Cloud Networking Heroes

Empowering strategic cloud networking professionals to share their stories

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Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

The Cloud Networking Heroes Program recognizes and empowers strategic cloud networking professionals who have changed the game and are delivering positive change to the industry. Our goal is to provide them with a platform to share their stories and promote their brand. Who are Cloud Networking Heroes? Cloud Networking Heroes are passionate about sharing their knowledge with others so members of the cloud networking community can learn and grow together. Cloud Networking Heroes are excited about technology, innovation, technical certifications, and career development in the growing cloud networking field and are eager to share their individual expertise with the community. Benefits: Be defined as a thought leader in the fast-growing cloud networking industry Receive a special highlight as part of the Cloud Networking Hero blog series upon joining the program Appear on The Cloud Network Community directory Receive surfaced opportunities around topics of interest to establish your voice

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7 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

One of the First Certified Cloud Engineers in Kenya: Maureen Chebet’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Maureen Chebet, Enterprise Cloud DevOps Specialist. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Seizing an Unexpected Opportunity Maureen grew up in a remote part of Kenya where men were often prioritized for education. Networking was not her original plan. “I wanted to be a flight attendant,” she said. “The closest I’ve come to that dream is being a passenger on a Boeing.” Maureen never envisioned herself in tech. “I believed it was for men and my dreams were far removed from the world of networking, servers, and clouds,” she explained. Her networking career started with a first job and an unexpected opportunity. “[I was] a data entry operator and within a year, my then-emp

7 days ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Architecting with Security in Mind: Zdenko Timulak’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Zdenko Timulak, Lead Cloud Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: From IT to Network Design and Architecture Zdenko’s career started in IT and grew as he accumulated skill and experience. “In IT, I started from scratch as a monitoring specialist and first level support,” he said. “Over time and much studying, I gained the necessary knowledge to work as a network admin and later, a designer and architect of network solutions.” For the last 6 years, he’s been focused on the cloud and its network infrastructure. Since he began his career, Zdenko has seen rapid changes in the everyday work of network design and administration. “When I started with networking, all

21 days ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

From Wolf Biology to Tech: Allen Tyson’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Allen Tyson, Network Administration Specialist. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Beginning with Wolves Allen has about 15 years of networking experience, but his career began with a completely different passion. “For some people, they have always loved technology, gadgets, tinkering and knew they wanted a career in tech at some point,” he said. “That absolutely was not me. Growing up I always loved animals, how they moved, how they interacted, and how they had a family social/structure similar to ours. In fact, wolves were my absolute favorite animal, and all the way through high school, I continued to read about wolves.” Allen was on track to become a wolf biolog

1 month ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Empowering People Instead of Managing Them: John Bristol’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on John Bristol, Secure Modern Network Practice Leader. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Engineer to Architect, Consultant to Management John entered networking at the foundation of both his career and the industry. “I got started in tech working for a large utility in 1987 when I was 20 years old,” he said. “I was fortunate to enter into I.T. (or I.S. as we used to call it back then) right at the transition from Mainframe (IBM SNA) to TCP/IP and when a small networking startup called Cisco Systems hit the market.” John helped deploy a very large enterprise network using Cisco multi-protocol routers and formally launched his career in networking. He left the utility

1 month ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

From Chef to Architect of Cloud Solutions for Africa: Daniel Mwangi’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Daniel Mwangi, Cloud Integration Specialist. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Intrigued by Operational Challenges Daniel’s journey into tech started somewhat unconventionally. He began as a chef and rose to the role of department head in the fresh foods department of a multinational retail chain. “During this time, I was constantly intrigued by the operational challenges the business faced, such as supply chain inefficiencies, data management, and customer engagement,” he said. “This curiosity led me to explore cloud solutions as a way to solve these problems. Since then, I’ve earned certifications like AWS Solutions Architect and Google Associate Engineer, transi

1 month ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Problem-Solving with a Team: Sarmed Faraj’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Sarmed Faraj, Security Consultant Manager. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Tackling Complex Cloud Networking Challenges Sarmed graduated with a computer science degree and started working as a programmer on the AS/400 to senior management level in the automotive, construction, media, and financial industries. He built a strong background in compliance, SOC operations, and Attack IQ. Sarmed’s favorite part of his role is innovation: being at the forefront of technology improvements, problem-solving, and working with a team to meet customer needs so they can move forward with their business goals. “In the consultant world, I often tackle complex challenges, finding

1 month ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Driving Innovation and Resilience: Cristian Critelli’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Cristian Critelli, EMEA Lead Networking and Resilience Specialist Partner Solution Architect at AWS. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Resilience is as Critical as Performance Cristian’s journey in networking began with studying Cisco and networking fundamentals on-premises, which laid the foundation for his deep expertise in network architecture. Over the years, he’s achieved numerous certifications, including advanced specializations in Cisco, AWS, Azure, and Aviatrix, underscoring his commitment to continuous learning and technical excellence. “Today, I serve as the EMEA Lead Networking and Resilience Specialist Partner Solution Architect at AWS, focusing on emp

