexico State Investment Council and the New York Institute of Technology Board of Trustees. She is on the Advisory Boards of Women Corporate Directors and the Executive Women’s Forum. She was named one of the NACD 100 Most Influential Directors in 2018. She speaks to Board Directors and writes often on the topics of emerging technologies, cybersecurity, third party risk management, and the need for Risk Committees.

Our Team

Susan C. Keating

CEO

Susan C. Keating is the CEO of the Board Risk Committee. Prior to joining the BRC, Keating served as CEO of the Women Corporate Directors Foundation (WCD) where she led the largest global network of women serving on corporate boards working to advance governance excellence and diversity in companies around the world. She also has extensive experience as board member and chief executive officer for financial services companies including Allfirst Financial, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Allied Irish Bank, plc. (AIB), and membership organizations such as the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC).

Robin Slade

Board Member of BRC

Robin is a Board Member of BRC and is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer with Shared Assessments, where she works with clients, CEOs, and consultants in third party risk assurance. Robin leads all activities for the Shared Assessments Program—a cross-industry, member driven consortium with resources, tools, and best practices to effectively manage the third party risk management lifecycle—including managing its Advisory Board, Steering Committee, International expansion and the Certified Third Party Risk Professional (CTPRP) certification program. Robin regularly serves as an industry spokesperson, educating multiple industries and regulators about the Shared Assessments Program. She is often quoted in the press on issues in data security, privacy and business continuity. Her speaking engagements include: BAI, BITS, RSA, RSA APJ, FS ISAC, Corporate Executive Board (CEB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA), Shared Assessment Annual Summit, Risk Management Association (RMA).

Gary Roboff

Board Member of BRC

Gary has more than four decades of experience in Financial Services planning and management, including 25 years at JPMorgan Chase where he retired as Senior Vice President of Electronic Commerce. Gary has served on the Board of Directors at multiple companies and organizations including ISTPA, the NYCE network, and the Electronic Funds Transfer Association. Gary served on the Board of Trustees at Clark University for 12 years, nine of them as Board Vice Chair and also as Chair of the Board’s Strategic and Financial Oversight Committee.

Joseph J. Prochaska, Jr.

Board Member of BRC

Joe is an experienced Board member and strategic financial executive with over 30 years’ helping some of the world’s largest insurance related companies improve profits, navigate transformation activities including mergers and acquisitions, and enhance financial systems. Joe is designated as a Qualified Financial Expert under Sarbanes-Oxley and serves as an Independent Director and Qualified Risk Expert on the Synovus Financial Corporation Board. Joe’s Board experience includes participation on Private Company Boards in the real estate, technology, and data analytics arenas, as well as various Charitable Boards.

Charlotte Whitmore

Board Member of BRC

Charlotte Whitmore is the co-founder and CEO of Wisdomist, a startup on a mission to create a better future by connecting people who have wisdom with people who want wisdom through a proprietary, AI-enhanced digital marketplace…anywhere…anytime. The platform is focused on connecting people who have retired from a C-suite career with entrepreneurs who seek to augment their knowledge with the experience of those who have gone before as they work to grow their businesses. Previously, Whitmore was chair of the board of Analytics Pros, a leading digital analytics consultancy and top global partner for the Google Marketing Platform, which she co-founded in 2009 and sold in 2018. Whitmore also serves on the boards of NYIT Women’s Council and La Pointe Foundation. She lives in an RV with her four children and husband and also has homes in Cannon Beach, Oregon and Raleigh, NC.

Callie Himsl

Communications Director BRC

Callie Himsl is as experienced professional and entrepreneur with a strong history of international relations and social business. She specializes in community development and economic empowerment utilizing over 17 years of branding and marketing experience and over a decade of international work. She lived full-time in Haiti for almost a decade during which she functioned as the in-country director of a large social business where she helped to lead a team of 250+ through a holistic approach of economic empowerment through the creation and exportation of artisan products. She has had the privilege to work with many honorable groups such as; The United Nations, The Clinton Foundation, Vogue, and the American Chamber of Commerce. She has a degree in Communications and Community Advocacy and Social Policy. She resides in hot and humid but sunny and beautiful Florida.

Sue Winters

Executive Assistant BRC

With over four decades of entrepreneurial experience, Sue is a versatile professional specializing in web design and executive support including the handling of corporate digital assets and databases, creation of annual reports and visual presentations for non-profit organizations participating at UNFCCC and other global environmental conferences over the last 25 years.

Prior to establishing her web design business in 2002, Sue was VP of Operations at Jaguar Yerba Co, where she oversaw product sourcing, brand development, customer relations, marketing and corporate efforts for yerba mate products imported from Argentina and sold through the Natural Foods Industry.

As an accomplished classical pianist and accompanist, Sue has worked with the Aspen Community Theatre and the Aspen Choral Society and Orchestra. She holds a BA in Music from the University of Washington, and a Visual Communications Degree from the Banff Centre of Fine Arts in Banff, Alberta. She currently resides in Santa Fe, NM.

Current Initiatives

Monthly newsletter – The Board Risk Report
Joint webinars and peer exchanges
Research and white papers
Subject matter expertise for tech/cyber/risk/resilience management
Speaking opportunities

Become a BRC Member