Chris Tarbell is a leading privacy, cyber, and data strategy executive. He currently serves as the Chief Privacy Officer for VERSANT Media LLC. Prior to his current role, Chris was an associate general counsel for Fanatics and the Walt Disney Company, where he advised global businesses on compliance with domestic and international privacy, data security, and related consumer protection laws. Most recently, Chris served as Senior Counsel at the leading law firm of Kelley Drye and Warren, where he also supported clients in numerous regulatory investigations related to marketing and advertising.

In this episode…

Building strong privacy programs relies on human connection and a deep understanding of organizational dynamics and business goals. To be successful, privacy professionals must participate in the business rather than just focusing on meeting legal requirements. This approach enables leaders to advocate for the tools, budget, headcount, and other resources to move the program forward. Because privacy impacts many business functions, it is very much a people business, requiring strong relationships, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to build trust with stakeholders and internal teams. So, what steps can companies take to achieve this?

Putting this into practice starts with assembling a people-first privacy team and hiring individuals with the soft skills to step into unfamiliar situations, assess what is needed, and work across departments to move the program forward. By bringing curiosity and enjoyment to privacy work, they create an environment where other departments are more willing to involve privacy early and often. This approach is especially important in the media industry, where privacy pros may need to work with news colleagues to balance the right to be forgotten with First Amendment considerations or partner with intellectual property teams to protect personal information during piracy investigations. And while collaboration is essential, teams must also determine what can realistically be achieved with the time and resources available without allowing perfection to stall progress.

In this episode of She Said Privacy/He Said Security, Jodi and Justin Daniels speak with Chris Tarbell, Chief Privacy Officer at VERSANT Media, about building effective privacy programs through relationships and collaboration. Chris explains how his experience as both in-house and outside counsel shaped his ability to understand business objectives, advocate for resources, and communicate the value of privacy. He shares insights on the cross-disciplinary nature of privacy work in the media industry, lessons from building a program during a major corporate spinoff, and the importance of creating a people-first privacy team capable of handling unfamiliar business challenges. Chris also explains why bringing some fun to privacy work can make a program more effective.