My mission is to develop my personal, hands-on capabilities working to be a collaborative, supportive, team member within the technology industry bridging enterprise, startup, and banking experience.

Skills Gap Analysis:
My background has historically been in software development and client implementation, leveraging a skillset built on computer science (Harvard CS50, WGU, IU) and project management (Cornell University, WGU, IU, PMP).

Currently, with the onset of Large Language Models and an ever maturing SaaS industry, net new software development is becoming less common. Instead, we are seeing the massive growth of Data Centers, AI Architecture Orchestration (IaaS), and Cybersecurity. In this shifting landscape, network engineering (the backbone of every data center and the connective tissue for SaaS implementation) and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly critical as organizations work to operationalize and monetize their data by layering in AI/ML. To build upon my foundation in systems design thinking and software development, I wanted to proactively re-align my skillset with this future.

• Chicago, Illinois Sr. Program Manager having 4 years experience laid off January 2025
• Summer of 2025 relocated back to Tampa, Florida (I grew up in the Sunshine State!🦩)
• July of 2025 started the BSc Network Engineering & Security degree at WGU because they are one of the few schools providing such specialized training.
  • Why another Bachelors? For me, success has always hinged on collaboration and the ability to speak the same language (terms, concepts, technologies). This degree provides the technical foundation I need to proactively mitigate risks and effectively navigate multi-disciplinary engineering initiatives while opening new professional opportunities to gain new experience.

Goal: Establish a robust foundation in programmable infrastructure, advanced scripting, and baseline security frameworks to bridge the gap between traditional networking and modern DevOps/SecOps workflows.

Plan of Action

• Texas A & M Engineering for Technical Cybersecurity Certification Complete
  • Paid for by DHS/FEMA through my volunteer work with the ITDRC
  • Opens opportunity to join the ITDRC, Cybersecurity Response Team
• Rogue DNS Server Detection & Remediation Lab GitHub Portfolio
  
  • Focus: Build deep, foundational programming and scripting capabilities tailored for system administration and network automation.
• Cisco DevNet Associate Infrastructure as Code
  
  • Focus: Translate Python skills into practical application by automating network infrastructure, codifying configurations, and mastering API interactions using industry-standard Cisco methodologies.
• CompTIA Security+ Industry & DoD Validation
  
  • Focus: Secure the baseline standard required for enterprise and defense-sector cybersecurity roles, reinforcing theoretical knowledge through a structured, compliance-driven lens not to mention security clearance.
• Enterprise Network Implementation Project GitHub Portfolio
  
  • Focus: Synthesize the semester's learning into a tangible, public-facing repository, demonstrating hands-on execution of secure, automated network deployments.
• Tentative Splunk Core
  • Focus: Get hands on experience with Splunk as an industry standard SIEM.
    
  • Grateful to be sponsored by Splunk to pursue multiple certifications over several years.

Goal: Elevate engineering capabilities from localized infrastructure to scalable cloud architectures, while maturing security skills from foundational concepts to advanced, proactive threat analysis and risk management.

Plan of Action

• CompTIA Cloud+ Hybrid Infrastructure Integration
  
  • Focus: Bridge the operational gap between physical/virtual network infrastructure and enterprise cloud environments, mastering hybrid deployment models.
• CompTIA CySA+ Tactical Security Operations
  
  • Focus: Advance defensive capabilities through behavioral analytics, continuous monitoring, and incident response, while reinforcing existing CCNA CyberOps and Security+ knowledge.
• Texas A & M Engineering for Cybersecurity Risk Management Certification Opens opportunity to join the ITDRC, Cybsersecurity Response Team
  • Paid for by DHS/FEMA through my volunteer work with the ITDRC
  • Focus: Learn the Department of Homeland Security's approach to
    • Cyber Incident Management
    • Disaster Recovery for Information Systems
    • Information Risk Management
    • Detecting and Responding to a Cyber Attack
• Tentative Splunk Core Power User
  • Focus: Get hands on experience with Splunk as an industry standard SIEM.
    
  • Grateful to be sponsored by Splunk to pursue multiple certifications over several years.
• Tentative IBM Cybersecurity Capstone Project" GitHub Portfolio
  
  • Focus: Validated hands-on technical execution of the incident response lifecycle, leveraging modern security tools to detect, contain, and remediate simulated enterprise threats.
• Tentative Project "BuzzyBee" GitHub Portfolio
  
  • Focus: To validate cloud-native security orchestration or advanced automation concepts explored throughout the semester.