David P.

Background

About David P.

I was born in Los Angeles and raised in the Harbor Area, California, and a lot of who I am started in the 1990s with broken computers, limited resources, and a need to figure things out for myself. My mom would drive me around while I picked up discarded computers so I could bring them home, tear them apart, study them, and rebuild better ones from whatever I had. Growing up poor taught me to stretch hardware, optimize what I could afford, and learn through experimentation. I spent hours on AIM, chat rooms, and computer forums learning about hardware, overclocking, modding, and system performance. I broke things, rebuilt them, and learned from all of it.That instinct never really changed. It matured.With first-hand experience in intelligence operations supporting strategic missions and initiatives across multiple disciplines and domains, I’ve developed a proven ability to adapt in unpredictable, fast-changing environments while maintaining analytical rigor and operational focus. I bring strategic thinking, tactical execution, cognitive elasticity, and a high-recall analytical memory to my work, with a deep passion for intelligence analysis, systems thinking, and evidence-based decision-making.My military experience shaped me in a major way. The Marines, and later the Army National Guard, gave structure, discipline, accountability, and mission focus to a mindset that was already wired to question, analyze, and improve systems. That experience continues to influence how I work, lead, and solve problems today.I hold a B.S. in Computing Technology from Brandman University, an A.A.S. in Intelligence Operations Studies from Cochise College, and an A.A. in Humanities from El Camino College. I also hold the GCTI, GICSP, and CompTIA Security+ certifications, and I’m continuing advanced training through SANS FOR610.My background spans cyber threat intelligence, phishing and malware analysis, vulnerability intelligence, incident reporting, infrastructure design, and secure product development. Beyond cybersecurity, I’m deeply drawn to off-roading, vehicle platforms, route planning, communications gear, astronomy, and hands-on technical projects. To me, it’s all connected. I’ve always been most at home in environments that reward curiosity, capability, discipline, and the drive to understand how things really work.I’m the founder of PhantomGraph, where I’m building deterministic, behavior-based security technology designed to give defenders transparent, explainable, and defensible decisions they can trust.