Joseph Norris is a seasoned and dynamic executive whose name has become synonymous with excellence in enterprise risk management, compliance, and governance. With a career spanning more than two decades across financial services, technology, and consulting, Joseph brings a rare combination of operational insight, strategic foresight, and a passion for building resilient, high-performing organizations. He currently serves as the Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management at Desert Financial Credit Union, Arizona’s largest credit union with over $9 billion in assets and more than 350,000 members. In this role, Joseph is not only responsible for leading the credit union’s enterprise risk portfolio but also for cultivating a culture of proactive risk awareness that strengthens both operational performance and member trust.
Joseph’s leadership is deeply rooted in a practical understanding of how risk intersects with innovation, service delivery, and regulatory compliance. He is credentialed in the Governance of Enterprise IT (GEIT) and as a Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE), which further underscores his ability to design and operationalize forward-thinking, scalable frameworks that support both business growth and regulatory adherence. Whether guiding enterprise-wide IT governance efforts at Early Warning®, shaping compliance frameworks at Wells Fargo, or providing high-impact consulting as a Risk and Compliance Principal Consultant at Eliassen Group, Joseph consistently demonstrates the ability to unite business and technical teams around shared goals and deliver tangible outcomes.
His broad-ranging expertise includes regulatory compliance, cybersecurity risk, third party risk oversight, vendor partnership management, and internal controls, all underpinned by a strong foundation in process improvement methodologies such as Six Sigma, ITIL, and COBIT. Joseph has overseen risk and governance strategies across portfolios of more than 500 vendor-partners, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and regulatory expectations. He is particularly adept at helping organizations mature their first-line risk functions and build integrated risk management platforms that translate strategy into action. At Early Warning, Joseph led the transformation of the company’s enterprise risk and IT governance programs, aligning them with COSO’s 2017 ERM Framework and embedding compliance into daily operations. His work not only elevated the company’s internal risk posture but also created a culture where risk became a shared responsibility across the business.
Prior to his leadership in the credit union and fintech sectors, Joseph developed his governance and risk management expertise during a nearly 20-year tenure at American Express, where he held progressively senior roles in operations, governance, and compliance. His leadership there included oversight of large-scale vendor relationships, enterprise governance policy creation, and the implementation of customer-centric solutions during critical incidents—providing a strong foundation for his current third party risk oversight and vendor governance work.
Beyond his technical acumen and strategic leadership, Joseph is recognized as a collaborative and trusted advisor, both within the organizations he serves and as a consultant. His ability to engage cross-functional teams, build consensus, and translate complex regulatory and operational challenges into actionable plans sets him apart as a true enterprise risk leader. Colleagues and clients alike know him for his integrity, calm leadership under pressure, and relentless focus on building systems and cultures that support long-term resilience.
A graduate of Arizona State University with a B.S. in Marketing and Business Administration, Joseph continues to invest in lifelong learning through certifications in enterprise IT governance, architecture, and outsourcing. Based in Queen Creek, Arizona, he brings a strong sense of purpose to everything he does—whether it’s driving strategic risk programs, mentoring future leaders, or championing ethical and sustainable business practices.
Joseph Norris’s career is a masterclass in how effective risk leadership can unlock value, protect trust, and enable organizations to move forward with confidence—even in times of uncertainty.
Character
Joseph Norris is a principled and resilient leader whose integrity, dedication, and commitment to building ethical, compliant organizations have earned him the trust of colleagues, clients, and executive teams throughout his career. He leads by example, consistently fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and purpose-driven performance.
Knowledge
With over 20 years of deep expertise in enterprise risk management, IT governance, regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity, Joseph brings a comprehensive understanding of complex frameworks and operational environments that span financial services, fintech, and consulting. His certifications in GEIT and CDPSE further reflect his commitment to staying at the forefront of industry standards and best practices.
Strategic
Joseph has a proven ability to align risk and compliance initiatives with broader business goals, transforming governance frameworks into strategic enablers of organizational success. He is known for designing scalable programs that support growth while managing risk, elevating enterprise resilience through thoughtful planning and execution.
Communication
A skilled communicator and collaborator, Joseph bridges the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders by translating complex risk concepts into clear, actionable insights. His ability to influence, educate, and engage cross-functional teams drives a shared understanding of risk and empowers informed decision-making across the enterprise.
