Matthew Powell

Background

About Matthew Powell

As a dedicated cybersecurity professional with 15+ years supporting U.S. Army Aviation and joint DoD programs, I specialize in securing mission-critical systems through advanced risk management, operational technology (OT) protection, and enterprise compliance strategies. I have extensive experience developing and submitting Authorization to Operate (ATO) packages, aligning systems with RMF and NIST requirements, and implementing Zero Trust and cloud security models. My leadership in cybersecurity has strengthened aviation and defense platforms, reduced vulnerabilities, and improved readiness across high-value systems. My technical expertise spans vulnerability assessment, defensive cyberspace operations (DCO), and system hardening, with hands-on experience integrating cyber requirements into system-of-systems architectures using MBSE and DoDAF. I also bring operational insight from maintaining multimillion-dollar aviation fleets, giving me a unique ability to bridge tactical operations with enterprise security strategy. I am passionate about advancing cybersecurity maturity at scale — training teams, improving adherence to standards, and aligning technical solutions with mission priorities. I thrive at the intersection of cybersecurity engineering and executive strategy, preparing organizations to meet today’s threats while building secure, resilient architectures for the future. Always open to connecting with fellow cybersecurity and IT leaders to share insights and explore opportunities in enterprise security and defense innovation.