Nathan Acks
Breaker of Things

Worked closely with other application security engineers to perform reviews and tests on Web and Conventional applications as well as embedded, firmware, mobile, and more. Used a combination of manual and automated techniques to assess risks and circumvent security mechanisms of devices and applications. Created threat models that resulted in more secure application design. Designed and developed security testing scenarios. Analyzed and presented results of testing to team members, managers, and customers. Wrote detailed problem reports, test plan documents, and mitigation recommendations as needed. Developed tools to aid penetration test automation and effectiveness. Reviewed code for common security vulnerabilities.

Founded and oversaw the organization's IT & Security team, crafting organization-wide security policies in collaboration with the Legal team and the President's Office. Wrote and maintained IT and security-related documentation and trainings. Held bottom-line responsibility for the roll-out, maintenance, security, and support of IT systems used by all staff, including email, user authentication, document management, and custom internal applications. Served as the technical point-of-contact for IT-related PCI DSS issues, investigated and remediated potential IT security incidents, and maintained IT and security-related documentation and trainings.

• Developed and implemented a security tier system for offices and staff to rationalize existing IT and physical security policies.
• Created an internal system for the provisioning and management of the full lifecycle for accounts in services managed by the IT & Security team.
• Oversaw the successful migration from a legacy vendor email system to Google Workspace, and from a legacy LDAP system to Okta.
• Managed the successful roll-out of two-factor authentication to the staff, the transition to Microsoft 365, and the migration of multiple office-based phone systems nationwide.
• Upgraded and managed office networks nationwide.

Served as the key point on data analysis, database development, and IT vendor management for the organization's digital organizing program. Evaluated and developed new organizing tools and reports for the Digital team and created a customer Perl script to generate constituent mass-mailings. Managed multiple Ubuntu, CentOS, and Arch Linux servers running mission-critical applications, including LDAP/GOsa, MySQL, NFS, Git, Postfix, Apache, CiviCRM, WebGUI, and Tenable Security Center. Responsible for contractor and vendor relations for all Digital team technology, as well as associated budgets. Wrote/curated a large library of custom SQL and PL/SQL scripts for reporting and data import, export, and clean-up. Provided wide-ranging support in the development of content and outreach strategies as part of a rapid response organizing team. Managed the social media presence for the Recruitment team and served as the technical point-of-contact for PCI DSS and computer security issues. Provided general technical support for the Denver office's staff and maintained the office's network.

• Oversaw the successful migrations of an in-house constituent relationship management (CRM) and action system to Convio, followed next to Salsa and MySQL.
• Led a successful project that integrated vendor CRM databases with a separate system hosted by ROI Solutions.

Supported the work of doping control officers by handling paperwork, monitoring athletes during testing, and providing other services as needed.

Performed basic building maintenance and repair including yard work, gardening, and snow removal. Responsible for on-site security and tenant-landlord relations, including rent collection.

Handled customer complaints, hiring inquiries, and initial trouble-shooting for floor computer systems (Square One, POS, Linux terminals, VoIP telephones, printers, and other hardware). Responsible for on-site security (including inventory and cash). Managed teams of 3 - 12 book sellers. Regular book seller duties such as customer queries, product stocking, and cash handling.

Handled customer complaints, hiring inquiries, and initial trouble-shooting for floor computer systems (Square One, POS, Linux terminals, VoIP telephones, printers, and other hardware). Responsible for on-site security (including inventory and cash). Managed teams of 3 - 12 book sellers. Regular book seller duties such as customer queries, product stocking, and cash handling.

Handled customer queries, product stocking, cash handling, and other aspects of floor book sales.

Tutored students in mathematics and provided test proctoring services. Administered 35 Windows XP Professional clients and a Windows 2003 file server using Norton Ghost and Faronics Deep Freeze.

Taught Mathematics for the Liberal Arts including the topics of logic, critical thinking, Venn diagrams, flow charts, units, percentages, scales, compound interest, savings plans and loans, basic statistics, basic probability, basic combinatorics, and exponential growth. Emphasized the importance of logical quantitative thinking, and how these skills can be integrated into all areas of life.

Taught College Algebra including the topics of lines, circles, functions, polynomials, rational functions, inequalities, complex numbers, exponential functions, logarithmic functions, operations on functions, systems of linear equations, systems of linear inequalities, and matrix algebra. Emphasized technology-assisted learning with a particular focus on the use of the TI-83 and TI-84 calculators.

Translated a non-linear optimization problem into GAMS code and generated a series of simplified network flow problems from the results. Verified model correctness by comparing logic and test results with those of an older model written in Fortran 95 using the NETSIDE solver.

Taught Calculus I recitation including the topics of limits, series, parametric equations, differentiation, simple differential equations, and Riemann integration. Emphasized technology-assisted learning with a particular focus on the use of the TI-83, TI-84, and TI-89 calculators, the Derive 5 software package, and McGraw-Hill's MathZone skills assessment environment.

Backed up and restored servers, tracked tapes, and performed weekly and as-needed maintenance on data center tape drives and software for ING Security Life of Denver. Acted as the on-site backup for the backup administrator.

Handled customer queries, product stocking, and other aspects of floor book sales.

Designed, implemented, and administered the corporate website and the web presence for Cyberpunk the Collectible Card Game, including the website, forums, and mailing lists. Provided systems administration and technical support in a network environment including Windows, Linux, and macOS systems, installed and maintained Apache web servers, MySQL database servers, and a Microsoft Exchange server. Supervised a team responsible for migrating sales and customer information databases from Microsoft Access to MySQL and scripting reporting queries. Assisted in the design and implementation of an extensible, plugin-based content management system written in SQL and object oriented PHP.

Verified data and provided sales support to internal business clients. Produced monthly performance reports and began to design a series of MsSQL/Python scripts to automate the process.

Tutored students in mathematics and physics and proctored tests. Provided technical expertise and support during deployment of the Cygwin POSIX emulation environment in the Mathematics Education Resource Center (MERC) computer lab.

Handled customer queries, product stocking, cash handling, and other aspects of floor book sales.

Used AutoCAD to diagram prototype electrical systems. Programmed prototype user interfaces and reporting algorithms using Rocky Mountain BASIC.

Maintained a static website for the organization using GitHub, Netlify, Cloudinary, and IFTTT. Helped design and implement externally-facing project pages. Helped set up and maintain a member database using Knack. Part of the core team responsible for managing the organizational treasury using Colony and Gnosis Safe.

Covered stories on sustainable development and emerging social and technological trends in the Mountain and Southwestern states region.