Hi, I’m
Rachel Sitarz, PHD (Pending Conferral)
Cybersecurity
Lafayette,IN
Work Preference
Summary
Strategically-minded Information Security Director with proven ability to lead security initiatives that enhance system protection while ensuring efficient task completion. Master in risk management, incident response, and regulatory compliance, adept at navigating complex security landscapes. Excel in communication, leadership, and strategic planning, driving teams towards achieving robust security postures.
Overview
16
years of professional experience
Work History
RadarFirst
Director of Information Security
01.2022 - Current
Job overview
- Led the organization as the executive leader for cybersecurity, privacy, compliance, and emerging technology governance, providing strategic direction across security operations, risk management, regulatory compliance, and AI adoption.
- Directed cybersecurity operations, DevOps security integration, compliance, and privacy teams, fostering collaboration between technical, operational, and governance functions to enhance security posture.
- Lead the design and execution of an enterprise-wide security strategy aligned with industry frameworks, including National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), HITRUST, and SOC2, ensuring continuous compliance and risk reduction across the organization.
- Serve as the primary Subject Matter Expert (SME) for all security-related matters, advising executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and cross-functional teams on organizational risk, resilience, and secure innovation.
- Developed and maintained organizational security policies, standards, and incident response frameworks, acting as Incident Commander for security events and crisis response activities to ensure effective management and resolution.
- Maintain a comprehensive risk register and oversee third-party risk management programs to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate vendor and supply-chain risks.
- Spearhead end-to-end regulatory and assurance audits, including SOC 2 and HITRUST, penetration testing, Business Impact Assessments (BIA), and continuous vulnerability management programs, consistently achieving full SLA compliance for remediation and patching.
- Since 2022, have maintained zero material security incidents while continuously strengthening the organization’s security maturity.
- Chaired AI Steering Committee and led development of AI governance strategy, policies, and risk framework, facilitating responsible innovation while ensuring data protection and regulatory compliance across emerging technologies.
- Develop executive-level reporting and quarterly security posture reviews for senior leadership and the Board of Directors, translating technical risk into strategic business impact to inform decision-making and strengthen organizational resilience.
- Design security heatmaps and strategic technical roadmaps using the MITRE ATT&CK framework and industry standards to identify control gaps, prioritize remediation initiatives, and guide long-term security investments.
- Partner closely with Sales, Go-To-Market, and Customer Success teams to support security due diligence, prospect risk assessments, third-party questionnaires, and customer trust initiatives, and to maintain and enhance the organization’s Trust Center to strengthen customer confidence and market credibility.
Cyber Inform, LLC
Founder, Consultant
01.2013 - 01.2023
Job overview
- Founded and led a cybersecurity consulting and digital forensics advisory firm that provides strategic risk guidance, threat intelligence, forensic investigations, and executive education to private-sector, public-sector, and community organizations.
- Delivered expert-level analysis and advisory services focused on proactive threat mitigation, cybercrime prevention, and organizational resilience.
- Served as a consulting expert in digital forensics and cybercrime investigations, including providing authoritative expert witness testimony in high-stakes legal proceedings.
- Produced comprehensive reports and delivered oral testimony, translating complex technical findings into actionable insights for legal professionals, executives, and stakeholders.
- Monitored and analyzed evolving cybersecurity threats, regulatory developments, and industry trends to inform client security strategy, risk management, and compliance initiatives.
- Developed tailored mitigation frameworks and security improvement roadmaps aligned with best practices and emerging threat models, enhancing client security posture.
- Recognized as a thought leader in cybersecurity awareness and public education, particularly in protecting vulnerable populations and strengthening community cyber resilience.
- Led initiatives to translate complex cybersecurity risks into accessible strategies for executives, educators, parents, and community leaders, strengthening preparedness for cyber threats.
- Recognized for excellence and innovation in cybersecurity leadership with the Women in Technology Award (Duo Security) and the Elevate Ventures Black Award for Entrepreneurship, reflecting sustained impact and advancement in the cybersecurity field.
