Synergizing IT / Cybersecurity and Process Engineering

IT and Cybersecurity
My IT career has included help desk (hardware and software), hardware repair, server and network administration and security (Cybersecurity). My titles have included Technician, Senior Engineer, Team Lead, Assistant Systems Operator, Consultant, Manager, Director, Partner and Owner. My recent Cybersecurity degree added a sharp focus to my broad IT experience base. Prior to my degree my education had been a combination of self-taught, on-the-job and industry training.

In May 2020 I received my A.A.S. (2 year degree) in Cybersecurity, I graduated with High Honors (Phi Theta Kappa). During my first semester, at the request of an instructor, I became a paid "Peer Tutor" and Teaching Assistant to help other students with their classes. As a tutor I was not allowed to teach, I could help students understand what the instructor was asking for and help them find the answer (Socratic method). As a Teaching Assistant I could teach students, this role was for one specific instructor's classes. My previous experience, including training development and delivery, made me an effective tutor and teaching assistant.

Process Engineering - HERE Technologies (Formerly Navteq)
By the time HERE Technologies shut down it's Fargo, ND office in December 2017 I had spent several years evaluating, improving and creating processes. Creating processes included creation and delivery of technical documentation and training that met ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949 and A-SPICE (Automotive Spice) certification standards.

For the last half of 2017 I spent a majority of my time at HERE Technologies developing, and carrying out, a transition plan to transition my position to India and Europe. In a kickoff meeting the Program Manager, Solutions Architect and DevOps Manager of my final project / product informed the teams in India and Europe that I was the expert in the company and due to the Fargo office closure they had under six months to absorb my knowledge and ask any questions. I had taken the product from an idea with some rough goals and created the process along with developing the QA criteria, designed the software, written the documentation, created the training and provided Level II support.

Synergizing it all
My journey has weaved in and out of the IT industry. What started as a new industry, Location Services, became IT as the company realized that Big Data and software was truly the heart of the business - something I had realized fairly quickly. My skills from IT helped in Location Services, and new skills from Location Services allow me to bring a broad and unique set of skills to the table. I can move within IT and Process Engineering circles and am able to translate both "languages". My training, tutoring, mentoring and teaching assistant experience allows me to convey concepts to the target audience and explain concepts in terms the audience understand.