Cybersecurity / Information Technology Specialist
Dedicated to safeguarding digital assets, my proficiency spans ethical hacking, intricate network security, and insightful threat analysis to proactively defend against evolving cyber threats.
About Me
As an NSF SFS CyberCorps Scholarship Scholar and a passionate Cybersecurity and Information Technology Specialist, I am driven by a strong commitment to protecting sensitive data and ensuring robust system integrity. My expertise extends from in-depth cybersecurity defense strategies, including ethical hacking and threat analysis, to comprehensive IT infrastructure management and responsive user support. I thrive on solving complex technical challenges and contributing to secure, resilient digital environments.
Core Competencies
- Cybersecurity Operations: Ethical Hacking, Penetration Testing, Digital Forensics, Incident Response, Disaster Recovery.
- Network & Infrastructure Security: Network Infrastructure Design & Security, VLANs, DNS Enumeration, pfSense.
- Information Assurance & Analysis: Information Assurance, Software Assurance, Data Analysis & Threat Intelligence.
- IT Support & System Administration: Technical Support & Troubleshooting, System Administration and Management, End User Device Management, Help Desk Management & User Support.
Selected Experience & Achievements
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Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Management (City of South Bend): Managed physical intranet with over 1200 users, including DNS servers, Azure Sync, and account access through Azure, along with all hardware regards to wireless and hardwired technology. Acted as a Global Administrator for Azure services, maintaining user roles and policies.
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Policy Development & Phishing Defense: Developed a comprehensive cybersecurity policy for South Bend's public Wi-Fi network, protecting citizen data and mitigating online threats. Proactively developed a phishing campaign action plan for the City of South Bend, including vendor research and outreach, enhancing protection for employees and clients.
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Data Protection & Forensics: Designed and enforced CISA-aligned data destruction protocols, safeguarding sensitive public safety information and criminal investigations.
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System Administration & Networking: Rebuilt Active Directory Tier 0 infrastructure for the city domain and installed servers. Upgraded the public safety system and network management for emergency communication.
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IT & Security Consulting (Independent Contractor): Provided End User Device Management, Network Infrastructure Design & Security, performed ransomware remediation, removal, and recovery, and offered sales, proposals, marketing & ongoing support (2015-Current).
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Data Center Operations: Assembled and moved server and networking equipment, assisted clients with emergency hot swaps, performed Physical Access Management in compliance with government procedure/regulation, and monitored data center systems, escalating to on-call facility engineer per procedure.
Key Projects & Research
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Python-based Network Visualization Tool (INSURE Program)
Collaborated with a government laboratory on a real-world cybersecurity research project. Developed a Python-based network visualization tool that transforms large-scale Nmap scans into actionable network maps for SOC teams, significantly enhancing threat analysis efficiency.
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Home Lab Security Hardening
Designed and implemented a multi-layered security architecture for a personal network, including firewall configuration, IDS, and secure VPN setup. Regularly conduct vulnerability scans and apply patches.
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Phishing Awareness Campaign Simulation
Developed and executed a simulated phishing campaign to test organizational resilience against social engineering attacks. Analyzed employee responses and provided targeted training to improve security awareness and reduce click-through rates.
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Data Recovery & Forensics Challenge
Participated in a cyber forensics challenge, successfully recovering encrypted data from a compromised drive and tracing attack vectors using specialized forensic tools. Documented findings and presented a detailed incident report.
Certifications & Professional Development
- Google Professional Certificate
- CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker (EC-COUNCIL): DoD 8570 Compliant - CSSP Analyst, Infrastructure Support, Incident Responder, and Auditor certified.
- MTCNA: MikroTik Certified Network Associate.
- Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS): Security Awareness Level 4.
Education
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Master of Science in Information Technology
Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN. Graduating May 2025; GPA: 3.60/4.00
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Cybersecurity.
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Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology; Concentration Cybersecurity
Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN. Graduated: August 2022; GPA 3.00/4.00
Professional Affiliations & Community Engagement
- President, Ivy Tech Community College IT Club (2020).
- Member, KZoo Security Meetup (2018-current).
- Member, Michiana Infosec (2019-current).
- Member, HackNWA (2022-current).
- Member, Hackers N' Hops (2021-current).
- Volunteer/Attendee at leading cybersecurity conferences: Circle City Con (2018-2023), Grrcon (2018-2019, 2021-2024), Bsides Las Vegas (2019, 2022), Defcon (2019-2022), Thotcon (2021, 2023), NolaCon (2022).