Beyond cybersecurity - exploring my passions, activities, and continuous learning journey
Cybersecurity is a big part of what I do, but it’s not all of who I am. The time I spend outside of technical work keeps me sharp, balanced, and focused.
Whether it’s training, competing, playing music, or experimenting in the kitchen, I’m drawn to things that require discipline, creativity, and steady improvement. I enjoy activities where progress is measurable and skill is earned.
Those experiences carry back into my professional life. Leadership in gaming translates to clearer communication. Strength training reinforces consistency. Reading expands perspective. Even creative outlets like guitar or cooking sharpen patience and attention to detail.
For me, growth doesn’t stop at the keyboard. It shows up in how I train, how I lead, and how I approach everything I commit to.
Pressure-tested skills built through live security competition.
I actively compete in cybersecurity Capture The Flag events that simulate real attack and defense scenarios. These challenges cover areas like exploitation, privilege escalation, forensic analysis, misconfiguration discovery, and breaking poorly implemented security controls.
The goal isn’t just solving puzzles. It’s understanding how systems fail, how attackers think, and how to move methodically from initial access to full compromise.
Competition keeps my skills sharp, forces disciplined thinking, and reinforces clean execution under time constraints.
Turning ideas into functional, real-world builds.
I design and build custom projects using 3D printing, laser engraving, and digital fabrication tools. From concept to final product, I enjoy solving practical problems through rapid prototyping and iterative design. And the occasional fun gift idea too.
This isn’t just about making things look good. It’s about precision, durability, and refining ideas through hands-on testing. Every project starts as a concept and evolves through measured adjustments, material selection, and functional improvements.
The process mirrors cybersecurity in a lot of ways. You test, break, refine, and improve until the final result performs exactly as intended.
Developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Since 2017, I’ve worked as both an instructor and mentor across high school cybersecurity programs, helping students build real technical skills and professional confidence.
As an instructor through Cisco Networking Academy and a mentor within AFA CyberPatriot, I’ve supported more than 14 schools and guided over 250 students through structured, hands-on cybersecurity training.
My approach blends technical depth with practical application. Students don’t just learn concepts. They configure systems, secure machines, analyze vulnerabilities, and compete under real constraints.
Beyond technical instruction, I emphasize communication, presentation skills, teamwork, and leadership. The goal is not just to produce strong competitors, but capable professionals.
Building and securing real-world environments from the ground up.
My home lab is designed to mirror small enterprise infrastructure. It allows me to test configurations, deploy services, simulate attacks, and practice system hardening in a controlled environment.
The network is built on Ubiquiti hardware, anchored by a Dream Machine Pro, with managed switching through a US 16 PoE 150W and a USW Flex 2.5G 5-Port switch. Wireless coverage is handled by a Ubiquiti AC Pro access point, supplemented by a segmented Google WiFi mesh network.
For storage and services, I run a Synology NAS for centralized backups and network storage, along with a dedicated server managing containerized services and game servers for friends and family using AMP.
I maintain a virtual lab aligned with the JustHackingTrainings CONDEF Lite framework, focused on defensive configuration, misconfiguration discovery, and system compromise scenarios.
The environment allows me to:
The next phase of this lab includes migrating core services into a Proxmox-based virtualization stack for greater flexibility and resource isolation.
This lab isn’t theoretical. It’s a live environment where I break, rebuild, and improve systems regularly. It keeps my skills current, reinforces defensive fundamentals, and gives me a safe space to test ideas before deploying them anywhere else.
I play purely for the enjoyment of it. Lately I’ve been working on flamenco-style techniques.
Focused on weight training along with shot put and discus. I enjoy measurable progress and disciplined repetition.
I play tactical shooters and have led amateur teams in tournament play. It’s fast decision-making under pressure with real teamwork behind it.
Whether it’s something functional or just experimental, I enjoy working with my hands and refining ideas until they’re solid.
The spicier the better. I like taking a base recipe and pushing it somewhere new. Tweaking ingredients, adjusting heat levels, and making it my own.
Mostly technical books and deep-dive material. I’m drawn to leadership and mindset books too. Anything that sharpens how I think or how I operate.
Whether you're interested in discussing cybersecurity, mentorship opportunities, or just want to chat about shared interests, I'd love to hear from you.