Zuri Cortez

A military veteran who sees music in color and cybersecurity as a canvas.

After serving six years in the U.S. Army with two tours supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sergeant Zuri Cortez found his passion for cybersecurity while securing classified and unclassified networks across Iraq, Germany, and the U.S. This experience propelled him into a decade-long career in cybersecurity, working as a Technical Account Manager (TAM), Sales Engineer (SE), and Product Marketing Manager (PMM). Zuri also holds an Information Assurance Security Officer (IASO) certification from the U.S. Army.

At Huntress, Zuri focuses on all things SIEM, leveraging his extensive background to help businesses understand and implement effective security information and event management solutions. His expertise has led him to present at major conferences like Black Hat, RSA, and AWS Re:Inforce. 

Before joining Huntress, Zuri worked as an SE and PMM for Alert Logic and as an SE for LogicHub, AT&T, and AlienVault. His accolades include being named Sales Engineer of the Year at AlienVault in 2016 and 2017, and Solutions Architect of the Year in 2018.

"Huntress is one of those companies that comes around once in a lifetime," Zuri says. "Making cybersecurity accessible to the 99% who have not been able to attain it is something I'm proud to stand behind. Tackling hacker tradecraft, building in public, speaking boldly, and the swagger to back it all up is why I love working at Huntress."

What's your favorite cybersecurity tip, Zuri?

"The most secure computer is the computer that's unplugged, turned off, and sitting as components in your shopping cart."

Now, here’s a fun fact: Zuri is a music-to-color synesthete (chromesthesia), meaning he sees music and sounds in colors. "I'm also a self-professed human behaviorist and psychologist," he adds. "No, really! Email me and tell me how reading that makes you feel... you know, for science." Feel free to take up his offer and get back to us. 

In his free time, Zuri enjoys playing the piano and saxophone, painting, diving into D&D adventures, traveling, and brushing up on the latest studies in emotional intelligence, human behavior, and body language. He also keeps a close eye on the crypto market—HODL!

Learn even more (potentially) fun facts about Zuri on his LinkedIn page. 

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