Joshua Kovach  ·  Security Leader  ·  CISSP

Joshua Kovach

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USAF
Chapter 01  ·  The Foundation
USAF Journey Started
Enlisted. Sworn in. Handed a wrench.
The discipline that built everything else started here.

The Foundation

Before there were security programs to build, there were jet engines to keep flying. Seven years of active duty in the United States Air Force — maintaining F-16 propulsion systems, leading crews under operational pressure, and learning what discipline under real consequence actually looks like. Zero margin for error. Operational tempo that demands total focus. That's where everything was forged.

7
Years active duty
151
F-16 engines maintained
$549M
Fleet value managed
1 of 7
Selected — Pacific USAF Lean Mfg
Maintenance Crew Leader responsible for complete F-16 F110-GE-100/-129 engine teardown and buildup at a Queen Bee facility — the highest-tempo engine maintenance environment in the fleet.
Selected for Pacific Air Force Lean Manufacturing program — 1 of 7 technicians chosen across the command to train and certify in the lean manufacturing process.
Meticulous inspector who performed rigorous evaluations for QA personnel to ensure mission-critical compliance — the standard others were measured against.
Airman Leadership School graduate — formal leadership training that became the foundation carried through every civilian role that followed.
2010
Chapter 02  ·  2010 – 2016

The Pivot

The mission changed. The discipline didn't. Defense contracting led to anti-terrorism operations across USAF installations in Japan — $12M in physical security programs, 7-person contractor teams, direct briefings to Staff Leadership. Then came the shift into cyber: classified systems aboard US Navy ships and submarines, DoD platforms, zero SLA breaches. By 2016 the technical foundation was in place. It was time to build something from scratch.

$12M+
AT/FP equipment managed
$7.5M
DoD program value
0
SLA breaches — Navy helpdesk
Anti-Terrorism Specialist — SAIC/USAF contract. Led large-scale AT/FP equipment programs across Japan installations.
2010 – 2013
Computer Systems Security Analyst — SAIC DoD. Classified support for US Navy cyber and target plotting systems at sea.
2013 – 2015
Security Systems Administrator — DKW Communications. SQL database security, STIG enforcement, access controls for DoD programs.
2015 – 2016
BS Information Systems completed. First enterprise cybersecurity role on the horizon.
2015
2016
Chapter 03  ·  2016 – 2023

The Build

No playbook. No inherited infrastructure. Post-divestiture from a Fortune 500 parent, a new organization needed an information security program built from zero. Over six years the program grew from nothing into a mature, multi-domain security function spanning identity, network, OT manufacturing, incident response, and compliance — while managing every project without an internal PMO. This is where the full range of capability was built and proven.

Business Systems Analyst → Led Workday, Kronos, and CCure9000 implementations. Built the enterprise ServiceNow instance from scratch including CMDB, service portal, and ITIL workflows.
2016 – 2017
CyberArk PAM deployed across corporate and international manufacturing. Reduced highly-privileged access by 80%. Implemented PSM for all privileged users.
2018
First enterprise IRP built in direct partnership with the FBI. Annual tabletop exercises began. First-line incident responder for all enterprise security events.
2019
Multi-year NGFW modernization completed across enterprise and OT. OT network redesign as cybersecurity lead — segmented architecture with isolated directory and strong access controls.
2020
First enterprise data lake deployed using Palo Alto XDR. ISO 27001 readiness program. Cloud-first DR/BCP architecture. Led program through acquisition integration.
2021 – 2022
Promoted to Information Security Lead. Took ownership of vendor contracts, strategic roadmaps, and team growth across the full security program.
2022
2023
Chapter 04  ·  2023 – Present

The Scale

A post-incident mandate. A global SaaS organization. A team to build from scratch — again. This time with more at stake, more complexity, and more visibility. Rapid PAM deployment became a Zero Trust program. A post-incident response became a five-year identity security roadmap. The team grew to 11 engineers across international locations. The results spoke for themselves.

0%
Incident reduction — yr 1
0%
High-risk account coverage
$0K
Program spend saved
0
Engineers led globally
0-yr
Identity roadmap architected
0%
SIEM alert improvement
Principal Cybersecurity Engineer — rapid PAM deployment in response to post-incident findings. 50% SIEM improvement within 6 months.
Jan – Oct 2023
Promoted to Cybersecurity Team Lead. Built and now leads global team of 11 engineers delivering PAM, IGA, and SaaS IAM programs.
Oct 2023
Architected 5-year identity security roadmap aligned to global GRC and NIST CSF. Set governance standards for identity lifecycle across the enterprise.
2024
Created enterprise AI identity and authentication standards for generative and agentic AI implementations. ISC2 Building AI Strategy certified.
2025 – 2026
Currently interviewing for and building an international IAM/PAM operations team. MS Cybersecurity Management completed.
Present
Capabilities  ·  20+ Years Earned

The Skill Map

Every skill below was built in the field — not in a classroom. Select a domain to explore.

Security
Leader
20+ yrs · CISO track
Core Competencies
Standards, Frameworks & Credentials
Frameworks
Certifications
Education
Tools & Platforms
What gets built next?

Ready to build something that matters?

20+ years securing critical infrastructure across military, manufacturing, and SaaS. Looking for a security leader who builds programs, leads teams, and drives measurable outcomes — let's talk.

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Accomplishments