Erik Peters
Summary
I am a skilled and passionate IT and cybersecurity professional with a strong background in vulnerability management, incident response, and systems administration. My expertise in securing endpoints, managing threats, and automating processes has consistently improved the security posture of organizations. I am driven by the challenge of safeguarding IT infrastructure and ensuring a secure, efficient environment for both staff and end users, always aiming to add value and enhance operational resilience.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
General Description
Recent Experience
05.2018 - Current
- Vulnerability Management Expertise: With 6 years of experience in information security and vulnerability management, utilized tools such as Tenable/Nessus, HCL BigFix, and CrowdStrike Falcon to identify, assess, and remediate vulnerabilities across diverse environments, including the City of Chico's critical infrastructure, ensuring a strong and resilient security posture.
- Incident Response and Management: Played a key role in the Incident Command team at the City of Chico, leading efforts to swiftly manage and resolve IT incidents, including defending against the CVE-2024-3400 vulnerability, minimizing downtime and impact on essential services like the Water Pollution Control Plant.
- Systems and Network Administration: Managed and maintained Windows 10, macOS, and Ubuntu Linux systems at UC Davis College of Engineering, ensuring high levels of systems availability. Optimized network performance through the configuration of firewalls, VLANs, DHCP, and TCP/IP protocols, supporting the college’s IT infrastructure.
- Security Policy Development: Authored and implemented key cybersecurity policies for the City of Chico, including the Cybersecurity Policy, Password and MFA Reset Policy, and Technology Use Policy, aligning with industry standards such as NIST and CIS, and supporting the overall governance framework to enhance organizational security.
- Automation and Scripting: Developed and implemented automated solutions for critical desktop engineering tasks using BigFix ActionScript, PowerShell, and Bash at UC Davis College of Engineering, significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing manual workload in endpoint and network management.
- Advanced Data Analysis: Utilized Splunk for analyzing complex datasets from monitoring tools to diagnose issues, identify trends, and understand system behaviors, contributing to proactive threat detection and system optimization at the City of Chico.
- Technical Documentation: Created detailed technical documentation and incident reports, including those for major IT incidents such as CVE-2024-3400 at the City of Chico, ensuring clear guidelines for incident response and continuous improvement of IT and cybersecurity processes.
- Project Management and Collaboration: Led and contributed to multiple IT projects, including the deployment of security baselines and endpoint management strategies using BigFix at UC Davis College of Engineering, working closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to ensure the successful deployment of new technologies and the alignment of IT services with strategic objectives.
- Customer Service and Communication: Delivered exceptional support to faculty, staff, and researchers at UC Davis College of Engineering by effectively communicating technical information, actively listening to concerns, and demonstrating empathy during troubleshooting, ensuring high levels of user satisfaction.
- Risk Management and Compliance: Supported risk management efforts at the City of Chico by assessing potential risks, implementing mitigation strategies, and ensuring compliance with relevant standards and regulations, including the use of the Mitre ATT&CK framework for threat modeling and adversary emulation.
Cyber Security Analyst & Manager
City of Chico
11.2023 - 08.2024
- Splunk Enterprise Security Lead: Spearheaded the implementation and management of Splunk ES, driving citywide adoption and ensuring optimal deployment ahead of schedule.
- SIEM Implementation: Successfully guided the selection and deployment of a citywide SIEM solution (Splunk ES), leading the vendor selection process to achieve a seamless and timely outcome.
- Custom Splunk App Development: Developed and deployed a Splunk-based application for the City's Mitel telephony system, completing the project ahead of schedule and surpassing expectations.
- PAN-OS CVE Defense: Played a key role in the proactive and effective defense and incident response against 4/11/2024 CVE-2024-3400.
- CrowdStrike Falcon Lead/Falcon Administrator: Managed the City of Chico's CrowdStrike Falcon implementation, ensuring robust endpoint security across all city departments.
- Incident Remediation: Key contributor in the successful remediation of the 7/19/24 CrowdStrike failure, with a focus on restoring operations at the City of Chico's Water Pollution Control Plant.
- Network Security: Led the selection and deployment of the City of Chico's Network Intrusion Detection System, enhancing the city's cybersecurity posture.
- Policy Development: Developed and authored the City of Chico's Cybersecurity Policy, Password and MFA Reset Policy, and Technology Use Policy.
- Innovative Security Solutions: Devised and implemented a method for hosting External Dynamic Lists on PAN Firewalls using AWS Lambda, S3, and Python, significantly improving threat intelligence capabilities.
