David St John
Principal DevSecOps Engineer
Renton, Washington, United States
Professional Summary
Principal DevSecOps Engineer with 20+ years transforming enterprise infrastructure from foundational cloud technologies to modern AI-integrated operations. Exclusive AWS Beta Tester since 2003, providing unique perspective on cloud evolution and long-term architectural decisions. Proven track record at Verizon/MapQuest with #3 contributor ranking and documented excellence in mentoring and technical leadership. Specializes in security-first automation, enterprise-scale migrations, and AI-enhanced DevSecOps workflows that deliver measurable business impact.
Professional Experience
Principal DevSecOps Engineer
Independent Consultant
Advanced DevSecOps implementations with AI integration and enterprise transformation leadership.
Key Achievements
- Developed AI-powered cybersecurity analysis using Ollama phi3 models for 90% faster threat detection
- Created comprehensive streaming infrastructure ecosystem serving 5+ global platforms
- Implemented zero-trust security automation enabling SOC2/HIPAA certification
- Built intelligent infrastructure monitoring with ML-driven predictive operations
- Designed enterprise-scale Terraform architectures with 35% cost optimization
- Pioneered container orchestration platforms with integrated security scanning
Technologies Used
Senior DevOps Engineer
Verizon Media (MapQuest)
Led enterprise infrastructure modernization and team development at scale.
Key Achievements
- Achieved #3 All-Time Contributor ranking in MapQuest Operations Repository
- Collaborated with elite Verizon "Paranoids" security team on critical infrastructure
- Mentored development teams on DevOps best practices and cloud-native architectures
- Implemented enterprise CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins and Chef automation
- Led infrastructure-as-code initiatives with CloudFormation and Terraform
- Maintained 22 Chef cookbooks including original security-focused implementations
Technologies Used
Infrastructure Engineer
MyRounding (Acquired by Huron)
Enabled successful acquisition through compliance achievement and infrastructure excellence.
Key Achievements
- Achieved SOC2 and HIPAA certification enabling $XXM acquisition by Huron Consulting
- Architected HIPAA-compliant cloud infrastructure with comprehensive audit trails
- Implemented automated compliance monitoring and reporting systems
- Designed secure development workflows with integrated security scanning
- Led migration from legacy systems to modern cloud-native architecture
- Established disaster recovery and business continuity procedures
Technologies Used
DevOps Architect
ClubSpeed (Motorsports Technology)
Architected scalable SaaS infrastructure for motorsports event management.
Key Achievements
- Designed and implemented scalable SaaS platform architecture
- Automated deployment pipelines reducing deployment time by 80%
- Implemented monitoring and alerting systems for 99.9% uptime
- Led team in adopting infrastructure-as-code methodologies
- Optimized database performance for high-throughput event processing
- Established security best practices for multi-tenant SaaS environment
Technologies Used
Systems Administrator / DevOps Engineer
MTI (Media Technology International)
Managed enterprise infrastructure and pioneered early DevOps practices.
Key Achievements
- Managed enterprise-scale infrastructure for media technology solutions
- Pioneered early adoption of DevOps practices and automation tools
- Implemented configuration management and deployment automation
- Maintained high-availability systems for mission-critical operations
- Led infrastructure modernization and cloud migration initiatives
- Established monitoring and incident response procedures
Technologies Used
Technical Competencies
Cloud Platforms
- AWS (Beta Tester since 2003)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Platform
- Hybrid Cloud Architecture
- Multi-Cloud Strategy
DevSecOps Tools
- Kubernetes & EKS
- Docker & Containers
- Terraform & CloudFormation
- Ansible & Chef
- Jenkins & GitLab CI
AI Integration
- Ollama phi3 Implementation
- Machine Learning Operations
- AI-Powered Security Analysis
- Predictive Infrastructure
- Custom AI Model Deployment
Security & Compliance
- SOC2 & HIPAA Certification
- Zero Trust Architecture
- Security Automation
- Compliance Monitoring
- Vulnerability Management
Programming & Scripting
- Python (AI/ML Integration)
- Go (System Tools)
- PHP (Web Applications)
- Bash/Shell Scripting
- C/C++ (System Programming)
Monitoring & Observability
- Prometheus & Grafana
- ELK Stack
- DataDog & New Relic
- Custom Metrics
- Incident Response
Professional Achievements
AWS Cloud Evolution Pioneer
One of the few engineers with access to AWS before its 2006 public launch
Enterprise Repository Leadership
#3 All-Time Contributor in MapQuest Operations Repository
M&A Enablement Through Compliance
SOC2/HIPAA certification enabled successful MyRounding acquisition
AI-Enhanced DevSecOps Innovation
Pioneered Ollama phi3 integration in production DevSecOps workflows
Certifications & Credentials
AWS Beta Tester Program
Exclusive access to AWS services before public launch
Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)
Advanced Linux system administration and automation
Verizon Security Team Collaboration
Elite security team collaboration clearance
Ready to Discuss Your Next Infrastructure Challenge?
Let's explore how 20+ years of cloud evolution experience and proven enterprise leadership can drive your organization's DevSecOps transformation.
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Technical SessionAdvisory Opportunities
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Advisory DiscussionCurrent Availability
Available for immediate engagement in principal/staff DevSecOps engineering roles, technical advisory positions, and specialized consulting projects where deep expertise creates significant business value.