Pondurance
Manager of: Security Operations Center, Cyber Threat Intel, Incident Response, Security Testing (Penetration Testing and Application Security Testing), Vulnerability Management & Detection Engineering
01.2018 - 01.2022
Job overview
- Led and scaled multiple high-impact cybersecurity functions in a rapidly growing startup, overseeing 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC), Cyber Threat Intelligence, Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR), Penetration Testing and Application Security Testing, Vulnerability Management, and Detection Engineering teams.
- Directed operational strategy and day-to-day execution across these disciplines to deliver continuous threat detection, rapid incident response, and proactive risk reduction for enterprise clients.
- Managed and mentored more than forty cybersecurity professionals in technical and operational roles, fostering a high-performance culture focused on skill development, cross-functional collaboration, and service excellence in a fully remote environment.
- Developed and executed growth strategies that expanded service offerings and enhanced operational efficiency in a startup environment.
- Partnered closely with executive leadership to align security services with evolving business objectives and market demand.
- Designed comprehensive security assessments for clients, including maturity models, visibility matrices, and attack surface analyses, to help organizations clearly understand their security posture, identify control gaps, and prioritize remediation.
- Oversaw compliance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and cybersecurity best practices, ensuring consistent service quality and risk management across all security functions.
- Led as senior on-call DFIR expert, providing guidance and hands-on support during high-severity security incidents and breach investigations.
- Developed client-facing readiness resources, including cybersecurity playbooks, incident response plans, and threat-hunting runbooks, to strengthen organizational preparedness and accelerate detection and response capabilities.
Accenture Federal Services
Security Associate Manager
01.2017 - 01.2018
Job overview
- Led the design and delivery of advanced cybersecurity training and threat-hunting programs for federal and military organizations, strengthening national security capabilities in endpoint detection, intrusion analysis, and proactive defense operations.
- Served as both technical lead and program manager for client engagements, ensuring training initiatives aligned with mission objectives, operational readiness, and evolving threat landscapes.
- Developed and delivered customized Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) training curricula tailored to client environments, operational maturity, and workforce skill levels.
- Led immersive technical labs, real-world threat-hunting simulations, and Capture-the-Flag exercises to enhance analysts’ proficiency in adversary detection, investigation, and response using the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
- Built and managed delivery teams executing training programs across multiple client engagements, ensuring consistent instructional excellence through mentorship, quality assurance, and technical oversight.
- Designed performance measurement frameworks and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate detection effectiveness and analyst readiness, enabling leadership to quantify program impact and enhance security posture.
- Engaged senior government and military stakeholders through executive briefings and formal presentations, translating complex technical findings into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
- Maintained deep technical expertise in threat-hunting methodologies, endpoint telemetry analysis, and adversary behavior modeling, continuously integrating emerging tactics, techniques, and procedures into training content and defensive strategies.
CSC
Threat Intelligence Scientist, Computer Forensics
01.2015 - 01.2016
Job overview
- Conducted advanced cyber threat intelligence research and digital forensics to identify emerging adversary tactics and vulnerabilities, enhancing security for enterprise and government environments.
- Conducted in-depth endpoint and network threat analysis to detect malicious activity, investigate intrusions, and support forensic examinations of compromised systems.
- Integrated technical investigation, data-driven research, and standards-based security methodologies to inform proactive threat mitigation strategies and reduce organizational risk.
- Analyzed vulnerabilities, exploit techniques, and attacker behaviors to assess real-world risk and guide improvements to defensive controls.
- Integrated technical investigation, data-driven research, and standards-based security methodologies to inform proactive threat mitigation strategies and reduce organizational risk.
- Applied NIST cybersecurity frameworks and industry best practices to assess security posture and recommend mitigation strategies aligned with regulatory and operational requirements.
- Leveraged data mining techniques and analytical methods to uncover patterns in threat activity, identify emerging attack trends, and generate predictive insights that enhance detection and response capabilities.
