Preston Knight

IT Infrastructure & Security Engineer with 4+ years of experience securing and managing Microsoft 365, Azure, and Windows Server environments across MSP and enterprise settings. Proven track record in enhancing security posture, modernizing infrastructure, and leading technical teams. Achieved a 70% reduction in security incidents through targeted InfoSec initiatives.

Skilled in vulnerability mitigation, incident response, and hybrid cloud deployments, balancing hands-on engineering with leadership of reliable, security-focused IT operations.

IT Infrastructure & Security Engineer at CMIT Solutions (2025-02 – Present)

Managed services provider specializing in secure IT infrastructure and end-to-end support for SMB environments

• Designing and executing InfoSec strategies within Microsoft 365 Admin and Azure environments, improving network and tenant security while ensuring resilience and compliance.
• Delivering Azure and on-prem infrastructure deployments with full ownership of configuration, security controls, and rollout processes.
• Leading and mentoring a 7-person Tier 1 engineering team, managing workflow, assigning tickets, and guiding technical escalation across 12 client environments.
• Overseeing 412 total assets (14 servers + 398 endpoints), ensuring stability, security, and compliance across all managed environments under SOC 2 standards.
• Rolled out MFA and Microsoft Defender policies for all clients, reducing security incidents by 70% and improving alignment with SOC 2 compliance requirements (HIPAA referenced for healthcare clients).
• Reduced the open ticket backlog queue from 60 to 30 within 4 months by improving processes, standardizing documentation, and strengthening troubleshooting efficiency.

IT Systems & Security Engineer at Ariat Systems (2022-11 – 2025-02)

IT services firm specializing in full-stack infrastructure and security support for SMB clients

• Conducted monthly vulnerability scans across 13 servers, identifying risks and implementing remediation measures.
• Owned full-stack IT operations with no escalation path, independently handling server configuration, configured AD/Azure AD policies and created/managed users and groups, MFA enforcement, firewall setup, and backup/DR policies.
• Led incident response activities, conducting risk assessments, resolving security incidents, and improving resilience across client environments.
• Administered infrastructures using NinjaRMM, Datto, Azure, Meraki, and Microsoft 365 Admin Center, ensuring secure configuration and continuous compliance.
• Designed and implemented client-specific InfoSec strategies using Microsoft 365 and Azure, improving overall network security by 20%.
• Managed ~15 SMB clients (~600 endpoints) across legal, public safety, and production sectors through a hybrid support model (remote + on-site).
• Restored client operations following a major on-prem server failure through Datto Backup Recovery and temporary cloud hosting.

Network Operations Technician (NOC) at Spectrum Enterprise (2021-09 – 2022-11)

Leading U.S. telecom provider with nationwide broadband and enterprise network services

• Performed remote Layer 1-3 troubleshooting using SSH and Bastion access, analyzing logs and identifying connectivity faults across customer circuits.
• Managed outage bridges and coordinated recovery with field technicians to restore service during high-impact events.
• Escalated complex issues via a proprietary ticketing system while maintaining real-time communication with enterprise customers.
• Handled up to 15 enterprise network incidents per day, delivering first-line diagnosis and resolving ~70% without escalation.
• Reduced incident resolution times to a 5-60 minute window, contributing to stable service delivery.

IT & Security Analyst at PwC

Part-time role

• Performed second-level review of Correspondent Banking alerts/cases, assessing potential violations under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), US PATRIOT Act, and AML regulations.
• Analyzed transactional and historical data in Excel to identify fraud indicators, resolving 8 cases per day.
• Collaborated with an international compliance team, ensuring alignment with USAA Bank AML procedures.

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration (Information Technology) – Texas Tech University, Rawls College of Business (2021)