Welcome to a milestone episode of ISRM Voices! For the very first time, we are crossing borders and taking the podcast global. Host Musaab Fagiri sits down with our first international guest, joining us all the way from South Australia—Teresa Riccio-Goodwin.
Teresa is an ISRM Fellow, the Chair of the Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania chapter, and a self-proclaimed member of the “1% club that actually loves risk”. With a personal motto of “making boring, fun,” Teresa challenges the stereotype that risk and compliance have to be dry.
In this episode, we put the frameworks aside to uncover the human behind the profession. Teresa shares her unique career journey, from learning tough communication lessons in the male-dominated fresh produce markets, to taking a massive leap of faith to manage corporate risk in London. We dive into the realities of cultural shifts, discovering personal resilience, and why true risk leadership is about putting on a show and teaching *people*, not just content.
In this episode, we cover:
- Welcome to the Future: Crossing Borders to South Australia
- The Motto: What it means to be “in the business of making boring, fun”
- Teresa’s Origin Story: Connecting internal controls to the big picture
- Lessons from Agriculture: Communication and building trust in a male-dominated field
- Fun Fact: Finding peace in cooking Nonna’s traditional sauce
- The London Leap: Navigating culture shock, fear of audits, and new markets
- Building Resilience: Realizing you’re a “tough cookie” (and hunting for good coffee)
- The Art of Facilitation: Why professionals struggle to connect and how to “put on a show”
- The ISRM Community: Networking, approachable leadership, and mentoring the next generation
- Final Advice: How to safely and courageously challenge the status quo
ISRM Voices is a monthly series by the Institute of Strategic Risk Management – Canada Chapter, chaired by Musaab Fagiri F.ISRM, highlighting members who are shaping the future of security, safety and resilience. Each episode explores the stories and human insights behind the profession — reminding us that behind every plan, policy and protocol, there’s a person making it real.
