This Is My Why!
As a minority and first-generation college graduate, I understand the challenges and obstacles individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds face navigating a world where education, socioeconomic status, and access to resources significantly impact your ability to succeed from day one.
I'm fortunate to have defied statistics and reached a level of success not often experienced by many who share a similar upbringing; lacking role models and opportunities that adequately prepare you for college, the workplace, and life.
Thankfully, on my journey I crossed paths with teachers, colleagues, and friends who shared guidance and invaluable wisdom that helped me grow personally and professionally.
Many times I've reflected on the lessons learned, missed opportunities, and times where I felt like just giving up. This inspired me to launch my own company, CyberJedi, LLC, as a vehicle for sharing my unique experiences, wisdom, and inside knowledge with individuals and groups seeking to learn about the technology field, understand key steps to launching a career, and tips on how to thrive in the global workplace.
My Professional Experience
20+ Years Providing IT/Cybersecurity Services for Federal Govt & Private Sector
16+ Years Volunteer Service as Non-Profit & Advisory Board Member & STEM Advocate
16+ Years of Career Advising, Mentoring, and Public Speaking
Current & Previous Employers
Professional Associations
Volunteer Activities
Member, Cybersecurity Ambassadors COI
(2024-present)
Partnerships Manager, Out in Tech U
(2021-2023)
Member, Advancing Tech Talent
and Diversity Community (2020-2022)
Chair, Career & Technical Education Advisory Committee (2013-2021)
Volunteer Manager (2017-2020)
President, Washington DC Chapter (2004-05)
Awards and Recognition
Professional Career
- Commissioner's Citation - U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Exceptional Performance Award - Central Intelligence Agency
- Certificate of Recognition - Nat'l Counterterrorism Center
- Black Engineer of the Year, Nominee, Northrop Grumman Corp
STEM Outreach Programs
- Secondary Business and Industry Partnership Award, Virginia DOE (2017)
- Bruce Oliver Leadership Award, Fairfax County Govt (2014)
- STEM Pipeline Model Award, Int'l Association of STEM Leaders (2014)
Community Engagement
- 2016 OUTstanding Virginian - Equality Virginia
- Class of 2016 - The Leadership Fairfax Program (Fairfax County, VA)
- Cool Code Awards, Certificate of Appreciation (Presented by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, VA)
- A.S.C.E.N.D into STEM Summit, Certificate of Appreciation, MITRE
- FIRST Robotics, Certificate of Appreciation, D.C. Public Schools
- Dedication to Service Award - Capitol Technology University Alumni Board
- Homeland Security and STEM PD Institute - Certificate of Recognition, US Dept of Homeland Security and Morgan State University
Major Grants
- STEM+Families - Bayer Corporation and Nat'l PTA
- Cybersecurity & STEM Summer Institutes - AT&T, NOVA & Urban Alliance
- VEX Robotics After-School Program - Community Foundation of NoVA
- Sec+ Training Program, JP Morgan Chase & Per Scholas
- DC Science & Engineering Fair - Intel Foundation