Husein Sharaf’s passion for all things technical began early in life, growing up in a modest home in Fairfax, Virginia. By age seven, he was deftly dismantling—and rebuilding—everything from lawn mowers to vacuum cleaners. By middle school, he was proficient at building websites and coding; and as a young teenager, he worked part time repairing computers. At age 18, Husein shattered all expectations by landing his corporate first job at Booz Allen Hamilton—without a college degree. This would be the first of many experiences working as a federal contractor for this astute, self-taught young professional, followed by several years working as an independent consultant to both commercial and federal clients including, most notably, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Throughout his whirlwind career as a systems engineer, Husein has always brought along a true passion of finding ways to harness the power of technology to make life better. So it is certainly no surprise that when most people first heard of cloud computing and dismissed it as a Silicon Valley indulgence, Husein looked beyond the contention to see how cloud technology could free businesses from unwieldy infrastructure, spur innovation, and even change business models. Now as fearless head-nerd and CEO of his own Microsoft Gold Partner firm Cloudforce in National Harbor, Maryland, Husein leads his eclectic team of engineers in the development of complex cloud solutions to support mission-critical systems for dozens of programs across industries and government.

In addition to all things Microsoft cloud, Husein is also passionate about giving back to his Prince George’s County community and believes it is the responsibility of every business to help develop the types of communities its members and customers want to live and do business in. Husein currently serves as the Chairman of the Prince George’s County Tech Council (PGCTC) and on the board of directors of STEMship, a local non-profit aimed at creating STEM learning opportunities for under-privileged youth. As someone who acknowledges his own opportunities to make positive impacts doing what he loves, Husein is very proactive about supporting the development of other young IT aficionados—with a special soft spot for those who love to tinker.

Other fun facts about Husein:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• When I’m not working, my favorite thing to do is travel, even if only for a few days at a time. I’ve been inspired by shows like Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” to travel to places off the beaten path, to experience different cultures, and to broaden my world view through food, music and art.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• As a child I wanted to be a vehicle designer, or to have some involvement in motor racing.

What is your favorite dessert?

• Crème brûlée – all day! I even learned to make it (the only thing I know how to bake) because I love it so much.

What would be the most surprising scientific discovery imaginable?

• Teleportation – I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of moving people or objects in non- traditional ways. Perhaps it’s my obsession with travel which drives my somewhat irrational desire to see this come to fruition!

What are you reading at this moment?

• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by James C. Collins.

Heba started her career as a financial controller working as a federal contractor in the engineering services sector. Demonstrating her keen proficiency in effective program oversight and execution, she quickly moved up into more senior roles, ultimately landing as the Deputy Project Manager on a highly visible special project with the U.S. Army.  In 2016, Heba brought her nine years of operational oversight expertise and business savvy to Cloudforce as Director of Operations, then was promoted to Vice President of Finance in 2023.

In addition to her extensive management background, Heba brought along her breadth of knowledge in data aggregation and analysis. She excels at optimizing methods and procedures to achieve process improvements and maximize efficiencies.

Outside of work, Heba enjoys the local arts, a rocking music playlist, outdoor adventures, and getting her handywoman fix in on DIY projects.

Other fun facts about Heba:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

• Being inspired by some amazing teachers myself, I wanted to be an elementary school teacher, and initially going into college thought that was what I was going to pursue. With math being my strong suit, I had a change of heart and pivoted to a finance major mid-way. Although my path ultimately took me in another direction, I’ve found other avenues to teach and mentor in my career as well as opportunities to support youth programs through volunteerism.

What is your favorite album? 

• This is a hard one because enjoying music is my favorite pastime and there are so many amazing albums on my top picks list.  Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here is the one I always start with on my road adventures (another favorite pastime of mine).  My favorite playlist is a mix of classic and blues rock including Led Zeppelin, Freddie King, John Mayall and the Bluebreakers, and Fleetwood Mac, but I also enjoy all genres and especially appreciate the live music scene.

What season would you be? 

• Summer all the way! I love to be outdoors, especially near water or by the mountains. Exploring, hiking, picnicking, or just laying outside enjoying the sounds of summer brings me the most joy.

Jesse Kellner brings a unique breadth and depth of experience to his role – first as Cloudforce’s Director of Programs, now Vice President of Delivery. While serving both our illustrious team of cloud ninjas and valued client portfolio, he leverages over 20 years of professional experience in leadership, project management, and business development.

Jesse received his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Washington Bible College before serving in vocational ministry at both established and emerging communities of faith. Thereafter, Jesse transitioned into the sales and business development space, culminating in over 10 years as a commercial real estate broker in the Annapolis, MD market. As he began to explore the next chapter of his career, Jesse turned to the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business where he earned a Master of Business Administration degree in 2016. Jesse’s next career move would be a serendipitous combination of his passion for networking with his unbridled enthusiasm to promote Smith students when he became Smith’s Assistant Director, Employer and Business Development. It was in this role serving as a natural evangelist for Smith students that Jesse first crossed paths with his soon-to-be colleagues of  Cloudforce—who were then actively recruiting some of Smith’s top talent!

As Cloudforce Vice President of Delivery, Jesse spends his time deploying tech ninjas to delight customers and harness the Microsoft cloud. Jesse is convinced that happy technologists deliver top technical solutions leading to delighted customers, a formula to which he remains committed as Cloudforce grows and scales.

Jesse, his beloved wife, and two children are in the process of developing their little log cabin home on almost 50 acres just south of Annapolis into a joyous family homestead and hospitality hub. He is an avid sports enthusiast, both participating in area old man leagues and stubbornly supporting his Washington Football Team, Orioles, Wizards, and Capitals.

Other fun facts about Jesse:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• Our family and friends spend a lot (!) of time outside at our property. My son recently discovered shark teeth within the little stream in our woods, even uncovering some impressive Megalodon specimens (an extinct species of prehistoric shark, the largest sharks ever). We love to light the bonfire, partake in some great food and drink, let the kids run amuck, and just be together.

If you had to delete all but 3 apps from your phone, which 3 would you keep?

• Microsoft Teams (of course!), Photos, and Waze.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• Pepperoni Pizza (with a shoutout to Di Meo’s Pizzeria, Crofton, MD). Is this even a question?

Have you ever completed anything on your bucket list?

• Baltimore Marathon, 2009. And, yes, I beat Oprah.

What are you reading at this moment?

• Gospel of Luke

Michael’s 20 years of experience in the Information Technology field includes helping many government, non-profit, and commercial customers streamline their IT operations while reducing costs and modernizing infrastructure. Early on, he acquired a knack for and curiosity about all things related to technology and enhancing productivity using modern tools. At Cloudforce, Michael has transitioned his career from a technical role to one where he now manages multiple customer projects as Cloudforce Technical Program Manager.

