Dan is CEO & Managing Partner at Echelon. With nearly 20 years of experience in IT, audit, risk and cybersecurity, he has led and built highly focused cybersecurity teams at top professional service firms before joining Echelon. Dan’s experience establishing and offering new and innovative lines of cybersecurity services not only provides leadership across the industry and organization, it’s the reason Echelon was built and serves as its vision for growth.

Matt Donato is an expert on security solutioning, consulting, and team building, with a career spanning 20 years across all facets of the cybersecurity industry. Matt has focused on helping companies identify the gaps and resources they need to protect themselves and provide the solid foundation they need to grow. Most recently, Matt was the Managing Director of Client Services at CyberSN and was previously Co-Founder & CEO of cybersecurity and data intelligence advisory firm HuntSource, which serviced various companies throughout the critical infrastructure sectors.

Chad is a seasoned leader with more than 25 years experience across all facets of cybersecurity operations and planning. He is a veteran who served as CIO and Director of Cybersecurity for the Air Force Special Operations Command and Pacific Air Forces, as well as Deputy CIO and Deputy Director of Cyber for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. In these roles, he identified cybersecurity gaps, authored strategies, and implemented cybersecurity capabilities. He was a qualified cyber warfare officer in the U.S. Air Force, commanded the Air Force Blue Team, and led cyber incident responses and vulnerability assessments on critical networks and systems within the Department of Defense. He pioneered the development of cyber protection teams and the concept of the Director of Cyber Forces within the Air Force. He also built and led small teams and large organizations which conducted offensive, defensive, and cybersecurity operations.

A seasoned information security and risk management professional, Chris’ 20-year career has spanned multiple industries and disciplines at Fortune 100 corporations, two of the ten largest banks in the world, and Big 4 consulting. Chris has also designed and taught graduate courses in data analytics and security at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business and brings unique knowledge of application architectures and design to every engagement.

Paul is an IT and Security expert with tremendous experience in information security governance, risk, and compliance. Highly motivated, hardworking, and adept at navigating complex security challenges, Paul leads our vCISO and Cybersecurity Advisory practice, where he leverages his expertise to deliver effective information security programs, drive business growth and manage a high-performing team.

Shea has over 25 years of experience in security consulting, malware campaign investigations, security assessments in interesting places, and compliance. He also co-founded a venture-backed knowledge management startup. He has spoken both domestically and internationally on a wide range of topics including OPSEC, Federal compliance, and disinformation. Shea’s areas of research include elicitation, disinformation, open-source intelligence, and crisis management.

Dahvid is the Director of Offensive Security services at Echelon. As an experienced cybersecurity leader with over 12 years of cyber-attack and defense experience, Dahvid has previously worked as a Red Team Operator with a Big 4 consulting firm leading and conducting Adversarial Emulation (red team) exercises as well as served in the military, leading, conducting, and advising on special operations offensive cyber operations. He has a wide background in cybersecurity including logical, social, and physical exploitation as well as incident response and system/network device hardening. Dahvid is also a Malware Development Instructor, growing Adversarial Emulation knowledge to those looking to expand their skills in the highly specialized space.

Chris is an established leader in information security, serving as a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) and board advisor. Possessing a consultative approach, he effectively bridges the gap between technology and business outcomes. Demonstrating technical proficiency in information security leadership, Chris advises C-level executives and technical engineers alike on fundamental and advanced security strategy. His passion for team building is evident, as he successfully interprets business objectives and guides team members to measure success and meet business requirements. With over a decade of experience in cybersecurity, Chris has been a valuable business enabler for clients across various verticals, offering a concierge approach to risk reduction. Widely recognized as a subject matter expert in the industry, Furtick frequently provides commentary across digital and broadcast media as an engaging public speaker and media contributor.

Lori has over 25 years of experience in marketing and project management. With a keen eye for detail and a strategic mindset, she brings a unique perspective and skillset to the Echelon team. Prior to joining Echelon, she held various leadership roles in the marketing and project management fields, where she gained extensive experience in developing and executing complex projects. As Chief of Staff, she plays a critical role in ensuring the successful execution of all projects and initiatives.

