Public-Interest technologist and proven leader at the intersection of PEOPLE, TECHNOLOGY, and SECURITY. 25+ year Cyberspace Operations Veteran. Committed to mission, the practitioners of mission, speaking truth to power, and leading the evolution of WHAT IS into WHAT NEEDS TO BE. “Slayer of Status Quo Defenders”. Thought Leader. Visionary. Executive. Life-long learner and doer. Growing up in a very small town in the beautiful, yet water deprived and land-locked, state of Wyoming I didn’t know how to swim when I joined the Navy. At Navy Recruit Training Command I was taught how to float and tread water while the rest of my class conducted the swim test that consisted of jumping off a 10ft platform, treading water for 10 minutes, and swimming to the end of the pool using any stroke. Once the swimmers were done passing their test, the educated, yet untested “swimmers” were directed up the platform. There I found myself staring out over a pool of water, terrified to step out into the open air, and test how much I had learned during my previous 30 minutes of instruction. Having watched a few before me be physically “encouraged” off the platform and into the water, I made the decision to take that first hard, yet terrifying, step on my own and ultimately passed the swim test on the first try. That first terrifying step and subsequent success I experienced has been relived several times throughout my life, and I am there again as I look out at the vast opportunities that present themselves following a 25+ year military career that will come to a close on 1 August of 2022. Clifton Strengths: Deliberative: I am careful. I am vigilant. I identify dangers, weigh their relative impact, and then act deliberately. Restorative: I love to solve problems. I enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and enabling or driving the solution. Responsibility: I take psychological ownership for anything I commit to, and whether large or small, I feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. Relator: I enjoy spending time with people I already know. I enjoy gaining additional friends, though I prefer quality friendships over many friendships. Belief: I have strong and enduring core values. My values affect my behavior and give my life meaning and satisfaction. I believe success is more than money and prestige. My work must be meaningful; it must matter.