Of all the places he’s travelled in his career, Michael finds Cloudforce to be truly a unique place to work where employee welfare, professional development, and simply having fun are of equal importance to bottom line concerns. Since joining Cloudforce, Michael has earned his Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification and is currently working on his PMP.

In his spare time, Michael enjoys swimming, biking, the beach, and spending time with family and friends.

Other fun facts about Michael:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• Spend time with family and friends/ always learning something new

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• Clinical Psychologist

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?

• Time and energy—that’s all we have in this life. (And I know, that’s two things, but one is worthless without the other.)

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given?

• To whom?  Nobody asks… nobody’s listening.

What are you reading at this moment?

• Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene

Daniel Ruberg has close to ten years of Network Administration and Engineering experience.  He finished his undergraduate degree in Computer Management Information Systems from Liberty University in 2008. After graduation, he returned to Liberty University and obtained his master’s degree in Youth Ministry, then held several positions in the D.C. area that have helped shape his career path to this point.

Since joining Cloudforce in 2018, Daniel has shown exponential growth in the Azure cloud and has been dubbed our very own #cloudninja. As a Cloudforce Cloud Architect, Daniel has deployed, managed, and migrated several production workloads to Microsoft Azure utilizing the latest technologies that Microsoft cloud offers.

Daniel holds several industry-leading certifications, including: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP); AZ-300/301: Microsoft® Azure Architect Technologies; AZ-500: Microsoft® Azure Security Technologies; and Microsoft® Certified Solutions Expert: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure.

Other fun facts about Daniel:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce? 

• Faith, family, and sports. My family is big into sports and the outdoors, so we are often outside doing something together on the weekends.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

• I wanted to be in the NHL. I grew up playing hockey and it was always a pipe dream for me. Hopefully, I can live vicariously through my son when he gets older!

What is your favorite dessert? 

• Turkey Hill Choco Mint Chip ice cream… the best ice cream, hands down!

Do you have any hidden talents? 

• It is not really a talent, but I can curl my pinky toe over my ring toe without using my hands. When I show people, they are generally grossed out instead of impressed.

What is your favorite item you’ve bought this year? 

• This past year we got a Peloton. It has been an amazing addition to our home with two little kids and allows us to get a workout in without leaving the house. Hit me up if you want to cycle. My Peloton username is cl0udninja.

Rhoddy’s love of computer technology was first revealed around age 7-8, when he deftly debugged code on a TSR-80 Color Code II from Radio Shack “because there were errors in the printed code book.” In his teens, Rhoddy began building and tweaking computers to eke out every bit of performance for gaming. It was his passion for cinema, however, that directed him into his first career in the field of media production. After spending 11 years in the industry and completing his formal education, however, Roddy saw the writing on the wall in terms of limited future growth in the industry and decided it was time for a career change. Given his strong interest in computers and technology and realizing numerous career growth options in the technology sector, he went back to school and earned a Master of Science in Information Systems degree from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in 2017.

Rhoddy started learning Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) in 2016 out of necessity because he worked in an SCCM environment where no one knew how to use it! After learning the basics of SCCM he was hooked. He quickly realized the potential of SCCM as an indispensable tool for medium to large organizations that allowed for remote management of endpoints while freeing up staff time to pursue higher-value projects. Now as the Infrastructure Manager, Roddy is expanding his endpoint management expertise to include internet and cloud managed devices for today’s “work-from-anywhere” workforce.

Other fun facts about Rhoddy:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• Spend time with my wife and daughter, go hiking/camping, exercise, play video games, watch anime, and drink craft beer.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• I wanted to be a comedian because I loved making people laugh and I idolized the 90s cast of SNL (Farley, Rock, Myers, Carvey, Sweeny, Meadows, Nealon, etc.)

Do you have any hidden talents?

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muy Thai kickboxing. I have practiced martial arts for most of my adult life. I also homebrew beer.

What is your favorite item you’ve bought this year?

• PlayStation 5

Before joining Cloudforce, Yayoi served in the healthcare industry for eight years and all throughout college. When Yayoi was looking for a chance to grow and challenge herself outside of her comfort zone, she saw an opportunity at Cloudforce… and the rest is history. Yayoi first joined the team as Cloudforce Office Manager, then Workforce Specialist. Now, in her new role as Workforce Manager—Yayoi is responsible for recruitment, developing HR policies, benefits administration and overall workforce development.

A native Washingtonian, Yayoi is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park—Go Terps! She is passionate about recruiting and is currently working on obtaining the SHRM-CP (Society for Human Resource Management – Certified Professional) certification in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and binging episodes of Top Chef!

Other fun facts about Yayoi:

What fictional world or place would you like to visit?

• HOGWARTS! Hands down. I’m a HUGE Harry Potter nerd.

Do you speak any other languages?

• I’m part Japanese and speak Japanese (semi) fluently. Reading and writing isn’t as good as it used to be (sorry, mom!).

What is your favorite album?

• My favorite album of all time is probably Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, but Snoh Aalegra’s Ugh… Those Feels Again is a close second. Still looking to find Maxwell on vinyl….

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• PASTA. I call myself “Carby Barbie” because if I could eat it every day, I would. Doesn’t matter what kind of sauce, what shape of noodle, what toppings… I love it ALL!

What are you reading at this moment?

I’m actually reading two books! One is by Bodhipaksa: This Difficult Thing of Being Human, and the second is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

Andrew grew up on a steady diet of PBS television, history documentaries, and science fiction books from an early age and has remained a passionate consumer of knowledge ever since. His love of computer gaming and tinkering began in adolescence, and he has remained an avid DIY enthusiast, creating his own home information systems, beer, and occasionally furniture. In college, Andrew’s studies concentrated on philosophy of mind, and nothing satisfies him more than aggressively chasing the boundaries of his understanding on any and every subject.

There is something, however, that comes close: sharing knowledge with others, and seeing it have a positive impact. Starting in 2012 with basic desktop support and working his way into running systems all over the enterprise IT sphere, Andrew has remained inspired by the way technology empowers us through collaboration and communication, and how this can enhance even the most mundane aspects of our personal and work lives. These twin passions (learning and sharing knowledge) have informed the two principles that have guided his journey as a successful technology professional:

• You do not know how it works until you break it.
• It is as vital to understand non-technical needs as it is to understand technical ones.

A Senior Systems Engineer at Cloudforce since 2019, Andrew focuses first and foremost on understanding what work users need to do and how they do it. With that perspective, he has delivered technical solutions to Cloudforce clients that have brought them successfully into the cloud while keeping their data secure; minimizing impact to their critical business processes; and enhancing their ability to pursue both strategic goals and realize tangible enhancements to daily work. Knowing that the pursuit of knowledge and expertise can never slow down, Andrew has become Microsoft 365 Certified at the associate level in both Azure and Teams administration since joining Cloudforce.

Other fun facts about Andrew:

What fictional family would you be a member of?

