Tyler Hardy
ChairmanTyler served in the nuclear Navy before joining the US Navy Reserves as an Information Technology Specialist. Following that, he spent time at Boeing as an Industrial Control Systems Engineer and then made a pivot into cybersecurity. Tyler is currently a Principal Security Engineer and PhD researcher in Cyber Defense, with a deep specialization in AI/ML, threat emulation, and automation. Tyler’s professional interest is in designing and deploying large-scale SOAR platforms, adversary simulations, and
detection logic pipelines across enterprise environments
John Stoner
Vice Chairman
John Stoner served for 10 years in the Army as a SIGINT analyst, receiving an honorable discharge in 2010. He has over 25 years of experience in the national security, SLED, and defense sectors, with 15 focused on cybersecurity. He has worked as a CTI analyst, cyber CI analyst, chief of analytics, deputy director, as a cyber instructor, and an RMF/GRC and policy advisor. He holds A+, Net+, CASP, PMP, and CISSP certifications.
Elliott Gorman
Board SecretaryElliott is a Systems Engineer with a passion for spreading the news about VetSec. He served as an LAV Crewman with the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Alex Darwin
Board TreasurerAlex served eight years in the USAF as an accounting and budget specialist, watching over accounts with a $ 600 M+ annual budget. After a year as a government contractor, he chose to return to school and get his Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. He picked up his first job in the industry in 2016 as an Incident Response Facilitator and Threat Team Analyst. Moving forward, Alex’s next and current role had him build out a SOC specifically to watch active IR engagements, and as a team lead, he and his team would regularly prevent ransomware threat actors from causing more damage to client networks. This small and specialized group requires all team members to wear multiple hats. Alex’s has consisted of Tier III/IV support, detection engineering, threat hunting, security engineering, and mentoring to junior members.
Alex’s passion for taking joy from Threat Actors is what motivates him to mentor junior members, and he is excited to be a board member for an organization whose goal helps Veterans defend the cyber industry. His unique background combines Accounting and Cyber Security, making him a great fit as the VetSec Treasurer.
Currently in transition
Member At-LargeCurrently in transition
The VetSec staff work tirelessly to ensure the day-to-day operations of the organization continue, allowing the Board to focus on strategic initiatives. From reviewing member applications to processing applications for our various training resources, to maintaining our social media presence, these leaders stand out in our community and volunteered to take on more to help out their fellow veterans.
Jeramiah Poff
Grants ManagerA father, veteran, and privacy advocate, he brings a mission-driven mindset to Cyber Security. After a decorated six-year military career, he began his IT journey as a help desk student employee and, with VetSec’s support, transitioned into Cyber Security. Now serving as a Security Architect and Peer Mentor, he continues to grow through discipline, continuous learning, and a passion for helping others enter the field.
William Bates
Director of BenefitsWilliam Bates is a U.S. Army veteran and accomplished cybersecurity leader with over a decade of experience driving secure innovation across the defense and federal sectors. As a former DevSecOps Engineer supporting the U.S. Air Force, William has led enterprise modernization efforts, implemented zero trust architectures, and delivered cloud-native security solutions at scale.
A passionate advocate for emerging technologies, William specializes in quantum security and post-quantum cryptography, helping organizations prepare for next-generation threats through proactive research and applied implementation strategies. His work bridges deep technical expertise with mission-critical impact, ranging from secure software supply chains to cryptographic modernization for federal agencies.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, William supports the veteran community through his work with VetSec, helping former service members access the resources they need to succeed in the cybersecurity field.
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Social Media Manager–