Sama Askari

Certified Technical Professional

A portrait of Sama Askari

Hi, I'm Sama.

I am an ever-evolving technical professional with credentials from CompTIA, ISC2, and Microsoft, among others. I have 8 years of experience working in small business environments across non-profit, retail, engineering, and MSP sectors in administrative, service-oriented, and technical capacities. I have a passion for personal and professional development, sharing my knowledge, and helping people. These days when I'm not working, you can typically find me with my laptop, testing scripts and code to improve my skills as an amateur developer.

Career Interests Profile

According to the O*NET Interest Profiler

  • Investigative

    I love analyzing data and figuring out how things work. I am willing to put in the time and effort needed to fully understand complex problems.

  • Conventional

    I enjoy work that has set procedures and routines. I prefer working with information and paying attention to details rather than ideas.

  • Realistic

    I take pleasure in doing hands-on, practical work. I like learning and exploring new tools, and can thrive independently with minimal supervision.

  • Social

    I am also driven by my desire to help people and make a positive impact in the world. I enjoy supporting teams, my community, and working towards a greater good.

  • Artistic

    Although somewhat contradictory to the 'Conventional' interest, I do have a strong sense of curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom.

  • Enterprising

    I like starting up, carrying out, and seeing projects through to completion. I prefer taking actionable steps toward a goal rather than just thinking about it.

Recent Projects

  1. Collective Access Automation

    Collective Access is an open source software for cataloguing and publishing digital archives. Since the current installation documentation is a bit too technical for the traditional archivist, I volunteered to automate the install process to help my best friend (an archivist).

  2. Home Network Hardening

    After having been a victim of DNS hijacking, I was disappointed to find out the hard way how insecure most consumer gateways are. I discovered routersecurity.org and followed Michael Horowitz' advice to lock things down on a more granular level. I'm proud of this because I accomplished it before getting my Network+ certification.

  3. 2011 Mac Mini Upgrade

    Over the years, I have torn down and rebuilt my Late 2011 Mac Mini several times. I've replaced the original HDD and RAM, increasing its speed and capacity by 300%. It still works wonderfully apart from the fact that Apple won't let me update it past macOS 10.13.6!

More coming soon...

Certifications

As challenging as it is to keep up in this industry, I am committed to continuing my education to maintain relevant skills and knowledge. These are the certifications I have earned to date:

  • Microsoft Certified Security, Compliance, and Itentity Fundamentals
  • Splunk Certified Cyber Defense Analyst
  • ISC Certified in Cybersecurity
  • CompTIA Security+ ce
  • CompTIA Network+ ce
  • CompTIA A+ ce

Work History

  • Evolution Networks, LLC | Hollywood, FL

    Security & Compliance Analyst

    -

    Hired to consult with MSP clients and provide guidance for adhering to various cybersecurity compliance standards and frameworks.​

    • Developing compliance strategies and roadmaps to meet cybersecurity standards, regulations, and industry best practices
    • Conducting risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and developing mitigation strategies to reduce the risks
    • Implementing and managing security controls and technologies necessary for compliance
    • Creating and maintaining documentation that demonstrates compliance with regulations
    • Preparing reports and evidence for compliance audits

  • Professional Goal Pursuit

    Security Analyst Training

    -

    Self-directed career retraining with the goal of entering the field of information security.

    • Earned Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals certification (SC-900).
    • Earned CompTIA Network+ certification
    • Earned CompTIA Security+ certification
    • Earned Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst certification
    • Joined a cohort at CyberNow Labs for hands-on SOC Analyst training

      CyberNow Labs SOC Analyst

      -
      • Prioritized and triaged security incident alerts based on threat severity and sensitivity
      • Analyzed alerts from SIEM and EDR/XDR software, logs, firewall, and threat intelligence sources to detect potential security breaches and suspicious activity
      • Provided prompt, detailed incident reports documenting findings and actions taken for organizational learning & compliance purposes
      • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to coordinate incident remediation efforts
      • Assisted in the fine-tuning of SIEM tools, enhancing the accuracy of threat detection

  • Evolution Networks, LLC | Hollywood, FL

    Help Desk Technician

    -

    Recruited to provide Level 1 technical support and customer service to MSP clients, serving local small businesses remotely from the company office or traveling to assist customers on site.

    • Formulated a successful personal approach to efficient customer problem resolution
    • Proactively monitored managed devices and automated patch management
    • Served as a liaison between company clients and external vendors
    • Orchestrated end-to-end identity lifecycle processes for company clients, from onboarding to offboarding
    • Provided technical Support via telephone, email and remote tools
    • Performed general IT helpdesk tasks including PC and OS maintenance/installations/upgrades/migrations/repairs
    • Generated internal knowledge base articles, reducing the time it took for newer associates to complete repeating tasks using established processes

  • Southeast Duct Specialists Inc. | Fort Lauderdale, FL

    CAD Technician

    -

    Hired to assist the Senior CAD Technician in completing assignments and meeting project deadlines.

    • Increased department productivity, doubling collaboration efforts between trades to support the completion of local construction projects ranging from high schools to sports stadiums.
    • Slashed company expenses by generating cost effective, efficient product installation plans

  • Teacups, Puppies & Boutique | Davie, FL

    Web Content Manager

    -

    Originally hired for product photography, but jumped at the opportunity to quickly transition into a new, more technical role when the previous product photographer returned for their position.

    • Optimized user experience by coordinating migration of the company e-commerce website to a new web store platform
    • Resolved customer issues in-store, via telephone, or email ensuring clear communication and satisfaction
    • Monitored synchronization between POS and web store stock to verify and ensure accuracy of information

Education

  • Master of Library and Information Studies

    Potential Plan

  • Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance | WGU

    Potential Plan

  • Continuing Education

    Ongoing

    I'm continuously evolving my technical skill set. I take advantage of both free and paid learning resources—including, but not limited to LinkedIn Learning, Cybrary, Udemy, and Coursera—to expand my current working knowledge.

  • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology | Florida International University

    -

    My degree program provided me with an exceptional foundation for an IT career. Core courses include Computer Data Analysis, Human Computer Interaction, Computer Operating Systems, Information Storage and Retrieval, and Applied Computer Networking. My electives focused in System Administration and Application Development with courses including IT Automation and Web Application Development.

    Minor in Art | FIU College of Architecture and the Arts

    Due to my passion for creative expression I chose to minor in Art, taking studio courses including Photography (film), Digital Media, Experimental Video Art, and Introduction to Time Art.