In this Ask-Me-Anything style masterclass, Gary Henderson draws on his experience securing federal systems and managing risk frameworks to help leaders get oriented on AI governance — before they write a single policy. Bring your real questions about where to begin, what guardrails matter most, and how to build buy-in early.

Most leaders know they need AI guardrails. Few know where to start. This session is about orientation — the right early questions, how to think about risk tiering before you have a formal framework, and how to make the case internally.

Come ready to discuss:

• What's actually driving the urgency around AI governance in your organization right now

• What questions you should be asking before you write a policy — and whether you're already behind

• Where frameworks like the NIST AI RMF might apply to your situation, and where they're overkill this early

• Gaps in your current thinking you might not know you have

Note: This is an Ask-Me-Anything style session — designed for discussion and live Q&A. Come with your real questions and challenges.

More About Gary

Gary Henderson spent a decade in the federal government, including serving as an Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM) at the IRS, where he was responsible for assessing and monitoring the security posture of cloud systems under FISMA and FedRAMP. That experience — applying rigorous risk management frameworks to high-stakes federal environments — led him to ask a question that wouldn't leave him alone: why aren't we doing this for AI?

That question sparked years of independent research into AI governance, responsible AI, and the policy frameworks being built globally. Gary writes and speaks at the intersection of cybersecurity, cloud governance, and AI policy — bringing a practitioner's perspective to one of the most important conversations happening in organizations today.

He is the author of The Governance Gap, a widely shared piece on AI governance and policy. He has also developed and published a suite of original AI governance frameworks — including an AI Governance Controls Crosswalk, an AI Risk Assessment Template, and a Vendor Risk Review Framework — designed to help organizations translate policy into operational practice. Gary is actively engaged in the AI governance conversation across professional communities and platforms such as Linkedin, All Tech is Human connecting with leaders, founders, and practitioners navigating the intersection of AI, risk, and policy in real time.