416-320-2623 

STRENGTHENING BUSINESS DECISIONS WITH RISK INTELLIGENT INFORMATION

CYBER SECURITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Cyber security and risk management is essential for any business or organization that uses technology. At IT Risk and Security Advisory Services (I.T.R.S.), we offer security consulting services to companies and government agencies globally. Our consultants integrate with traditional and cross-functional teams to support short - and long-term business objectives.

As a Digital Advisor in Canada's Digital Adoption Program, we help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with their Digital Transformation Journey.

Identity Verification:  Sherita-Tara Kissoon has attained the following:  1) Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC), 2) Vulnerable Sector Check, 3) NEXUS, 4) DNA to work/volunteer within high risk communities.


IT Risk and Security Advisory Services (I.T.R.S.)

I.T.R.S. is a security consulting company based in Canada. We provide guidance and leadership on information security and risk management initiatives to global organizations. Our founder has more than 25 years of experience inthe financial services industry and has completed projects with many of Canada's largest banks, academic and technology organizations. She is acknowledged as a leader in the field with a talent for problem-solving and effective resource management.

CLIENT CENTRIC SERVICES

Welcome to IT Risk and Security Advisory Services. We are the premier provider of Advisory Services, and through our e-commerce mall, we offer Art, Books, Fashion and Customized Items. Our goal is to provide the very best in our in-person and virtual services. Because our quality standards are high, our Consultants, Artists and Authors are among the best in the business. Our goal is to always deliver excellence in our products and services with the mindset of the customer comes first. We want you, our valued customer, to be satisfied. Here is a list of our client centric services:

S. Tara Kissoon's Bookstore

AUTHOR

Tara Kissoon is an author, and has an e-commerce business which showcases her Children's Non-Fiction Books @ www.thevirtualmall.ca, Amazon, The Book Patch, Kindle Lending Programs and Ontario Libraries through Indie Ontario. Her publishers include ITRS, Taylor & Francis (Routledge) and Austin Macauley, UK.

Advisory Services, Academic Teaching and Research

DIGITAL ADVISOR

Cybersecurity - Canada's Digital Adoption Program (CDAP): Helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on their digital transformation journeys through CDAP.

PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT 

Lead on niche assignments.

SALES

American Income Life Insurance Company

PROFESSOR 

Responsible for developing, preparing, and delivering courses within the School of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

SOLUTIONS

Every organization is different, we tailor our services to meet our client's unique needs. We take a client-centric approach that allows us to develop the right solutions for your organization.

AREAS OF PRACTICE:

  • Digital Advisor - Canada's Digital Adoption Program (CDAP)

  • Sales

  • Strategic & Thought Leadership

  • Program & Project Leadership

  • Operational & Managerial Leadership

  • Change Management & Implementation

  • Client & Relationship Management

  • Governance, IT Audit & Compliance

  • Digital, Data & Cloud Security

  • eCommerce & Mobile Security

  • Cyber Risk & Privacy

  • Academic Teaching & Research

  • Subject Matter Expertise in Information Security

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Tara has undertaken a range of major initiatives over the course of her career. She has led the development and implementation of Information Technology, Information Risk and Information Security strategies and associated work plans on multi million dollar initiatives. She has fostered strong relationships in support of LEAN implementations within Visa, TD, RBC and BMO resulting in cost savings of several million dollars.

Academic & Health Care

ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY

Tara was responsible to develop the digital cyber security risk management and vulnerability management programs. This included policy development in support of the University's Digital Security Program.

SENECA COLLEGE

As a Professor, Tara led the development, delivery and evaluation of IT curriculum; Data Communication, Security, Novell and Cisco Academy Training Courses. (MCP/MCT, CCAI).

As a Member of Academic Council, Tara worked with a team to create and maintain College-wide policies.

Tara was a member on the Advisory Committee to establish the proposal for an Applied Degree - Informatics, with a specialization in Security and Privacy.

MACKENZIE HEALTH

Tara worked for ten years at this Health Care facility providing administrative support to various medical units including the Emergency department.

Financial Services & Insurance

BANK OF MONTREAL

The primary function of the head of IT Risk Management, Corporate Support Areas (ITRM CSAs) was to lead the Information Risk (IR) CSA, Technology Risk Management CSAs, and Technology Operational Risk Management functions.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA

Tara led a global cross-functional IT Risk team to support the Global Wealth Management business segment. She worked with a team to implement several enterprise technology initiatives and was involved in the Strategic Enterprise Program.

TD BANK

Tara was hired to lead a team of Business Technology Risk Managers (BTRMs) to support Canadian Banking (TDCT) , TD Insurance, Canadian Auto Finance, Canadian Cards, North American Merchant Services, Payment Card Industry initiatives across the enterprise to include Mergers and Acquisitions.

CIBC

Tara was a Systems Developer responsible for building, installing and modifying the code for the Interactive Voice Response System (IVR) along with the testing of Mondex through a wireless connection.

AETNA, MANULIFE FINANCIAL, FORESTORS, COOPERATIVE TRUST OF CANADA (CTCC)

Tara worked as an IT Auditor on Technical Audits - Y2K, System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Oracle, Unix, Windows, SQL, various applications.

AMERICAN INCOME LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (AO) 

Sales Agent

Government & Technology

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN CANADA

As a Digital Advisor in Canada's Digital Adoption Program (CDAP), Tara provides guidance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on their digital transformation journeys through CDAP. Tara works with SMEs on the creation  of their digital adoption plan:  Queens Family Dentistry.

