Marinella David

About Marinella David

If you\'re here to get a sense of who I am and how I lead, here\'s the short version.I’ve worn a lot of uniforms: combat boots, scrubs, and now the invisible hoodie of a cybersecurity leader. As a Filipina immigrant, I’ve moved through systems that weren’t built for me, and I’ve built leadership muscle by making space where there wasn’t any.I spent eight years in the U.S. Army, six of them leading teams in high-pressure environments where failure wasn’t an option and people mattered more than titles. That’s where I learned to lead with clarity, urgency, and purpose.My pivot from healthcare to cybersecurity wasn’t just a career shift — it was a launchpad. I went from analyst to managing a 24/7 SOC with 18 direct reports at a Fortune 500 company. I’ve led detection logic rebuilds to surface real threats, restructured incident response workflows to close gaps, and turned fragmented processes into operational playbooks that last.I don’t wait for permission to fix what’s broken, I just do it. When my team needed structure and growth, I built a full-scale performance management system to set clear expectations, drive feedback loops, and create real paths to develop. When analysts told me the tiered SOC model felt limiting, I listened. The message was clear: if you’ve got the skill, you should have the space. I led the move to a tierless structure, breaking silos, increasing career mobility, and giving analysts ownership over their craft.I don’t lead by pretending to have all the answers. I lead by asking the right questions, learning fast, and staying open to better ways of doing things. I take pride in building systems that support people, not just processes.If that’s a mission you care about too, let’s talk.

Experience

1. Cybersecurity Operations Team Manager Incident Response

   SAIC

   Dec 2024 — Present · Reston, VA, US

   I lead the 24/7 Detection & Response team within a SOC, managing 18 analysts who monitor, detect, and respond to threats across the enterprise. My team is on the front line of defense — tuning detections, investigating alerts, and ensuring that every incident is handled with speed and accuracy.Since taking on this role, I’ve driven an 85% increase in efficiency and a 60% boost in team competency by transitioning to a tierless SOC model, implementing targeted training, and streamlining workflows. Through close collaboration with Incident Response and Detection Engineering, we’ve improved detection accuracy by 25% and reduced false positives by 40%, sharpening our ability to identify and act on real risks.I also work across GRC, audit, security and engineering to align operations with NIST and CMMC standards, reduce risk exposure, and support the organization’s migration to the cloud. At the core, I’m building a high-performing Detection & Response function that strengthens resilience and delivers measurable business value.

Education

• Northern Virginia Community College

  Associate's degree, Computer Science

  2013 — 2015

• George Mason University

  Bachelor's degree, Information Technology Cybersecurity

• Georgetown University McDonough School of Business

  Executive MBA