Certification Profile: Valentina Sabucco, APP
Valentina Sabucco, APP, never foresaw a career in the security industry. Sabucco has always had a particular interest in cultural heritage and the ways that culture impacts different communities, from entertainment to education and beyond. While studying classics and cultural heritage, Sabucco began to notice how fragile cultural heritage can be and how many different factors threaten to damage or destroy it. She developed an interest in protecting cultural heritage by learning how to mitigate threats, which led her to the security industry and fostered an interest in risk assessment and the protection of assets.
Sabucco worked to cultivate her knowledge of the security industry by first pursuing a student placement at Blue Shield International, an NGO protecting cultural heritage in crisis, and then working for consultancy companies such as Trident Manor and WSP after finishing her master’s degree in heritage studies from Newcastle University. While working at Trident Manor, the company's Managing Director Andy Davis, CPP, introduced her to ASIS International. He had been a member for many years and thought Sabucco could benefit from the vast network and the opportunities for professional growth that ASIS offered. Sabucco took his advice and joined ASIS in 2021; she has remained a member since.
“I have met many people from around the world with whom I am regularly in touch and that have made my journey into the security sector a very enjoyable one,” Sabucco says. “I am really glad I have followed that initial suggestion and I am now part of this vibrant community!”
After becoming a member of ASIS, Sabucco decided to pursue the Associate Protection Professional (APP) certification. Sabucco felt that—particularly because her background was not originally in security—having a certification from an internationally recognized organization like ASIS could help legitimize and demonstrate her security knowledge. She also particularly noted the value of ASIS’s international acclaim, as she often works with individuals and organizations from across the globe.
Sabucco also noted that beyond the advantages of earning her certification and building her network, ASIS has also provided a variety of resources that build her experience and keep her well-informed on all the latest and greatest developments in the industry.
“There is a great variety of resources that are available and open to members to consult, as well as online events and topic specific communities, which I personally found very useful to keep myself up to date on recent trends and best practices in the sector,” Sabucco says.
For the last year, Sabucco has worked as the manager of security and protection at the Arts Council England. She has national oversight of security arrangements at cultural venues that enable the national museums of the United Kingdom to lend art and other cultural items to other museums, sites, and cultural institutions. Sabucco is also responsible for working to improve the protection of collections and collaborating with partners to create more resources and training.
“The security industry is a challenging but very rewarding field which I would encourage anyone with an interest in it to pursue,” Sabucco says. “I am very thankful to all ASIS members I have met so far to have made, and continue to make, this journey a very meaningful one.”
Emily Callahan is a communications specialist for ASIS International. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
