Her Story
About Gloria
Gloria Graham serves as Principal Consultant with an enterprise risk management firm, where she is responsible for oversight of the healthcare vertical for Enterprise Risk Management Consulting Services. She brings 31 years of experience in the safety and emergency management field, having previously held the role of Assistant Director for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness for a Health System. Graham holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in leadership. She is a graduate of Northwestern and has completed certificate programs with the Kellogg School of Management focused on crisis leadership and crisis communication. Her credentials include Certified Protection Professional (CPP), CHDA, and certification as a police officer in four different states. Among her notable achievements, she helped the University of Virginia recover and reimagine policing and public safety and security following the Unite the Right rally. Graham chairs the ASIS Healthcare Safety and Security Committee, serves as an instructor for the IAHSS Workplace Violence Prevention Certificate Program, and maintains membership in the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Early in her police career, she received the Blue Star of Bravery award for an encounter with an armed individual. She previously served on the Equity and Diversity Council for the Lee County School System and as a board member for the Pace Center for Girls.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Gloria
01What do you attribute your success to?
Mentorship has been key, along with a humble upbringing that helps me relate to people in crisis with compassion, fairness, and dignity. Treating everyone with kindness regardless of the situation, even when someone is going to jail, and helping families through tough times.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't listen to voices saying you're not ready; have a mentor who says you are ready and to apply anyway. Raise your hand for unglamorous tasks like policy writing, as it helped me advance faster. Volunteer for accreditation teams since writing is a strength.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Pay attention to qualified opinions from mentors and supervisors you trust, ignore unqualified ones telling you you're not ready. Raise your hand to volunteer, stay true to yourself, and take those stretches because they prepare you for the next one, leading to roles like police chief or associate vice president.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Organizations either seek proactive benchmarking against best practices or need post-incident response after events like shootings. The challenge is preferring proactive work to prevent incidents rather than responding after the fact when people are hurting.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect and allowing people to maintain their dignity, especially in tough times.
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