Ross enjoys helping our clients achieve measurable cybersecurity improvements in their businesses. Ross’ previous experience leading Disaster Recovery, Incident Response and Risk Management initiatives for a Fortune 200 international manufacturing organization, shaped his holistic approach to addressing security concerns. He equally prioritizes people, processes and technology to tailor fit solutions across highly complex technology environments.

Steve enjoys helping clients improve their overall security programs by increasing awareness within the organizations’ leadership teams. He previously worked as an operator for offensive cyber operations with DoD organizations and intelligence agencies prior to retiring from the military. Following his military career, he spent four years performing Red Team testing, Penetration testing, and Wireless testing for large organizations during his time working as part of a large consulting firm.

Amy Jo Fisher is a Senior Cybersecurity Consultant at Echelon with over six years of combined IT risk, compliance, and cybersecurity engineering experience. She has worked with a wide range of industries, including healthcare, retail and professional services, as well as a wide variety of security fields, including GRC, continuous verification coding, and security portfolio management. She is passionate about helping clients think critically about their security posture to better mature their cyber programs.

Paul Matvey is a Cybersecurity Manager at Echelon with over 15 years of experience in IT Infrastructure design and management with a focus in cybersecurity. Prior to joining Echelon, he was the Director of IT and Cybersecurity Operations of a major professional services firm, and a Senior Systems Integrator at one the region's largest Managed Services Providers.

Amerit Del Rio boasts nearly 15 years of experience in the tech industry, specializing in various roles with a focus on field and partner marketing. Recognized for her adept relationship-building skills, Amerit excels in developing client-centric plans that not only elevate brands but also foster trust and drive demand. An innovative collaborator, she brings a contagious positive energy and unwavering determination to her role. Amerit is dedicated to crafting and executing impactful marketing strategies that resonate within the cyber landscape, solidifying Echelon's position as an industry leader.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Brian served in the US Navy for 24 years, retiring as a Commander after six Overseas Deployments. In the private sector, he's excelled in Sales, Business Development, and Consulting, with three years at Optiv. Brian is happily married to Pamela for two decades, raising five children named Bryce, Peyton, Landon, Camryn, and Greyson. His academic achievements include a BA from the University of Pittsburgh, an MA from the Navy War College, and an MS from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Greg DeLeonardis is an accomplished, solution-oriented, business development and client servicesprofessional with twenty-five 25 years of demonstrated success in consultative sales and building trustedadvisor relationships with c-suite business leaders, as well as technology executives. Prior to joiningEchelon Risk + Cyber, Greg spent the last fifteen years in enterprise sales and business developmentin the Oracle Applications space where he has a proven track record of driving results and creating valuefor clients and stakeholders. His strong relationship-oriented style and work ethic helped Greg toconsistently be a top sales performer each of the last fifteen years. Greg is happily married to his wifePaula (since 1997) and is very proud of his 3 sons - Gaetano, Angelo and Rocco.

Zack is a Senior Cybersecurity Consultant at Echelon with over 5 years of IT risk, compliance and cybersecurity experience. Zack has worked with broad range of industries including engineering, locomotive, manufacturing, healthcare, cable networks and technology.

Evan has been involved in many different facets of cybersecurity, performing incident response, real-time analysis and digital forensics for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Most recently, Evan worked as a Senior Pentester and Technical Specialist for a "big 4" consulting firm where he performed network, wireless, physical and social engineering assessments.

Shir Butbul is a Senior Cybersecurity Risk Advisory Consultant at Echelon. With over 7 years of experience in Technology and Security Governance Risk and Compliance, Shir has played a pivotal role in safeguarding organizations during periods of rapid expansion through strategic governance and compliance initiatives. Shir has honed her expertise in conducting audits and readiness assessments, as well as in spearheading comprehensive security awareness and training programs and designing innovative third-party risk assessment models. Shir is passionate about helping clients design and implement practical solutions to streamline and enhance cybersecurity processes and programs.

