How Early Code, Creativity, and Combat Led Me Toward Cybersecurity
I often say my journey into cybersecurity started long before I realized it was beginning. As a U.S. Marine Corps infantryman and combat veteran, technology became both a lifeline and a creative outlet. I spent time customizing Myspace layouts, experimenting with early HTML, and using Facebook during deployments to stay connected with home.
At the time, it was just a way to feel a little closer to family and friends. Looking back, those small experiments were my first real exposure to the world of technology. As the technology around me evolved, so did I. It paralleled my own transition from military life into the civilian world.
A Pivotal Shift Into Cybersecurity
After earning my undergraduate degree and running a veteran-owned media agency for several years, I reached a turning point. As the pandemic wound down, business began to shift, and I felt drawn toward something more technical and mission-driven.
Years earlier, before film school and my later degrees, I had briefly explored becoming a software developer. That experience stuck with me because the creativity required in engineering was very different from the creativity I used in filmmaking and media production. Engineering demanded structure, logic, and precision. Surprisingly, that kind of creativity felt just as compelling.
That realization sparked what I think of as a career pivot. The vision stayed the same, but the strategy changed. I began investing heavily in myself through certifications, technical bootcamps, cohort-based programs, and internships focused on cybersecurity. I attended conferences, built connections wherever I could, and stayed committed even when opportunities seemed just out of reach. Over time, all of those steps led to a moment that changed everything.
The Chance Encounter That Changed My Trajectory
In November 2023, I attended the Military Influencer Conference. What should have been a routine break to the restroom ended up altering the course of my career.
A fellow Marine veteran, Steve Hosie, Cybersecurity Executive Advisor & Strategist at Broadcom Mainframe Software, noticed the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor pin on my suit and stopped me to talk. What started as a conversation about military service and transition quickly shifted to cybersecurity and its role in the mainframe world. Within minutes, he offered to forward my résumé to Broadcom for their Mainframe Vitality Program, a competitive pathway into mainframe security.
Some people might call that luck. I see it as preparation meeting the right moment. That conversation led to both a mentorship and a friendship that continues to influence my career today.
Entering the Mainframe World
Joining Broadcom’s Vitality Program marked the beginning of an intense and transformative chapter. Over nearly two years, I trained in z/OS and systems programming fundamentals while working alongside security professionals supporting CA Top Secret and ACF2 environments.
Through that experience, I learned not only how the mainframe operates, but why it remains the backbone of critical industries and government systems.
What resonated most was how closely that environment mirrored my own background. As technology continued to evolve, I was navigating my own transition from military service to civilian life. The mainframe’s role as a stable, mission-critical foundation felt familiar. It reflected many of the same values I learned in the Marine Corps: discipline, reliability, and the ability to operate in high-stakes environments.
The journey was not always straightforward. There were moments of clarity and moments of doubt, especially while navigating the complexities of pursuing opportunities in the federal contracting space. Each challenge, however, pushed me to refine my skills, build resilience, and deepen my understanding of the mainframe ecosystem.
Finding My Place in Mainframe Security
Eventually, that preparation paid off. While some of my peers moved into new roles, I continued training, interviewing, and improving. In time, I earned an opportunity to work within the federal contracting environment, supporting a federal agency at the intersection of cybersecurity and mainframe security.
It felt like everything had come full circle. My military foundation, early curiosity about technology, creative background, and years of discipline and self-development had all converged into a single purpose.
Today, I am focused on blending those experiences into a career dedicated to protecting critical systems and supporting the future of mainframe security. My journey hasn’t followed a straight line, but that is part of the story. If you stay prepared, intentional, and authentic, the path has a way of leading you where you are meant to go.