RIMS-CRMP Stories

Dr. Lianne Appelt earned her RIMS-CRMP certification in 2018. RIMS members and peers in her network know her from risk leadership positions at Ebay, Oracle and now as the Head of Enterprise Risk Management at Salesforce. She has earned several certifications throughout her career, and discussed why the RIMS-CRMP has been such a valuable addition to her title.

RIMS: What inspired you to pursue the RIMS-CRMP?

Appelt: The certification was relatively new in 2018, and was the only accredited risk management certification available. I wanted to have a specific risk credential for my resume and to further my knowledge of the industry. It was between the RIMS-CRMP and another information systems certification, and I ultimately decided that the RIMS-CRMP would be the best choice for me.

RIMS: How did your career experiences at organizations like Oracle lend itself as a knowledge base for taking the exam?

Appelt: I had been working as a governance, risk, and compliance manager for several years, including within Oracle Public Cloud and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure organizations—so my experience was a perfect complement to the knowledge base of the RIMS-CRMP domains.

RIMS: As an ERM practitioner, how frequently will the knowledge from studying for the RIMS-CRMP resurface in an ERM professional’s responsibilities?

Appelt: I use the foundations of risk management knowledge (such as processes and strategies) within the RIMS-CRMP on a daily basis, and as a part of risk identification, analysis, decision making, and ongoing monitoring as an ERM leader. A continual and routine reassessment of our value chain, business model, and level of resilience against threats and other interruptions ensures that we are effectively evaluating risks within the scope of our business.

RIMS: How has the RIMS-CRMP aided you in your career?

Appelt: The RIMS-CRMP validates that I have the knowledge, background, and hands-on, tactical experience needed to be an effective risk leader. The certification is recognized and respected within the risk community. I engage in networking, mentorship, knowledge-share, speaking opportunities, and more, likely with the aid of having the RIMS-CRMP certification.

RIMS: How did you study for the exam?

Appelt: I used the supplied study materials from RIMS and leaned on my existing knowledge and experience in the risk management field.

RIMS: What are your own favorite methods for accruing recertification points?

Appelt: Risk management is such a key part of my career identity; I stay very active in the industry to enable my own education and learning as well as to share those experiences with other risk leaders. The recertification points are a byproduct of the activities involved in staying current in the field. That said, my favorite activities are attending and presenting at RIMS events such as RISKWORLD and the annual RIMS ERM conference.

RIMS: Do you believe the RIMS-CRMP certification benefits risk professionals at a specific career level or is it applicable at any time?

Appelt: I highly recommend the RIMS-CRMP certification for both new and existing risk leaders to establish a solid knowledge base from which to align best practices and fundamental competencies of a risk professional.

See the full RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep calendar.

Interview by Justin Smulison, RIMS Business Content Manager