Thomas Lloyd

I’m a former Marine Infantry Squad Leader, though I spent most of my time stateside protecting critical assets for the U.S. Navy. After leaving the Marine Corps, I spent years working in physical security, both in the U.S. and overseas. During that time, I was also grinding away at my degree at the University of Maryland University College (now Global Campus), eventually earning a B.S. in Software Development with a Minor in Cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity wasn’t my original plan, but it became my passion thanks to a single course—Ethical Hacking. That class flipped a switch, reigniting a curiosity I first felt watching Hackers from ‘95. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be on the offensive side of security.

After graduating in December 2018, I landed a role as a GS-9 with the U.S. Army PEO EIS Defensive Cyber Operations. I quickly realized, though, that breaking into ethical hacking in the government wasn’t going to be easy. More than a few colleagues told me it was unlikely I’d ever make it happen.

Fast forward to today—I’m a GS-12 Penetration Tester at the DoD Cyber Crime Center, proving them wrong every day. But while I’ve gained invaluable experience in the government, I’m now looking to take my skills to the private sector for my next challenge.