Stacey Cannon

About Stacey Cannon

I’m a Cybersecurity Engineering leader with 18+ years of experience protecting national security across the U.S. Air Force, defense primes, Magnificent 7 (AWS), and now Startups with Scale AI Public Sector. I’m fully cleared (FSP) and specialize in securing mission-critical AI/ML and cloud environments where compliance, classified systems, and large-scale modernization converge.My niche is making secure transformation real — whether that’s helping dual-use startups navigate the ATO process, advising on RMF and NIST frameworks, or leading Zero Trust and governance strategies enterprise wide. I’ve supported the Intelligence Community, led teams through risk and compliance challenges, and managed teams of engineers driving secure cloud adoption at scale.I hold CISM, CISA, CDPSE, CASP+, and AWS Solutions Architect certifications, and thoroughly enjoy mentoring emerging Engineers, speaking at security events, and designing/building secure systems that move at mission speed.Focused on: • Public & Private Sector Startup Cloud Security, Secure AI & ML • Big Tech, Dual-Use Tech, & Intel Community • Compliance Automation (FedRAMP, CMMC, NIST, RMF) • Executive-Ready Cyber LeadershipNext Steps: Growing into executive roles at the confluence of security and mission impact — Founding Engineer, CISO, VP or Director for companies building the future of secure technology.

Experience

1. Senior Ai Ml Systems Engineer - Infrastructure and Security

   Scale AI

   Jan 2026 — Present · Crystal City, VA, US

   I lead the design and operation of secure, scalable IT systems that enable Scale AI’s public sector and national-security customers to deploy AI in high-trust, regulated environments.At Scale, I sit at the intersection of AI infrastructure, security, and compliance, translating mission requirements into production-grade systems that engineers and operators can rely on. My role is to ensure that velocity and governance coexist—so our teams can move fast without compromising security, auditability, or resilience.I focus on: • Architecting identity, endpoint, and SaaS platforms for regulated and classified environments • Embedding security and compliance directly into system design (FedRAMP, CMMC, NIST, IC frameworks) • Reducing operational risk through automation, guardrails, and zero-trust principles • Enabling engineers to ship AI-driven products in public sector contexts without friction • Acting as a bridge between product, engineering, security, and government stakeholders • Turning complex compliance requirements into scalable, repeatable infrastructureMy work ensures that Scale’s AI platforms can operate where the stakes are highest—supporting defense, intelligence, and government missions with systems that are secure by design, auditable by default, and built for scale.This role blends deep technical execution with strategic ownership, helping define how modern AI infrastructure is deployed in environments where failure is not an option.

Education

• Community College of the Air Force

  Associate of Science (A.S.), Electronics and Networking

  2010

• Grambling State University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Computer Science

  2006

• Western Governors University

  Bachelor of Applied Science - BASc, Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance