Hi, I'm Chantel—it's nice to virtually meet you. I'm a Cyber Security professional passionate about defending digital spaces through an offensive security lens. I enjoy uncovering vulnerabilities, strengthening defenses, and continuously learning through conferences, podcasts, and books.
My journey into cyber / information security began nearly a decade ago after my curiosity was sparked by a very unrealistic TV hacking scene, that sent me down a rabbit hole I never left. At the time, I was learning to code, taking Harvard's free computer science course, and tinkering with old gadgets. As I dug deeper—when beginner-friendly resources were more scarce—I realized that I wanted a more structured path. As a first-generation college graduate, I chose the (more affordable) bootcamp route, and it sharpened my ability to learn quickly, stay coachable, and push through discomfort. Since then, I've worked across various industries and roles (experience below). I'm lucky & grateful that I get to do work that keeps me curious, challenged, and connected to a community working to make digital spaces safer for everyone.
Outside of my love of hacking/pentesting, my greatest joy comes from being a wife, aunt, mom/occasional referee to our little humans, and one feline that is arguably the most beautiful cat I've ever seen (no seriously, he's majestic haha).
Professional Experience
+| Application Security Engineer @Newcold
Present
+| Security Consultant @NCCGroup
Past
+| Penetration Tester, Independent Consultant @G'Host Concepts
Past
+| 2nd Vice President, Cybersecurity Risk Management Analyst @Northern Trust Bank
Past
+|Offensive Security Instructor
Past
+| Junior Information Security Analyst @Vail Systems
Past
+| Security Apprentice @Evolve Security
Past
+| Prior Roles
Technology Instructor, Montessori Teacher Asst, Americorps Service Member, Movie theatre attendant, Social Work Intern, Child Psychiatry Intern, Psychology Research Assistant
Education
+| Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Georgia State University, 2013
+| Cyber Security Apprenticeship
Evolve Security Academy, 2018
Awards & Honors
VOA Foster Parent of the Year, 2023
Northern Trust Corporation Award of Excellence for successfully completing a two-year cyber security rotational development program (Red Team, IT Audit, Secure Development, Cyber Risk Management ), 2021
Nominated by my peers for a Women's CyberJutsu (Hidden Figures) Mentorship Award, 2021