Homer D. Betts, Jr.

Dynamic educator and technology leader with a proven track record at Phelps ACE High School, achieving over 72% certification success in Cisco Networking. Expert in instructional design and project-based learning, leveraging strong communication skills to foster student engagement and innovation in IT education. Proficient in programming and networking, driving impactful learning outcomes. Dedicated Educator with extensive experience partnering with parents and ensuring success of students. Skilled at providing feedback on individual progress of students and discussing specific needs.

Research: - My initial research study was a scholarly research effort (my Doctoral Research and Dissertation) that explored the phenomenon of non-compliance by small and medium size businesses to established information security policies and practices. This affort addressed the gap, the lack of understanding, of compliance standards with established information systems security policies, that existed and is still a norm in the small and medium-sized business sector (Folorunso, A., Wada, I., Samuel, B., & Mohammed, V., 2024).

My study and preferred method of exploration, quantitative, examines the influence of training and awareness, resources, management focus, cost constraints, and the capability of the small and medium-size business to capture and retain skilled personnel to comply with established information security practices. The initial study was an empirical quantitative examination of the industry, exploring the relationship between compliance, the independent variable, and the success of this business community to safeguard and protect information assets. The intent was to capture an understanding of the phenomenon, within the small/medium-sized business sector, through the analysis of verifiable quantitative data.

The study explores quantitative data, of variables unique to compliance, and established theory. The analysis supported analytical predictive instrument that identifies relationships between the antecedents, variables, and then expresses them relative to identified hypotheses. The key themes or questions that drive my interest in this research area are the possibility of utilizing artificial intelligence tools to examine the relationship between compliance, the independent variable, and the success of the sector to safeguard and protect information assets, the dependent variable.

The “so what” or significance behind this line of study/research is that within the U.S. there are thirty million small/medium-sized businesses. This business segment contributes two-thirds of private sector new jobs, and in many cases, pays higher wages than their more progressive and larger partners (Soremekun, Y. M., Abioye, K. M., Sanyaolu, T. O., Adeleke, A. G., & Efunniyi, C. P., 2024) (Department of Labor, 2024). Additionally, there is evidence that this business sector represents a risk and vulnerability to the digital environment of the 21st century, prudently effective measures need implementation (Huang, X., 2024).

My initial research, “Compliance to Established Information Security Policies: Small/Medium-sized businesses,” identified follow-on research efforts by scholarly and practitioner researchers. Specifically:

Folorunso, A., Wada, I., Samuel, B., & Mohammed, V. (2024). Security compliance and its implication for cybersecurity. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 24(01), 2105-2121.

Soremekun, Y. M., Abioye, K. M., Sanyaolu, T. O., Adeleke, A. G., & Efunniyi, C. P. (2024). Conceptual framework for assessing the impact of financial access on SME growth and economic equity in the US. Comprehensive Research and Reviews Journal, 2(1)

Huang, X. (2024). Development problems and new paths of small and medium-sized enterprises under the background of digital economy. Lecture notes in education psychology and public media, 50(1), 117-123.

The publication has been cited over 115 times, and I am proactively engaged in the exploration of developing AI/Cybersecurity tools to support the business sector in the reduction of risk and the effective management of information assets.

Current Research Interest and Projects
My current research interests and projects include:

1. Combining artificial intelligence (AI) with validated security procedures to improve safety measures and make compliance procedures easier.

2. The development of in-depth procedures that support the implementation of AI to improve cybersecurity control, threat discovery, vulnerability management, incident response, and compliance tracking.

3. Utilizing AI systems to function as governance partners that fortify defense mechanisms and automate complex threat detection or intrusion detection systems.

4. Modifying “Machine Learning Models” through introduction of enormous amounts of data, identifying anomalies, breach or malicious activity, total system vulnerabilities.

The significance of any study is the measurement of value to the stakeholders or benefactors of the study (Creswell, 2015). The importance of these studies is relative to the economic importance of target business sector, the result of noncompliance with established information security guidelines and policies.