1 month ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Turning Challenges into Tailored Solutions: Antonios Skoulariotis’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Antonios Skoulariotis, Regional Director of Cloud Security, Northeast and Financial Services at Fortinet. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: From Electrical Engineering to Cloud and Cybersecurity Antonios’s early passion for math and physics naturally led him to pursue a career in engineering. He holds advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering and Wireless Telecommunications, setting the foundation for over 22 years in the networking and cloud security industry. “My career began in advanced Radio Frequency environments and expanded through WAN, LAN, and WLAN architectures,” he said. Antonios’s journey evolved along with the technology, especially as he embraced clo

1 month ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

From PC Gaming to Multicloud Design: Ansley Moyo’s Journey in Cloud Networking

Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share. Our next hero spotlight is on Ansley A. Moyo, Network Engineer. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: From PC Gaming to Networking Engineering Ansley’s love for tech and computers dates back to his primary school days in his hometown, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. His curiosity and enthusiasm for PCs, the dominant model at the time, led him to win a citywide computer quiz competition. After that, his passion for computers grew through PC gaming. Ansley earned a Computer Science degree and began his career in Retail IT, learning networking and computer hardware/software consulting for a small company through his final year of university, before eventually joining a Financial Services Group, Old Mutual, as a g

2 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Technology Solutions for Business Needs: Jian Zou’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Jian Zou, Principal Network Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Mastering Technology and Business Jian Zou began his cloud networking career by earning a Master’s in Computer Networking at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. While working on the degree from 2013-2015, he began building on-the-job skills through a networking engineering internship with a leading e-payment service provider. He credits this role for allowing him to “apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, particularly in designing and maintaining a highly available data cent

2 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

A Front-Row Seat for the Evolution of Networking: Weigner Co’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Weigner Co, Principal Cloud Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: From Internet Seminars to Global Solutions As a college student, Weigner got a privileged view of the early days of networking. “Back when I was in college, I remember hearing that my university was one of the pioneers in connecting the country to the internet. I even have a school-issued certificate for attending an ‘internet’ seminar, if you could believe that,” he said. After he graduated, Weigner continued to watch the growth of networking from an IT perspective. He started out in techni

2 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Networking with High Stakes: Michal Strzembicki’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Michal Strzembicki, a Global Cloud Architect at International Personal Finance. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Keeping the Strict Standards of Military Technology Michal has shaped his cloud networking career in environments that left little room for error. “I began my tech career as an IT Administrator with the Polish Military, where I spent over three years ensuring server and network setups met the strict standards of military technology,” he explained. “This foundational experience solidified my skills in high-stakes environments and led me to work in Lond

3 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

On the Forefront of Changing Technologies: Shamus McGillicuddy of EMA’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Shamus McGillicuddy, IT Industry Analyst at Enterprise Management Associates (EMA). Shamus’s experience as a journalist and analyst gives him unique visibility into the latest developments and long-term trajectory of the networking industry, from GenAI to best practices for cloud security. See our previous hero spotlights here. Journalism in a Dynamic Industry Shamus came to the cloud networking industry as a journalist. “I was a newspaper reporter for a number of years,” he explained. “In 2006, I joined TechTarget as a news writer for the company’s publications aimed at CIOs. Af

3 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Watching the Rise of Cloud Services: Henk Giesbertz’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Henk Giesbertz, Network, Security, and Cloud Consultant. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: IT QA to Cloud Services Henk’s journey in cloud networking began with an interest in technology. From early youth to his studies in Technical Engineering, he’s focused on work with automation and computer technologies. He started in IT as a quality assurance test consultant, moved on to first-line support teams, backend support, and finally moved to networking. From LAN and WAN to security and smart network devices (firewalls, load balancers, accelerators), the logical next

3 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Taking Unconventional Paths: Hemraj Yadav’s Journey In Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Hemraj Yadav, Cloud Strategy Leader. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Networking Since Y2K Hemraj started his career in IT in 2000, supporting banking servers during the Y2K era. “It’s been a long journey, evolving from Novell NetWare to Microsoft technologies, Project Management, DevOps, and now cloud,” he said. “I have been involved in networking from the very beginning, managing LAN, WAN, and voice networks while working with one of the largest banking institutions.” Hemraj also holds a master’s degree in data science, which enhances his technical and analyti

4 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

An Increasingly Connected Globe: Cheikh Tidiane Ndiaye’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Cheikh Tidiane Ndiaye, Senior Information Technology Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: Watching the Shift from Face-to-Face to Digital Networking Cheikh Tidiane Ndiaye is a senior network and telecommunications engineer with more than 12 years of experience in network and radio access network integration, cloud engineering (AWS and Azure) and multicloud (Aviatrix). He specializes in network architecture, Operational Support System, Cloud Engineering, Network Operations Center (NOC), and telecommunications. Cheikh has watched networking transform signif

