ePortfolio Video Transcript
Hello, my name is John McGovern, and I wanted to thank you for visiting my ePortfolio website. By way of introduction, I am a San Diego resident and native, married to my wife Jordanna for fourteen years, and father of four amazing daughters. My wife, daughters, extended family, friends, and colleagues have formed an amazing support network during this two-year program.
Professionally, I have spent the last nineteen years in information technology and cybersecurity roles. I love to help people with technology, so working in these fields has brought both challenges and rewards. Much of my career has been in network engineering, systems engineering, and security engineering roles, where I have had to opportunity to work with organizations in the higher education and software verticals. Over the last four years, I have worked as a Consulting Sales Engineer focused on the cybersecurity portfolio of a leading data analytics software company. I enjoy working with companies to help keep their environments secure, improving the lives of people, and ultimately contributing in my own small way to supporting the United States economic and information engine through cybersecurity risk mitigation and assurance.
A few years ago, I decided to focus on advancing my education. I wanted to challenge myself in my learning, writing, and ability to research. I knew I had gaps in my knowledge of the cybersecurity field, and I wanted to become a more well-rounded professional. I have significant background in cybersecurity engineering in large environments, but I knew I needed to learn how to manage risk, implement policies, communicate with leadership, and understand the complex decision cycles that go into managing modern cybersecurity projects. After a long search, I found a program was a perfect fit for my goals and, fortunately, it was right in my backyard at the University of San Diego. My purpose in seeking out and completing this graduate degree is to be a more effective cybersecurity professional and leader. The large organizations I have the opportunity to work with everyday count on my knowledge and skillset when I bring them ideas, recommendations, and best practices. This program has allowed me to build upon these. I have both acquired new knowledge and learned better how to learn, research, and write. I know these skills and practices will be invaluable to me in the future.
The ePortfolio I have created at JohnMcGovern.com represents the culmination of two years of extensive reading, research, discussion, and writing. I have posted introductions to and reflections on each of the ten courses in the Cybersecurity Operations and Leadership master’s program, along with project samples for each course. This is a subset of the assignments and final projects in the program which I have reviewed, updated, and selected as most valuable or memorable for me. The selection highlights much of my best work in this course. Courses in this program are wide-ranging and include cybersecurity topics such as Risk Management, Cybersecurity Policy, Security Architecture, Network Security, Software Security, Vulnerability Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence, and Cryptography. In addition to course information and artifacts, I have included a reference link library of helpful resources that were used throughout the program. Finally, I have posted my professional resume which includes a summary of my relevant work experience.
I want to give my sincere thanks to the professors and students who taught me and with whom I had the opportunity to work with and discuss these complex topics. Professor Ash Mozano, Professor Thomas Plunkett, Professor Brian Russell, Professor Victor Nzeata, Professor Dorian Pappas, Dr. Michelle Moore, and Dr. Danny Barnes. A special thanks to Professor Donald Biedermann, Professor Cameron Carter, and Professor Todd Raines, who went above and beyond their responsibilities in their generous investment in me as a student. I am deeply appreciative to each of you for the great gift of your time and education.
I hope you enjoy the portfolio I have assembled. It represents my best and chosen work in a program that I have enjoyed very much. In times of uncertainty, it helps to focus on the constants in life and drive to them. Our country needs more trained cybersecurity professionals in managerial and leadership roles to parse difficult cybersecurity tradeoffs, manage the complexities of process, technology, and risk, and lead people to help secure our nation’s economy and government. I believe I am better prepared for these tasks due to this fine program. Thank you for taking the time to watch this, and I hope you enjoy browsing through my ePortfolio.
Professionally, I have spent the last nineteen years in information technology and cybersecurity roles. I love to help people with technology, so working in these fields has brought both challenges and rewards. Much of my career has been in network engineering, systems engineering, and security engineering roles, where I have had to opportunity to work with organizations in the higher education and software verticals. Over the last four years, I have worked as a Consulting Sales Engineer focused on the cybersecurity portfolio of a leading data analytics software company. I enjoy working with companies to help keep their environments secure, improving the lives of people, and ultimately contributing in my own small way to supporting the United States economic and information engine through cybersecurity risk mitigation and assurance.
A few years ago, I decided to focus on advancing my education. I wanted to challenge myself in my learning, writing, and ability to research. I knew I had gaps in my knowledge of the cybersecurity field, and I wanted to become a more well-rounded professional. I have significant background in cybersecurity engineering in large environments, but I knew I needed to learn how to manage risk, implement policies, communicate with leadership, and understand the complex decision cycles that go into managing modern cybersecurity projects. After a long search, I found a program was a perfect fit for my goals and, fortunately, it was right in my backyard at the University of San Diego. My purpose in seeking out and completing this graduate degree is to be a more effective cybersecurity professional and leader. The large organizations I have the opportunity to work with everyday count on my knowledge and skillset when I bring them ideas, recommendations, and best practices. This program has allowed me to build upon these. I have both acquired new knowledge and learned better how to learn, research, and write. I know these skills and practices will be invaluable to me in the future.
The ePortfolio I have created at JohnMcGovern.com represents the culmination of two years of extensive reading, research, discussion, and writing. I have posted introductions to and reflections on each of the ten courses in the Cybersecurity Operations and Leadership master’s program, along with project samples for each course. This is a subset of the assignments and final projects in the program which I have reviewed, updated, and selected as most valuable or memorable for me. The selection highlights much of my best work in this course. Courses in this program are wide-ranging and include cybersecurity topics such as Risk Management, Cybersecurity Policy, Security Architecture, Network Security, Software Security, Vulnerability Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence, and Cryptography. In addition to course information and artifacts, I have included a reference link library of helpful resources that were used throughout the program. Finally, I have posted my professional resume which includes a summary of my relevant work experience.
I want to give my sincere thanks to the professors and students who taught me and with whom I had the opportunity to work with and discuss these complex topics. Professor Ash Mozano, Professor Thomas Plunkett, Professor Brian Russell, Professor Victor Nzeata, Professor Dorian Pappas, Dr. Michelle Moore, and Dr. Danny Barnes. A special thanks to Professor Donald Biedermann, Professor Cameron Carter, and Professor Todd Raines, who went above and beyond their responsibilities in their generous investment in me as a student. I am deeply appreciative to each of you for the great gift of your time and education.
I hope you enjoy the portfolio I have assembled. It represents my best and chosen work in a program that I have enjoyed very much. In times of uncertainty, it helps to focus on the constants in life and drive to them. Our country needs more trained cybersecurity professionals in managerial and leadership roles to parse difficult cybersecurity tradeoffs, manage the complexities of process, technology, and risk, and lead people to help secure our nation’s economy and government. I believe I am better prepared for these tasks due to this fine program. Thank you for taking the time to watch this, and I hope you enjoy browsing through my ePortfolio.