• The Crawleys, of Downton Abbey. I can feel the English countryside calling…

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• A mad scientist

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?

• Unlimited time and travel to share conversations with family, friends, and strangers alike.

Do you have any hidden talents?

• I have a pretty good ear for many accents.

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• The endeavor to understand is the first and only basis of virtue.” -Baruch Spinoza

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Every year my wife and I celebrate our wedding anniversary on New Year’s Eve by holding a black-tie-encouraged party with cocktails, champagne, and as many friends as we can stuff into the house.

Vu Hoang has always been amazed by technology inventions especially anything electronic. At a younger age, Vu built personal computers for himself and friends when computers were still a relatively new thing in his neighborhood in Vietnam. Throughout his lifetime, Vu has moved to different cities and countries to study and live, making him a highly adaptable, self-taught quick learner—or as we like to think of him: a super computing human wonder.

As Cloudforce Cloud Solutions Engineer Vu helps a wide variety of clients, from small startups to fortune 500 companies with hundreds of workers, to navigate IT challenges, improve system performance, and upgrade their security posture. Vu holds several Azure certifications and is a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). Outside of his daily Cloudforce duties, Vu enjoys hiking and loves to design and build wood furniture.

Other fun facts about Vu:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• Robot builder

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?

• Youth and health if possible

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Lunar New Year because it is when everyone in the family gathers and spends time together

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given?

• If you are not challenge yourselves when you are young, life will challenge you when you are old

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• Asian Cuisine Soups

A present-day renaissance man and self-professed nerd, Chris transitioned into IT in 2016 after spending nearly a decade in the health and fitness industry. Once his lifetime hobby, computers have now become Chris’ professional passion. Starting in the trenches of an IT support call center, Chris progressed from Help Desk Technician to Managed Services Consultant (NOC) and is now a Cloud Solutions Engineer at Cloudforce. He owes his success to never being afraid of asking questions, being humble, and learning in the fires of, “Well… let’s see if anything breaks” situations.

Other fun facts about Chris:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• A marine biologist.

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?

• Impervious health – you can only live life up to the level of your wellness.

What is your favorite album?

• My musical tastes often shift, so it is hard for me to say that I have a singular favorite album.  An album that blew me away in the last few years, though: Veil of Imagination by Wilderun. **Edit: upon further reflection, Age of Winters by The Sword would definitely be in contention for albums most spun.

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “Memento Mori.”- The Stoics

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Halloween

In high school, Leslie wanted to be a doctor – until she fainted typing her own blood in Advanced Bio class. Lucky for us, Leslie also loved to write; and the rest is … herstory.

Before joining Cloudforce as Marketing Manager, Leslie worked in corporate and ad agency settings, and as owner of her own freelance writer/producer business. Throughout her career, she’s written spots and informercials for the likes of Isaac Hayes, Larry King, Brian McKnight, and Tom Bodett, to name a few. Her passion for inspiring, informing and entertaining also led to several fundraising and awareness video efforts for the Northern Virginia Urban League and Northern Virginia Family Services. As a proud Syracuse University graduate, she also served as Alumni President for the Washington metropolitan area, where she helped establish a scholarship program for area students attending S.U.

Fun facts about Leslie:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I love to garden, cook, create mantlescapes, and hang out with my Westie pup, Billie. I also enjoy long weekend escapes to the Delaware shore. The Long Island girl is still in me!

What did you want to be growing up?

• A ballet dancer … until I was told I was too short.

Do you have a quote you live by?

• “Let bakers bake.” It’s my self-penned mantra honed from years of film production where many professionals would convene to execute their respective expertise in the most inspiring ways. Production shoots taught me the virtue of respectfully staying in your lane and letting others do what they do best. It’s the magical personification of mutual respect. It’s like a human-action symphony. And worth the restraint.

What book are you reading now?

• A human atlas of the world, showing the parallel evolution of cultures, worldwide. It’s the ultimate multi-tasker tome!

What are three words to describe you?

• Creative, tenacious and sentimental

For Jen, it’s about relationships. In an age of instant access where you can get what you want with the click of a button, taking the time to build authentic connections with people is more important than ever. As a Senior Project Manager for Cloudforce, Jen prioritizes the people behind the names on the screen by treating every client interaction as an opportunity to build trust and impact businesses for the better.

Jen has had the pleasure of working as a client liaison and project coordinator in residential construction and investment property projects. Most recently, Jen oversaw the implementation and management of educational software applications for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Jen lives in Gambrills, Maryland with her husband Wes, her kids Ava and Judah, and her cats, Max and Benjamin.

Other fun facts about Jen:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• A singer. I come from a family of songwriters and musicians. It’s in the blood. I even recorded a demo in my twenties. My sister likes to torture me by playing it on full blast once or twice a year.

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I love being with my husband and kids, drinking espresso, and snuggling with my cats. I also love having brunch with my friends, browsing bookstores, or doing some fun outside (in cool weather. I am not a warm-weather gal).

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Thanksgiving is my favorite. It signals a shift into the cozier time of year and sets the tone for the holidays. Plus, I love to host a big group and cook tons of great food for everyone to enjoy.

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “Let me fall if I must fall. The one I will become will catch me.” (Baal Shem Tov). This is a favorite because of its simplistic assurance that we have the capacity to show up for ourselves with complete acceptance, at our highest highs and lowest lows.

Have you ever completed anything on your bucket list?

• I have a few travel destinations on my “must see” list. I was able to visit one of them – Tanzania – a few years ago. It was the most incredible experience with beautiful people, amazing food, and landscapes that changed the way I see the world.

Elliot’s innate curiosity with technology followed him throughout his childhood, but it took a high school Java programming course to ignite his interest into full-blown fascination. The experience of this one class proved pivotal in shaping Elliot’s education and career path. Elliot went on to pursue his passion with technology and graduate from Towson University with a degree in Computer Science.  Shortly after graduating, he landed an opportunity at Cloudforce as an intern where he was introduced to cloud computing and hasn’t looked back since.  Currently, as Senior Cloud Solutions Administrator, he enjoys putting his problem-solving skills to the test and advancing his knowledge with industry-recognized certifications.

Other fun facts about Elliot:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce? 

• Stay- active!  I love to run and play tennis.  I’ve run three half marathons and numerous 5k’s.  I play tennis year-round and compete in local tournaments around Maryland.

What is your favorite dessert? 

• Honestly, anything from Coldstone…

What is your favorite album? 

•  Everything Means Nothing – Blackbear

What is your favorite thing to eat? 

• Breakfast food for sure!  Pancakes, French toast, eggs, bacon…I could eat it for every meal of the day.

What is your favorite tradition or holiday? 

• Halloween!  It gives me an excuse to eat lots of candy.

