I have been working with computers and technology most of my life. Only really getting into the nitty gritty of tech the last 5 years, but it has been an absolute whirlwind of a learning experience. I started attending a community university in 2017 working towards an AAS in Cyber Security where I took classes in Linux, Software Development, Hacking, and network Infrastructure. Eventually earning AAs’s and technical certifications in Cyber Security and Network Infrastructure. During My time at university I had an internship as the cyber lab assistant working directly under the department chair. I set up the initial environments in the lab and even gained experience configuring servers and specialized software. I also taught classes in bash scripting and occasionally hacking. Before Leaving university, I had the pleasure of serving as president of the computer club where I and my team managed to substantially boost attendance and memberships.

In my first year at university I participated in the Statewide IT Challenge managing to place fourth in the hacking division. Shortly after I managed to land an internship with NASA performing statistical data analysis and working with a team developing Martian rovers. I spent a year working on various projects with NASA before landing a job at my current employer as a project developer and going back to school. I am currently studying Cyber Security and Japanese at an institution where I hope to graduate from in two years with a bachelor’s degree. My prior experience at university, NASA, and my employment have really made the difficulty level of my current courses manageable. Funnily enough, when I first applied to my current university they didn’t accept me, but I made it in based on the experiences I gained after the initial rejection.

In my free time I practice Judo with my current university’s club as well as practice hacking. I have been practicing various Martial arts disciplines for the last 12 years and have found it to be one of the great joys of my life… as well as one of the great killers of my ego. While at my last university, I competed on behalf of the Kenpo club and managed to place first in Kata at a national tournament. I also enjoy backpacking. Shortly before COVID I went on a solo backpacking trip across central Japan. There I really opened my eyes to how shallow my understanding of the world was. I don’t really like to use the phrase life changing, but it really was. I had planned nothing before going. Had nothing but my backpack and a smartphone. Each night I’d figure out where I’d lay my head and each day I would go wherever the wind carried me. It was a revolutionary amount of freedom that I had never experienced before nor since.

Post graduation I plan to work for the government gaining a wide range of experience and pursuing a PhD before moving into the private sector to build capital. My ultimate goal is to found my own cyber security firm specializing in comprehensive pen-testing and R&D. Working on securing the world physically and digitally all the while developing implementations that improve quality of life. This podcast is the first step in making that dream a reality. So, I thank each and every one of you that have supported me through this first step and I greatly appreciate those of you that will continue doing so until we make my dream happen. Thank you.