- michael.shults@techfield.com
- Kansas City, MO
Certifications & Education
- PMP — Project Management Professional
- Scrum Master Certified
- SPOC — Scrum Product Owner Certified
- CompTIA Security+
- B.Sc. Information Systems Security
- B.Sc. Business Management
- Graduate Project Management Courses
- DoD Secret Clearance (held)
Professional Profile
A decade of enterprise security delivery, built from the ground up.
Michael Shults is a Senior Cybersecurity Project Manager with more than ten years of progressive experience leading complex security programs across enterprise environments. His career spans healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and government contracting — giving him an unusually broad perspective on how security delivery operates under different regulatory regimes, risk appetites, and organizational cultures.
Michael began his professional career in the United States Army, where he served for seven years as a Satellite Communications Soldier — including a fifteen-month deployment to Mosul, Iraq. That experience instilled a disciplined approach to high-stakes operational environments, structured communication under pressure, and accountable execution that continues to inform his project management philosophy today.
Following an honorable discharge at the rank of Sergeant (E5), Michael transitioned into the private sector and progressively built a career at the intersection of information security and project delivery. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Security and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Grantham University, supplemented by graduate-level project management coursework.
Michael is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Scrum Master, and Scrum Product Owner (SPOC), and holds CompTIA Security+ certification. He has previously held a DoD Secret Clearance, renewed in 2016. These credentials, combined with hands-on technical experience across security tooling, architecture, and governance, enable him to operate credibly in both the boardroom and the technical delivery environment.
Career History
Led the Security Athena Program — an enterprise-wide initiative overseeing 25 concurrent security projects including Data Classification, Data Loss Prevention, Network Segmentation, Identity & Access Governance, and System Hardening. Responsibilities encompassed full project lifecycle management: scoping, budgeting, scheduling, risk assessment, and Steering Committee reporting. Subsequently guided the team's transition to Agile and Scrum, introducing sprint-based delivery, prioritized backlogs with business value scoring, and enhanced quarterly PI Planning. Instrumental in establishing a formal Security PMO with standardized documentation templates across Project Concepts, RACI matrices, Cost Analysis, and Status Reporting.
Managed a portfolio of security projects including F5 WAF deployment, Coverity version upgrades, and application security training initiatives. Produced full project documentation — intake forms, project plans, scoping documents, and work breakdown structures — using the Atlassian Suite. Coordinated team sprints in JIRA and delivered weekly project status updates to senior management.
Served in a dual-capacity role supporting M&A security integration for Bolder Healthcare. As IT Security Project Manager (Cognizant), led CyberArk IAM implementation from initial licensing through server configuration and account establishment. Supported HITRUST and SOC2 certification efforts, including artifact gathering for external auditors. As Information Security Specialist, built Bolder's IT security program from inception: designing the CSIRT and Incident Response procedures, implementing the Vendor Risk Analysis framework, establishing firewall policies, and conducting quarterly vulnerability scanning. Also authored security process documentation aligned to ISO 27001.
Deployed and managed Imperva database security across more than 450 client databases, completing the full rollout ahead of schedule. Served as apprentice project manager on SSL Decryption and DDoS mitigation projects — producing RFIs, test plans, and scope documentation, coordinating proof-of-concept execution, and finalizing procurement. Conducted security risk assessments against NIST, ISO, and CIS Top 20 frameworks to inform future security roadmaps.
Performed cross-domain security testing — planning, executing, and reviewing test plans in coordination with government clients. Produced post-test reports on cross-domain filtering results. Prior to this role, served as BFT2 NOC Administrator, managing network outages, resolving client connectivity issues, and maintaining technical and procedural documentation for the NOC environment.
Seven-year military career as a SATCOM Soldier, including deployment to Mosul, Iraq. Operated JNN KU band and STT satellite systems; served as a Technical Data Planner for satellite communications infrastructure in South Korea; and worked with 2m SNAP kits, Tri-Band AVL antennas, and Raytheon GBS systems at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Honourably discharged at the rank of Sergeant in 2012.