Certification Profile: Brooke Hopperstad, APP 

Brooke Hopperstad, APP, started her career at HAPO Community Credit Union as a teenager. From the first day, her supervisors drilled physical security and situational awareness as critical parts of working in a financial institution. Despite this general awareness of the importance of security, Hopperstad planned to stay in the banking services industry and never expected to become a security professional. 

But one fateful day, eight years after Hopperstad started at HAPO, she was asked to take a more involved role in corporate security and business continuity management. Hopperstad quickly found that she had a deep interest in ensuring the effectiveness of safety and security programs and continually strengthening those systems as threats evolve. 

“I care very much about the company I work for and the people I work with,” Hopperstad says. “I believe that care and passion for the company I work for has driven my interest in the security field.” 

Because she became more involved with security policy, Hopperstad told her boss she wanted to get a formal security certification to both assess and increase her knowledge and to lend credibility to her experience. Not sure where to look, Hopperstad and her boss turned to the Web to find a reputable certification organization and came upon ASIS. 

“I had never heard of ASIS at that time; however, the reviews spoke for themselves,” Hopperstad says. “We easily determined ASIS was the clear fit for the next chapter of my security journey.” 

Through studying for the Associate Protection Professional (APP) certification, Hopperstad was able to reaffirm that she was on the right track with her experience thus far, while also learning new tools and knowledge that could improve her company’s security posture in the future. Hopperstad plans to get more certifications in the future as she progresses through her career. 

Not long after becoming an ASIS member in 2022, Hopperstad joined the ASIS Columbia Basin Chapter, now known as Eastern Washington, and she was asked to serve as the chapter’s vice chair. She now serves as the Eastern Washington chapter chair. In addition to being involved at the chapter level, Hopperstad is a member of the ASIS Banking and Finance Subject Area Community. 

You cannot ‘set it and forget it’ when it comes to protecting people and assets, nor is security something that we can do alone.

“I personally have gained so much knowledge as well as many resources for strengthening my company’s security program and protocols by being a member of ASIS,” Hopperstad says. “Being able to attend relevant continued education courses makes me feel confident in the ongoing relevance of my knowledge as a security professional.” 

Hopperstad still works at HAPO, now as a physical security and life safety manager. She also works on the organization’s business continuity management team. 

“I recommend ASIS to any security professional that I meet,” Hopperstad says. “You cannot ‘set it and forget it’ when it comes to protecting people and assets, nor is security something that we can do alone. Being a part of a bigger group that supports you in succeeding and with others who have the same overall goal as you is incredibly valuable.” 

Emily Callahan is a communications specialist for ASIS International. Connect with her on LinkedIn here.