Pulse Security AI at RSAC 2026

Caroline Tsay and Mike Armistead will lead two sessions on a challenge familiar to many security leaders: building trust with the board of directors. Communicating cybersecurity risk at the board level requires clear explanations and sound judgment so that security findings translate into practical insights for organisational leadership.

Cyber Leaders Forum

Sunday, March 22, 3:05 PM – 3:45 PM

Boards increasingly expect security leaders to explain cyber risk in clear business terms. Many security programmes still rely on technical reports and operational metrics, which can make it difficult for leadership teams to see the wider impact. In this session, Caroline Tsay and Mike Armistead discuss how security leaders can communicate risk in a way that supports leadership decisions and strengthens confidence at board level.

The session will cover:

• Presenting cybersecurity risk in language board members understand
• What boards expect from security leadership
• Communication habits that weaken board confidence
• Positioning security as a trusted voice in leadership discussions

RSAC Connection Hub

Monday, March 23, 10:50 AM – 11:40 AM

This second session continues the discussion with a closer look at how security leaders connect day-to-day security work with wider organisational priorities. Security programmes generate large amounts of data, yet leadership teams need clear insight they can act on. Caroline Tsay and Mike Armistead will discuss practical ways to present security outcomes so that they support informed decisions at the executive level.

Topics include:

• Turning security activity into clear insight for leadership teams
• Communicating outcomes in language the board understands
• Building credibility with executive stakeholders
• Strengthening the role of security within leadership discussions

The session also allows attendees to exchange views with other security leaders facing similar challenges.

Caroline Tsay

Caroline Tsay is a technology executive and board director with extensive experience in enterprise software and digital platforms. She previously served as CEO and co-founder of Compute Software and held senior leadership roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Yahoo. She currently serves on the boards of several global companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Morningstar and Semrush.

Mike Armistead

Mike Armistead is CEO and co-founder of Pulse Security AI and a long-time cybersecurity entrepreneur. Over several decades he has helped build companies that shaped the application security and security operations markets. He co-founded Fortify Software and Respond Software, both of which were later acquired by major cybersecurity firms, and has spent much of his career helping organisations connect security technology with real operational outcomes.

Join the Conversation at RSAC

If you are attending the RSA Conference 2026 in San Francisco, we invite you to join the sessions and connect with other security leaders. The discussions focus on one central aim: helping security leaders communicate clearly with executive leadership and the board.