Joshua O.

About Joshua O.

I’m a Cybersecurity Architect and Team Lead with a passion for solving the unknown, building secure systems, and leading teams that make a difference. With years of combined investigative and cybersecurity experience, I bring a unique blend of security architecture, incident response, risk management, and threat detection expertise to every role.Along the way, I’ve earned a Master of Science in Cybersecurity & Information Assurance and industry certifications including CISSP, Pentest+, CySA+, and CFE (expired). My career spans government, education, and enterprise environments, where I’ve:Designed and implemented cloud and hybrid security architectures (Azure, Intune, Microsoft Defender).Led incident response teams, detecting, investigating, and containing threats across decentralized networks.Built visibility and automation through Splunk, KQL, and SIEM/SOAR tools, reducing response times and improving resilience.Conducted large-scale risk and threat assessments, including leading a full physical pentest of a 54-campus district.Partnered with agencies like the FBI and CISA to improve security posture and intelligence sharing.I also have a track record of cybersecurity research with published CVEs and hands-on vulnerability discoveries. Whether architecting secure environments, leading investigations, or mentoring future cybersecurity talent, I thrive at the intersection of technical depth and leadership impact.Core Competencies: Security Architecture | Incident Response | Security Operations | Threat Hunting (KQL, Splunk)| SIEM/SOAR | Risk Management | Cloud Security (Azure, Intune, Defender)| Vulnerability Assessment | Cybersecurity Research

Experience

1. Cybersecurity Operations Manager

   Texas Education Agency

   Feb 2024 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   I lead the Cybersecurity Operations Team, managing security platforms and defining configuration/operations standards.* Administer and optimize Microsoft Defender to strengthen endpoint protection and response.* Maintain and enhance Splunk for monitoring, detection, and analytics.* Proactively hunt for threats using KQL, building queries to detect and investigate malicious activity.* Provide cybersecurity consultation to projects, ensuring alignment with TEA’s Information Security Program.* Direct incident response efforts, detecting, investigating, and remediating threats across decentralized environments.* Advise executive leadership on residual risk, vulnerabilities, and compliance exposures.* Serve as a cybersecurity adviser to management and stakeholders, driving adoption of best practices and security policies.

Education

• Western Governors University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance

• Texas State University

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

  2001 — 2004