Some careers begin with a clear plan, while others take shape through unexpected sources of inspiration. For Vicki Dean, that inspiration came from a fictional advertising executive who demonstrated the importance of confidence, intelligence, and purpose. She never planned to pursue a career in cybersecurity and risk management. As a child, she envisioned herself becoming an advertising executive like Angela Bower, the accomplished character portrayed by Judith Light in the popular sitcom Who’s the Boss?
Her career began in advertising and gradually evolved into one of the most important areas of enterprise technology, third-party risk management. Today, as Vice President of Sales for North America at Supply Wisdom, Vicki brings together two powerful strengths: the instincts of a storyteller and the discipline of a strategist. These strengths have shaped a career defined by her ability to simplify complex ideas, build meaningful relationships, and help organizations navigate an increasingly complex risk landscape.
A Journey into Strategic Risk Leadership
Vicki began her career at respected regional and national advertising agencies, including E.B. Lane and McCann-Erickson. During this time, she developed a strong interest in a simple but important challenge: delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. This principle has remained central to her career.
Her transition into risk management was shaped more by opportunity than by design. Vicki spent seven years leading a team of sales and marketing professionals at Shared Assessments, a membership organization focused on third-party risk management. Her experience in this field showed her that the fundamentals of effective advertising, including clarity, timing, and relevance, also apply to risk management.
She realized that risk professionals must communicate their message clearly and effectively to gain support within their organizations. This insight became a key part of her approach to strategic sales in her current role at Supply Wisdom. The company provides continuous, real-time monitoring of supply chain and location risks.
Leading with Kindness and Trust
When Vicki describes her career mission, she does not focus on quotas or market share. She talks about kindness. She believes kindness and ambition are not opposites. Instead, she sees empathy as a competitive advantage.
Her leadership approach is built on authenticity and trust rather than pressure. She believes people do their best work when they feel safe enough to speak openly and honestly. She brings the same philosophy to sales. Customers can recognize when someone is genuinely listening rather than simply waiting for an opportunity to make a pitch.
Vicki approaches each customer relationship as a partnership focused on solving real problems. She brings an entrepreneurial mindset to every engagement rather than focusing only on closing a deal. “I want customers to see me as a partner who solves problems, not a salesperson chasing a number,” she says.
For more than 25 years, this approach has helped her build relationships that extend beyond individual business transactions, with some developing into lasting friendships outside the workplace. For her, this people-first approach is not only the right way to lead and sell, but it has also delivered stronger and more lasting results.
That approach has also earned strong recognition within Supply Wisdom. Jenna Wells, CEO of Supply Wisdom, describes Vicki as a kind and thoughtful professional who has been a consistent presence in the company’s sales organization for more than four years. Jenna highlights her strong product and industry knowledge, her ability to earn the trust of prospects and colleagues, and her commitment to the values that have guided her career. She considers people like Vicki an important part of what makes leading Supply Wisdom so rewarding.
“Vicki truly encapsulates what it means to be a kind and thoughtful professional. For more than 4 years, she has been the constant force in our sales organization and has never faltered in her core beliefs. Prospects trust her; her product and industry knowledge is unmatched, and she has earned the trust of everyone that she works with. People like Vicki are a big part of why I am so grateful to lead this company every day,” she says.
Transforming Risk into Value
Comprehensive third-party risk, which can include financial, operational, compliance, cybersecurity and geopolitical risks, creates complex challenges for buyers. Much of Vicki’s value comes from making these challenges easier to understand in practical business terms. She begins by identifying what different stakeholders need to achieve. She then connects those needs to the value of reliable risk intelligence.
Many sales professionals rely on discovery calls to learn about prospects. Vicki takes a different approach. She believes the preparation before the first conversation is just as important. She makes sure she understands who she is speaking with and what that person is responsible for. A security leader, procurement professional, risk manager, compliance officer, and executive leader will each have different priorities and concerns.