4 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Never Stop Learning: Carlo Pio Luigi Ciciriello’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Carlo Pio Luigi Ciciriello, Chief Hybrid Cloud and Multicloud Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. Background: An Education that Never Ended Carlo started out with a passion for tech that led him to pursue a degree in telecommunications engineering, a solid foundation for his career. “With over 17 years of dedicated experience in the networking and cloud architecture domain, my journey in technology has been both enriching and dynamic,” he said. Today, he’s a Chief Network Hybrid Cloud and Multicloud Architect who specializes in designing, implementing, and optimizin

4 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

From the Class 10 Cleanroom to Designing Networks: Michael Clemmer’s Career in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Michael Clemmer, Senior Information Technology Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. Unconventional Beginnings Michael’s cloud networking journey began somewhat unconventionally. “Although it wasn’t my primary job, I got started in IT because they needed someone to fit under the raised floor in a Class 10 cleanroom, “he said. “I had the task of connecting several cryogenic sputtering deposition chambers to a token ring network. I worked for a semiconductor company in Florida when I turned 18 as a cleanroom protocol attendant. It just meant I made sure the cleanroom wa

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5 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

The Cloud as an Ecosystem: Roy Long’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Roy Long, Founder & Cloud Evangelist at skyPurple Cloud. See our previous hero spotlights here. Technology and Biology Roy’s cloud networking journey began with a fascination for technology. Even before he was a teenager, he started playing around with computers, reading the New Scientist magazine, and building his first home computer. Alongside his interest in technology, Roy had a love for biology and subsequently earned a biology degree. When he joined the workforce, Roy’s first “real” job was for an electronic retailer, supporting an early network of Macintosh computers used

5 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

From an MBA to Technology: Raould Traore’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Raould Traore, Senior Technical Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. From an MBA to Technology Raould’s cloud networking journey merges business knowledge with technical insight. He began his career in management after achieving a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, but he was always attracted to technology. He returned to work as a systems administrator, primarily working on Windows Active Directory. This role gave him a solid foundation in understanding the basis of networking resources. After gaining experience in system administration, he transitioned

5 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Passion for Technology and the People it Serves: Li Yan’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Li Yan, Sr. Principal Engineer TL/M – Software Development at Aviatrix and one of our first employees in 2014. Aviatrix celebrates our 10-Year Anniversary this week thanks to our revolutionary vision for cloud networking and great team members like Li Yan. From Cisco to Aviatrix: Revolutionizing Networking Technology Li Yan cares deeply about technology, her fellow engineers, and the customers who benefit from her work. Her journey in tech began at an early age, following in her father’s footsteps. He was an Electrical Engineering professor at a top engineering university. Li Yan

5 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Solving Problems by Changing His Mindset: Mark Noorman’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Mark Noorman, Competency Lead of Cloud Networking at CloudNation. See our previous hero spotlights here. Challenge-Seeking and Problem-Solving Like another Cloud Networking Hero, Toby Foss, Mark Noorman’s cloud networking journey began in one area and adapted with the changing industry. He started out in IT infrastructure in 1998. In 2000, he became interested in networking when he noticed that it was fundamental for creating solutions and interconnecting environments – an area he focused on for nearly two decades. In 2017, he shifted his attention towards public cloud and moved

5 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

The Intersection of Law and Tech: Mohamed Ghassen Gargouri’s Cloud Networking Journey

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower. Our next hero spotlight is on Mohamed Ghassen Gargouri, Cloud Security Architect. See our previous hero spotlights here. Combining Networking and Legal Expertise Mohamed is a Cloud Security Architect who originally hails from Tunisia. His approach to security architecture is shaped by networking and legal knowledge: he holds a Bachelor of Law degree and is working on a license to practice. The unique intersection of law and tech provides him with a deeper understanding of both security and privacy areas’ requirements. “While I am yet to be called to the bar, legal reasoning is incredibly beneficial for a security

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5 months ago

Katie HolmsAviatrix Employee

posted in Cloud Networking Heroes

Adventures in Cutting-Edge Technology: Jack Yu’s Journey in Cloud Networking

As the cloud networking experts, Aviatrix wants to elevate the work of cloud networking heroes who labor to keep networks secure, effective, and performant. We’re proud to highlight people who have taught themselves the necessary skills, designed and managed successful networks, and have the expertise to share, including several who joined Aviatrix in New York at the NASDAQ tower . Our next hero spotlight is on Jack Yu, Senior Principal Cloud Infrastructure Engineer. See our other hero spotlights here. Adventurous Beginnings: A Geeky DIY Project Jack Yu’s cloud networking career began in high school with a shared passion project: “My brother and I, both StarCraft fanatics, decided to build our own gaming computer,” he explained. “It was our geeky DIY project that lit the spark for my tech obsession.” More than 15 years later, Jack is now a Senior Principal Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, where he can continue to collaborate with like-mind coworkers in networking innovation and problem-s

5 months ago

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