Our Team
Part of the team that helps our security ninjas be more ninja-y.
John Strand
Owner & Security AnalystJohn has both consulted and taught hundreds of organizations in the areas of security, regulatory compliance, and penetration testing. He is a coveted speaker and much loved SANS teacher. John is a contributor to the industry shaping Penetration Testing Execution Standard and 20 Critical Controls frameworks.
Melisa Wachs
DirectorMelisa has been with BHIS since its origin in 2008, thus her role within the company has evolved and shifted to fit many administrative needs throughout the years.
CJ Cox
COOCJ’s focus is on efficient and effective implementation and delivery of BHIS’s security solutions. He has over 25 years of experience in IT with 18 of those centered on security compliance, testing, and engineering. CJ is a retired Marine, father of 4, and a pathetic but happy golfer.
Bryan Strand
Manager of Business CaptureAlthough Bryan’s focus is on sales at BHIS, he is GCIH certified and is currently pursuing his GCCC for CSC 20 Critical Controls.
Heather Doerges
Project ManagerHeather began with BHIS in 2015. Her love for people and organization have led her to success in the PM/Scheduling role. She has a B.S. in Health Sciences from the University of Wyoming and lives in the Black Hills with her husband, 2 teenagers, 2 dogs and a bird. Her hobbies include running, cooking, gardening, chasing […]
Laura Seumanutafa
Logistics DirectorLaura is from American Samoa and is bilingual, speaking Samoan & English fluently. Currently, she’s attending Black Hills State University to finish up her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with specialization in Management & Marketing.
Joe Lillo
Software EngineerJoe is a graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, where he was the engineering lead on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Team. In his free time, he works on a team that is developing a smart wheelchair for people with advanced mobility loss.
Melissa Bruno
Software EngineerMelissa began her career in the information security field in 2013. Her areas of focus have included vulnerability assessment, systems automation, and security tool development.
Lisa Woody
Software EngineerLisa’s interest in coding started in high school, when she taught herself C++ to compete in a state-wide programming competition. In her free time, she works on a team that is developing a smart wheelchair for people with advanced mobility loss.
Samuel Carroll
Software EngineerSamuel recently graduated with his master’s and questions what to do in his free time. He enjoys computer projects, programming, woodworking, hiking, bicycling, and rock climbing. More recently he has started questioning long boards as a viable transportation/fun-having method.
Marita Rasche
AccountingMarita graduated from Black Hills State University with a degree in Professional Accountancy. She grew up and is currently living in Minnesota while studying to become a Certified Public Accountant. She loves any outdoor activity and her Australian Shepherd.
Jennipher Creed
AccountingJennipher is originally from San Diego, CA (born and raised), and moved to South Dakota 1 1/2 years ago. Her, her husband and daughter are loving the small town of Spearfish and all it has to offer. She has her Bachelors in Accounting and 14+ years experience.
Derrick Rauch
System AdministrationDerrick was born and raised in Rapid City, SD. He started his path into IT with web development and found that was not for him and moved into being a help desk technician. He then transitioned into working as a Sys Admin. His hobbies include hiking, camping, and fishing.
Kent Ickler
Sys Admin / Security AnalystKent has a Masters in Management with undergraduate studies in Network Design and Management. He has experience in Telecommunications, Higher Education Management, Finance, and SMB industries spanning nearly two decades. In his spare time, he enjoys reading technical and information-security related literature. He enjoys working with people and businesses to improve intra-departmental and organizational operations. […]
Jordan Drysdale
Sys Admin / Security AnalystJordan is one of Black Hills’ security analysts. He hails from the land of enterprise networking tech support, where stress was high and the challenges were strong. Most days, Jordan enjoys wireless research and malware sample packet data served with coffee.
Jason Blanchard
MarketingJason Blanchard has been happily adopted into the hacker community even though he, “works in marketing.” He’s had every dream job imaginable: teaching film making, owning the world’s most famous comic book store, and fostering the infosec community efforts for SANS. Now he humbly brings his particular set of skills to Black Hills.