Start your journey as a Chief Risk Officer.
Learn the skills you need for an executive role as Chief Risk Officer to identify diverse sources of corporate risk, protect your organization, and seize new business opportunities.
Program Overview
George Mason University Executive Education’s Chief Risk Officer program expands your leadership capability to:
- Establish and lead your organization’s risk management function
- Ensure your organization’s Enterprise Risk Management strategy aligns with the overall mission
- Lead the development of an innovative Enterprise Risk Management strategy
- Create a sustainable risk management ecosystem for the organization
- Understand and manage emerging threats to the organization
Next Cohort: February 2027 - May 2027
Delivery: Hybrid; online sessions and in-person sessions at Mason Square (formerly the Arlington Campus)
Cost: $8,500
Contact: execdev@gmu.edu
Program Details
About the Program
Participants develop the executive-level knowledge needed to effectively execute the responsibilities of a Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and act as a liaison with the other members of a C-Suite and other organizational and business units. The program also provides the opportunity to network with current participants and past CRO alumni, George Mason faculty, as well as leading risk experts from the public and private sector.
Importantly, and unique to Mason’s program, certain sections of the Chief Risk Officer program sessions provide avenues for individuals in both the public (government agencies) as well as private (commercial companies) sectors. Also, participants with be co-mingled with members of the other C—Suite programs, including data, and learning. This is done intentionally to allow for cross-pollination and synergies to form with other functional areas of the firm or organization.
This four-month Hy-Flex, hybrid program blends live in-person instruction at Mason Square (formerly the Arlington Campus) with synchronous and online learning modules. It has been carefully designed to deliver the competencies needed for rising and emerging leaders in the risk domain. Faculty members in the program come from Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing, Costello College of Business, College of Science, as well as industry leaders in the public and private sector.
Who Should Attend?
Emerging leaders in the risk ecosystem who wish to expand their career toward senior and executive level leadership should attend.
The ideal candidate has:
- Passion and drive toward understanding and solving organizational challenges
- Working knowledge of current risk management tools and frameworks
- At least 5 years of relevant managerial experience (recommended)
- Existing leadership and managerial experience
Schedule
- In-Person Opening: February 2 - 4, 2027
- Online Sessions: February 9 - March 12, 2027
- Mid-Program In-Person Session: March 17 - 18, 2027
- Online Sessions: March 22 - May 6, 2027
- In-Person Closing: May 11 -12, 2027
Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Establish and lead the risk management function as a strategic and aligned partner with all agency units.
- Think strategically and ensure the ERM strategy fully aligns with and supports the mission and value proposition of the organization.
- Lead the conversation for determining the organization’s risk appetite and tolerance and the threats and opportunities derived from risk.
- In concert with senior leadership, lead the development, a comprehensive strategic enterprise risk management plan with a mission, vision, and specific, measurable goals that are fully aligned with the organization.
- Create and sustain an enabling risk-management ecosystem with conditions to encourage a risk-aware culture and risk management practices.
- Build capacity for being a leader and effectively exercising leadership as a senior executive.
- Lead the organization in viewing risk management as an opportunity for innovation and change to drive mission performance.
Executive Certificate
This program is delivered as a non-degree, executive certificate. Attendees have the opportunity to add a badge credential from Credly for successful completion of the program to their resume for organizational recognition (internal and external) and to indicate the accomplishment of obtaining a George Mason University credential. In addition to the Credly badge, attendees receive 8.5 CEUs upon successful completion of the program.
Executive Education is a proud educational partner with both the Association for Federal and Enterprise Risk Management (AFERM) and the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA).
"The George Mason Chief Risk Officer Program has had a significant impact on my development as a public sector leader. The program expanded my perspective beyond traditional risk management and reinforced the critical connection between strategic leadership, organizational resilience, and public service. As someone responsible for employee safety, workers' compensation, and risk management across Hanover County and Hanover County Public Schools, I gained practical tools to better identify emerging risks, strengthen cross-functional collaboration, and support informed decision-making. The experience challenged me to think more strategically about protecting our workforce while advancing organizational goals, and it connected me with an exceptional network of leaders dedicated to serving their communities through effective and forward-thinking leadership."
Matthew Phillips, CRO 2026 | Safety & Risk Manager, Hanover County
"I lead the Accounting, Finance, Compliance, and Contracting functions at Avascent, a global strategy, and management consulting firm. In my role as director of finance, I oversee financial forecasting and reporting, internal controls, international tax, and regulatory compliance, and contracting. I had the pleasure to attend GMU’s chief risk officer program. Our instructors were excellent, and I found the content very thorough and timely. I would recommend the program to any finance, risk, or internal audit professionals interested in strengthening their leadership and strategic thinking skillset.”
