I didn’t write this book because compliance was my dream.
I wrote it because it became the place where I fulfilled a deeper purpose.
After college, I didn’t make it to law school. The MBA route didn’t fit. I took a compliance job—because it was available.
It was structured. It was adjacent to law. It made sense. And I stayed—because I saw what was possible.
At first, I was just trying to do the work well: write the policies, manage the audits, meet the standards. But the more I listened, the more I led, the more I taught, the more I realized—compliance isn’t just about the rules. It’s about the people those rules are meant to protect.
Later, I studied education. Not to change careers, but to understand how to make complex ideas accessible.
How to provide understanding at all levels—regardless of someone’s background, training, or title. Because when people understand the “why,” they’re more likely to believe in the “how.”
And when trust is built on shared values, not just authority, culture begins to shift.
That’s what kept me in the work.
That’s what made me want to write this book.
Compliance Officers Are People, Too is not a how-to guide.
It’s an easy-to-read story that brings the Compliance Officer out from behind the scenes; to show how to create a legacy through clarity, courage, and care.
It’s for anyone who’s ever felt unseen in this work.
It’s for the ones who carry ethical tension quietly, who build trust patiently, who shape culture without fanfare. Compliance isn’t just about rules. It’s about people. It’s about shaping culture, building trust, and leading with integrity.
This book is my reflection on that journey. It’s a reminder that our roles are human, our impact is real, and our stories matter.
Where integrity leads, progress follows.
Signed with purpose, Desiree.