Maurice is an accomplished information security risk management and compliance professional, boasting more than seven years of experience in spearheading GRC initiatives across diverse industries. His extensive track record includes crafting customized cybersecurity programs, aiding organizations in risk identification and mitigation, as well as guiding companies in surpassing mere regulatory and compliance obligations.Through these notable accomplishments, Maurice has played a pivotal role in not only enabling organizations to uphold their business strategies but also in reshaping them to prioritize security.

Hernán is a seasoned IT and security professional with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Prior to joining Echelon’s Defensive Security practice, he led cloud, IAM and security engineering teams for large organizations in the financial, oil and gas, and manufacturing sectors, in both the US and Latin America, with a proven record of producing great results while operating quickly and effectively. His superb interpersonal and communication skills allow him to not only establish a great rapport with his clientele, but also provide technical guidance with ease and simplicity no matter the audience.

Devin Jones is a Senior Offensive Security Consultant at Echelon and has over 6 years of technical cybersecurity experience such as incident response, security operations, penetration testing and red teaming. Starting out on the Helpdesk and transitioning to Cybersecurity, his most recent role was with a boutique consultancy firm conducting and leading external and internal network penetration tests, web application assessments, phishing and vulnerability assessments across several different business verticals. Devin enjoys talking about all things offensive security and loves learning and sharing knowledge with others.

Juan is an IT enthusiast with 3 years of experience as a System Administrator and 5 years of experience as an offensive cybersecurity professional. Juan had the opportunity to work in the government of the Tabasco state in Mexico, where he gained valuable knowledge about the overall functioning of organizational networks. Juan began his journey as a cybersecurity professional at a big 4 consulting firm, where he conducted multiple penetration tests on external and internal infrastructures, mobile and thick applications, and wireless networks. Before joining Echelon, Juan held a position as a Red Team operator in a Switzerland-based company that offered cybersecurity services to different companies all over Asia and Europe.

Michael began his career as a security analyst and wanted to learn more about the offensive side of the field, so he self-studied while working and got his eCCPT. Michael has led internal and external assessments for companies in banking, retail, health and government. He has also done numerous successful covert entry and social engineering engagements for companies across the US.

Zach is a Cybersecurity Consulting professional with extensive experience in assisting organizations in achieving their Risk Management and Compliance objectives. As a holder of the CCSFP and CISA certifications, his primary focus revolves around guiding organizations to fulfill their security requirements while ensuring compliance with various regulatory and compliance standards.

Nate is a Cybersecurity Consultant at Echelon with over 14 years of experience in IT, including security, network, and system engineering. Most recently he was an Information Security Analyst primarily responsible for vulnerability management for a Financial Services organization. His passion is helping and empowering technical people in implementing better security practices.

Kelsey is a Risk Advisory Consultant with over 6 years of combined risk, governance, and consulting experience. Most recently, Kelsey was a Senior Security GRC Analyst at a large retailer where she performed risk assessments, created processes to identify new sources of technology risk, and updated cybersecurity policies and procedures. She is passionate about helping clients to integrate security and risk management into their daily processes.

Daniella Pairault is a Cybersecurity Associate with a B.S. in Computer Science and Software Engineering and a minor in Business administration, both leading to her passion for cybersecurity. She has a strong academic background in computer science and coding, and is now currently focused in cybersecurity governance, risk, and compliance. She is driven to keep learning and to continuously help clients improve their overall cybersecurity posture and better prepare them for cybersecurity risks.

Evan is a recent graduate from Roger Williams University, with a focus in web application and network penetration testing. Evan is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others and spends his free time volunteering to help students learn cybersecurity fundamentals. He also creates educational content on LinkedIn to teach people new techniques in penetration testing and help them stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends.

Kris is a recent graduate of Roger Williams University holding a B.S in Cyber Security and Networking, with a focus in Web Application and Network Penetration Testing. With his education and experience, Kris is well-equipped to tackle the challenges of the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape. During his free time, Kris presents how to get into cybersecurity to high school students. He also participates in Capture the Flag events to keep his penetration testing skills sharp.

