In this episode of Risk Is Our Business, Captain Michael Rasmussen beams aboard Ana Valdez Rodgers, VP of Internal Audit, and Melissa Pici, Global Director of Governance, Risk & Compliance, of Syniverse to talk about what really keeps GRC leaders up at night.

They dive into how GRC isn’t about ticking boxes but about aligning governance, risk, and compliance with the organization’s purpose and strategy. Drawing on Syniverse’s experience, Ana and Melissa share how their Risk and Assurance Council helps shape culture, break silos, and make GRC part of everyday decision-making, not just a quarterly ritual.

They also reflect on Syniverse’s GRC Trailblazer Award, what it took to earn it, and why lasting success starts with strategy and process before technology ever enters the room. Because GRC isn’t something you buy, it’s something you do.

As the conversation turns forward-looking, they chart where Syniverse’s GRC program is headed next, envisioning a future where alignment, automation, and purpose drive risk strategy. Because as Captain Kirk once said, risk is our business, and as this episode reminds us, a business that doesn’t take risks is a business out of business.