Privacy in Action: Lessons from Data Privacy Heroes | DataGrail

Privacy in Action: Lessons from Data Privacy Heroes

Moderated Panel

Panelists:

Learn from frontline privacy leaders who are tackling real-world challenges and raising the bar for privacy excellence. This year’s Data Privacy Hero award winners, Anna Rogers (nCino), Randy Wood (Cricut), and Jennifer Dickey (Dykema) will share practical lessons from the intersections of privacy, legal, IT, and security—showing how they drive impact and build trust in their organizations.

Presentation slides

Introduction

Alright, I think we're all back from breakout.

Welcome back everyone.

Uh, if you don't know me already, my name's Ian.
You might recognize me from many of our customer and community efforts here at DataGrail.
I am really excited to introduce you all to our fantastic panel on Privacy in Action: Lessons from the Data Privacy Heroes.

Data Privacy Heroes Program

We started this program back in 2024 because we noticed that eager privacy professionals are to learn from each other, they rarely notice their own value and contribution to the field.
Nominees undergo a blinded and standardized review process.
This year, today's guests stood out for setting a new standard in data privacy excellence.

Panelist Introductions

Anna Rogers
Anna was the winner in the innovator category, making a profound and direct technical impact on her organization's privacy posture.
My name is Anna Rogers, senior Privacy Analyst at nCino, a banking software company based in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Randy Wood
Randy won in the visionary category, recognized for highly strategic and cross-functional leadership.
I am Randy Wood, VP of legal and privacy at Cricut. My role fits within a company where privacy functions must be integrated into various departments.

Jennifer Dickey
Jennifer was recognized as this year's champion for her impact on the field through her mentorship and advocacy for the next generation of privacy leaders.
My name is Jennifer Dickey, a privacy associate attorney at Dykema.

Discussion Topics

We heard today quite a bit about new challenges related to AI, new regulations, and increased litigation.
Each of you represents what typical privacy teams are currently facing today, which can really vary.

Starting with Jennifer:

As practitioners, how are you reframing privacy litigation news to advocate for privacy internally?

Yes, it's vital to make litigation real during discussions with clients. Running tabletop exercises can illustrate the costs and disruptions effectively.

Insights on Resource Pressure

Every nominee described needing to produce more with fewer resources. When under such constraints, where are you finding success?

Using automation and fostering collaboration across departments are key. By breaking privacy out of its silo, other teams can help flag risks.

Advice for Growth

As a privacy professional, if you don't have a technical background, learning technical language is crucial.
Anna suggests: Getting some kind of certification, like the CIPP/US, provides a strong foundation in privacy regulation.

Final Thoughts

We conclude today’s discussion by recognizing the data privacy hero award winners and encouraging audience engagement in future nominee nominations.