February 2020 Volunteer of the Month

Mark Sward

Vice President and Global Head of Privacy
Sterling

My role at PBSA is
At the PBSA, I am a member of the Canada Council Government Relations Committee, a member of the Background Screening Credentialing Council, and an occasional participant in the U.S. Government Relations Committee activities, especially where they relate to the CCPA and other privacy laws. 

Why I wanted to volunteer with PBSA
I'm constantly impressed by the depth of knowledge, engagement, and enthusiasm of PBSA members.  It's such a pleasure to work in an industry where different people from different organizations are so willing to collaborate and share their wisdom.

What I do when not at work
My two hobbies outside of work are food and travel.  I love to cook at home, and my professional chef husband and I have traveled the world tasting exotic (and not-so-exotic) flavours.  I go to absurd lengths to collect points and miles to upgrade our travel experiences.

What I'm reading
I don't read nearly as much as I'd like, but I have been catching up on the Netflix series "The Crown". 

Favorite blogs
Professionally, I love the blogs put out by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).  When I'm looking for a diversion from work, I usually go to travel-related blogs on boardingarea.com, like One Mile at a Time and Live and Let's Fly.

On my desk right now
I like to keep a pretty clean desk.  Apart from some business cards and a photo of me and my husband, I have a copy of the CCPA (and draft regulations), a copy of the Netherlands private investigation regulations, and a cup of coffee.