Veljulisa Canty

Experienced IT Systems Engineer specializing in vulnerability management, cybersecurity compliance, and risk assessments with 3+ years at Florida Blue and a strong foundation in military cyber operations. Skilled in NIST 800-53, RMF, DoD STIG compliance, and vulnerability scanning, with expertise in Tenable Nessus, PowerShell, and automation.

Key achievements

✔ 99% security compliance and 100% patch compliance across 15,000+ systems

✔ Optimized Nessus scans, increasing efficiency by 99.9% and reducing errors by 95%

✔ Led vulnerability management initiatives, improving risk posture and ensuring regulatory compliance

I hold a CompTIA Network+ CE and CompTIA Security+ (IAT Level II) certification and DoD Secret Clearance, with a commitment to continuous learning and professional development in cybersecurity and risk management. Passionate about securing enterprise systems, optimizing security operations, and ensuring compliance in high-stakes environments.

Let’s connect to discuss cybersecurity strategies, risk management, and security automation!

Florida Blue Remote - Jacksonville, FL

IT Systems Engineer - Nessus Support Engineer 06/2024

• Optimized Nessus scans for enterprise clients using Tenable Security Center and Tenable Nessus Manager, creating new scans with broader and more accurate network coverage. Enhanced scan efficiency by 99.9%, while reducing scan errors and the need for repeat cleanup scans by 95%.Provided training on Nessus best practices, enhancing internal clients self-sufficiency by 60% and maintaining 99.9% platform uptime.
• Executed Ansible to troubleshoot and automate the relinking of Nessus agents on RHEL hosts, reducing manual effort by 90% and speeding up issue resolution by 96%.
• Leveraged vSphere to recreate virtual environments for troubleshooting, improving resolution accuracy by 99.9% and reducing troubleshooting time by 60%.
• Streamlined the risk assessment and approval process by using Archer to submit exceptions for findings outside of enterprise remediation compliance, reducing approval time by 40% and ensuring better alignment with security policies.
• Coordinated with cross-functional teams via Change Management to schedule and approve maintenance windows for deploying agent fixes via SCCM, reducing deployment time by 30% and improving system stability.
• Utilized Tenable Community to resolve false positive issues, collaborating with product teams to refine vulnerability detection, improving scan accuracy by 93% and client satisfaction by 98%, while analyzing and correcting 100% of false threats across 15,000+ systems.
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• Florida Blue Remote - Jacksonville, FL

  IT Systems Engineer - Vulnerability Management 09/2022 - 06/2024

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• Coordinated remediation plans with system owners, achieving 99% compliance with security requirements and 100% patch compliance across 15,000+ audit-related systems.
• Analyzed Risk Recon findings, maintaining a rating of 9.8+ on a 10.0 scale across 13 subsidiaries, which improved overall security posture by 98% and reduced risks by 60% through in-depth research on critical vulnerabilities. This resulted in 100% approval for contract continuation for the enterprise and its subsidiaries.
• Automated processes using Tenable, Excel, Power Bi, scripting and programming, improving technology solution efficiency by 100% and reducing manual efforts by 95%, while ensuring 100% compliance with security standards.
• Provided senior leadership with enhanced visibility into security performance through regular metrics, Dashboards, Excel pivots and prepared 1,000+ exception documents with a 100% Approval rate, accelerating remediation efforts by 60% and maintained risk compliance by 100%.
• Improved risk posture by 98% by efficiently patching critical vulnerabilities identified using Tenable.VM.
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• Pro Unlimited Remote - Jacksonville, FL

  IT Systems Engineer - Contractor 08/2021 - 09/2022

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• Identified and remediated vulnerabilities across IT systems, applications, and infrastructure, achieving full compliance with security regulations and reducing system downtime by 30%. This improvement enhanced operational efficiency and minimized security risks by 30%.
• Utilized Tenable Nessus to perform vulnerability scans, boosting system configuration accuracy by 99%, reducing security incidents by 30%, and increasing overall system security by 98%.
• Performed risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential threats, achieving 100% compliance with regulatory security requirements, reducing critical vulnerabilities by 80%, and strengthening the company's overall security posture by 20%.
• Aligned vulnerability management with business goals by collaborating with cross-functional IT teams, improving security transparency by 100%, reducing remediation time by 99%, and boosting company-wide security awareness by 30%.
• Directed audit-related testing using CM8 and MBSA, conducted vulnerability assessments, and created metrics and dashboards, reducing audit findings by 100%, improving audit readiness by 35%, and streamlining compliance reporting.
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• United States Air Force Reserves Multiple Locations

  Cyberspace Operations | Supervisor | Lead Trainer 06/2012 - 06/2024

• Led cyber operations for Air Force networks, achieved a 100% success rate in preventing security breaches and ensuring mission-critical system integrity through proactive threat detection and mitigation.
• Designed and deployed advanced cyber tools, achieved a 100% effectiveness rate in disrupting adversary systems, enhancing strategic engagement outcomes, and strengthening national defense cyber capabilities.
• Managed cyber risk assessments, implemented mitigation strategies that improved operational system reliability by 98%, ensuring compliance with mission assurance and security policies.
• Supervised a team of 10 cyber engineers, streamlined workflows and achieved a 100% on-time task completion rate under high-pressure conditions, optimizing team performance and mission success.
• Directed unit readiness for deploying personnel, achieved a 100% mission readiness rate by optimizing training schedules, resource allocation, and compliance with operational standards to support Air Force Flying operational standards.
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• Women in CyberSecurity Remote - Orlando, FL

  Mentor 2024 - 06/2025

• Developed strong leadership, communication, and guidance skills through mentoring women in cybersecurity.
• Utilized virtual tech tools to schedule, coordinate, and manage meetups effectively, ensuring seamless collaboration.
• Contributed to increasing diversity in cybersecurity by supporting mentees' career growth and fostering a strong, inclusive professional community.

COMPTIA CERTIFICATIONS 02/2021 - 05/2027

Network+ and Security+

Florida Institute of Technology - Melbourne, FL

Master of Business Administration - MBA - Cybersecurity 03/2023 - 05/2026

Southwestern College - Wichita, KS

Bachelor of Science - Information Systems Management 08/2019 - 05/2020

Community College of the Air Force - Maxwell AFB, AL

Associate of Science - Aircraft Safety Systems Technology 06/2012 - 03/2020