Based on the understanding gained from the initial study, it is imperative that the utilization of progressive methodologies, policies, and practices offers this business sector supporting compliance with established information security mitigation

Industry Level Certification

Description

Date Issued

Networking Academy instructor

PCEP™ – Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer. The PCEP™ certification shows that the individual is familiar with the following concepts:

a) Understanding of the fundamental terms and definitions (e.g. compilation vs. interpretation),

b) Python's logic and structure (e.g. keywords, instructions, indentation), literals, variables, and numeral systems, operators. and

c) Data types, I/O operations, control flow mechanisms (conditional blocks and loops), data collections (lists, tuples, dictionaries, strings),

d) Functions (decomposition, built-in and user-defined functions, organizing interaction between functions and their environment, generators, recursion),

e) Exceptions (exception handling, hierarchies), as well as the essentials of Python programming language syntax, semantics, and the runtime environment.

September 2021

CCNAv7: Introduction to Networks

Networking Academy instructor

Cisco verifies Homer D. Betts, earned this badge successfully completed the Introduction to Networks course and achieved this student and the instructors training level for this credential. Earners have knowledge of networking including IP addressing, how physical, data link protocols support Ethernet, can configure connectivity between switches, routers and end devices to provide access to local and remote resources.

Verification

Issued on August 19, 2020

Issued by Cisco

Issued using Credly

Issued to Homer Betts

Accepted on August 19, 2020

Certified Enterprise Advanced Routing Professional

Networking Academy instructor

Cisco verifies that Homer D. Betts, Jr., earned this badge successfully completed the professional level Advanced Routing course and achieved the student and instructors level credential. As the holder of this credential, Dr. Betts, has a deep understanding and the skills needed to deploy, troubleshoot, and optimize IPv4 and IPv6 routing technologies and VPN services along with management tools for automation and security best practices used in enterprise networks.

Verification

Issued on January 19, 2021

Issued by Cisco

Issued using Credly

Issued to Homer Betts

Accepted on January 19, 2021

Cisco Certified Design Expert Specialist

Networking Academy instructor

Cisco CCDE written exam will validate that professionals have the expertise to gather and clarify network functional requirements, develop network designs to meet functional specifications, develop an implementation plan, convey design decisions and their rationale, and possess expert-level network infrastructure design knowledge. The CCDE Written is the only single test option to recertify any Expert level certification.

Verification

Issued on June 4, 2021

Issued by Cisco

Issued using Credly

Issued to Homer Betts

Accepted on June 4, 2021

• Implement Apache Hadoop Big Data Analytics at HHS, IRS, Maryland State Motor Vehicles, and various Banking Entities. Additionally, supported the development of the Treasury Enterprise Architecture Framework.
• Wrote the Design Master Plan for Treasury's Tax Systems Modernization Initiative.
• Supported Cybersecurity requirements associated with Project Management, Governance and Enterprise Life-Cycle standards.
• Served as Consultant and SME (Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service) in the Information Security Data Management area.

• Secretary's Award, Department of Treasury, 5
• Director's Award, Internal Revenue Service, 4
• Service Performance Awards, EDS, 4
• Achiever's Award, The Carrington Group
• Director's Award, Department of Veterans Affairs, 2
• Army Achievement Award
• Army Accommodation Award
• Ranger Tab
• Parachutist Badge
• Expert Infantryman Badge
• Advance Officers School

• Compliance Policies for Small and Medium-sized Businesses, 1994
• Compliance with Information Security Policies: Small and Medium-sized Business, 2004
• Tax Systems Requirements and Management, 2008
• Information Security – Small and Medium-sized Business in the Washington Metropolitan Area, 2017
• Managing K-12 Learning Environment is Urban Areas, 2018
• Security and Information Assurance in the, 2020
• Understanding Culture in K-12 Learning Environments, 2024