Bridging Enterprise Defense and Accessible Education
I am Joshua Wortz (MSCOL, CISSP, MCE)—a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer, Higher Education Instructor, and Technical Leader with over 20 years of experience architecting, securing, and optimizing complex enterprise IT, cloud operations, and threat detection pipelines.
I currently serve as a Senior Security Engineer at Eisenhower Health, engineering detection analytics and threat response across regulated healthcare environments. Previously, I led enterprise security compliance and trust verification as a Senior Security Technical Program Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS), architecting Zero Trust models protecting over 11,000 personnel and 40,000 cloud assets.
Alongside my engineering work, I am an NCyTE Center National Faculty Fellow (Alumnus), a Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE / 21CLD), and an active AI & Model Context Protocol (MCP) security researcher. My mission centers on bridging the gap between theoretical security frameworks and live production systems—translating high-stakes enterprise defense into accessible, hands-on learning.
Teaching Philosophy: Accessible, Systems-First Security
“Learn the system first, in order to learn how to break, secure, and defend it.”
My approach to education is grounded in the reality of production environments and shaped by a deep personal commitment to inclusivity. As the father of a college student with autism, I know firsthand how rigid, single-mode instructional models create unintentional barriers for neurodivergent learners and students from non-traditional backgrounds.
To dismantle these barriers, my pedagogical framework rests on three core pillars:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Dense security concepts cannot be taught through text-heavy slides alone. I structure technical material across multiple representation modes—interactive topology maps, tactile lab scenarios, and structured step-by-step walkthroughs that empower visual processors and English language learners alike. Read Philosophy Overview →
Low-Stakes, Inquiry-Based Labs: Students build genuine confidence when given space to iterate and troubleshoot without performance anxiety. I emphasize tiered exercises and Red/Blue team simulations where failure is treated as diagnostic feedback rather than a grading penalty. Explore Lab Structure →
Zero-Cost OER Lab Stack: Financial strain should never bottleneck cybersecurity education. I design labs using open-source, containerized tools (such as Docker Desktop, local Ollama models, and Linux sandboxes) that run on modest 8GB student laptops—eliminating expensive cloud API bills. View Open-Source Labs →
Services & Professional Engagements
I partner with enterprise security teams, higher education institutions, conference organizers, and technology innovators across four primary engagement models:
Security & Zero Trust Advisory
Practical Zero Trust gap analysis, AWS/Azure security posture optimization, and least-privilege boundary design.
- ✓ Detection Engineering: Custom Sentinel KQL analytic rules & automated playbooks
- ✓ Regulated Compliance: HIPAA/HITECH, NIST CSF & SP 800-53 audit readiness
- ✓ Cloud Posture: Least-privilege identity & multi-account trust validation
AI & SecOps Masterclasses
Live, high-engagement red/blue team workshops running entirely on zero-cost, containerized Docker sandboxes.
- ✓ Securing Agentic AI & LLMs: Prompt injection defense, MCP & OPA gateways
- ✓ Modern Threat Hunting: Hands-on detection & incident triage in Microsoft Sentinel
- ✓ Zero Cloud Bills: Runs locally on standard 8GB laptops with Docker Desktop
Technical Talks & Panels
Engaging, accessible technical talks delivering actionable insights on emerging threats, Zero Trust, and AI defense.
- ✓ Invited Talk / Briefing: The Next Threat Surface: Securing Model Context Protocol & AI Agents
- ✓ Technical Briefing: Demystifying Zero Trust for Real-World Infrastructure
- ✓ Academic Colloquia: MITRE ATT&CK breakdowns & live attack-chain forensics
UDL Curriculum & Lab Design
Designing barrier-free, multimodal cybersecurity and AI coursework tailored for neurodivergent and non-traditional learners.
- ✓ UDL Alignment: Multimodal visual topologies, structured rubrics & tactile labs
- ✓ OER Lab Engineering: Turnkey, zero-cost Linux & Docker courseware packages
- ✓ Faculty Training: Mentoring educators on integrating AI defense into curricula
Academic Appointments & Speaking Engagements
National Faculty Fellow (Alumnus)
Active contributor and alumnus fellow (2026 – Present) advancing curriculum accessibility, faculty development, and community college cybersecurity pathways nationwide.
21st Century Learning Design (21CLD)
Certified Educator in multimodal pedagogy, collaborative problem-solving, and technology-mediated instructional design for modern higher education.
Delivered Presentations & Colloquia
Teaching AI Security: Hands-On LLM Hardening with Docker Desktop and Security Gateways
An interactive, zero-cloud-cost faculty workshop demonstrating how to deploy, probe, and defend containerized LLMs (Piper) using Docker Desktop, Ollama, and a Python security gateway against prompt injection and sensitive data leakage.
Education, Credentials & Affiliations
Academic Degrees
- Master of Science (MS) in Cybersecurity Operations & Leadership
University of San Diego (Graduated August 2026 | Cumulative GPA: 3.9 / 4.0)
Focus: Applied Cryptography, Cloud Security Architecture, Threat Intelligence - Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Pastoral Ministry
University of Valley Forge (Graduated May 2006)
Focus: Empathetic servant leadership, consultative communication, and conflict mediation - CCNA Network Engineering Program
Cisco Networking Academy (2000 – 2001)
Foundational TCP/IP routing, switching, and network architecture
Certifications & Badges
- CISSP — Certified Information Systems Security Professional ISC2 (Information Systems Security Architecture & Governance)
- Proofpoint Certified AI Agent Security Specialist Agentic AI risk mitigation & LLM gateway protection
- Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE / 21CLD) Microsoft Education (Instructional Design & Technology)
- Cloud & Security Fundamentals AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Microsoft SC-900, AZ-900, DP-900, ITIL v3
Professional Affiliations
- NCyTE Center National Faculty Fellow Alumnus & Higher Education Community Partner
- InfraGard (San Diego Chapter) FBI Public-Private Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Protection
- ISACA & ISC2 Active Professional Member in Enterprise Governance & Cloud Security
Security, Trust & Responsible Disclosure
As an enterprise cybersecurity engineering publication, Code and Cypher practices defensible, zero-trust architecture and provides a formal safe-harbor environment for good-faith security research:
Vulnerability Disclosure (VDP)
Review formal safe-harbor research protections, in-scope domains, reporting guidelines, and response SLAs.
Security Hall of Fame
Public credit and professional recognition for ethical security researchers who responsibly report verified vulnerabilities.
RFC 9116 Discovery
Direct machine-readable security policy endpoint for automated vulnerability scanners and security tooling.
Connect & Collaborate
Whether you are interested in enterprise security architecture, booking a hands-on workshop, or collaborating on accessible cybersecurity curriculum, connect through any of these direct channels:
Direct Message
Send an inquiry directly to my priority inbox via the secure contact form.
LinkedIn Network
Connect for professional networking, speaking inquiries, and collaboration.
X / Twitter
Follow for architecture threads, Infosec insights, and engineering updates.
GitHub Tooling
Explore open-source defensive tools, lab sandboxes, and code repositories.
Research Papers
Browse formal architectural blueprints, risk models, and Zenodo DOI publications.