Interested in this topic? Visit the links below for more resources:
00:00:02 Speaker 1
The Institute of Internal Auditors presents all things internal audit. Benito Ibarra sits down with IA, Saint Louis chapter leaders Sarah Knox Hansen and Steven Yasak to discuss why volunteering matters from being volentold to leading.
00:00:22 Speaker 1
By choice they share how chapter works, strengthens leadership skills, builds camaraderie, and keeps auditors energized. They also explore post COVID in engagement challenges.
00:00:35 Speaker 1
Creative programming shifts and practical advice for anyone considering raising their hands to get involved.
00:00:45 Speaker 2
What first brought you to your IRA chapters?
00:00:49 Speaker 3
Well, that's an easy one for me. It's just my passion for the profession and hoping that in my position I can help it grow and progress forward.
00:00:58 Speaker 4
I'll give an extremely honest answer here and explain that I was volume told to get involved when I was at my first job in public accounting. My firm was very active and.
00:01:11 Speaker 4
We had a roll opening it up as the AP specialist, so I took that over when we had someone leave the firm and I held on to that role for a few years until I myself moved on my participation. Wayne, I would say for a year or two while I was having children and then I missed it.
00:01:30 Speaker 4
So I got involved again and I helped maintain the websites and then I rolled into the officer Officer track and I've served as the Secretary, the membership Officer, Programming Officer and President.
00:01:43 Speaker 2
Awesome. Well, I have very similar experience. I was volunteered to so it's not all bad.
00:01:51 Speaker 2
How would you? How would you say your chapter involvement helped you understand the profession of internal auditing?
00:01:56 Speaker 4
On the job training, you're learning the how to, but I would say the CIA helped connect me to the why and also helped me feel connected to the profession as a whole and to be excited about it.
00:02:11 Speaker 4
And to know that I wasn't alone and that this is a valued position within a company and as a service provider and it helps just keep me motivated.
00:02:22 Speaker 3
I'm actually relatively new to my current role, but I think it has started to really remove the veil of what kind of goes into everything from the national level, even down to the chapter level.
00:02:37 Speaker 2
What would you say are some of the things that you've contributed so far and that you've enjoyed about your roles in the?
00:02:44 Speaker 4
The challenge of my era of leadership as an officer was the post COVID era. So we have struggled with maintaining engagement with our chapter and being involved has enabled me to just think outside the box, try things, understand that I also have the support.
00:03:04 Speaker 4
Of the other leaders of my chapter to say, you know what? If that doesn't? If it doesn't work, that's OK. We've tried it. We are trying to do best by our Members and offer them what they're asking for.
00:03:15 Speaker 4
And that's different for everyone. This is a common theme amongst all chapters and it's nice to be able to ping ideas off of the other chapter leaders and also then connect with them and maintain those. That camaraderie throughout the year as we're, you know, trying to plan events and ask questions of one another and source materials.
00:03:34 Speaker 2
Yeah. No, that's good. You know what I found? Also in my experience, right, Anthony, our President keeps talking about human intelligence. Right. And the need to keep building that obviously in your roles, you get to to practice and strengthen that as you work with other people, try to contribute to their success.
00:03:51 Speaker 2
You also, as you volunteer, learn how to be more of a leader, right in terms of taking charge of things which something internal auditors don't usually get to do in their organizations. Have you noticed any of that seeping into your daily role in where you work?
00:04:09 Speaker 4
For me, the alignment of my officer leadership role has aligned professionally with my growth as.
00:04:17 Speaker 4
Well, I don't think it's a coincidence. Yeah, some timing may be aligned, but it's a direct application of skills that I employ both professionally at my firm and as a leader in the chapter.
00:04:32 Speaker 3
So.
00:04:32 Speaker 3
As I said previously, I am newer to the role, but I have had the.
00:04:38 Speaker 3
Experience to use leadership in my professional role, and I'm hoping to use my role with the IA to grow those skills, refine them, and hopefully put them to really good use to better the profession as.
00:04:52 Speaker 2
A whole being a chapter leader, being involved with chapter operations can also be fun.
00:04:57 Speaker 2
So can you think of anything fun that you've experienced as part of being a chapter leader or anything that sticks out in terms of stories?
00:05:03 Speaker 4
That you may want to share leadership is always top of the list. We also in my chapter, we try to keep the spirit of networking alive. One thing we tried the last year.
00:05:16 Speaker 4
To is moving most of our training to a web-based model and then focusing our budget efforts on networking events, because for me that's personally one of my favorite things about the Saint Louis chapter is seeing everyone that's involved.
00:05:34 Speaker 4
Maintaining those connections so you know we do fun things. Like we went to an arcade last May to celebrate IA Awareness Month and you know, it's just tokens. And we had some drinks and pizza. And so we we do try to have fun as well. Even though you know it's professional organization.
00:05:54 Speaker 2
Sure, that's good. That's good. So what would you say is something you've learned about yourselves through this, you know, journey through chapter lead?
