Christopher Clai
Keno Kozie Cyber Security Engineer
Q: What does a normal day at Keno Kozie look like for you?
A: As a Keno Kozie Cyber Security Engineer I use my ninja-like skills in systems administration and development to help monitor, identify, and remediate security issues within our environment. Additionally, I assist other departments in resolving complex technical situations both related and unrelated to security, as needed.
Q: What do you like best about your work as a Cyber Security Engineer?
A: What I like best is that my work calls upon my expansive experience and skillset in governance, systems administration, development, and information security. It challenges my existing knowledge and allows me to develop solutions and practices that improve systems and mitigate risks often unconsidered, which result in a more secure environment.
Q: What is the name of the organization you work most closely with outside of Keno Kozie?
A: I primarily do work with The Chicago Dragons which is an inclusive rugby team.
Q: Why is the work of this organization important?
A: The Chicago Dragons aims to increase the diversity of rugby, thereby creating a welcoming and encouraging learning environment for new players regardless of background. They are a Division III & Division IV team with USA Rugby, a member of the Midwest Rugby Union, the Chicago Area Rugby Football Union, and the International Gay Rugby Union.
In 2016, I played with the Dragons in Nashville, TN at the Bingham Cup, an international gay rugby tournament that honors one of the individuals who attacked the hijackers on flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11. I currently support the team and hope to resume play this fall.
Q: How does your work with this organization effect/help your work at Keno Kozie?
A: It’s helped me become a more effective leader and it encourages me to advocate for my coworkers. It helps me feel a sense of belonging in my community, improves my reaction skills, become a more effective leader / mentor, and encourages me to advocate for my coworkers and our industry.
Q: How does your work at Keno Kozie effect/help your work at the organization?
A: It helps me to maintain my skill set and find other ways I can assist them in their growth and technological needs. It provides me an avenue to support my team, and our goals in attending various tournaments when I can.
Q: Is there any additional information you’d like us to know?
A: In addition to the Dragons, I also am actively involved in the Imperial Windy City Court of the Prairie State Empire, Inc. NFP, which is an organization that raises money for various non-profits in the State of Illinois that need discretionary funds for their operations. Beyond my work in the LGTBQ community, I also spread the word of Hope For The Day, a suicide prevention non-profit here in Chicago, I mentor those in and outside of Keno at various stages of their career, and I work to increase diversity and inclusion within our industry.
You can catch the Dragon’s next match on Saturday, May 18th at 3:30pm at the Montrose Fields in Chicago.
Interested in learning more about security? Find out if you’re the “King of your Castle” by reading this blog post by Keno Kozie Managing Director, Stanleigh Rabin. Want to learn even more about protecting your network or educating your users? Please contact Keno Kozie’s team of security consultants.