Arija joined Cloudforce in 2021 as the Executive Assistant and is now our Chief of Staff where she manages the daily motion of the office and our busy CTO. She also creates and produces Cloudforce networking events large and small and helps execute community outreach efforts and staff development activities. Prior to Cloudforce, Arija spent many years working with startups and nonprofits to help them grow and develop relationships with their communities. As Community Manager for Washington, DC-based Springboard Enterprises, Arija directed many efforts and events to help accelerate the growth of women-led businesses in technology and life sciences. As a leader of Dolphin Tank (“like Shark Tank, but friendlier”), Arija traveled across the U.S. to convene women in technology and help them present their ideas to audiences of knowledgeable industry members for valuable insights and feedback. Arija now looks to bring her well-honed networking and planning skills to advance the Cloudforce mission and its many community-wide efforts.

In her free time, Arija reads historical fiction and women’s history books. She also spends lots of time with friends and family free from her phone since her relationships are her greatest treasure!

Other fun facts about Arija:

What are three words to describe you?

• Friendly, fun, resourceful

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• A writer

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “Think with the heart, not with the ego.”

What are you reading at this moment?

• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Friendsgiving because my birthday falls around Thanksgiving and I love food and quality time with loved ones.

Angela’s fascination with technology began at a young age, but her passion veritably came to fruition when she started high school. She participated in PLTW (Project Lead the Way), a pre-engineering program where she completed courses in digital electronics and civil engineering. As a student at Bowie State University, Angela facilitated projects such as the Disaster Relief IoT System, which created a system that would detect clean and usable water after a natural disaster event.

Angela is also an accomplished costume designer and seamstress. Her work has been showcased throughout the DMV area with theatrical companies such as Imagination Stage, MNCPPC’s Shakespeare in the Parks, and Arena Stage. In 2019, she collaborated with the award-winning Arlington Art Truck and various fabric artists on a local art installation titled TIES THAT BIND: Learn to Sew on a Button and Connect. Shortly thereafter, she completed an internship with Amazon Web Services as a Solutions Architect Intern and is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. Angela joined the Cloudforce family as a Cloud Services Intern, then Cloud Services Associate where she earned multiple certifications in Microsoft Azure. She is now a Cloud Services Lead and is thrilled at the opportunity to grow with the company as it revolutionizes custom cloud solutions.

Fun facts about Angela:

What fictional family would you be a member of?

• The Rose Family from Schitt’s Creek

What is your favorite dessert?

• Apple Pie

What is your favorite album?

• Nation of Two by Vance Joy

What are you reading at this moment?

• “Our Time is Now” by Stacey Abrams

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “You have no obligation to your former self.” – Hank Green

For Michael, a passion for learning and acquiring new skills drives a multitude of non-stop professional, technical, and academic pursuits. Michael’s drive and ambition took root in his days as an Information Technology major at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where his myriad experiences led to advancement in various areas of focus. Following graduation, Michael participated in the Cloudforce internship program, and has since gone on to receive his AZ-900 certification and become a Cloud Applications Associate. Moving forward, Michael is eager to tackle the diverse array of challenges and opportunities presented by the wide array of public and private sector clients served by Cloudforce.

Fun facts about Michael:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I like to work on personal projects. Usually, it’s something a friend is interested in or a project that will help me learn a new skill. I also like to play video games a good amount. Recently I’ve been trying to get into game development but it’s pretty time consuming.

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “People pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply; by the lives they lead.” – James Baldwin, “No name in the street.
• I like to think of this quote in the context of my personal agency in making myself who I am and how my actions affect what other people see in me.

As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?

• I wanted to be a lot of things: landscaper, judge (not a lawyer), baseball player, etc.

What is your favorite dessert?

• Well-made Strawberry Shortcake!

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?

• Good health, success, an abundance of free time or just peace and calm.

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away”

• Pablo Picasso

Kamal’s story is one of a passionate boy who wants to change the world. After moving out of his house at age 17, skipping college to work and achieve his goals… His life before Cloudforce was that of volunteering, helping others with issues that they had problems solving. After mastering this ability, he translated that problem-solving ability to groups, and eventually sales. He became successful in sales because he saw it as a way to help others. And in the process, he’s forged bonds with customers that he’ll never forget.

He takes this experience into Cloudforce as the Cloud Champion with the aim of assisting it to become the greatest tech company in the world, while also helping others achieve success through what we do in Azure and the cloud in general.

There is no greater game than helping others.

Other fun facts about Kamal:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• Socialize, Study and Slack Off

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given?

• You’re never going to get anywhere looking at what you’re not, you’re going to get places by putting emphasis on what you are. The lies of who you are not are weaker than the truth of who you are.

What is your favorite album?

• Lupe Fiasco’s Tetsuo & Youth

What fictional family would you be a member of?

• The Incredible Family (From the Incredibles)

What are three words to describe you?

• Three words are not enough to describe me

Gin joined Cloudforce as a Junior Workforce Specialist immediately after graduating from University of Maryland. Since then, she has deftly applied her degree in Psychology and Sociology, along with her innate people skills, to help grow and shape our elite team into an even more richly diverse and talented force. Now as the Workforce Specialist Gin uses her energizing personality to source, hire, and retained our amazing team. Throughout her life, Gin has embraced a multitude of hobbies and activities, including dance, gymnastics, skiing, piano, violin, art, cooking, baking, and programming. Throughout college, Gin worked as a camp counselor, Lithuanian school teacher, and research assistant in various fields of psychology. A Maryland native, Gin thrives on trying new things and has spent many summers interning and studying in Europe. In her free time, Gin likes to go out with friends, watch reality TV, paint, read, play board or video games, experiment with spices, and most especially, travel.  

Other fun facts about Gin: 

What is your favorite dessert? 

• Mochi ice cream! 

What are you reading at this moment? 

• Currently reading Agatha Christie novels 

What is your favorite thing to eat? 

• Sushi!!!! Or any Korean BBQ 

What fictional world (comics, TV, anything) or place would you like to visit? 

• Harry Potter World – this is the only right answer! 

What is your favorite item you’ve bought this year? 

• A big, red, velvet Papasan chair from Facebook Marketplace. I love napping in it or curling up and reading a book. Good vibes. 

Growing up, Tré was always that kid who wanted to “fix” everything. Lucky for us, Tré was especially drawn to technology and electronics, and decided to pursue a degree in Information Technology. As a student at Capitol Technology University in 2015, Tré enjoyed his first venture into the IT industry working as an intern at Washington Redskins Stadium. After graduation in 2017, Tré worked as an IT federal contractor prior to joining Cloudforce. Now a Cloudforce Systems Analyst, Tré specializes in providing technical support to users on all matters related to computer hardware, software, networking, and applications. Having discoévered the enormous potential and opportunity at Cloudforce and beyond, Tré has set his sights on other areas of expertise such as SCCM and device management. Tré now confidently stands ready to make his mark – fixing things and making a difference – in the powerful and vast world of IT.  

