Paul Cummings

Paul is a retired 20-year US Navy Information Systems Technology Chief with 21-years of experience in IT and Cybersecurity. He possesses a comprehensive background in executive-level planning, and managing IT and Cyber Security teams, and program management derived from both domestic, maritime, and global operations. Has led 15 Navy Warfighting Ships and 176 Information Security Managers and Network Security Engineers to support over 7,000 enterprise users, enforced a 95% patch management and hardening efficiency for five years straight with less than 24 hours of critical service downtime. As well as helped realign budget for personnel by forecasting Life Cycle Ends and computer system upgrades. After retiring from the Navy, he worked for Stephenson Technologies Corporation where he worked on federal applied research and development projects.

He stood up a 38-person Cyber Protection Team and managed a $6M training budget that led the team to be fully qualified a year ahead of schedule and to lead three large-scale incident response operation to which was awarded the Department of the Navy IT Team Excellence Award for 2017.

He has conducted vulnerability threat research and exploitation on Systems of Systems, xIoT, IoT, and OT environments. This includes hunting vulnerabilities within medical devices, automotive systems, home security systems, and IoT devices.

His dedication to the success of others has led him to found Whole Cyber Human Initiative Inc, a 501 (c)(3) built on workforce development research that built a curriculum based on the National Institute for Cybersecurity Education foundations. Actively volunteers with Vets2Industry, Npower, Evolutionary Skills Development Network Discord, and Vicious Vineyards Discord.

He has spoken on workforce development at GonCon Summit 2020, GrimmCon 2021, Cyber Future Foundation Summit 2021, Cyber Talent Week 2022, CyberNow Summit 2022, and selected to present IoT Exploitation at Women in Cyber Security Phoenix 2022.

Career is supported by CompTIA CASP, Security +, Disaster and Recovery Response Manager, ISACA Certified Data Privacy Security Engineer, SANS GFCAT, and DOL Project Officer certifications as well as recipient of multiple personal achievements awards: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (3 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (4 awards), and the Navy Good Conduct Medal (5 awards), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, and Department of the Navy IT Excellence Award 2017.