Why is there a DOOM™ page?
Playing around a little with DOOM when I was younger is the reason I wanted to get started in Tech. I loved playing this game when I would visit family. You see, they were the only one’s that I knew at the time that had a computer with something other than a text editor and mine sweeper or some other bull crap apps on it. At school I wasn’t allowed to play games on the PC’s as they were all setup for us prior to coming into class. I wasn’t like the traditional hacker story of "I used to hack school computer’s ….", etc. If I had the ability and skill to do so…shrug?
Where did I get my start?
As I said, I found a love for computers during my teenage years but, that turned into a passion when I had my first cybersecurity class at my community college. While there, I took a class that allowed me to explore "ethical hacking". Let’s just say, it increased my need and drive to be in this field. My first "tech" related job was the IT department at the utility company that I worked for. They allowed me to work in the afternoons as an intern for professional development. To those that think it was easy, remember, I had a job to do (my normal job) before I was allowed to assist the IT department for an hour or so and it wasn’t everyday. It also didn’t come easy. I had to advocate for myself and talk with a lot of individuals in that department on the daily for weeks before I was even given a chance.
During this internship an opportunity came up for a "technical" position within the SCADA team. If you’re not familiar with SCADA it stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. This was a new position that was focused on Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). Little did I know that I would soon get the opportunity to climb water tanks to install wireless bridges, check connectors for antenna’s, and ensure that wireless connectivity was there for our SCADA infrastructure. That’s right, most of the SCADA infrastructure still runs over wireless. The wireless bands used for this type of connectivity has can be a licensed or unlicensed frequency. The FCC (aka Federal Communication Commission) regulates the radio frequencies that SCADA systems are allowed to use. A quick chat with copilot shows that UHF or license-free can operate SCADA networks and depending on the install could be 900-915 MHz range. I can usually depend on the vendors hardware that you choose but, that’s enough about scada.
Then to now!
From there, I transitioned into IT support, helping businesses solve tech challenges, which led me to becoming the Director of Technology for a local charter School. My curiosity for building and scaling systems with this role led me into DevOps, where I learned the art of automation and optimization from a great group of individuals. Along the way, I launched a YouTube channel to share my knowledge and engage with others curious about technology and cybersecurity. Although I don’t have all the time in the world to put towards I will look to re-engage when time permits.
Today, I am an IAM Administrator, blending my love for teaching with my expertise in cybersecurity. I’m passionate about helping people, especially those just starting out, find their niche in this vast and ever-evolving field. Whether it’s through hands-on training, sharing project-based learning, or introducing K-12 students to the possibilities of cybersecurity, I truly believe there’s a place for everyone if they put in the work! (1% better everyday is the way!)
If you’re curious about navigating this industry, building a career in cybersecurity, or just want to chat about climbing water tanks (kidding—mostly), feel free to connect on Linkedin!