- Vulnerability Management: Led external and internal vulnerability scanning using Tenable/Nessus and PingCastle, overseeing the remediation of identified vulnerabilities.
- Emergency Services Support: Provided 24x7 on-call support in a rotating schedule for the City's emergency services units, including Fire and Police departments.
Systems Administrator III
University Of California, Davis
05.2018 - 11.2023
- Primary System Administrator: Served as the primary system administrator for Windows 10, macOS, and Ubuntu Linux systems at the College of Engineering, providing comprehensive IT support to faculty, staff, and researchers.
- BigFix Security Patching: Led the creation and deployment of BigFix security patching baselines across the entire UC Davis campus, ensuring consistent security updates and reducing vulnerabilities in the IT environment.
- Escalation Point for Help Desk: Acted as the terminal escalation point for the College of Engineering Help Desk, resolving complex technical issues and providing expert guidance to ensure seamless IT operations.
- Scripting and Automation: Developed and implemented critical desktop engineering scripts using BigFix ActionScript, BigFix Relevance, PowerShell, and Bash, automating tasks to improve efficiency and reduce manual workload.
- Technology Assessment and Implementation: Regularly assessed and recommended new technologies, applications, and solutions to enhance the IT capabilities of the College of Engineering, ensuring alignment with the college’s strategic goals.
- Virtualization Expertise: Experienced in virtualization technologies, including VMware and Hyper-V, and served as the secondary point of contact for the College's VM infrastructure, supporting virtual environments and ensuring optimal performance.
- Network Troubleshooting: Skilled in network troubleshooting, including VLANs, firewalls, DHCP, and TCP/IP, ensuring stable and secure network connectivity across the college’s IT infrastructure.
- Active Directory Management: Managed organizational units (OUs) for the Dean’s Office staff and faculty in Active Directory and Azure AD, ensuring proper configuration, security, and maintenance of user accounts and access controls.
- Software Deployment: Handled software deployments for applications such as Microsoft Office, Visio, and Outlook, ensuring that faculty and staff had access to essential tools for their work.
- Endpoint Configuration and Maintenance: Responsible for the configuration, security, and maintenance of Windows Server and Desktop endpoints, ensuring reliable and secure operation of all IT systems.
- Comprehensive IT Support: Demonstrated exceptional ability to configure, maintain, and troubleshoot a wide range of infrastructure, hardware, software, and systems connectivity issues, ensuring uninterrupted IT services for the College of Engineering.
Healthcare IT Technician II
Dignity Health
01.2018 - 05.2018
- Primary Healthcare IT Technician: Served as the primary healthcare IT technician for the largest clinic in Sacramento, providing critical support to healthcare providers, staff, and corporate VIPs.
- Tier 2 and 3 User Support: Delivered tier 2 and 3 user support, ensuring quick resolution of technical issues to maintain uninterrupted clinical operations.
- Clinical Applications Troubleshooting: Troubleshot and resolved issues related to clinical applications such as PillCam, AllScripts, and Dragon, ensuring these vital tools functioned optimally.
- PC Imaging and Encryption: Managed imaging of desktop and laptop PCs using MDT and configured McAfee MDE enterprise desktop encryption on newly imaged devices to enhance security.
- Network Connectivity Troubleshooting: Addressed first-tier network connectivity issues related to printers, desktops, and clinical devices, ensuring seamless operations across the clinic.
- IT Hardware Deployment: Deployed and configured new IT hardware, ensuring all devices were ready for use by clinic staff.
- Special IT Projects: Actively participated in special IT projects around Sacramento, often requiring overtime, to support broader IT initiatives.
- Software Deployment and Troubleshooting: Handled software deployment and troubleshooting via the Marimba CCA client, ensuring applications were installed and functional across the clinic.
- VPN and MDM Client Support: Responsible for setting up and troubleshooting Cisco AnyConnect VPN and Maas 360/MobileMax MDM clients for new users, ensuring secure and reliable remote access.
- Incident and Problem Tracking: Tracked and managed incidents and problems using ServiceNow, generating custom reports to support IT operations.
- IT Inventory Management: Maintained and updated corporate IT inventory through the HiVE tracking system, and fulfilled purchase requests and receiving duties using the Lawson ERP system to support the clinic’s operational needs.
