Ross Patz

Ross Patz has a diverse work experience spanning several companies and roles. Ross started their career as an intern at Ohio River Valley Communication in 2007. In 2008, they worked as a Tier 1 Apple Advisor and Specialist at Apple/IBM until 2010. From 2010 to 2014, they served as a Technical & Network Analyst at Jay School Corporation. In 2014, they joined Five-Star Technology Solutions, first as a Technical Support Specialist and later as an Associate Director of Information Technology until 2017. Following that, they worked as a System Administrator at Great Plains Communications from 2017 to 2018. Since 2018, Ross has been associated with Clark Schaefer Consulting, where they have held various positions such as Staff Consultant, Manager IT & Cybersecurity, and currently holds the position of Director IT Risk & Cybersecurity.

Ross Patz has a comprehensive education history in the field of cybersecurity and information technology management. They obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, specializing in Information Technology Management, from Western Governors University. Following this, they pursued a Master of Science degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from the same university. Currently, Ross is working towards a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Cyber Defense at Dakota State University.

In addition to their formal education, Ross has obtained numerous certifications to enhance their skills and expertise. Some of these certifications include Metasploit Pro Certified Specialist from Rapid7, Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) from EC-Council, and several certifications from CompTIA, Microsoft, Google, and Certiport, among others.

Ross has also completed a series of certifications related to research ethics and compliance, such as Conflicts of Interest, Export Compliance, Information Security, Research with Human Subjects (RCR), Research without Human Subjects (RCR), and Social-Behavioral-Educational Researchers, all earned through the CITI Program.