- Presented research findings and threat intelligence briefings to technical and executive audiences, supporting informed security decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with security operations, risk management, and engineering teams to integrate intelligence insights into real-world defensive controls and monitoring strategies.
Purdue University
Intelligence Analyst
01.2013 - 01.2015
Job overview
- Prepared and presented intelligence summaries and analytical briefings to university leadership, enabling informed decisions on cybersecurity posture, risk mitigation, and operational priorities.
- Developed analytical products and threat reports from large-scale network and log data, transforming raw technical information into actionable insights for security leadership and IT stakeholders.
- Applied statistical methods to analyze trends in network activity, security incidents, and emerging threat patterns, informing data-driven risk assessment and defensive strategy development.
- Supported university-wide cybersecurity monitoring and threat analysis by examining network activity, system logs, and security telemetry, identifying emerging risks and anomalous behavior across Purdue enterprise.
- Collaborated with security and IT teams to improve visibility into threat activity and strengthen early detection and response capabilities throughout the campus network.
Purdue University
Graduate School Teaching Assistant
01.2013 - 01.2015
Job overview
- Led and assisted in the instruction of a graduate-level Advanced Cyber Forensics course, delivering technical instruction in digital forensics, cybercrime investigation, and evidence analysis.
- Facilitated weekly lectures, hands-on lab sessions, and technical demonstrations to enhance practical investigative skills and applied forensic knowledge among graduate students.
- Mentored students on semester-long cyber forensics projects, guiding research design, technical execution, and analytical reporting in real-world investigative contexts.
- Developed and evaluated course assessments, including assignments, projects, and term papers, and provided detailed feedback to support student learning and technical proficiency.
- Coordinated curriculum delivery through academic support, grading, and student advising, contributing to improved course effectiveness and student learning outcomes.
Purdue University
Visual Analytics for Command, Control and Interoperability Environments (VACCINE) program
01.2011 - 01.2014
Job overview
- Recipient of the Department of Homeland Security Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (HS-STEM) Fellowship, which supported advanced research in threat and visual analytics and in cybersecurity applications for public safety and national security.
- Conducted applied research projects in the VACCINE program, developing analytical models and visualization techniques that improved situational awareness and threat detection for security and law enforcement.
- Collaborated with Indiana State Police, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies to design and implement analytical tools and threat-assessment methodologies, effectively addressing real-world operational challenges.
- Contributed to interdisciplinary research that integrates data analytics, cybersecurity, and human-centered visualization to improve command, control, and interoperability capabilities.
- Translated research findings into practical solutions that enhanced operational intelligence, increased investigative efficiency, and supported proactive threat mitigation.
Indiana State Police
Criminal Intelligence Analyst for the Investigation Division
01.2010 - 01.2013
Job overview
- Joined the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, gathering intelligence proactively, identifying offenders, and providing investigative support for online exploitation and cyber-enabled crimes against minors.
- Conducted in-depth analysis across multiple crime domains, including crimes against children, white-collar crime, property crime, and violent crime, identifying emerging trends, threat patterns, and criminal methodologies to inform targeted enforcement strategies and operational response planning.
- Analyzed associations among persons of interest, organized crime groups, and criminal networks to uncover interrelationships, operational structures, and activity patterns.
- Monitored digital platforms and social media channels for intelligence indicators and early warning signs of criminal activity to support proactive threat detection and investigation.
- Developed intelligence reports, trend analyses, and strategic briefings for law enforcement leadership and investigative stakeholders to inform operational decision-making.
- Created analytical visualizations, including crime maps, link analyses, and statistical charts, to clearly and effectively communicate complex data relationships and crime trends.
- Collaborated extensively with multi-jurisdictional agencies to share intelligence, coordinate investigations, and support large-scale enforcement operations.
- Analyzed criminal intelligence in the Investigation Division, supporting complex investigations through advanced analytical methods, intelligence collection, and interagency coordination with local, state, federal, and international partners.
