LAURA JOHNSON
Summary
Seasoned Government Cybersecurity Manager with over a decade of experience in the information security field across government, higher education, private sector, and military environments. Proven expertise in security architecture, network traffic management, DLP, and systems integration. Former Army National Guard Intelligence Systems Maintainer/Integrator (35T), recognized for advanced troubleshooting, network engineering, and secure system deployment. Adept in vendor management, technical project leadership, and cross-functional team coordination.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Cybersecurity Manager, Facility Security Officer (FSO) & Insider Threat Program Senior Official (ITPSO)
Fortress Information & Government Solutions
04.2024 - 08.2025
- Led compliance and regulatory oversight for classified government cybersecurity initiatives
- Oversaw security posture for cleared facilities in accordance with NISPOM and other federal regulations
- Managed internal and external audits, personnel security processes, and facility security plans
- Collaborated with senior leadership and government stakeholders to ensure mission-aligned security implementations
- Provided mentorship and technical direction for cybersecurity staff and engineers
- Developed and enforced internal cybersecurity policies and security awareness programs
- Created and Implemented Insider Threat Program compliant with NISPOM
Security Manager
Fortress Information & Government Solutions
06.2022 - 04.2024
- Directed enterprise-level cybersecurity initiatives, aligning technical strategies with federal and organizational policies
- Managed security tools and technologies, including IDS/IPS, DLP, SIEM, and endpoint protection
- Conducted risk assessments and incident response drills across classified and unclassified environments
- Completed annual audits to include SOCII and 800-171
- Oversaw vendor relationships, contract renewals, and service-level agreements (SLAs)
- Delivered executive-level security briefings and program status updates
Technical Project Manager
Fortress Information & Government Solutions
08.2021 - 01.2022
- Served as technical liaison between clients, engineers, and vendors to execute cybersecurity projects
- Scoped, scheduled, and tracked project timelines, budgets, and deliverables across cross-functional teams
- Ensured secure system deployment, integration, and testing within guidelines
- Supported transition planning for newly onboarded tools and services in secure environments
- Documented technical processes and created playbooks for project continuity and knowledge transfer
Senior Security Engineer
The George Washington University
Washington, USA
01.2016 - 10.2020
- Company Overview: Washington, D.C.
- Acted as hands-on technical security architect and internal consultant
- Oversaw firewall service provider operations including SLAs, integration, and staffing
- Managed and maintained Gigamon/NetOptics hardware for traffic analysis
- Approved firewall change requests, led audits and technical initiatives
- Member: Change Advisory Board & Leadership Planning Committee
- Washington, D.C.
Managing Security Engineer
GuidePoint Security
Reston, USA
06.2015 - 01.2016
- Company Overview: Reston, VA
- Led regional operations for Technology Services, mentoring team members
- Directed project planning, vendor strategy, and proposal development
- Reston, VA
Security Engineer
GuidePoint Security
Reston, USA
02.2014 - 06.2015
- Company Overview: Reston, VA
- Implemented Websense WSGA, Email Security, and DLP solutions
- Installed FireEye, SourceFire, and EnCase tools for large-scale enterprise security
- Architected Gigamon deployment for traffic visibility
- Reston, VA
Cyber Security Engineer
NuWave Solutions, LLC
McLean, USA
11.2011 - 02.2014
- Company Overview: McLean, VA
- Spearheaded deployment of EnCase, Relativity, Fidelis, and Niksun systems across secure networks
- Built virtualized environments, SQL DBs, and enforced group policy configurations
- Led global implementations for traffic analysis, malware detection, and DLP
- McLean, VA
Intelligence Systems Maintainer/Integrator (35T)
U.S. Army National Guard
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Integrated and secured multi-OS environments (Linux, UNIX, Windows)
- Configured Active Directory and routing protocols for military intelligence networks
- Maintained classified systems: CGS, GR/CS, Prophet, and other tactical communication systems
- Specialized in network security, troubleshooting, and system readiness for intelligence operations
Education
A.A.S. - Electronics Technology
Cochise College
Criminal Justice
George Mason University
Skills
- Cybersecurity engineering and architecture
- Cybersecurity policy development
- Risk assessment and management
- Security auditing and compliance
- Vendor and stakeholder management
- Project management and leadership
- Technical documentation creation
- Network security strategies
- Team leadership and collaboration
- Effective communication skills
- Problem-solving techniques
- Security awareness training programs
- Security operations management
- Data protection measures
- Physical security protocols
- Compliance process documentation
- Data loss prevention (DLP) strategies
Websites
Certification
- FJSE, WSGA
- RSA SE Master - Security Analytics
- CCNA / CCENT
- Security+ (DOD 8570 Compliant)
Training
- Cloud Security Architecture & Operations
- Cloud Security Fundamentals
- Defensible Security Architecture & Engineering
- CISSP Prep Program
Awards
- Army Achievement Medal
- George Washington University Teamwork Award
- George Washington University Leadership Award
Industry Leadership And Community Contributions
- Director of SOC Training - DEF CON
- CFP Staff - The Diana Initiative
- Bsides Staff & Volunteer for multiple locations
Timeline
Cybersecurity Manager, Facility Security Officer (FSO) & Insider Threat Program Senior Official (ITPSO)
Fortress Information & Government Solutions
04.2024 - 08.2025
Security Manager
Fortress Information & Government Solutions
06.2022 - 04.2024
Technical Project Manager
Fortress Information & Government Solutions
08.2021 - 01.2022
Senior Security Engineer
The George Washington University
01.2016 - 10.2020
Managing Security Engineer
GuidePoint Security
06.2015 - 01.2016
Security Engineer
GuidePoint Security
02.2014 - 06.2015
Cyber Security Engineer
NuWave Solutions, LLC
11.2011 - 02.2014
Intelligence Systems Maintainer/Integrator (35T)
U.S. Army National Guard
01.2010 - 01.2014
A.A.S. - Electronics Technology
Cochise College
Criminal Justice
George Mason University
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