00:06:03 Speaker 4
I've learned that everyone who is dedicated to the IA and their volunteer and leadership positions has a voice that matters, and everyone is respectful of ideas. It's a big effort to be involved in your chapter.
00:06:23 Speaker 4
At the leadership level, it's a years long commitment most often.
00:06:26 Speaker 4
And I've been pleasantly surprised to see the level of professionalism and support that the other leaders provide, and it's a really cool experience as I didn't really have any insight into that when I joined and decided to sign on as an officer and it's really helped me professionally.
00:06:47 Speaker 4
To have the support I've benefited personally and professionally from those relationships that I've formed.
00:06:52 Speaker 3
At the most recent IA Leadership Academy, I learned that most chapters seem to struggle with a lot of very similar problems.
00:07:02 Speaker 3
Such as bringing in new members, student members, volunteers, involvement. It really shows that we all have been facing the same problems post COVID getting people involved, getting them back in person, not necessarily to force that, but just.
00:07:22 Speaker 3
To see one another, I mean, I think that's something we all want. So seeing that common goal in those common struggles, I think has been pretty good.
00:07:30 Speaker 4
To follow up on what Steven said about pursuing volunteerism, I will reiterate that yes, I would say in the post COVID.
00:07:39 Speaker 4
There again we have and I know a lot of chapters have fallen prey to a leaner operating model.
00:07:47 Speaker 4
In Saint Louis, where we're pretty light on volunteers, I would say and just with the administration of our chapter Inbox, for example, a few of us have access to that. We're volunteers. We also have full time jobs, so it it usually does. It's a weekly occurrence. So we'll check the inbox. So if it takes us a week or two to respond to you.
00:08:08 Speaker 4
Just know that it's we are not brushing you off, it is just.
00:08:13 Speaker 4
A matter of you know when our our calendars show availability for chapter administration, we're here for you. It just takes a little time. But if you do become involved that you know, we could start forwarding the emails to you and you can help assist other members in any given way. That would be amazing.
00:08:29 Speaker 2
So what's something you wish more people understood about? Chapter volunteering.
00:08:34 Speaker 3
That it's.
00:08:34 Speaker 3
Probably not as time intensive as they may think, and that it really just depends on their level of commitment and how much they want to do. But at the same time, chapters need that involvement we need.
00:08:48 Speaker 3
Help. So if you do have that desire, make it known. Don't assume that people are going to reach out to you.
00:08:56 Speaker 3
Try and be.
00:08:57 Speaker 2
Proactive. It's good advice.
00:08:59 Speaker 4
Great response there, Steve and I echo that we have 1,000,000 tasks. So in any way that an individual might want to contribute would be helpful to the chapter. So if you want to listen in to an officer call and say, hey, I can help check these tasks.
00:09:19 Speaker 4
The list that would be supported don't be afraid to get involved because of the level of comma.
00:09:24 Speaker 4
Since it's completely personalized, just as Stephen said.
00:09:28 Speaker 2
And you do get something out of it, right? I mean, you've both mentioned what you've learned, how it's contributed to your, to your work lives.
00:09:34 Speaker 4
Yes, exactly. So if you say that you're a volunteer with a professional organization, people notice you can put that on your resume, you can carry it with you always and you will want to stay involved because it's fun. It's a a component I think is lacking in today's.
00:09:49 Speaker 4
Quality. We're very focused on on work. If you have a family, you know that's always top of the list along with your career on focusing on 100% at home, 100% at work, but maintaining a connection to of comradery with, of support, with your peers at work is going to help propel you.
00:10:09 Speaker 4
Professionally and keep you invigorated for all of those efforts, when you become exhausted.
00:10:14 Speaker 3
I love what we do. I love the profession and I think as auditors, sometimes we get stuck in the detail.
00:10:20 Speaker 3
Mills and it's nice to be a part of the larger organization. It's been very enriching for me. It feels good, kind of like Sarah said, you know, the camaraderie with your peers, I think it's been very enriching for me in that way.
00:10:35 Speaker 2
That's great. I mean, I've been a part of this profession for almost 30 years. It started for me as a volunteer that I was volunteered to do. Right. I could tell you the volunteers are what make this profession and this organization really special. You know, you got to see and experience what others have gone through. And you mentioned some of those things that are commonalities.
00:10:55 Speaker 2
Across, you know, across the United States, across North America, so that you're contributing the way you are is very much appreciated. And I wish you the best and thank you for your time today.
00:11:05 Speaker 4
Thanks for having us.
00:11:08 Speaker 1
Light a fire under your future at Ignite 2025. It's all happening October 6th through 8th in Las Vegas or online fuel your growth spark new skills and earn up to 15 CPE's. Register now at the CIA.
00:11:28 Speaker 1
Dot org.
00:11:30 Speaker 1
If you like this podcast, please subscribe and rate US. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can also catch other episodes on YouTube or at theia.org. That's theia.org.
