What happens when a 30-year cybersecurity veteran takes over the Administrative function inside one of the most complex and acquisition-heavy banks in the country? Transformation.

In this bold and eye-opening session, David Small, former CISO of Boston Private and now Head of the Business Information Security Office (BISO) and Administrative Professionals in Cybersecurity at First Citizens Bank, will share what he's learned about the real, often overlooked power of the Admin function and why getting it right is not just important, it's essential to business success. David believes the way work is distributed to Administrative Professionals reveals more than just bandwidth - it reinforces outdated stereotypes, limits strategic growth, and keeps the profession stuck in the past. He’s on a mission to change that, one organization, one mindset, one role at a time.

David brings the rare perspective of a high-ranking cyber security and technology executive who has chosen to lead and advocate for Admins not because he had to, but because he sees what some organizations still miss: that when Admins are empowered with clarity, respect, and career development, they don’t just support the business, they help drive it forward.

You'll hear how David and his team:

• Advocated to redefine Admin roles and responsibilities inside a complex, risk-sensitive organization
• Built a business case for Admin investment during the chaos of M&A, not after
• Elevated Admin visibility with senior leadership, HR, and cybersecurity teams
• Developed an internal career and recognition framework grounded in business alignment
• Are showing others how Admins can be integrated, not isolated, during rapid organizational change

This is more than a session it's a case study in what happens when a leader sees the Admin function not as support, but as strategy. Come for the inspiration. Leave with language, ideas, and conviction to push for what's possible

About David Small:
David Small is a distinguished cybersecurity and technology executive with over 30 years of experience spanning State Street, Teradyne, Boston Private, Silicon Valley Bank, and now First Citizens Bank. He has led teams through massive digital transformations, complex mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory expansions. As a former Chief Information Security Officer and now Head of BISO and Admins in Cybersecurity at First Citizens, David has a gift for making the complex simple and the overlooked essential. He builds trust not with titles, but through leadership rooted in deep respect, genuine curiosity about people, and an unshakable belief that when you lift others, the whole system rises.