More fun facts about Tre: 

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce? 

• Spend time with my loved ones, especially my daughter; watch and play sports; read books; and tackle DIY projects 

What are 3 words to describe you? 

• Ambitious, freethinking, and courageous  

What is your favorite dessert? 

• Snickerdoodles 

What is your favorite tradition or holiday? 

• Thanksgiving 

What is your favorite thing to eat? 

• Chicken – jerk chicken, chicken and waffles, chicken pasta – just about anything with chicken  

Todd is a highly accomplished IT professional with over 30 years of experience facilitating IT Solutions in a variety of industries and disciplines. As a Cloudforce Cloud Applications SME, Todd offers expertise in designing, developing, and delivering enterprise web and windows-based applications; and is equally effective as a business analyst aligning client solutions with their organizational needs and value streams. Outside of work, Todd enjoys playing the guitar, golfing, hiking, and boating.

 Other fun facts about Todd:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I enjoy most types of outdoor activities – hiking, golfing, fishing, boating, and skiing in the winter. 

What is your favorite musical instrument? 

• The guitar 

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• Pizza 

What is your favorite dessert? 

• Bread Pudding 

What is your favorite season? 

• Summer 

Justin’s passion for computers started during his senior year at Largo High School, when he built his first gaming computer. After gaining more experience in IT, Justin went to work at Geek Squad, where he became an accomplished Apple Certified iOS Technician (ACiT) performing extensive computer/phone hardware and software troubleshooting. 

After graduating Bowie State University with a bachelor’s degree in IT for computer security, Justin accepted an IT student trainee position with the Department of Agriculture, where he managed financial webpages for all government departments. Justin has since joined Cloudforce as a Technical Support Specialist, where he enjoys testing his knowledge on computers and tackling new challenges every day. 

Other fun facts about Justin: 

What is one quote that stands out to you? 

• “You’re going to pay a price for every bloody thing you do and everything you don’t do.” – Jordan Peterson 

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce? 

• A combination of playing video games (League of Legends, Apex, Elden Ring) and studying automotive engineering for various 90s Japanese cars 

What is your dream car? 

• 1991-95 MR2 SW20 

What is your favorite dessert? 

• Tiramisu, hands down! 

What are you reading at this moment? 

• The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

Lucas has been in front of a computer since he was a child — from playing games on floppy disks and CDs to his heart’s content, to his dad showing him how to download music. Over time this grew into a yearning for more knowledge. In college at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, he obtained a B.S. in Information Systems with a focus in cybersecurity and grew interest in the cloud. After graduating, he quickly found his way to Cloudforce where he was hired as an intern. He absorbed everything he could and got his hands into as much as possible and earned a full-time position on the service desk, and then a position on the engineering team as a Cloud Solutions Associate. Here he’s putting his skills to the test helping companies build and migrate into the cloud – and using infrastructure as code as a foundation for it all.

Other fun facts about Lucas:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I love to weightlift so a lot of the time you may find me up in the gym just workin’ on my fitness. I also love to learn new things and be on the water. Gym, books, and boats.

Do you have any hidden talents?

• I can make the platypus noise from Perry the Platypus – I guess it’s not so hidden anymore.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• An astronaut – still do – still don’t think it’s going to happen. I compensate for this desire by learning about astronomy and astrophotography when I have the time because anything related to space is still fascinating to me. 

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• Really have been digging bagels recently – and glazed pecans.

What are you reading at this moment?

• A Japanese children’s book – I can barely understand a thing, but we’re getting there.

Having spent her time in college studying both English and chemistry, Sarah has always had a deep appreciation for both discovery and storytelling — she wants to figure out how something works, and then write about it. Her passion for storytelling found early roots — in grade school, Sarah spent most of her time writing about the people around her, which was often preceded by some level of interrogation (her grandfather once called her “Question Box” because she would ask him questions repeatedly until he would politely leave the room).

Sarah’s love for writing, tackling problems, and understanding how new systems, places, and people work led her to become Proposal and Contract Specialist at Cloudforce. Writing — creatively, technically, and formally — has allowed her to connect to those outside of Cloudforce, as well as discover more about the tech gurus within.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grow up?

• A veterinarian — I loved science classes and grew up with five dogs.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• Rye bread — totally plain. I could probably eat a whole loaf in one sitting if not for my own personal shame.

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I work out, walk, hike, and explore a lot, and am constantly looking for sweets.

Do you have any hidden talents?

• I memorized the first 40 digits of pi in 3^rd grade. On Pi Day in my AP Statistics class senior year of high school, I recited them and won an actual pie.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

• Life is long, and there’s time to do the things you want to do (as long as you really want to do them!).

Quiret was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland. She attended Salisbury University (go Seagulls) to earn her bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She ended up falling in love with marketing and management after college and began pursuing careers related to her newfound passion.  

Quiret was a marketing coordinator for a small business right after college where she learned about the scrum master field. She received her CSM, PSM I, and worked with an international legal consultancy company to help build their business software security. She also worked with a third-party contractor with government entities in software security, shifting her passion from scrum master to project manager. There, she led a team of software engineers and cloud solutions engineers over the course of five years to develop multiple building-specific apps to add an extra layer of safety before and after the pandemic. She also earned her NCN-A for negotiation and her Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. Quiret has a total of five years in the IT industry as a scrum master/project manager and she’s loved every minute of it. 

Looking for a team that would fit her needs and grow her career, Quiret found Cloudforce and fell in love with the business acumen. She now serves Cloudforce as a Technical Project Manager, leading major projects while working toward earning her CAP-M, Networking Plus, PMP, and CCNA.  

Quiret currently lives with her husband, who is also in IT, and her two kids, Ayyan and Alizay, in Odenton, Maryland.  

Other fun fact about Quiret:  

What are three words to describe you? 

• Fun, approachable, caring 

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why? 

• To spend eternity with the people I love 

What is your favorite album? 

• A tie between The Weeknd’s Trilogy album and Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given? 

•  Genuine generosity comes without the expectation of reciprocation  

What is one quote that stands out to you? 

• “Even the genius ask questions” -Tupac Shakur 

Ben has been fascinated with technology since he was very young. He remembers taking typing classes in middle school and being the fastest in the entire class. Outside of that, he also considers himself an artist. He’s developed his own art style, which is a blend of traditional and digital media. Ben also loves keeping up with pop culture, learning new things, and exploring new places.

Ben joined Cloudforce as a Network Administrator because he’s fascinated with how all different types of technology connects, and because he likes solving puzzles and troubleshooting problems.

Other fun facts about Ben:

What is your favorite item you’ve bought this year?

• I purchased an electric scooter (NIU KQui3) and it’s fun to zip around DC with it, so it has become my favorite purchase of the year.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• I wanted to be a candy maker. As I child, I prepared for this career by indenting Nerds candies inside of Starbursts and placing them in the refrigerator.

