Megan Howell

About Megan Howell

I am a Cybersecurity professional who is passionate about making the digital and physical world safer. I am particularly skilled in computer networking, cybersecurity analysis & response, and technical support across various sectors and I am dedicated to completing all tasks with excellence.I currently work as a Senior Security Operations Center Analyst for the State of Arizona.I was an Operations Analyst at HyeTech Networks, where I troubleshooted IT issues for dozens of clients. I have been a cybersecurity intern two separate times at Cisco, where I worked in both defensive security and offensive security. On the defensive security team, I focused on vulnerability management and Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR), where I resolved over cloud vulnerabilities and several dozen incidents. On the offensive security team, I helped to find and report vulnerabilities, participate in red-team engagements, and create cloud security methodologies that I presented to executive leadership. I enjoy working on a global cross-functional team and learning from experienced mentors.I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity at Grand Canyon University, where I have earned multiple industry-recognized certifications, such as the CompTIA Security+, GIAC GFACT, AWS Cloud Practitioner, and more. I am a Team Lead for the Arizona Threat Intelligence Support Unit, a volunteer sector of the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance, where I help protect the state of Arizona from cyber threats. I have been featured in Forbes Magazine for my work in AI bias hunting, and I have received several awards and scholarships, such as the National Cyber Scholar Award and the NCWIT National Honorable Mention Award. I share my perspective and insights with audiences worldwide at acclaimed conferences, such as CoSN, DEF CON, the NICE K12 Education Conference, and SquadCon. To learn more about me, please visit https://linktr.ee/cyberqueenmeg

Experience

1. Senior Security Analyst

   State of Arizona

   Feb 2026 — Present · Phoenix, AZ, US

   Lead initiatives in cyber threat detection & remediation. Contribute to initiatives & events across the organization, including community outreach, mentoring, & other projects.

Education

• Grand Canyon University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Cybersecurity

• Rio Salado College

  Dual Enrollment/Early College, Cybersecurity

• Paradise Valley High School

  High School Diploma, Cybersecurity and Computer Science