Rodrigo studied communication and digital media at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Guadalajara. He has experience creating digital media content as well as video and audio post-production for various brands. At Echelon, he manages social media accounts and enjoys coming up with creative marketing solutions.

Claudia is the Project Operations Associate at Echelon with over 5 years of experience in Finance. Throughout these years Claudia has worked in developing projections and evaluations of sales and expense performance for business units and geography for 9 countries in Latin America and controlling an average revenue of 26M per quarter.​ She has experience in doing analysis and reporting that helps different teams such as Operations, Accounting, and the CFO to understand the financial health of the business and to look for improvement solutions.

Daniela, a recent graduate of ITESO, earned her B.S. in cybersecurity and networking. Throughout university, she acquired pentesting experience by actively participating in CTFs and identifying vulnerabilities in web applications. As a Cybersecurity Associate, Daniela currently specializes in web security implementation and research. She is particularly passionate about building Zero Trust infrastructures. One of her main objectives is to inspire students to explore the vast world of cybersecurity and encourage them to pursue careers in the field.

Ernesto is a computer science student at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Guadalajara with a minor in Artificial Intelligence. He has experience in software development and a strong interest in risk advisory and pen testing. During his internship, he will learn to help organizations and individuals secure their systems and protect their sensitive information from cyber threats.

Mitchel is studying Cybersecurity and Networking at Roger Williams University with a focus on Reverse Engineering and Malware Analysis. He has experience doing cybersecurity research and development. During his internship, he will be focusing on learning more about defensive security and malware analysis.

Renata Uribe is a senior B.S. student in Data Science and Mathematics Engineering with a Minor in Advanced Artificial General Intelligence. As a former Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador, she has created events to promote women in STEM fields. She has experience working collaboratively and encouraging approaches to technologies, digital art, electronic literature, and creative writing. Renata also has completed projects in Natural Language Processing and Deep Learning, and has interest in cybersecurity, having performed pen testing and studied cryptographic algorithms, as well as developing a digital signature scheme project for electronic contract certification.

Brayden, a recent Purdue University Cybersecurity graduate, is now part of EchelonDefensive's team. With a focus on network security and zero-trust network architecture, he brings fresh ideas and a passion for learning. Brayden's internships across manufacturing, utilities, and finance sectors gave him practical insights into diverse cybersecurity challenges. He's known for his adaptability and application of knowledge in real-world scenarios, making him invaluable to clients. Beyond technical skills, Brayden is a leader, mentor, and advocate in the cybersecurity community, sharing insights through his newsletter and mentoring students to shape future experts.

Ben is a fourth-year university student pursuing a degree in Cybersecurity & Global Policy at Indiana University - Bloomington. He is the lead lab developer for the Cyber Security Club at Indiana University, creating interactive labs for beginner and advanced students. Ben has a strong passion for network security and computer networking, specifically focusing on offensive security. During his internship, Ben aims to develop a robust understanding of offensive security and improve my skills in identifying and mitigating security threats, while exploring my own interests in this vastly expansive field.

J.R. Hurd is presently in his senior year at Purdue University. He is pursuing a double major in Cybersecurity and Network Engineering Technology, with plans to graduate in May of 2024. J.R. has a passion for hiking, rock climbing, and engaging in board games with friends. Additionally, he is an active member of the Cyber Defense Competition Club and participates in the Purdue University Dance Marathon.

Connor is presently a university student pursuing a double major in Finance and Business Analytics, as well as a minor in Cybersecurity at Duquesne University. He plans to graduate in May of 2024. Connor has a passion in defensive security and network security within the cyber field. Additionally, Connor has a passion for golfing, skiing, and fishing. During his internship, Connor aims to develop strong relationships with his peers, as well as develop his knowledge and skills in defensive security.

Niko is studying business at Miami University in Oxford Ohio. He has experience running social media accounts for his universities’ athletic programs. He also has been a part of the marketing team for the athletic program as well. At Echelon, he manages social media accounts and enjoys coming up with creative marketing solutions.