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The Security Student Podcast
A podcast of security experts' wisdom. Monthly interviews with security practitioners sharing how they protect all the things and how you can too. Travis Lishok from The Security Student Blog interviews fellow security professionals to learn about the work they do in their unique roles to protect assets, how they got to where they are today, and what skills are required of them, so that security students like you can shape your own career to reach roles like theirs and those beyond them. Discover what it takes to be successful in diverse security roles, so that you can prepare for your next career opportunity or just gain a stronger understanding of the broad network of security professionals that work together to keep organizations secure and resilient. Interview guests come from physical security design, information security, cyber security, risk management, OSINT investigations, security management, business continuity, and more. It's a mix of interviews, special co-hosts, and solo shows from Travis, you're not going to want to miss. Hit subscribe, grab a notepad, and get ready to learn from your security peers.
The Security Student Podcast
Episode #45 | The Prac-Ademic: Bridging the Gap Between Learning and Leadership
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Today's guest is Michael Gips, Managing Director of Enterprise Security Risk Management at Kroll and founder of Global Insights in Professional Security. Mike holds both the CPP and Chartered Security Professional designations, and his path to security is one of the most unconventional I've come across — starting with a Harvard Law degree, a clerkship reviewing death penalty cases at the New Jersey Supreme Court, and a stint in litigation before pivoting to journalism. That pivot launched a nearly 13-year career at ASIS International, where he ultimately served as Chief Global Knowledge and Learning Officer, overseeing the magazine, certifications, standards, the CSO Center, and the organization's own security program. He's also a published security leadership author, professional media trainer, and one of the most active voices in the online security community.
In this episode, Mike walks us through his career journey and the lessons it produced, including the inside track on professional association pathways that can accelerate your rise into senior security leadership. We dig into why communication and storytelling may be the highest-ROI skill a security professional can develop, regardless of where they are in their career. Mike shares what the process of writing and publishing a security book actually looks like, and what practitioners with a body of written work should consider if they're thinking about doing the same. We close with an honest conversation about AI — where it genuinely helps, where it creates more work than it saves, and how to use it without sacrificing your credibility. Let's get into it.
-- Get the resources and show notes mentioned in this episode --
https://thesecuritystudent.com/shownotes