If you had a time machine, would you go back or into the future? And why?

• I would choose to travel into the future because I’m interested in seeing what ways technology will evolve.

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “Learning never exhausts the mind” – Leonardo Da Vinci

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• My favorite thing to eat is a chicken & waffles taco from a restaurant called Velvet Taco.

Katie grew up in Alabama, where sweet tea flows freely and seasons are marked by their proximity to college football (Roll Tide).   

After graduating from a small liberal arts college, she moved to Washington, DC and balanced her life between restaurant management, freelance cocktail consulting, and finishing her Ph.D. at American University’s Behavior, Cognition, and Neuroscience program.  Central to her success in each of these arenas was (a) an ability to proactively prioritize and organize complex projects with many moving parts, (b) a detail-oriented focus on keeping everything on track, and (c) a commitment to seeing each project through to completion.  Katie has now brought these skills to Cloudforce as a Project Manager, where she works with clients to ensure that their needs are addressed on time and under budget, and with a result that exceeds expectations.  

Other fun facts about Katie: 

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

• An astronaut 

Do you have any pets? 

• My wife and I have a 12 lb tuxedo cat named Frankie, who of course is named after the beloved literary character Frankenstein’s Monster.  

Do you have any hidden talents? 

• As a college lacrosse goalie, I took up juggling to improve my hand-eye coordination. I also received my skydiving certification as part of my research for my undergraduate honors thesis. 

What are you currently learning? 

• Away from work, I am learning American Sign Language.  I live near Gallaudet University and learning ASL has helped me better communicate with my neighbors.  

What’s your favorite dessert? 

• Apple pie 

Jonathon started his career in technology in 2013 after a friend convinced him to build his own computer. At his first IT job, he worked for a retail chain providing basic computer troubleshooting, setup, and home networking. Jonathon then transitioned to a role at a small business managed service provider — a job he enjoyed for seven years as he also pursued his bachelor’s degree in IT from Kennesaw State University. Upon graduation in early 2022, Jonathon joined Cloudforce as a Cloud Solutions Engineer.  

In just a matter of months, Jonathon was able to expand his Office 365 expertise to become more involved in the administration and migration side of the industry. He credits Cloudforce for offering the opportunity to broaden his IT horizons even further. With Cloudforce support, Jonathon took it upon himself to pass the AZ-103 Microsoft Administration certification and has already had the opportunity to leverage his newly acquired knowledge to help migrate client workloads to Azure. He now looks forward to learning from his new colleagues and becoming even more proficient in the Azure cloud. 

Other fun facts about Jonathon:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce? 

• Stay up to date with new technologies in my home lab, work out, read, and play video games. I also spend time with friends and family and try to do regularly scheduled nights for video games or D&D to stay social.  

What are you reading at this moment? 

• I recently finished The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski. Currently, I’m working through the Claymore manga, and I have The Left Hand of Darkness (Ursula K. Le Guin), The Color of Magic (Terry Pratchett), Galapagos (Kurt Vonnegut), and Red Rising (Pierce Brown) next in the queue.  

If you had to delete all but 3 apps from your phone, which 3 would you keep? 

• Reddit since it’s fun to stay up to date with news and various fandoms, Discord because it’s my main way to communicate with friends, and Google Photos since all my pictures going back years are stored there.  

What is your favorite album? 

• This tends to change pretty often, but right now it’s good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar. 

What is one quote that stands out to you? 

• “I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we all” – Kurt Vonnegut, The Sirens of Titan. 

Adrian started his IT career in 2010 after obtaining his degree in Network Information Systems. He has worked for several companies throughout the years but most of his career has been spent as a federal contractor, working for agencies like the Department of Justice, Custom and Border Protection, the National Park Service and the Department of Treasury.  He first started as a desktop support technician but has gained knowledge and certifications (including his Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)) that have led him to the role of network engineer. His passion for IT continues to grow as he learns new things every day, and his goal one day is to be a CCIE engineer.

Adrian joined Cloudforce as a Network Engineer where he will not only use the knowledge and skills he has now but will also obtain new ones that will help him advance in his career.

Other fun facts about Adrian:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• My wife and my two beautiful girls, ages 10 and 14, keep me busy. I also enjoy doing handyman jobs around the house and watching HGTV shows.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• As a child I wanted to be a doctor but as I grew older and saw the time and cost it took to be a doctor, I changed my career path.

If you had a time machine, would you go back or into the future? And why?

• If I had a time machine I would go back in time and buy Bitcoin in 2013 when I learned about it.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• My favorite thing to eat is curry chicken.

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• He who thinks he can and he who thinks he can’t are both right.

Kamran has 24 years of experience in IT. He started a hardware company in Iran when he was 18 years old, but when he turned 20, he had to file for bankruptcy. He learned a lot from this experience. He took what he learned and started another company just a few years after. Kamran was able to not only expand on his knowledge of information technology, but also on what it takes to be a leader. Soon after this experience, he moved to America. Starting from scratch with his wife wasn’t easy, but through his business ventures he learned that persistence is key and he applied this thinking as he adapted to life in the US. At Cloudforce, Kamran serves as a Senior Network Security Architect, where he’s part of a team that supports and encourages him in his role every day.

In Kamran’s free time he likes spending time with his one-year-old daughter, Lilian. He also enjoys going on walks with his family.

Other fun facts about Kamran:

What was your favorite subject in school?

• Mathematics

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Persian New Year, Nowruz, is my favorite holiday. It feels like I’m back home as we dance to Iranian music, eat Iranian food, and gather around close family and friends.

What are you reading at the moment?

• Poor Dad Rich Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

What is one phrase that stands out to you?

• A Perisan saying that “The plate shouldn’t be hotter than the food,” meaning you can’t worry about other people more than they worry about themselves.

What is your favorite food?

• My favorite food is meatloaf.

Luke’s fascination with electronics and computers began as a child with his Snap Circuits kits and Lego Robot Inventor projects. After a detour through mechanical engineering and linguistics in college, Luke revived his interest in technology as a Cloud Services Intern at Cloudforce. He has since earned his AZ-900 certification and become a Cloud Services Associate where he eagerly tackles new challenges in automation and data visualization. 

Other fun facts about Luke:

What are you doing when you’re not at Cloudforce?  

• Probably riding bikes, thinking about riding bikes, or watching other people ride their bikes 

What are you reading at the moment? 

• Just finished Circe by Madeline Miller, about to start Song of Achilles 

What’s your favorite dessert? 

• Tres leches cake 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? 

• Most things in life are not as good as hoped but not as bad as feared 

What are your go-to YouTube genres? 

