Security isn't a checkbox, it's a culture.
Former Navy Intelligence analyst and cybersecurity expert Cordell Robinson shows leaders how to embed security-by-design, strengthen compliance, and empower non-technical teams.
In this episode, host Jennifer Geary speaks with Cordell Robinson, founder & CEO of Brownstone Consulting, whose career spans military intelligence, software engineering, law, cybersecurity, and privacy. Cordell explains how non-technical executives can meaningfully shape cyber strategy, why compliance is really about culture, and how AI is being misused more than it's being mastered.
You'll learn how to:
Shift from checkbox compliance to outcome-based security.
Build security into your SDLC from day one.
Ask the right questions as a non-technical leader.
Avoid the biggest leadership mistakes in AI adoption.
Strengthen culture, not just controls.
About Cordell Robinson:
Cordell Robinson is founder and CEO at Brownstone Consulting. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science / Electrical Engineering from Pepperdine University and a Jurist Doctor of Law from Georgetown University. He is a former Senior Naval Intelligence Analyst and is certified in C|CISO, CAP, and CRISC.
Chapters:
01:35 — Introducing Cordell Robinson
03:26 — Engineering, Navy intelligence & the pivot to cyber law
06:30 — Starting Brownstone Consulting
09:24 — What clients really ask for: compliance, AI governance & testing
11:02 — Why compliance matters beyond the certificate
13:03 — Culture change through testing & honest assessment
16:46 — Military discipline, leadership & communicating cyber risk
19:17 — Contingency planning & incident response in practice
20:37 — U.S. vs Europe: different regulatory mindsets
23:47 — Security-by-design & challenges in AI adoption
25:37 — How non-technical leaders can ask better questions
Resources & Links:
C-suite Framework courses & books: https://csuiteframework.co.uk/
The Cyber Security Handbook by Stephen Delahunty
Check out Cordell's Compliance Aid app https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/compliance-aid/id6753880752
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