Cortney Mathews, PMP
Cortney Mathews, PMP, is the Head of Client Success at Sandia Insights, where she leads the client experience for Clarity360, a B2B SaaS platform. In her role, she ensures organizations can effectively run complex risk programs by overseeing platform development, operational strategy, and client relationships. Her work spans building control frameworks aligned with NIST CSF, NIST AI RMF, the EU AI Act, EDCI, and Operational Risk standards, while managing cross-functional teams and operational processes including finance, contracts, and HR.
Throughout her 20-plus year career, Cortney has built experience across finance, contracting, and procurement before finding her niche in cybersecurity and risk management about eight years ago. Cybersecurity was new to her at the time, but she was drawn to the challenge and the opportunity to help protect businesses and safeguard client information. For the past seven years, she worked with Kroll before spinning out to create Sandia Insights about a year ago, bringing the platform and IP with her. As Head of Client Success, she is deeply client-facing, helping clients build robust risk programs for third-party risk management and supporting private capital relationships around operational risk, EDCI, and regulatory compliance.
What Cortney finds most fulfilling is the personal interaction with clients—supporting them, helping them grow, and adding meaningful value. Because Sandia Insights is a lean team, she also wears many hats, overseeing operations across product, HR, and finance, which keeps her involved in every aspect of the business. Her professional philosophy emphasizes empathy, situational awareness, and actionable problem-solving, balancing competing perspectives to create solutions that work. Outside of work, she contributes to her community through volunteering with the Humane Society and the National MS Society.
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• Central Washington University - BA. Business, Nutrition
• Humane Society
• National MS Society
• Relay For Life of Greater Heights
What do you attribute your success to?
I still remember a boss early in my career, probably about 5 years in, who told me something that really stuck with me: if you aren't making mistakes, you aren't trying hard enough. That thought of just going for it, even when it's scary, has been powerful for me. Yes, you're going to make mistakes along the way and you're going to learn, but that's okay. I think that mindset of not being afraid to push myself, to take on new challenges, and to learn from those mistakes has been one of the biggest factors in my success over the years.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received came from a boss about 5 years into my career. He told me that if you aren't making mistakes, you aren't trying hard enough. That really resonated with me because it shifted my perspective on taking risks. It's that thought of just going for it, even when it's scary. You have to push yourself, and yes, you're going to make mistakes along the way and you're going to learn from them, but that's okay. That advice has stuck with me throughout my entire career and has given me the confidence to take on new challenges, like moving into cybersecurity even though it was completely new to me.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to keep growing never stop learning, seeking opportunities, and challenging yourself. Embrace every experience as a chance to develop your skills, build your network, and gain confidence. Stay curious, be resilient in the face of obstacles, and trust your abilities; growth comes from both successes and lessons learned along the way
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now really comes down to bridging the gap between people and technology. We're working with both people first and foremost, and technology, and finding that balance between the personal aspect and what a machine can do is critical. I think this has become even more pronounced recently with the evolution of AI and everything happening in that world. It's about using technology to help you be more efficient and guide you in the right directions, while still maintaining that personal touch and people-first mentality. My clients are the most important thing to me, and that personal interaction, supporting them and helping them grow and get better, is really what makes me tick. So the challenge is leveraging all these technological advances without losing that human connection that's so essential to what we do.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
People come first for me, both professionally and personally. At the end of the day, we're all individuals with our own strengths, and I believe there's an opportunity to find the strengths in everyone. For me, it's about being a hard worker, thinking outside of the box, and really enjoying a challenge. I love that moment when you think you've solved a difficult problem. Communication skills are huge for me too, particularly being able to understand your audience and how to deliver a message so that it lands with them. I think that's a big thing that doesn't necessarily show up on a resume, but it's so important. Those softer skills like the ability to read people, understand what they're looking for, and ask questions about what they need rather than just blurting out what you know are what really matter. The ambition, the drive, and that people-first mentality are what guide everything I do.