Education
Polytechnic College, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN
PhD from Cyber Forensics, Cyber Security
05.2025
University Overview
The dissertation topic: the psychology of cyber criminals, their behaviors, and their decision-making processes.
College of Technology, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN
Master of Science from Cyber Forensics
08.2010
University Overview
The thesis topic: the psychology of self-reported sex offenders.
College of Liberal Arts, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN
Bachelor of Arts from Law and Society
12.2007
University Overview
- Minor: Forensics and Psychology
- Member of the Purdue Varsity Swim Team
Skills
- Cybersecurity strategy
- Information security
- Risk management
- Compliance frameworks
- Security compliance
- Incident response
- Threat intelligence
- Threat analysis
- Risk mitigation
- Security assessments
- Digital forensics
- Forensic analysis
- Data privacy
- Data loss prevention
- Access control
- Identity management
- Access management
- Two-factor authentication
- Endpoint protection
- Network security
- Policy development
- Mobile security
- Application security
- Cloud security
- Penetration testing
- Malware analysis
- Disaster recovery
- Business continuity
- DDoS mitigation
- Intrusion detection
- Firewall configuration
- Encryption technologies
- Virtual private networks
- SIEM management
- Cybersecurity frameworks
- Compliance management
- Policy development
- Decision making
- ISO standards
- GDPR compliance
- HIPAA compliance
- Third-party assessments
- Vendor risk management
- Vendor management
- Security awareness training
- Awareness training
- Compliance monitoring
- IT infrastructure
- Technical leadership
- Analytical thinking
- Decision making
- Problem solving
- Team collaboration
- Cybersecurity best practices
- Social engineering defense
- Patch management
- Physical security
- Cybersecurity best practices
- Third-party assessments
- GDPR compliance
- ISO standards
- Awareness training
- Compliance monitoring
- HIPAA compliance
Accomplishments
Accomplishments
- Duo Security Women in Cyber Security Award Recipient
- Women in Cyber Security Conference Scholarship Recipient
- Homeland Security HSI-ICE Directors Award, for Operation Island Express
- Best Student Paper Award at Conference of Digital Forensics, Security and Law
- Best Student Paper at Purdue VACCINE Annual Conference
- HS-STEM Fellowship Recipient
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Academic All-American Honorable Mention
- Semester Honors
- Coaches Honor Roll Recipient
- Pride in Swimming Award Recipient
Presentations And Publications
Presentations And Publications
- WomenIN, West Lafayette, 01/17-12/20, Represent women in technology and Cyber Security in the Lafayette area.
- VERGE, West Lafayette, 01/16-12/22, Presented on various topics about women in Cyber Security.
- Touchstone Energy Camp, West Lafayette, 01/14-12/20, Instruct middle school children about Internet Safety.
- CERIAS Symposium, West Lafayette, IN, 04/15, Presented findings of analyzing Tor and the Dark Web.
Timeline
Director of Information Security
RadarFirst
01.2022 - Current
Manager of: Security Operations Center, Cyber Threat Intel, Incident Response, Security Testing (Penetration Testing and Application Security Testing), Vulnerability Management & Detection Engineering
Pondurance
01.2018 - 01.2022
Security Associate Manager
Accenture Federal Services
01.2017 - 01.2018
Threat Intelligence Scientist, Computer Forensics
CSC
01.2015 - 01.2016
Founder, Consultant
Cyber Inform, LLC
01.2013 - 01.2023
Intelligence Analyst
Purdue University
01.2013 - 01.2015
Graduate School Teaching Assistant
Purdue University
01.2013 - 01.2015
Visual Analytics for Command, Control and Interoperability Environments (VACCINE) program
Purdue University
01.2011 - 01.2014
Criminal Intelligence Analyst for the Investigation Division
Indiana State Police
01.2010 - 01.2013
Polytechnic College, Purdue University
PhD from Cyber Forensics, Cyber Security
College of Technology, Purdue University
Master of Science from Cyber Forensics
College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University
Bachelor of Arts from Law and Society