The question, “Why?” often gets a bad rap, but, when asked in the right context, it can be the catalyst for life changing transformation. Nearly 3 years ago, I boldly moved across the country to an unfamiliar place to work in an industry with no friends and no experience, microwave telecommunications. Starting as a tower climber, I was quickly enthralled by the highly technical world of radio frequency and its integration with the larger picture. I took the initiative of investing in myself by going through several certifications in my free time (Cisco, Nokia) to help better understand why the infrastructure was designed the way that it was. While I was able to gain a lot of information OTJ, my mastery of that info came on my own time, and within 2 years, not only had I risen to management level, I was training new radio techs in basic networking and IT concepts, as well as the finer points of microwave configuration.
Almost as important as my curiosity was my God-given ability to quickly grasp advanced technical concepts. This, paired with my ability to think outside the box often led to efficient implementation of innovative solutions. It also commonly aided my troubleshooting responsibilities, helping me to logically break a problem down into manageable bits.
The more that I learned, the more I became interested in cloud technology and how to best put it to use. With a little guidance, I found myself learning the ins and outs of Microsoft Azure, eventually achieving my AZ-900 certification. From there I got my AWS Cloud Practitioner cert and was able to compare and contrast the two cloud provider giants. Ultimately, I decided to focus my attention on Azure and am currently working towards my AZ-104.
In my free time, when I’m not trying to teach my self something, you can find me outside or hanging out with my new wife.
I am also in the process of starting an adventure outfitter called Intentional Adventures, on the Cheat River in West Virginia, offering whitewater excursions and fly-fishing expeditions in an area known as the largest undammed watershed east of the Mississippi. Still in its fledgling stage, Intentional Adventures is currently licensed for whitewater on two sections of the Cheat River, the Narrows, a more mellow class 2-3 stretch, and the Canyon, an exhilarating class 4 experience. For more info click here.
Also, as a way to give back to the community and I recently started a 501c3 called Adventure Ministries Inc, a Christian non-profit, with the purpose of teaching various adventure activities like kayaking, hiking and mountain biking from a Christian worldview.