In addition, Tara has worked on many initiatives within the Government of Ontario and York Region.

NTT

Tara was responsible to lead the project implementation for the Real Time Threat Management (RTM) - as - a -service - solution in Brookfield Asset Management. As a technical consultant, she was involved in various initiatives to include Scotiabank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), National Academy of Science (NAS), and PreSales.

BLACKBERRY

Tara collaborated with a team to develop the payment security area within Blackberry and provided leadership and effective management to influence strategic initiatives across the organization.

Retail & Payments

VISA INC.

Tara was originally hired by this global payment technology company to lead specific Canadian and Global risk and security programs. Her expertise was leveraged to design, build, assess and advise on payment system risk and security initiatives globally. She conducted approximately 300+ information security assessments and various training programs on behalf of Visa.

She represented Visa at the PCI Security Standards Council (SSC) on the Technical Working Group (TWG) and was responsible to support all Payment Card Industry (PCI) initiatives.

MEMBERS OF INTERAC

Tara completed annual compliance assessments benchmarking these environments using the Interac Regulations:  Credit Unions in Canada.

AMERICAN STANDARD, INCO, SEARS CANADA

Tara worked as an IT Auditor on Regulatory Audits: Sarbanes Oxley, SAP, Peoplesoft.

SHERITA TARA KISSOON

S. Tara Kissoon is a multi-certified Technology, Risk & Security Leader with twenty-five years of technology experience, twenty years of IT Risk and Security experience in the financial services industry. She brings continued success on leading Technology, I.T. Risk and Security programs within large organizations.

Tara has a Master of Science (MSc) in Information Security with Upper Second Class Honours from Royal Holloway College, University of London and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction from Rotman School of Business, University of Toronto. Tara obtained a Certificate in Network Engineering with High Distinction from Indus System achieving her Certified Novell Engineer (CNE). She is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Tara is currently working on her PhD by Publication, and to date has published her academic research as follows: 1) Optimum Spending on Cybersecurity Measures, 2) Optimum Spending on Cybersecurity Measures: Part II and her recent book: 3) Optimal Spending on Cybersecurity Measures - Risk Management (Hardback ISBN is: 9781032061405), 4) Optimal Spending on Cybersecurity Measures - DevOps (2023). in support of Cybersecurity Initiatives. Tara also published a series of Children Non-Fiction Books which are available in many countries through Amazon.

Awards

  • 6th PORTRAIT - Finalist Award: "Lines of Experience", "The Investigator" - Art Show International Gallery, International Juried Art Competition

  • 8th ABSTRACT - Finalist Award: "Diamond Tower", "Venice", "Tower Bridge", "Varanasi @ Night" - Art Show International Gallery, International Juried Art Competition

  • 5th FIGURATIVE - Finalist Award: "Never Give Up", "Daisen" - Art Show International Gallery, International Juried Art Competition

  • 3rd WATER - Finalist Award: "Enlightenment", "Caribbean Twilight", "Australian Sunrise", "New Zealand Sunset" - Art Show International Gallery, International Juried Art Competition

  • 7th ABSTRACT - Talent Award: "Louvre", "Exotic", "Sacred Heart" - Art Show International Gallery, International Juried Art Competition

  • 6th OPEN – Talent Award: “Athens” - Art Show International Gallery, International Juried Art Competition

  • Service Excellence Award: Cybersecurity Team - Dimension Data Canada

  • First mobile handset to achieve Visa and Mastercard NFC Certification on an embedded element - Blackberry

  • Distinction - Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

  • Award of Merit - Royal Holloway, University of London

  • Quarterly Achievement Award – Visa

  • Achievers Award - CIBC

  • Highest Average, Highest Number of Certification Exams & First Place – Business Proposal - Indus System Training Centre

License / Associations

Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) - Life License Qualification Program (LLQP)

ISC2 – Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP):

- Board Member - Toronto Chapter, Participant on the Women's, Undergraduate and Graduate ISC2 Scholarship Review Committee, Participant on the Centre for Cyber Safety & Education: Canadian Advisory Committee

Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) – Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA):

- Gold Level Member, Committee Member – ISACA CACs - EUROCACs - ISRM, Conference Speaker

Community Involvement: 

Leadership Building Activity: University of London's Alumni Ambassador, Board Member (Youth Speak), Judge (Enactus), Build for the Future (TD Bank)

Volunteer/Charitable Events/Personal Interests:  St. Patrick's Parish, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Women's Shelter, Volunteer Toronto-Governance Training for New Board Members, York Region Board of Education - Association for Bright Children (ABC) Representative, TD Bank/Youth In Motion - Mentor, Ride to Conquer Cancer, Ride for Heart, Sporting Life 10km run, RBC Run for Kids, Acrylic & Oil Painting, Golf, Music: Vocals, Swimming, Variety Night, Jobs Daughters (Bethel #12: Past Senior Princess), Girl Guides

Linkedln: www.linkedin.com/in/starakissoon

Facebook:  #ITRISK

Instagram: #tara_kissoon

Twitter: #ITRISK1

Contact Us

Making organizations more secure with I.T.R.S.
We offer a wide range of consulting services to strengthen organizational security, privacy and compliance initiatives.

Markham, Ontario Canada

tkissoon1970@gmail.com

Sun: Closed, Mon-Fri: 8 am-6 pm, Sat: 10 am-4 pm