Meet Our Team

Dan Nerada | Managing Director, Director of Client Success

Dan is responsible for managing all areas of Vala Secure including Operations, Administration, and all Client Services. Additionally, Dan oversees all internal staffing relations. He has a degree in Bank Management and numerous educational banking certificates. Dan has over 25 years commercial banking experience and over 12 years within the IT Audit/Security environment. Dan continues to enjoy working with all our clients to ensure they receive an exceptional level of service from our Vala Secure team.

Michelle Terry | Director of Marketing

Michelle serves as Director of Sales and Marketing for Vala Secure and graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in Marketing. She has extensive sales and marketing experience in technology, banking, healthcare and multiple other industries. Michelle lives in the DFW area with her husband, two school age kids and golden doodle puppy.

James Webb | Director of Cybersecurity and Technology

James is the Director of cybersecurity and technology at Vala Secure. He has been in IT for over 20 years and holds a M.S. in Cybersecurity from the University of South Florida with a concentration in information assurance. James is retired Army (20 Years). Certificates maintained: PMP, CEH, CND, CASP+, CySA+, ITILv4, Security+, Network+, and Thycotic Secret Server.

Tucker Green | Director of Virtual Advisory Services

Tucker is the Director of Virtual Advisory Services at Vala Secure. He leads the vCISO department and serves as vCISO for a handful of clients. Tucker is an honorably discharged Air Force veteran, and his background in the military saw him manage security operations associated with Air Force One. After re-entering the civilian world, he contracted for the FBI as a Senior Cyber Threat-Hunter helping to protect some of the United States’ most prominent companies. During this time, he tracked and monitored several Advanced Persistent Threats and identified multiple zero-day exploits.

Kristin Johnstone | Director of Regulatory Compliance

Kristin leads the Regulatory Compliance Team. She is responsible for performing regulatory compliance audits, including BSA. Kristin attended Oklahoma State University and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Certifications held: CBAP and CCBCO

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Shefieka Pace | Regulatory Compliance Consultant

Shefieka Pace serves as a Regulatory Compliance Consultant for Vala Secure. In her role she is responsible for performing audits for regulatory compliance including BSA. Shefieka attended Virginia State University studying Management Information Systems. She began her career in banking, primarily within mortgage operations, where she has over 18 years of experience. Shefieka loves spending time with her family and traveling.

Lance Bishop | Virtual Information Security Officer

Lance Bishop is a Virtual Information Security Officer at Vala Secure. His responsibilities include helping out with our VISO clients with Vendor Management and Data Compliance.

Alexander Raney | vCISO Virtual Chief Information Security Officer

Alex is a vital part of our Virtual Advisory Services Team. He serves as a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer or vCISO and is responsible for policy development, management, and data compliance. He attended Maryville University of St. Louis and received a B.S. in Cybersecurity and a Minor in App Development. Additionally, Alex recently finished his MBA with a concentration in Cyber while working within the IT industry. In his free time Alex enjoys working out, Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, and spending time with friends. Certifications held: Security+

Carendylyn Watson | Information Governance Analyst

Carendylyn Watson serves as an Information Governance Analyst for Vala Secure and manages the vendor management process for clients and supports the team by managing administrative tasks. Carendylyn holds a B.A. from Spelman College and has a background in commercial insurance and risk management. Carendylyn is married with three children and enjoys reading, running, and entertaining family and friends.

Andrew Trainum | Cybersecurity Advisor

Andrew (Drew) Trainum is a Cybersecurity Advisor and an integral part of the Cybersecurity and Technology Team at Vala Secure. Drew has been in IT for nearly 20 years. He is currently attending WGU in the Cybersecurity program. When not at work you can find Drew ranching, fishing, rebuilding old cars, and hanging out with the family.

Derek Grondlin | Cybersecurity Analyst

Derek is a Cybersecurity Analyst- Level 1 and an Integral part of the Cybersecurity and Technology Team at Vala Secure. Derek is a recent graduate from UOP and a cybersecurity industry enthusiast. When not at work Derek is going to see movies, playing video games with friends and watching the Boston Celtics. Certifications currently pursuing: Security+ and CISSP.

Marnie Scutchfield | Controller

Marnie serves as the Controller for Vala Secure and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She brings 20+ years of accounting experience across a variety of industries. Marnie serves on our Leadership team with a focus to inform and educate on our financial data so we can best achieve our goals. She also supports our C-level executives as well as HR, Sales & Marketing. Marnie is married with 2 kids and loves to travel. Currently studying for certifications in: QBO ProAdvisor and MOS:Excel Expert

Patrick Tyler | Cybersecurity and Compliance Sales Representative

Patrick is the Cybersecurity & Compliance Sales Representative for Vala Secure. He holds a B.S. in Cybersecurity from ECPI University with years of knowledge and expertise in the IT field. He helps our clients succeed with determining where they currently stand in terms of their cybersecurity posture/compliance standards by working with them to implement our services to help build a road map. Patrick is a Marine Corps Veteran. Certifications held: Security + and CEH

OUR TEAM