Magic, Mentalism, and the Modern CISO – with Gary Chan

About this episode

David Malicoat interviews Gary Chan about the intersection of mentalism and cybersecurity leadership.

Episode Summary In this episode, host David Malicoat sits down in St. Louis, Missouri with Gary Chan , Chief Information Security Officer at SSM Health — and a professional Security Mentalist . Gary blends his background in cybersecurity, engineering, and mentalism to bring a refreshingly human and creative approach to leadership, awareness, and influence in the world of cyber. From performing mind-reading demonstrations to explaining how storytelling drives executive buy-in, Gary shows us how creativity and communication can transform a CISO’s impact inside and outside the organization. They dive deep into how CISOs can become better leaders, storytellers, and advocates for security — and why selling the “why” is far more powerful than explaining the “how.” Key Takeaways 🎩 Magic Meets Cybersecurity: How Gary uses mentalism and showmanship to make security awareness engaging and unforgettable. 🧭 The Future of the CISO: Why tomorrow’s security leaders must master storytelling, influence, and emotional intelligence — not just technology. 💼 Selling the Business Case: How to translate “reduce risk” into tangible stories that matter to the CFO, board, and business leaders. 🧠…

People in this episode

Host: David Malicoat

Guest: Gary Chan

Topics covered

• cybersecurity
• leadership
• storytelling
• mentalism
• CISO
• influence

Keywords

• CISO
• cybersecurity
• mentalism
• storytelling
• leadership
• influence
• risk management

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: SSM Health

Places: St. Louis, Missouri

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