About
I tend trust — and the things that try to break it.
I'm a cybersecurity engineer with six-plus years across healthcare, financial services, lottery, and logistics — everywhere the stakes are high and the regulations are higher still. I specialize in LLM-powered cyber deception operations and behavior-science-driven security awareness, and I've built and led security programs as both an individual contributor and a manager.
The through-line of my work is simple: security succeeds when people are empowered, not threatened. I design programs, research, and talks around that premise, and I translate complex adversary behavior into actionable strategy for both technical teams and executives.
I live in Des Moines, Iowa. I serve on the board of the Des Moines Queer Youth Resource Center, where I provide pro bono technology support and digital security consulting. I was part of the 2024 Iowa Tech Connect Program with the Technology Association of Iowa.
Competencies
What I work on.
- Network Security & Firewall Management
- EDR/MDR/XDR
- IDS/IPS
- DLP
- Endpoint & Mobile Device Security
- NAC
- Identity & Access Management
- Vulnerability Management
- Threat Hunting
- Incident Response
- AWS Cloud Security
- Application Security
- STRIDE Threat Modeling
- Terraform & CloudFormation
- Docker & Kubernetes
- CI/CD Security Integration
- SIEM/SOAR
- AI-Powered Cyber Deception
- LangChain & LangGraph
- Python
- PowerShell
- Automation & Tooling Development
- Security Program Leadership
- Regulatory Compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA, Financial)
- Security Policy Development
- Vendor Evaluation & Management
- Security Awareness & Culture
- Team Mentorship & Talent Development
- Change Management
- Cross-Functional Stakeholder Communication
Experience
Where I've been.
- Dec 2024 Present
Security Engineer Revology
Des Moines, Iowa
- Serve as security engineer for cloud-native healthcare revenue cycle management startup, owning application security, cloud security, endpoint security, and security awareness across the organization.
- Design and execute application and infrastructure-as-code security processes across the SDLC, integrating StackHawk DAST, GitHub Advanced Security, and Nightfall DLP into actionable workflows.
- Facilitate SOC 2 Type II engagement for product, managing evidence collection and control implementation.
- Design and deliver quarterly “Hacky Hour” security awareness sessions using behavior-science principles and creative theming, replacing fear-based compliance training with trust-based engagement that drives measurable behavior change.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, product, and operations teams to embed security into development and deployment workflows from design through production.
- Conduct STRIDE threat modeling across AWS architecture to identify and prioritize risk.
- Jul 2023 Dec 2024
Systems Security Manager West Bank
West Des Moines, Iowa
- Led security operations team responsible for engineering, monitoring, incident response, and audit readiness across a regulated financial institution.
- Piloted and deployed enterprise-wide password manager, driving adoption across all employees and facilitating measurable improvements in credential hygiene and security posture.
- Revamped EDR/MDR technology stack, evaluating vendors, retiring legacy tooling, and deploying modern endpoint detection and response across the enterprise.
- Led network security design and implementation for new headquarters and branch locations, architecting security controls from the ground up.
- Managed vendor relationships across the cybersecurity space, conducting evaluations, negotiating contracts, and aligning tooling decisions with organizational risk posture and budget.
- Served as primary liaison with external auditors, regulators, and law enforcement on cybersecurity matters, managing audit responses and compliance evidence.
- Developed and implemented comprehensive security policies, procedures, and standards to safeguard digital assets in alignment with financial regulatory requirements.
- Jan 2022 May 2023
Information Security Analyst Multi-State Lottery Association
Johnston, Iowa
- Reduced MTTR on SIEM escalations by 5 days through process optimization and triage improvements.
- Designed and launched a security internship program, building a pipeline of job-ready analysts.
- Primary escalation point for physical and technical incident response.
- Conducted original research on security culture and behavioral influence, maturing the awareness program.
- Founded the MUSL Culture Committee.
- Sep 2020 Dec 2021
Telecom Specialist Wright Service Corp
Des Moines, Iowa
- Managed Cisco Meraki and JAMF Pro MDM environments supporting 6,000+ iOS devices across US, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
- Led proof-of-value testing integrating Cisco Duo and Umbrella with MDM across 500+ devices.
- Mobile device project lead; built vendor relationships and produced cost-benefit analyses.
- Jan 2020 Sep 2020
IT Consultant QCI, Inc (Wright Service Corp)
Des Moines, Iowa
- Configured, deployed, and managed 6,000+ iOS devices for remote employees across US and Canada.
- Advocated for mobile endpoint security hardening and access control improvements.
Credentials
The paperwork.
- Associate of (ISC)² — 2022–2023
- Iowa Tech Connect, Technology Association of Iowa -- 2024