About Matt

Cloud Security Architect. Martial Artist. Dad. Strength Coach. Appalachian Through and Through.

There’s no gimmick here, just a lifetime of disciplined execution across cybersecurity, physical training, and real-world leadership. I’ve secured critical infrastructure for K–12 schools and universities, hardened hybrid cloud networks for enterprise environments, and guided teams through audits, incident response, penetration testing, and long-term strategic growth.

My work blends deep technical skill with the composure and grit forged through years on the mat and under the bar. From penetration testing and DevSecOps to identity governance and AI threat modeling, I bring clarity and execution to environments where there’s no room for guesswork.

I don’t just consult, I practice what I preach. I design resilient systems, craft practical policy, train teams, and help organizations move faster without losing control. Everything I do is grounded in discipline, built on clarity, and shaped by the mindset that what you repeat, you become.

Cybersecurity Path

A black belt is just a white belt who never quit.

From penetration testing to public cloud architecture, my approach to cybersecurity is built on adaptability, automation, and relentless improvement. I’ve deployed and secured infrastructure across hybrid environments using Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud, with a strong emphasis on resilience, scalability, and identity-driven defense.

I’ve worked extensively with CyberArk, designing and supporting privileged access management deployments that harden identity boundaries and help organizations meet strict compliance and audit requirements. My security playbooks balance governance with flexibility, whether I’m tuning IAM policies, automating cloud posture reviews, or implementing zero trust principles across distributed environments.

I bring an engineer’s mindset, but a strategist’s eye. That’s why I created the Security Without Pessimism series: a direct challenge to doomer narratives in the infosec community, and a reminder that our role is not fear-mongering, but building secure systems that let teams move fast without breaking everything.

You’ll also find my take on emerging attack surfaces and defensive design in The Art of Cyberwar, where I draw from martial strategy, terrain analysis, and threat modeling to build a layered security mindset. And for those prepping for certs or architecting in AWS, I’ve launched Zen and the Art of AWS Security blending technical how-tos with real-world mental models to navigate cloud architecture under fire.

Whether I’m auditing API access, refining DevSecOps pipelines, or designing detection rules in multi-cloud SIEMs, I never forget that security isn’t about tools it’s about clarity, control, and culture.

Martial Arts, Fitness & Coaching

Beyond the keyboard, I’ve spent 40+ years immersed in martial arts, training across China, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.S. I’ve studied and taught disciplines that demand precision under pressure. Whether it’s been Wing Chun, Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, CSW, or Chen Style Taiji Quan. Whether it’s trapping hands, push hands, sweeps, weapons training, or submissions, the fundamentals are the same: timing, intent, and control.

That same ethos shaped my strength & conditioning career. For over two decades, I’ve coached competitive athletes in Olympic Weightlifting and CrossFit, guiding lifters through PR attempts and setbacks alike. My training philosophy is simple: no gimmicks, no shortcuts, just progressive overload, clean technique, and relentless consistency. I coach what I live, and I bring the same mental discipline from the mats and barbell to the way I approach cybersecurity, one rep, one round, one solution at a time.

The work ethic forged through martial arts and coaching shows up in how I teach, lead, and train others, whether it’s in the gym, the academy, or the SOC.

Off The Mats

I’m also an author, mountaineer, and lifelong learner drawn to challenges that sharpen both body and mind and help elevate the soul. From the ridgelines of Blue Ridge, Georgia, to the peaks of Cherokee, NC, from the Linville Gorge, through the Linn Cove Viaduct, to Boone, up to Hawksbill and Hazel Mountain, VA. I’ve hiked, climbed, and explored nearly every stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. The Great Smokies and the best of East Tennessee? That’s home turf. Those trails shaped my endurance and my worldview.

And if you’ve seen the video above, you know I don’t just talk about it. I live it, feet on the ground, breathing in the air, camera rolling. That same curiosity drives my love of Austrian economics, U.S. diplomatic history, evolutionary biology, and the history of Colonial Era and the Antebellum South. Whether I’m scaling granite or digging through old treaties and policy memos, I’m wired to chase the terrain that demands something more.

If You’re Here, You’re Probably Like Me.

You take security seriously, but not yourself too seriously. You value strength in your systems, your team, and yourself. And you know discipline isn’t loud. It just shows up and delivers.

That’s what I do here. That’s what I help others do, too. If you’re here, you’re probably chasing mastery.

Welcome. Let’s keep sharpening the sword together.

One last thing nobody says out loud: A black belt isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of intermediate.

Whether I’m securing school systems or hardening cloud environments, I apply the same mindset I learned on the mat: anticipate, adapt, and act decisively.

If any of this resonates with you or you have questions, projects, or collaboration ideas, get in touch.

Onward and upward,
– MSS