This level of research once required significant manual effort. Artificial intelligence has now reduced much of that work to seconds. It provides sales representatives with useful insights before they enter their first conversation. Vicki sees this as an important advantage. When used effectively, technology can support better decision-making without adding unnecessary complexity.
Embracing Continuous Risk Management
Traditional third-party risk assessments provide a snapshot of risk at a specific point in time. Vicki is clear about their limitations. A report can become outdated before the assessment is complete. This limitation was one of the reasons she was drawn to Supply Wisdom, which provides continuous, real-time monitoring of supply chains and locations.
She sees this approach as an opportunity to change how companies manage risk. Instead of learning about a supplier’s bankruptcy, cyberattack, or operational disruption months after it occurs, organizations can identify emerging risks early and respond quickly.
She has seen clients move from a reactive approach to a more proactive risk management strategy. This shift has improved efficiency and delivered measurable returns on investment. She sees it as a move away from treating risk management as an annual compliance exercise and toward making it a continuous business discipline. Helping risk professionals save time and work more efficiently remains one of the most rewarding aspects of her career.
Technology-Driven Opportunities
Technology plays an important role in how Vicki identifies new opportunities. Data helps identify companies facing emerging risks, industries dealing with new regulatory requirements, and organizations actively looking for solutions. At Supply Wisdom, this insight helps sales teams begin conversations with greater relevance instead of relying on generic pitches.
However, Vicki also recognizes the limits of data. It can help a salesperson start the conversation, but success depends on what happens next. Building a strong customer relationship still requires active listening, empathy, and a clear understanding of the problem the customer needs to solve.
“I use technology to create better conversations, not to replace human connection,” she says. This philosophy reflects how Vicki views technology. For her, data and artificial intelligence should strengthen human judgment and improve the quality of customer conversations.
Trust Through Integrity
Trust is essential in security and risk sales. Vicki has built her reputation through consistency, honesty, and transparency. She avoids overselling capabilities and is direct when a product is not the right fit for a prospect. She believes this approach builds more credibility than any polished sales presentation.
Earning the Certified Third-Party Risk Professional (CTPRP) credential strengthened that credibility. It demonstrates to customers and partners that she understands their challenges at a technical level and not only the product she represents.
Many of her strongest client relationships have taken years to develop. She builds these relationships through consistent communication, thoughtful guidance, and a consultative approach rather than through a single sales pitch.
Agility in Sales Leadership
Vicki believes an innovative sales organization must treat change as a constant. Regulations change, technology evolves, and customer expectations continue to rise. She encourages herself and her colleagues to stay curious and keep learning.
This means understanding what customers are reading, staying informed about regulatory developments, and recognizing the factors that influence their decisions. It also means avoiding the assumption that a successful sales approach today will work tomorrow.
For Vicki, adaptability is a discipline. It requires continuous learning, strategic thinking, and close attention to market developments. Sales teams must remain connected to changing customer needs rather than relying on approaches that worked in the past.
Empowering Women in Risk Management
The risk management and cybersecurity industries have historically been male-dominated fields. Vicki acknowledges that she has often had to work harder to establish credibility. This experience shaped her leadership style and taught her to lead with knowledge, expertise, and substance.
It also encouraged her to create opportunities for women who are building their careers in the industry. She sees this as a way to give back the support she received from influential women early in her career.
Vicki encourages her female colleagues to participate in industry organizations and professional communities. She is also a member of the Women in Third Party Risk Management group, part of the Third Party Risk Association. She values the group as a platform to support, encourage, and empower women in the field.
Guidance for Future Leaders
For women building careers in sales and marketing, regardless of the industry, Dean offers a clear message: kindness and ambition can work together. They do not need to be treated as opposing qualities.
She encourages emerging professionals to develop a strong understanding of their industry and its technical aspects. Deep knowledge builds credibility and earns respect. At the same time, she advises them to remain attentive to people and their individual needs.
Above all, she recommends patience and a long-term perspective. Strong careers and relationships are built over time through honest conversations, consistent effort, and the lessons gained from experience.
