Behind the Track: What Leadership & Workforce Development PCs Look For

What separates a track submission that gets accepted from one that doesn't? On this episode of RSAC Cyber at the Top Podcast, members of the RSAC Leadership & Workforce Development Program Committee open up their review process: the criteria they weigh, the gaps they see most often, and what actually signals a strong proposal versus a forgettable one. Guests include Shawn Harris, VP of Information Security Strategy, Engineering, and Architecture at The Walt Disney Company, alongside fellow committee members John D. Johnson, President/Founder, Docent Institute, and Patricia Titus, Field CISO, Abnormal AI, the conversation draws on years of reviewing Conference submissions to give prospective speakers a real look inside the process. Rather than generic tips, you'll hear the specific criteria reviewers apply and how to shape a submission around them. If you're considering submitting a talk for an RSA Conference 2027 track, this episode is a working guide—practical, direct, and grounded in what reviewers are actually looking for.