// leadership
Leadership in Action
I have demonstrated leadership, impact and influence on conference stages, inside boardrooms and through advisory roles in government and industry.
I am an author, speaker, and Cisco CCDE No. 20240030. In my role as a Solutions Engineer at Cisco Systems, I bring over twenty years of experience in federal government security and enterprise architecture. I have helped organizations handle today's toughest cyber threats through secure design, implementations, and strong incident response practices.
// about
In my 11 years at Cisco Systems, I worked in TAC engineering, technical leadership, and cybersecurity sales architecture for the Department of Defense. This experience gave me an excellent foundation in network security architecture. I now apply this background to consulting, writing, and supporting a stronger digital world.
I am a Cybersecurity Strategist and Practitioner at Cisco Systems, based in Dallas Fort Worth. With over 20 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, I have worked at the intersection of enterprise architecture, incident response and key risk. My work spans high-security environments across government and private sector.
I hold an MBA from Southern Methodist University (SMU). I also have an Advanced Certificate in Computer Security from Stanford University and an AI for Digital Transformation Certificate from Cornell University. I earned the Cisco CCDE designation (No. 20240030), which is held by only a few hundred people worldwide.
I am passionate about promoting cybersecurity education for high school students and underrepresented groups in technology.
I currently work in Solutions Engineering at Cisco, where I combine technical expertise with large-scale security architecture and design projects.
From 2020 to 2025, I provided cybersecurity strategy, incident response programs, and zero-trust architecture for both government and private-sector clients.
I co-authored the Field Manual for Cyber Incident Handling and Response with Austin Weedor. The book is available on Amazon, Kindle, Audible, BookBaby, and Apple Books.
I speak at conferences about AI, fintech security and managing cyber-crises.
I actively contribute to the development of zero-trust frameworks and joint security standards for the global technology community.
// expertise
With two decades of hands-on experience, I focus on core disciplines that help protect organizations at every level.
I manage the complete incident response lifecycle, including detection, containment, eradication, and recovery. My field manual on this subject offers guidance for an effective response.
I pioneered AI-augmented incident response frameworks. I publish the AI IR Overlay newsletter, which explores agentic identity risks and AI security design.
I design and implement zero-trust frameworks for federal and enterprise environments, following NIST and Open Group standards.
As a CISM-certified risk manager, I work with NIST, CMMC, SOC 2, and other regulatory frameworks for complex organizations.
I hold the Cisco CCDE certification and have deep expertise in AAA, ISE, VPN, NAC, 802.1X, and security-by-design for large enterprise and federal networks.
I provide tactical training on attacker mindsets and have authored the Hacking the Hacker series, which addresses human-factor threats and advanced attack strategies.
I have Field CISO experience with government agencies and Fortune 500-level private-sector clients across financial services, healthcare, energy, and technology.
Addressing and correcting security vulnerabilities introduced by AI design choices is now essential for every enterprise security program.
// published work
This handbook helps practitioners survive and recover after a cyber crisis. It is based on my experience with the WannaCry outbreak, COVID-19 cybersecurity challenges, and years in federal and enterprise settings. I offer proven protocols for every stage of incident response.
I co-authored the book with Austin Weedor. It is designed as a practical reference with clear decision trees, command center playbooks, and frameworks. Teams can use it during real incidents, not just for study.
Available on multiple platforms:
My flagship newsletter explores how artificial intelligence is changing incident response, from agentic identity risks to AI-assisted threat detection. In recent editions, I discuss why I believe “The Agent Is a Privileged Identity” and what this means for enterprise security.
// career
My 20+ year career evolved from desktop support to network engineering, technical consulting and multiple leadership roles in cybersecurity, culminating in Solutions Engineering at Cisco.
I bring technical security expertise to large-scale customer projects in security architecture and design at Cisco.
As a Field CISO, I delivered information security strategies, incident response programs and zero-trust architectures for government agencies and private sector clients across financial services, healthcare, energy and technology.
As a Technical Solution Architect, I focused on cybersecurity sales for the Department of Defense, converting complex security needs into integrated Cisco architecture proposals for highly sensitive federal environments.
I provided senior-level technical consulting for enterprise network and security infrastructure projects for GDT's clients.
I led the Technical Assistance Center team, managed escalated security cases, and guided engineers through complex Cisco security deployments, including ISE, AAA, NAC, and identity-based access control.
I led IT infrastructure operations at Cash America, ensuring the reliability of the organization's network and systems.
I joined Cisco's Technical Assistance Center as a TAC Engineer, supporting customers with complex Cisco security and networking deployments. This role built the foundation for my deep expertise in ISE, VPN, NAC, and AAA.
As a Senior Network Engineer, I managed enterprise-scale network infrastructure in a busy manufacturing technology environment.
Network Operations Center Engineer monitoring and maintaining large-scale telecommunications network infrastructure and responding to service-impacting incidents.
I began my technology career in desktop support, troubleshooting hardware and software issues. This experience marked the start of my over 20-year journey in IT and cybersecurity.
// credentials
I hold a distinguished portfolio of certifications in Cisco design, security management, and ethical hacking from leading industry organizations.
// education
// media & writing
Podcasts, interviews, and thought-leadership across cybersecurity's most pressing challenges.
Security Expert Marketplace interviewed me about my journey from Cisco to Field CISO, as well as my approach to proactive incident response and cyber resilience.
Listen ↗Full-length video interview discussing my security consulting model, zero-trust architecture, and how organizations can build lasting cyber resilience.
Watch on YouTube ↗My newsletter explains why AI agents should be treated as privileged identities and what incident responders need to do right now.
Read on LinkedIn ↗I explore how the CISO's role in cyber crisis command is evolving and why every enterprise needs a dedicated security war room strategy.
Read on LinkedIn ↗In this two-part series, I take a deep dive into social engineering, OSINT-based attacks, and the psychological tactics attackers use, all from the attacker's perspective.
Read on LinkedIn ↗Recognized by The Open Group for contributions to the zero-trust framework development and joint security standards across global industries.
View Spotlight ↗// leadership
I have demonstrated leadership, impact and influence on conference stages, inside boardrooms and through advisory roles in government and industry.
// community service
I am dedicated to giving back through cybersecurity education for high school students and outreach to underrepresented communities in technology.
// contact
I am available for consulting, speaking engagements, advisory roles, and media inquiries.
If you need a senior cybersecurity strategist to strengthen your organization, an incident response framework built from scratch, or a keynote speaker with real-world experience from the TAC floor to the CISO's chair, I am ready to help.