Mathew Bates

Managed and led the cybersecurity program for a major system/enclave, serving as the principal advisor to senior management (CIO/AO) on security posture and risk. Directly responsible for acquiring and managing essential resources (personnel, budget, and leadership support) to meet strategic IT security goals and reduce organizational risk.

Key Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management: Directed a department of 28 IT and Cybersecurity professionals who were often distributed across several geographic locations. Managed all aspects of team operations, including project execution, advanced training, and performance evaluations, resulting in successful mission completion and the delivery of secure networks and computer infrastructure to over 4,000 customers.

Risk Management & Assessment: Continuously assessed and advised leadership on risk levels; ensured that Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms) were developed and executed to remediate vulnerabilities identified through audits and risk assessments.

Security Architecture & Compliance: Oversaw the integration of security requirements across the entire System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Developed and maintained security policies and procedures to assure compliance with applicable laws and governance (e.g., knowledge of Titles 10, 18, 32, 50 in U.S. Code).

Operations & Incident Oversight: Managed the continuous monitoring of security data sources to maintain situational awareness. Directed protective and corrective measures in response to security incidents, ensuring timely reporting and mitigation.

Training & Awareness: Led the formal security training and awareness program for the organization, promoting sound security principles and ensuring compliance among all stakeholders."

Specialized in the hands-on deployment, maintenance, and administration of critical infrastructure hardware and software dedicated to cyber defense. As a key technical expert, my focus was on building and hardening secure enterprise environments, administering core defense systems, and maintaining continuous compliance with regulatory frameworks.

Key Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management: Managed and led a Cyber Defense section of three Information Security Professionals, overseeing all operational tasking and execution. Responsible for delegating daily tasks to the team to ensure efficient mission completion and conducting performance evaluations and mentorship for all direct reports.

Infrastructure Engineering: Built, installed, configured, and tested dedicated cyber defense hardware and software, ensuring the resilient operation of specialized systems, including firewalls, Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Administered Windows and Linux servers that hosted essential security software such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems and security dashboards for centralized endpoint security management.

Network Defense & Configuration: Maintained and administered specialized cyber defense applications (e.g., anti-virus, audit tools) and strategically managed Network Access Control Lists (ACLs) on perimeter defense systems to enforce policy and control traffic flow.

System Hardening & Compliance: Provided essential support for the Risk Management Framework (RMF) and Security Assessment and Authorization (SA&A) processes by implementing and documenting security controls across infrastructure components.

Performed comprehensive technical and procedural security assessments across the enterprise to proactively identify vulnerabilities, measure security control effectiveness, and ensure stringent compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) cybersecurity mandates. Instrumental in maintaining the Authority to Operate (ATO) status for mission-critical systems and acting as a principal audit subject matter expert.

Key Accomplishments & Responsibilities:

Global Compliance & Auditing: Led and executed Command Cyber Readiness Inspection (CCRI) audits of Army organizations world-wide, analyzing configurations and defense-in-depth architecture to measure adherence against acceptable DoD standards.

Technical Vulnerability Assessment: Performed hands-on cybersecurity inspections of complex network infrastructure devices, including Firewalls, Routers, Switches, Wireless Controllers, and Voice/Video-over-IP (V/VOIP) systems.

Risk Reporting & Mitigation: Rapidly provided accurate and timely assessment reports and situational awareness to Army Senior Leaders. Delivered remediation or mitigation strategies for critical issues affecting the security of the DoD Information Network (DoDIN), including classified and unclassified circuits.

Training & Mentorship: Trained and mentored new auditors in both a formal classroom setting and while on the job, ensuring rapid competency development and knowledge transfer across the assessment team.

Audit Toolkit & Policy Maintenance: Conducted continuous, enterprise-wide vulnerability scanning and maintained a deployable cyber defense audit toolkit, ensuring all activities strictly adhered to relevant cyber defense policies, regulations, and compliance documents (e.g., DoD STIGs, RMF)

Served as the primary technical interface for users, providing expert Tier 1 and Tier 2 support for client-level hardware, software, and peripheral equipment within a secure network environment. Ensured continuity of operations by rapidly diagnosing and resolving complex system incidents, problems, and events in accordance with organizational security standards.

Key Accomplishments

Leadership & Help Desk Operations: Supervised daily help desk operations, including the management of two IT professionals. Directly responsible for managing Help Desk ticket priority and ensuring timely resolution of high-impact incidents to maintain mission readiness.

Client Systems Administration: Administered and maintained client-level devices for over 500 users, including the installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of operating systems (Windows and Linux), application software, and peripheral equipment.

Knowledge & Collaboration Management: Managed and maintained the organization's SharePoint site, controlling user access, permissions, content security, and site integrity to ensure a secure and efficient platform for knowledge sharing.

Incident and Problem Resolution: Diagnosed and resolved customer-reported system incidents, problems, and events, achieving a fast resolution time. Maintained comprehensive incident tracking and solution databases to facilitate trend analysis and knowledge sharing.

Access & Account Management: Administered user accounts, network rights, and access to systems and equipment on both Secure and Non-secure Internet Protocol Router (SIPR/NIPR) networks, ensuring strict adherence to Least Privilege principles.

Training & Documentation: Delivered technical training to end-users on data security, system operation, and best practices. Trained new personnel in both advanced troubleshooting techniques and the standardized process for imaging or baselining workstations and laptops. Created and updated Standard Operating Procedures.