• A lot of history and media video essays and food/cocktail videos 

Christina grew up in South Florida and moved to DC to study business administration at American University. She started her career in the live events industry as a talent coordinator for a music and entertainment company, booking classical and jazz artists (as well as bagpipers, dancers, and sometimes even mermaids) for upscale events. While still in the events space, she transitioned to an operations coordinator role at an event design firm where her interest in the field of Human Resources grew. Now as the Engagement Specialist at Cloudforce, she taps into her events, operations, and logistics-planning background to help bring the team together in interactive ways. In her time outside of work she enjoys outdoor adventures, searching the tri-state area for the best ice cream, and taking her dog on hikes.

Other fun facts about Christina:

What fictional family would you be a member of?

• The Munsters! Cobwebs should always be a staple of cozy home décor.

What is your favorite album?

• It’s a tie between The Promise Ring’s Nothing Feels Good and 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

What is your favorite item you’ve bought this year?

• This year I bought a dehumidifier for my bathroom, and I now can’t imagine life without one.

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I love any activity that can be done outside. Hiking, camping, and kayaking are my current favorites. My perfect day would include an outdoor activity coupled with a little antique shopping and topped off with farm-fresh ice cream. When it’s too cold for an outdoor activity, I like catching up on art museum exhibits, watching movies, and going to concerts.

What fictional world (comics, TV, anything) or place would you like to visit?

• As someone whose comfort TV show is Gilmore Girls, if I could visit any fictional world, it would be Stars Hollow. I get emotional even thinking about the idea of Stars Hollow as a real place. Ugh, if only!

Matthew grew up in College Park, MD, only a mile from the University of Maryland. He always loved sports and computers growing up, and ended up falling in love with baseball, which he played from the time he was five up through college. Matthew is a graduate of Coppin State University, where he spent four years as a starter and team captain on their Division I baseball team. Matthew is very thankful for his time there, as it showed him how to remain focused, work hard, lead and take responsibility for a group. Matthew speaks French, a little Russian, and he’s learning Spanish. As a Cloud Services Associate at Cloudforce, Matthew also enjoys learning new technology and helping others learn as well.

Other fun facts about Matthew:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I love to workout, travel, and spend time with friends and family.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• A professional baseball player – I was blessed to play at the D1 college level for four years.

What is your favorite dessert?

• Red velvet cake, easily

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• Shrimp and scallop linguine

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “One who says they can and one who says they can’t are both correct.”

Danial graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2019 with his bachelor’s degree in Business Technology Administration. He then went on to get his master’s degree in cybersecurity management and policy. Danial interned at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, DC and went on to become a contractor for DC government, providing IT services to multiple different agencies. Currently as a Technical Support Specialist at Cloudforce, he is gaining extensive knowledge and experience in the IT industry, utilizing new technologies and tools.

Other fun facts about Danial:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I love to play volleyball regularly with my friends. I also love to work on my car and enjoy going to car events/meets.

What is your favorite dessert?

• My favorite dessert is a warm brownie with vanilla ice cream on top.

If you were a season, what season would you be?

• I feel like I would be summer because I love the warm weather and love to do outdoor activities whenever I can.

What is your favorite item you’ve bought this year?

• I was able to buy one of my dream cars, the Lexus RCF.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• Tacos are my favorite things to eat.

A homegrown Marylander, Carroll was born and raised in Annapolis. She spent 13 years in administrative healthcare – her career journey started with humble beginnings, walking into doctors’ offices to introduce herself with a printed resume in hand. Starting as a front office receptionist, Carroll progressed through various administrative roles until realizing her passion for finance and accounting. After beginning undergraduate accounting courses and progressing through several finance/accounting positions, she was elevated to the role of accounting supervisor for a well-established primary care group. Carroll now joins Cloudforce as Accounting Manager and is excited to apply her financial acumen to the innovative field of technology and cloud services. She’s thrilled about the opportunity to grow in a new industry as well as give back to the community by supporting Cloudforce’s many philanthropic efforts.

Other fun facts about Carroll:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• I like spending time with family and friends, riding bikes and other exercise, watching sports (especially football), boating, exploring scenic outdoor spots, visiting wineries, and baking various recipes

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• A figure skater

What is your favorite album?

• There’s definitely a top 5 but if I had to choose one, The 1975 by The 1975

What season would you be?

• The fall

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• Two things define you: your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything

A true force of nature, Jasmin thrives on bringing order and solutions to chaos and challenges. As Cloudforce Communications Specialist, Jasmin has already organized efforts, resources, and assets into a steady flow of regular social media posts, and proven her graphic design skills and talent through a wide range of creative deliverables, from infographics to marketing collateral.

Before joining the Cloudforce team, Jasmin shared her talents and drive across many activities in her Virginia Tech community, prior to graduating magna cum laude in 2022 with a degree in Digital Marketing and EIT Management from Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. As events and fundraising chair of the Filipino American Students Association (FASA), she led efforts to organize and promote social events and fundraising efforts for the organization. In her free time she enjoyed working out, hiking, playing intramural flag football and volleyball, and cooking with friends.

Jasmin’s passion for communications, management, and graphic design makes her perfectly suited for her efforts at Cloudforce, as she supports her elite team’s aggressive digital media growth goals. She seeks out and welcomes challenges and her eagerness to master new skills has already been evidenced by her quick mastery of Microsoft Power BI, in less than a week. Her analytics capabilities are also providing valuable insights and learning for all of Cloudforce’s expanding digital marketing endeavors.

Other fun facts about Jasmin:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?  

• My current hobbies are working out, shopping, flag football, dance, video games, and binging my favorite TV shows.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?  

• I wanted to be a teacher! I was told I would be good at it because I was very bossy and would be taller than the elementary schoolers.

What is your favorite dessert?  

• S’mores! I love the combination of crunchy, chewy, and gooey. It’s an easy treat to make and it also brings a very nostalgic feeling of sitting around a bonfire with friends and family.

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?  

• Good health no matter what I eat because I have a big weakness for junk food. A bottomless stomach for a whole bag of chips would be great!

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?  

• My favorite holiday is Halloween. I love decorating, carving pumpkins, scary movies, haunted trails, and dressing up!

Joey is a problem solver. With a background spanning the breadth of technology, business development, operations, and product management, he often finds workable solutions drawn out of his varied experience. Prior to joining Cloudforce, Joey started his career in software development, working in the sphere of Edtech. From there, he took the leap along with three compatriots to found a craft beer wholesaler in Washington, DC. Over just a few years, Joey and his partners grew a cocktail napkin pipedream into a multi-million-dollar boutique distributor servicing over 150 restaurants and retailers in all eight wards of DC. At peak, their portfolio included dozens of domestic brands and nearly 100 international offerings.

From there, he continued his path into transportation operations where his start-up experience served as a perfect springboard for establishing himself as a process improvement expert across multiple organizations, finally utilizing his cross-functional experience to transition into product management. As a Product Manager working with Cloudforce’s managed cloud product nebulaONE, Joey finds himself at the intersection of his team’s technological expertise and business needs.