Alice Bernardi, CRO '21 | Director of Finance at Avascent
Program Curriculum
The curriculum is composed of the three core competencies areas that were identified by risk leaders and academics as necessary for the Chief Risk Officer of the Future.
Governance, Compliance, and Stewardship (Fulfills ECQ 1)
Policy, Regulations and Compliance
The purpose of this topic is to help Chief Risk Officers (CROs) and other risk management personnel understand the legal, regulatory and compliance environment impact on the organization’s ERM program and risk appetite. Participants will be introduced to frameworks for understanding ERM in relation to the organization’s extended enterprise and broader external environment; managing ERM programs holistically across all relevant domains; and the importance of organizing ERM to promote transparency.
Faculty
- David Halwig and Temika Edwards
The CRO as a Leader in the Organization
In an increasingly complex and uncertain operating environment, the Chief Risk Officer plays a critical leadership role that extends well beyond compliance and reporting. As organizations navigate rapid technological change, evolving risk profiles, and workforce transformation, the CRO is uniquely positioned to provide enterprisewide perspective, strategic foresight, and decision support. Drawing on lessons learned from the establishment of federal ERM policy, including the implementation of OMB Circular No. A-123, this session highlights how effective ERM can be positioned as a leadership capability rather than a control function.
Faculty:
- Michael Wetklow
Strategy, Innovation, and Enterprise Performance (Fulfills ECQ 2 & 5)
AI and the Future of Business
In this session, we will explore the foundational concepts of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including the principles of machine learning and deep learning, to develop a clear understanding of how AI works. We will then examine the fundamentals of Generative AI, with a focus on large language models (LLMs) that power tools like ChatGPT. Finally, we will discuss practical business applications of AI, showcasing how organizations can leverage these technologies to drive innovation, improve efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. This session aims to provide participants with a framework for understanding key concepts of AI and its transformative potential in the business world, while also acknowledging its limitations.
Faculty:
- Pallab Sanyal
AI Risk: Leadership Challenges
This is an executive-focused workshop that equips leaders to govern AI risk using key Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) principles. The session also provides leaders with a practical ERM toolkit to govern AI and steer AI initiatives with confidence—linking strategy, organizational goals, governance, and controls—while preserving the pace of innovation and enabling leadership to make faster, safer, and more accountable decisions about where and how to deploy AI.
Faculty:
- Nikki Wood
Business and Process Excellence
Operational processes are designed to deliver exceptional value to customers and clients, both internal and external. However, over time inefficiencies creep in or new technology is created to improve processes. Designing and managing processes involves identifying bottlenecks, using appropriate metrics, and innovating to improve value, while managing variability. Lean management tools help to deliver value while identifying wasted time and activities. In this session, we discuss the role of operational excellence in facilitating change and delivering value.
Faculty:
- Yannis Bellos
Data Analytics and Metrics for ERM
This course provides Chief Risk Officers (CROs) and senior risk professionals with a practical framework for using data analytics and metrics to drive enterprise risk management (ERM) outcomes. Participants will explore the intersection of risk governance, data integrity, and advanced analytics in shaping a resilient, data-driven organization. The course emphasizes the value of data as an enterprise asset, the evolution of risk intelligence capabilities, and the critical role of metrics in communicating risk appetite, tolerance, and performance.
Faculty:
- Ronald Black
Being a Strategic C-Suite Leader
In today’s rapidly evolving environment, C-Suite leaders need to go beyond operational execution to think strategically. This session will explore what strategic thinking means and how executives can cultivate it to drive their success.
Faculty:
- Greg Unruh
Creativity and Innovation
The goal of this session is to practice using the construct of Appreciative Intelligence® for creativity, new ideas generation, and innovation. Using experiential approaches, you will learn to develop new insights into typical leadership challenges and develop the capacity to question traditional approaches to management respectfully and non-judgmentally. Honoring the applied nature of the program, we will practice tools for developing a creative mindset during the half-day session.
Faculty:
- Tojo Thatchenkerry
Risk Management Strategies, Tactics, and the Future of ERM
The focus of this session will be on enabling risk leaders to understand the importance of how and why their risk strategy and the management of the risk profile, is critical to the ultimate success of their organization through risk informed decision-making and its ability to help deliver mission.