IT Services Specialist
The Geneva Foundation
01.2017 - 11.2017
- Workstation and Mobile Device Support: Responsible for monitoring, maintaining, and supporting company workstations and mobile devices, ensuring compliance with security standards.
- Mac OS X and Windows Support: Experienced in supporting computers running Mac OS X 10.10+ and Windows 7+, providing comprehensive technical assistance.
- Service Request Management: Tracked and monitored service requests to ensure timely resolution and follow-up, maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
- Software Installation and Troubleshooting: Provided installation and troubleshooting of software remotely via ScreenConnect as well as in-person, including diagnostics and replacement of workstation hardware.
- Office 365 and Skype for Business Support: Provided installation, configuration, and support for Office 365 and Skype for Business on both PC and mobile devices.
- Active Directory User Provisioning: Experienced in Active Directory user provisioning using ADUC and Hyena, ensuring accurate and secure account management.
- SCCM Imaging and Deployment: Experienced with PXE imaging, task sequence building, and application deployment using SCCM, facilitating efficient system setup and maintenance.
- Panasonic PBX Phone Administration: Gained some experience with Panasonic PBX phone administration, utilizing server utility tools to manage phone systems.
- Hosted Exchange Administration: Acquired some experience with hosted Exchange administration, supporting email services for the organization.
- SharePoint Administration: Gained some experience with SharePoint site permissions administration and site setups, contributing to the effective management of collaboration tools.
- Client and Colleague Recommendations: Provided recommendations to clients and colleagues that evolved into effective solutions to meet business needs.
- Technology Research and Documentation: Researched current technology and reviewed processes, internally publishing instructional material to enhance team knowledge.
- User Training and Guidance: Provided training and guidance to users on software and company systems, ensuring they were equipped to utilize technology effectively.
- Technical Concept Assimilation: Experienced in assimilating technical concepts, terms, and material, and explaining this information to non-technical clients, bridging the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Help Desk Analyst
Lynden Incorporated
03.2016 - 01.2017
- Global End User Support: Supported over 2,000 end users globally, including truck drivers, barge operators, and pilots, ensuring their technical needs were met across diverse environments.
- High Volume Ticket Resolution: Personally closed approximately 3,000 tickets at Lynden as of 12/7/16, demonstrating efficiency and dedication in resolving user issues.
- Worldwide Point of Contact: Trusted as the worldwide Point of Contact, serving as a 24-hour on-call analyst to autonomously handle urgent matters and emergencies, ensuring continuous IT support.
- Remote Troubleshooting and Assistance: Provided remote troubleshooting, instruction, and assistance for various software and hardware issues using LANDesk, and tracked tickets via HEAT, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
- Active Directory Administration: Experienced in administering users, computers, and groups in Active Directory, ensuring proper account management and access control.
- VDI Provisioning and Administration: Gained experience in VDI provisioning and administration via Unidesk and VMware, supporting virtual desktop environments for end users.
- Enterprise System Monitoring: Performed daily system checks of all enterprise IT systems, monitoring company networks and servers for faults, and handling outages in accordance with IT department policies, ensuring minimal disruption to operations.
Hospital Corpsman Third Class
United States Navy
11.2005 - 11.2010
- Military Medical Care: Provided quality daily medical care to active-duty military personnel both at home and overseas for 5 years, ensuring the health and well-being of service members.
- Honorable Discharge: Honorably discharged in November 2010 after a dedicated career in the military, reflecting a strong commitment to duty and service.
- USS New Orleans Medical Department: Served in a medical capacity as an assistant health care provider from December 2007 to November 2010, supporting daily patient care activities for over 400 Navy and Marine personnel.
Education
Master of Science - Information Systems
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL2025
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
John F. Kennedy University
Pleasant Hill, CA2015
Certification - Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst
Splunk
2024
Certification - CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician
CompTIA
2015
Timeline
Cyber Security Analyst & Manager
City of Chico
11.2023 - 08.2024
General Description
Recent Experience
05.2018 - Current
Systems Administrator III
University Of California, Davis
05.2018 - 11.2023
Healthcare IT Technician II
Dignity Health
01.2018 - 05.2018
IT Services Specialist
The Geneva Foundation
01.2017 - 11.2017
Help Desk Analyst
Lynden Incorporated
03.2016 - 01.2017
Hospital Corpsman Third Class
United States Navy
11.2005 - 11.2010
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
John F. Kennedy University
Master of Science - Information Systems
Northwestern University
Certification - Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst
Splunk
Certification - CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician
CompTIA
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