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Joey lives with his wife in Washington, DC. They enjoy riding barely functional vintage motorcycles and traveling to countries where neither of them speak the language.

Other fun facts about Joey:

Do you have any hidden talents?

• My days as a bartender taught me how to carry three (3) full beer glasses with one hand.

What is your favorite album?

• KISS – Hotter Than Hell

What is your favorite thing to eat?

• French fries. One of my life goals is to write and publish a pop history account of the evolution of this magical food.

What are you reading at this moment?

• In the middle of multiple at the moment — Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu and Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• I learned a Gujarati proverb recently: જબ જાગો તબ સવેરા Jaba jāgō taba savērā which roughly means, “When you wake up, it’s morning.” To me this means that there is no right timeline we must live our lives according to. As long as we are learning and growing, we’re right on time.

Aniya is a native Washingtonian with a passion for helping others in her community. Being raised with 21 first cousins, Aniya truly understands what it means to love hard and the importance of being there for others. Before joining Cloudforce as Office Manager, and after receiving her bachelor’s degree in communications, Aniya worked in several roles at a mental health practice in Capitol Hill where she was able to gain experience supporting an administrative team of 15+. Other than enjoying the work she does, she also enjoys gardening (Hello, fellow plant moms and dads!) and discovering new TikToks, as this app is her go-to when searching for new and exciting local restaurants and activities. Her words to live by: “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.” —Michael Jordan

Other fun facts about Aniya:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• I wanted to be a doctor! The idea of helping others, young or old, holds a place in my heart. As I get older, I began to understand that being a doctor involves blood, so my dream soon changed!

What is your favorite album?

• Loud by Rihanna — this is one album where I know all the lyrics, every beat, and could listen to it on repeat all day!

What fictional family would you be a member of?

• That’s So Raven because the Baxter family was extremely optimistic during challenging times and always knew they could rely on each other for support, love, and words of encouragement. This family reminds me of my family.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given?

• Pray hard and believe even harder.

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Each year on Christmas Day my family gathers to feed the less fortunate at a local men’s shelter. This has been a family tradition for 15 years that we plan to embrace for many years to come!

Having a passion for animals and all things aquatic, Caitlin originally began her career as a marine mammal specialist. For 11 years she was able to gain experience and build relationships with a variety of species in Florida and New York before moving back to her home state of Maryland. She was thrilled to join the Cloudforce team when the opportunity arose. As an Executive Assistant at Cloudforce, Caitlin now builds her career by contributing to the executive team and supporting the #eliteforce, as well as creating essential relationships with Cloudforce guests and clients.

Caitlin is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University. In her free time, she is an avid movie watcher, and enjoys snowboarding, surfing, and spending time with friends and family (both human and animal!).

Other fun facts about Caitlin:

What is your favorite tradition or holiday?

• Christmas is my favorite holiday! My favorite tradition is decorating the Christmas tree with family while listening to Christmas music. For me, it’s my favorite time of year and I love having all the decorations, family, and friends around.

What is your favorite dessert?

• Birthday Cake Remix from Cold Stone Creamery.

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?

• Probably front row seats at the Oscar’s every year because I’m a huge movie nerd. That or box seats to the Capitals games.

Have you ever completed anything on your bucket list?

• Yes! I was lucky enough to visit the Galapagos Islands. I was able to cruise around the different islands, see all the species of animals, hike the beaches and lava fields, as well as deep water snorkel with the amazing fish and sea lions.

What is one quote that stands out to you?

• “They said she couldn’t, so she did.” -Kendra Ford

Vince completed his education at George Mason University, majoring in Applied Information Technology with focus on cybersecurity and a minor in Business. While attending school, he was also able to work part-time on a federal contract with the Health and Human Services, where he would eventually continue his career across various projects supporting a variety of enterprise, as well as internally built, systems. In his free time, Vince loves spending time with friends and family. However, the concept of ‘hanging out’ has changed a lot in recent years, with ‘play dates’ becoming the norm. Soccer, taekwondo, skiing, and mountain biking are some of Vince’s favorite activities that keep him physically active. He is also very active within his community and has served on the HOA board as both President and Vice President for the past 6 years. Joining Cloudforce as a Security Engineer, Vince looks forward to supporting the Cloudforce team!

Other fun facts about Vince:

If given the choice of having a talk show host narrate your life, who would you choose?

• I’d have to go with John Oliver. There is just something about British humor that can’t be beat.

What is your favorite album?

• Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory

What would be the most surprising scientific discovery imaginable?

• Parallel universes

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

• I would have loved to be a show host for Top Gear.

If you had to crack a joke during awkward silences, what’s your go-to joke?

• “What do you call a factory that makes okay products?” “A satisfactory.”

Ryland has always had a propensity for technology, despite having no background in his family. He remembers first taking apart (and putting back together) the family computer when he was around 14. He started working in enterprise IT at 16 as an intern managing an end-user support queue for around 3,000 employees at a large newspaper. He went to UCF and got his degree in IT, working as a systems administrator for one of the colleges and doing everything from answering help desk calls to managing all identity, web, database, and hypervisor infrastructure as part of a 3-person team. Also in college, he interned multiple summers and contracted during the school year with Jabil, a Fortune 100 global electronics manufacturing company. He worked on their infrastructure architecture team before being hired after college to help start their infrastructure automation center of excellence (CoE).

Jabil is where Ryland’s love for the cloud was realized and grew into what it is today, as previously he had been squarely focused on on-premises infrastructure management. In the 2 years that he spent on the infrastructure automation CoE, his 5-person team was able to save Jabil over 2 million dollars of direct cost in both public cloud usage and outsourced labor hours. Jabil’s culture of technological excellence and healthy inter-departmental competition drove him to obtain over 10 professional certifications within the 2 years he spent there as a full-time employee, including 8 for Azure. He then moved to Trellance where he worked as a technical product architect, helping to design their cloud-native data analytics platform for credit unions. Most recently, Ryland has brought his talents and experience to support the Cloudforce team as a Senior Cloud Solutions Engineer.

Other fun facts about Ryland:

What do you do when you’re not at Cloudforce?

• Outside technology, I love traveling, hiking, and camping with my girlfriend. I also have a great time playing with my cat, going out with friends, watching sports, and making DJ mixes of my favorite electronic music.

If you had to delete all but 3 apps from your phone, which 3 would you keep?

• Messages, Spotify, and YouTube. Communication, music, and education/entertainment.

What is your favorite album?

• Drink The Sea by The Glitch Mob. This album was the first that I really felt an emotional connection to and ignited my passion for music.

If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be and why?

• Time to spend with my family and friends. My interpersonal relationships are the most important thing in my life, and I want to ensure that I always have the time to enjoy their company.

What is your favorite dessert?

• Ice cream. It provides a ton of room for creativity in flavors and presentations.