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Benjamin Smith

@bentechsmith

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Strategic cybersecurity and cloud transformation leader delivering secure, scalable infrastructure and programs.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I seek senior security leadership or architect roles where I can lead cloud-first security transformation, improve detection/response, and mentor teams in regulated environments.

I am a strategic cybersecurity and cloud transformation leader with nearly 20 years of experience delivering secure, scalable infrastructure and enterprise security programs across regulated financial, healthcare, and government environments.

I specialize in multi-cloud and hybrid security architecture, governance, risk and compliance, and I drive modernization through identity-first security, centralized detection/response, and automation to improve reliability, reduce risk, and lower cost and complexity.

In my current role I lead enterprise security and infrastructure strategy for a fintech environment, building Microsoft 365 security programs, unifying detection and response, and translating SOC 2, PCI-DSS, CIS, and NIST requirements into actionable controls and technical execution.

I also have broad hands-on experience architecting Azure and hybrid environments, implementing SIEM and endpoint solutions, leading incident response and vendor risk management, and mentoring others through nonprofit CTO volunteer work focused on workforce development.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Chief Technology Officer (Volunteer)

Current

Learn and Teach IT

Jan 2023 - Present (3 years 1 month)

Lead technology strategy and program development for a nonprofit, designing hands-on learning paths and mentoring learners to improve job readiness in cybersecurity and IT fields.

Program Development Mentoring Curriculum Design Career Coaching

Current

Technical Director of Information Security

Current

Spring Oaks Capital

Oct 2021 - Present (4 years 4 months)

Led enterprise security and infrastructure strategy for a fintech environment, delivering identity-first modernization and centralized detection/response that improved resilience and reduced operational risk across cloud and on-prem systems.

Cloud Security Microsoft 365 Security Identity & Access Management SIEM Incident Response Vendor Risk Management Automation

Senior IT Security Consultant

Endurance IT Services

Mar 2020 - Oct 2021 (1 year 7 months)

Consulted on secure cloud and hybrid architectures, led Azure and Microsoft 365 security/migration efforts, and implemented SIEM and endpoint solutions to improve detection and incident response workflows.

Azure Microsoft 365 Security SIEM Endpoint Security Identity Governance Vulnerability Management

Enterprise Security Architect

Layer9 IT

Oct 2019 - Mar 2020 (5 months)

Architected Azure landing zones, secure connectivity, and Microsoft 365 security baselines while delivering governance standards and remediation roadmaps to strengthen cloud and hybrid security posture.

Cloud Governance VPN Microsoft 365 DLP Intune Active Directory Security Architecture

Systems Engineer

Bon Secours Mercy Health

Apr 2019 - Oct 2019 (6 months)

Supported enterprise Citrix XenApp/XenDesktop services and optimized virtual application delivery to improve reliability and user experience across the environment.

Citrix Performance Tuning Troubleshooting Virtualization Monitoring Incident Response

Systems Administrator

Bon Secours Health

Nov 2015 - Apr 2019 (3 years 5 months)

Maintained identity, messaging, endpoint, and Citrix infrastructure; standardized system builds and backup/recovery operations to strengthen resilience and reduce recurring incidents.

Active Directory Windows Server Backup Endpoint management Citrix System Hardening Configuration Management

Senior IT Support Specialist

Bon Secours Health

Oct 2014 - Nov 2015 (1 year 1 month)

Served as Tier 3 escalation point resolving complex technical incidents and coordinating cross-team troubleshooting to restore critical services quickly.

Incident Management Troubleshooting Problem Management Service Restoration

IT Support Specialist

Bon Secours Health

Jan 2011 - Oct 2014 (3 years 9 months)

Provided frontline technical support in a high-volume healthcare environment, improving documentation and consistently meeting SLA targets to maintain user productivity.

Help Desk SLA Management Software support Documentation User Training

Network Engineer I

Norfolk Public Schools

Nov 2007 - Jun 2010 (2 years 7 months)

Supported network operations across 61 sites, managed workstation configurations and software deployments to ensure reliable access and consistency district-wide.

Network Support Software Deployment Troubleshooting IT Operations

End User Support

Norfolk Public Schools

Apr 2006 - Nov 2007 (1 year 7 months)

Delivered first-level support with emphasis on executive users and high-priority requests, resolving access and hardware/software issues and maintaining documentation.

end user support Troubleshooting Documentation Customer Service Access Management

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Western Governors University

Bachelor of Science, Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance focused on cybersecurity principles, risk management, and defensive controls.

ECPI University

Associate of Applied Science, Electronics Engineering Technology

Associate of Applied Science in Electronics Engineering Technology emphasizing practical electronics, systems troubleshooting, and technical support skills.