Mike Cifelli brings a wealth of expertise to Cisco IT, backed by a 10-year career as a federal contractor within the Department of Defense (DoD) specializing in network security solutions. A pioneer in the field, Mike helped lead the first rollout of Cisco’s Software-Defined Access solution in the DoD before joining Cisco. Currently, his work is centered on driving Cisco IT’s global SASE/SSE adoption, partnering with Cisco business units, other IT infrastructure teams, and industry experts with a strategic focus on implementing zero trust access, unifying policy, and streamlining VPN services across complex enterprise architectures. By focusing on as-a-service networking models, Mike drives and influences direction for enterprise-scale cloud use cases while maintaining strong technical expertise in cloud architecture. Additionally, his commitment to securing modern environments includes a focus on Generative AI protection, ensuring robust security frameworks for emerging technologies. A three-time Cisco VIP recognized for his expertise in Network Access Control and Digital Network Architecture, Mike holds a B.S. in IT and E-business from Towson University and a Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland.