back

Colton Gillenwater

Corporate IT and Security Engineer

Senior IT Engineer with 8+ years of experience building and securing corporate IT infrastructure for growing companies. Expertise in infrastructure as code, automation, endpoint management (Iru (formerly Kandji), Jamf, Mosyle), and identity platforms (Okta, Entra ID), with a track record of operating autonomously, applying AI to accelerate engineering workflows, and strengthening security posture across endpoints, identity, and network infrastructure.

Experience

Checkr Apr 2022 – Present
Sr. Corporate IT Engineer Mar 2026 – Present
IT Productivity Engineer II Apr 2022 – Mar 2026
  • Manage infrastructure as code for Netskope, Cloudflare, and Okta using Terraform, including ZTNA/DLP policy, NPA configurations, DNS records, and identity configurations for reproducible, auditable infrastructure
  • Build and maintain automation for endpoint engineering and user lifecycle management using Okta Workflows and MDM-deployed scripting, reducing manual effort across onboarding, offboarding, access provisioning, and fleet operations on macOS and Windows
  • Leverage AI to accelerate engineering work, reducing detection script development and testing cycles from hours to under 30 minutes
  • Build custom Claude skills to automate operational tasks like Netskope log analysis, improving speed and consistency over manual review
  • Support Checkr's company-wide AI rollout—including Claude and Lovable for every employee—by providing IT guidance and support for the tools teams are building with
  • Own client endpoint management and security using Kandji for macOS MDM and Intune for Windows MDM; successfully delivered migrations from Jamf to Kandji and from Workspace ONE to Intune with minimal user disruption
  • Administer Okta, including SSO integrations, IdP migrations, FastPass, and Device Assurance policies to elevate identity and device trust; leverage Lumos for identity governance and Veza for permissions and access visibility
  • Provide senior-level technical mentorship and knowledge sharing across the IT organization
  • Wrote SentinelOne detection rules and used EDR telemetry for security investigations
  • Supported SOC 2 compliance activities and audit readiness efforts
Inflection Jan 2022 – Mar 2022

IT Analyst

Acquired by Checkr

  • Managed identity and access via Azure AD (now Entra ID), including configuring SSO integrations between core SaaS applications and Azure AD
  • Led efforts to migrate authentication from traditional Active Directory to Azure AD and Azure AD Domain Services (AADDS) with the goal of fully decommissioning on-prem domain controllers
  • Collaborated with Information Security on IAM initiatives, as well as patch and vulnerability management for corporate endpoints
  • Helped administer endpoint management across Windows and macOS using Intune and Jamf, contributing to standardized, secure device configurations
  • Developed Azure AD access packages to streamline permission provisioning and reduce friction for employees and managers
Magnolia Feb 2018 – Dec 2021
Interim IT Operations Manager Jun 2021 – Dec 2021
Network Administrator Jun 2020 – Jun 2021
Help Desk Supervisor Dec 2018 – Jun 2020
Field Technician Feb 2018 – Dec 2018
  • Directed day-to-day IT operations for a multi-site environment, providing interim leadership for the IT Operations team
  • Collaborated on the design and implementation of network and physical security systems for multiple large-scale construction projects
  • Responsible for vendor management and procurement of IT and security tools; accountable for IT budget and long-term planning for company growth
  • Conducted regular IAM audits and a comprehensive Security Posture Review, recommending improvements in patch management, network access control, backup and recovery, and email security
  • Worked closely with managed SOC partners to remediate endpoint issues and vulnerabilities detected across the environment
  • Designed and administered the corporate Cisco Meraki network, optimizing performance, reliability, and security across offices and sites
  • Managed the Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 environments, including identity, access, and collaboration services
  • Deployed and managed Mosyle MDM for macOS endpoints; created and maintained a BYOD policy leveraging Intune for iOS and Android devices
  • Participated in planning and execution of network and security architectures for new business units and build-outs
  • Supervised the Help Desk and Field Technician team, overseeing ticket queues, escalations, and service quality for a large, distributed user base
  • Led migration of ~700 employees from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 within a 90-day window, including mailboxes, cloud data, and identity services
  • Implemented Entra ID as central IdP; established and enforced MFA policy for ~350 employees
  • Supported information security initiatives, including patch and vulnerability management, and conducted security investigations
  • Delivered on-site desktop and application support, resolving hardware and software issues across multiple locations
  • Administered and supported the Aloha Point-of-Sale system, including designing and implementing system builds for new food operations business units
  • Worked on physical network installations, including running Ethernet cabling and installing networking equipment and racks
Waco ISD Jun 2015 – Feb 2018

Multimedia Specialist

Tennyson Middle School

  • Served as the primary on-campus technology point of contact and liaison to the district's central IT department
  • Partnered with teachers and administrators to implement instructional technologies, aligning tools with curriculum and classroom needs
  • Trained teachers and staff on a variety of systems and programs, increasing confidence and adoption of educational technology
  • Provided day-to-day desktop, hardware, and application support for campus staff, troubleshooting issues and minimizing downtime
  • Coordinated with the district IT team to communicate campus technology needs, support rollouts, and resolve escalated technical issues
  • Helped maintain and configure classroom technology, including computers, projectors, and related instructional equipment

Skills

Automation, IaC & AI

TerraformOkta WorkflowsAI-assisted engineeringBashPythonPowerShell

Endpoint Management

Iru (Kandji)JamfMosyleIntuneZero-touch enrollmentPatch & vulnerability management

Identity & Access Management

OktaPasswordless AuthenticationDevice TrustLifecycle AutomationEntra IDSSOMFASAMLOIDCSCIMLumos (IGA)Veza (ISPM)

Security Tooling

SentinelOne (EDR, detection rules)Netskope (ZTNA, CASB, DLP)Proofpoint (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Collaboration & Productivity

Microsoft 365Google WorkspaceSlackJiraConfluenceDLPeDiscoveryData governance

Compliance

SOC 2 audit supportPolicy managementSecurity best practices

Certifications

CompTIA Security+CompTIA CySA+CompTIA PenTest+

Education

Western Governors University

B.S. Computer Science

Expected 2028