Task Force Office-Central Texas Cyber Crimes Task Force
As a Task Force Officer, I am responsible for investigating cybercrimes, such as ransomware, data breaches, malware and various others. Prior to joining the Task Force, I was an investigator for a large municipal department. I was nearing the mid-point of my professional career and I wanted to add a technical element to my background. I researched various graduate programs and came across the School of Information’s MSIMS program (Now referred to as MISP). I was impressed with the nuanced approach it took when it came to security and identity management.
I took the plunge and applied to the program. There were definitely times where I felt like I didn’t belong (imposter syndrome) however I was very lucky to fall into an awesome support system of faculty and students. While some of the coursework was difficult for me, I never left a class without a plan on how to tackle a topic, which is a credit to the faculty.
As a result of my experiences and coursework at the School of Information I was able to receive a promotion to a Federal Task Force, where I am able to use lessons learned on a daily basis. The coursework that I experienced prepared me to integrate myself with my coworkers almost immediately with little on-boarding time.