Tell us a little about your Navy career and what brought you to NPS. How did that experience ultimately lead you to a career in cybersecurity and the work you’re doing today?

Systems thinking is a cornerstone for success as a Surface Warfare Officer.   Platforms and people operate together to achieve a mission.  Training, education and information provide operational awareness to adapt to any given circumstance.  I felt confident that my shipboard experiences provided a solid foundation to make the leap to computer systems.  NPS provided a unique and immersive opportunity to learn firsthand from world-class educators and researchers creating the innovation that would become the Internet.  Applying what I learned, I had the opportunity to lead a three-person team to build and deploy the first client-server network for the Navy Meteorology community.  Financial services firms rely on computer systems to deliver services, and I found a rewarding mission serving and protecting our clients.  

Looking back, what did you take from NPS that has stayed with you throughout your career? Were there experiences, people, or ideas that shaped the way you approach your work today?

A commitment to lifelong learning and working with others to solve challenging problems.  NPS is an environment founded on rigorous foundational knowledge, critical thinking skills, and a marketplace of ideas.  This combination scales innovation and provides a opportunity for positive outcomes.     

You’ve gone on to hold cybersecurity leadership roles at some of the largest institutions in financial services. Where has your military experience proved most valuable in the private sector?

It's all about the people, culture, and capability.  Set a high bar for yourself and your team.  Value integrity, respect and honesty.  Inspect what you expect.   Successful organizations create and promote sustaining processes.  

You’ve had a front-row seat to more than 25 years of change in cybersecurity. What has surprised you most about how the threats, and the way organizations respond to them, have evolved?

Moore's Law continues to apply.  Traditional barriers to entry like skills, cost, geography and advanced technology continue to be lowered.  Positive benefits can be seen every day, but the growing reliance on technology requires a huge investment in digital resiliency and security capabilities.  Many of today's technology and cyber roles didn’t exist a decade ago.  Artificial intelligence is driving new career fields and faster decision-making.  Winning organizations will adopt and adapt innovation at speed and scale.        

You still make a point of creating opportunities for Naval Academy midshipmen and supporting veteran hiring. Why has staying connected to the military community remained important to you?

I'm ever grateful to our nation and it was an honor to serve in the Navy.  Supporting the next generation of Navy Cyber Officers is a privilege.