Faculty:
- Chris Mandel
The Evolution of ESG to Sustainability and Resilience
The purpose of this topic is to provide participants with an understanding of sustainability and resilience through the lens of growing demands for investor grade information about company viability and sustainable performance over the longer term. The focus of this topic will be on enabling risk leaders and aspiring CROs to understand the role played by sustainability at the strategy setting level in organizations and the contribution it makes to resilience in pursuit of ultimate mission delivery. Emphasis will be placed on global and US sustainability (existing and proposed) rules and how the fundamentals of risk management are applied within these related programs.
Faculty:
- Chris Mandel and Peadar Duffy
Linking Human Centered Design Principles to ERM
The focus of this topic is the design of ERM approaches and the application of Human-Centered Design Thinking principles to shape effectiveness.
Faculty:
- Dr. Karen Hardy
Leadership and Organizational Readiness (Fulfills ECQ 3 & 4)
Analytical Decision Making
In this session, participants will explore the essential tools and techniques for making informed, strategic decisions in today’s fastpaced business environment. We will explore how leaders can summarize critical data, predict future outcomes, visualize complex information, and effectively communicate their findings to persuade stakeholders. Participants will also gain insights into handling uncertainty, avoiding cognitive biases, and incorporating ethical considerations into their decision-making processes.
Faculty:
- Bryan Sullivan
Scenario Analysis and Stress Testing
In an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, Chief Risk Officers must move beyond static risk registers and embrace Scenario Analysis and Stress Testing as proactive tools for organizational foresight and resilience. This module equips senior risk leaders to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to adverse yet plausible scenarios that could materially impact their organizations’ strategic objectives, operations, and reputation.
Faculty:
- Soubhagya Parija
Understanding Organizational Change
Leading Organizational Change and Transition will focus on the unique dynamics of the complex human and behavioral components of the evolving change process in the context of some of our most familiar change strategies. In addition, we will introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a strategic tool for defining your organization’s unique change process.
Faculty:
- Victoria Grady
Business Continuity
The purpose of this topic is to introduce participants to the role the Chief Risk Officer in building a Business Continuity Plan and the best practices for current crisis planning. The focus of this session is the evolving role of the chief risk officer's (CRO) job as it relates to business continuity. The CRO position has evolved from what was mainly a focus on regulatory compliance to include across-the board oversight of everything from Sarbanes-Oxley to credit risk to a current priority of business continuity.
Faculty:
- Mark Livingston
The C-Suite Leader in an Organization
This session will provide insight and perspective from a former Csuite executive about what it takes to transition to the next level. The skills and mental models that got you here may not be the same ones you’ll need to employ for future success. As you ascend to the top of your organization, the stakeholder universe becomes more complex and the demands placed on you will be even greater. Leading across the enterprise requires a different mindset and a real exercise in selfreflection. Adaptation is key. Together, we’ll address some common misconceptions about C-suite leadership, discuss the importance of it in today’s environment, and examine the types of adjustments that are necessary to be effective in these critical roles.
Faculty:
- Michael Derrios
Cultivating a Positive Organizational Culture
This session will introduce the construct of emotional culture and demonstrate the importance of cultivating a positive emotional culture for employees, teams, divisions, and organizations. We will distinguish among the key emotions impacting culture and describe how individuals and organizations can achieve enhanced employee health and well-being, higher functioning teams, and improved financial performance through engagement in business practices, work relationships, and culture change initiatives aimed at managing the negative effects of emotions and cultivating a positive emotional culture. We will highlight evidence-based techniques that individual contributors and managers can integrate into their daily work practices to increase personal and professional success.
Faculty:
- Mandy O’Neill
Communication Techniques for Dynamic Teams
Dynamic, interactive, and energizing, this session will highlight the tenets of improvisation and deftly tie them to real-world applicability in an extremely entertaining and thought-provoking way. Together we'll experience learning by practicing proactive techniques that bring the people skills needed for collaborative decision making to life.
Influencing and Negotiation
This is a session on the fundamentals of negotiation and conflict management theory and best practices in organizations. Most individuals have incorrect assumptions about the best ways to manage conflict in organizations and how to negotiate in the most effective way. Further, many people avoid conflict because of preconceived notions about what is going to happen to them and/or inherent fears. The purpose of this session is to both change those incorrect assumptions while getting participants to feel more comfortable in a variety of negotiation / conflict management contexts.
Faculty:
- Kevin Rockmann
“The George Mason [University] program for business executives is unparalleled. You will experience fast-paced, relevant education from pre-eminent practitioners alongside peers at the top of their game. I am unsure which was more impressive...my classmates or my professors! Be prepared to challenge your own thinking and possibly change your convictions with immediate application to your job the next day in many cases. I would certainly recommend this program for any individual serious about their discipline and ready to elevate their innovation."
Twane Duckworth, CRO '21| Managing Director of Risk Management, City of Garland