Open to opportunities

Carlos Whitfield

@carloswhitfield

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Principal cybersecurity risk leader driving Zero Trust, cloud, and SOC modernization.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I seek senior leadership roles where I can lead enterprise cyber risk programs, drive Zero Trust and cloud security, mentor teams, and align security with business outcomes.

I am a strategic, solutions-oriented Principal Security Risk Management and Cybersecurity leader with over 12 years of progressive experience across federal, defense, and Fortune 100 environments. I build and mature cyber risk governance frameworks, lead SOC and GRC teams, and integrate Zero Trust, AI-driven analytics, and OT/ICS protections to measurably reduce enterprise risk.

My hands-on background includes leading enterprise cybersecurity and risk assessments aligned to NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP, modernizing SOC infrastructure and automating workflows with Python, Bash, and Ansible, and deploying controls such as SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, and DLP to reduce incidents and improve detection. I have driven improvements including a 45% compliance posture lift, 50% reduction in security incidents, and modernization that improved uptime by 95%.

I hold a Doctor of Information Technology in Information Assurance & Cybersecurity and multiple certifications (CISSP, CRISC, GSEC, GICSP, C|EH, CASP+, etc.). I seek roles where I can lead risk-based security architecture, drive cyber resilience, and translate technical risk into business-driven decisions.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Cybersecurity and Incident Response Engineer

Current

Army National Guard

Jan 2013 - Present (12 years 9 months)

Led threat intelligence and incident response missions including adversary simulation and malware analysis, developed SIEM correlation rules that improved detection accuracy by 35% and increased response capability by 30% through cyber readiness exercises.

Threat Intelligence Incident Response SIEM Malware Analysis Cyber Exercises

Current

IT Specialist (INFOSEC)

Current

Internal Revenue Service

Jan 2011 - Present (14 years 9 months)

Led enterprise-wide cybersecurity and risk assessments aligned to NIST 800-53 and ISO 27001, implementing risk-based controls that improved compliance posture by 45% and reduced security incidents by 50%. Directed deployment of SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, and provided executive risk reporting and POA&M recommendations.

Risk Management NIST 800 53 SIEM EDR Vulnerability Management Cloud Security Incident Response Security Auditing

Cybersecurity Engineer

U.S. Army Cyber Command

Jan 2017 - Dec 2022 (5 years 11 months)

Modernized SOC infrastructure and migrated 1,500+ VMs to hybrid cloud improving uptime by 95%, automated SOC workflows reducing manual triage by 40%, and integrated AI-enhanced analytics to improve predictive detection.

Cloud Migration Python Ansible ELK Stack Vulnerability Management Automation

Cyber Systems Operator

U.S. Air Force National Guard

Jan 2010 - Dec 2013 (3 years 11 months)

Operated and maintained cyber systems supporting mission operations, contributing to network defense and incident response capabilities during service tenure.

Systems Operations Incident Response PowerShell BASH

Network Engineer

Comcast Business

Jan 2010 - Dec 2011 (1 year 11 months)

Maintained and supported business network infrastructure, performing network engineering tasks and troubleshooting to ensure service availability for enterprise customers.

Network Engineering Cisco Troubleshooting Customer Support Network Security Wireshark

Regional Network & Sales Engineer

Mediacom Business

Jan 2006 - Dec 2010 (4 years 11 months)

Provided regional network engineering and sales support, designing connectivity solutions and delivering technical pre-sales assistance to business clients.

Pre Sales Engineering Customer Engagement Sales Support Technical Presentations

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Capella University

Doctor of Information Technology, Information Assurance & Cybersecurity

Doctor of Information Technology in Information Assurance & Cybersecurity completed in 2023 focusing on advanced cybersecurity, risk management, and information assurance.