James Tippey

Leading Secure Change in IT

Hickory, NC, United States

Details

Education: Doctor of computer science

Cybersecurity

Colorado Technical University

2018 : 2021

MSIA

Information Assurance

Norwich University

2006 : 2008

MDiv

Master of Divinity

Asbury Theological Seminary

2001 : 2004

BA

Religion

Greenville University

1994 : 1997

Experience: 2017 : Present

Montreat College

Assistant Professor CyberSecurity

2022 : 2022

Gardner-Webb University

CIO/AVP Tech Services

I manage the IT department for the St Louis Symphony. We provide computer, server, and database support for the symphony. I manage, plan and oversee various upgrade projects. Ensuring that the needs of the symphony are met through proper use of technology. It is my goal for technology to work so allowing the staff to work without needing to worry about the technology that is needed to do their jobs. This allows the musicians to perform in a world class orchestra, without a worry for everything the staff does in the backend.

Highlights Include :

• Mange IT Staff

• Edit and maintain the Business Continuity Plan

• Manage and maintain IT Staff Policies

• Manage the IT budget

• Oversee and project IT needs for now and the future

• Ensure PCI compliance

• Assess and solve various technology challenges

• Provide Training as needed on IT products

• Manage and maintain datacenter

2014 : 2017

St. Louis Symphony

Director of Information Technology

I oversee the technical staff including server and helpdesk staff providing IT services for over 30 Christian ministries around the United States from my location in Indianapolis. This includes mentoring and managing staff, technical projects and assist with setting strategic IT vision. I have led an initiative to re make our helpdesk, we have reduced the response time for new requests, lowered the over al resolution time of tickets and increased communication – the goal is to keep the end user knowledgeable of the status of their request. In addition I have balanced the requests and requirements of multiple client projects and daily work requests. I help to provide a strategic, mission driven IT plan for each group that we work with, this involves developing the plan but also ensuring that the plan is kept in mind with daily work being done.

Highlights Include :

• Mange Technical Staff

• Provide IT strategic Planning for 30+ organizations

• Mange long and short term IT projects for 30+ organizations

• Build and Support IT environments for all 30+ organizations of various levels of complexity

• Improve Helpdesk Solution to provide fast response and resolution

• Assist in selection and implementation of Helpdesk software

• Work with Moodle to provide Virtual learning environment

• Train users to use new and existing technologies

• Work to improve overall communication with end users from technical staff

2012 : 2014

Computers In Ministry

Director of Ministry Partner Services/CTO

2010 : 2012

Calvary Free Methodist Church

Pastor

Company: Montreat College

Years of Experience: 27

Skills Active Directory, Analytical Skills, Communication, Computer Hardware, Critical Thinking, Cyber Policy, Databases, Data Privacy, Higher Education, HTML, Information Technology, Leadership, Leadership Development, Management, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Office, Network Administration, Networking, Network Installation, Network Security, NIST, Nonprofits, Oral Communication, Problem Solving, Process Improvement, Public Speaking, Research, Risk Analysis, Security, Servers, Strategic Planning, System Administration, Teaching, Team Building, Team Leadership, Technical Support, Technology Management, Training, Troubleshooting, Windows, Windows Server

About Jim started working with computers in high school and continued as a student worker in college. Since 2000 Jim has worked in various roles within IT departments at small to mid-sized companies, and several non-profits. Jim has served as Network Manager at a college, helping to raise the concern for security and upgrading the overall server and network performance. In 2012 he become CTO at Computers in Ministry, a non-profit providing IT support for 30+ non-profits around the US. In 2014 Jim moved to IT Director at the St Louis Symphony.

Jim received a BA in Religion from Greenville College. He worked initially for three years in a rural community in Illinois. He has since pastored for an additional four years as the need and opportunity has arisen. These opportunities have opened his eyes to the need for care and compassion of people and affect his approach to training and education. In a desire to serve and continue ministry, Jim enlisted as a Chaplain Candidate in the US Army and attended Asbury Theological Seminary, where he graduated with a Master of Divinity. Due to health issues, this opportunity did not go as far as was hoped but served to continue a passion for helping and serving. Having continued to work in IT during this time the concerns for security become very evident and Jim returned to school and earned an MS in Information Assurance from Norwich University. In 2017 he moved to Western North Carolina and started teaching at Montreat College, this has led to continuing his desire for education and he is actively working on a Doctor of Computer Science at Colorado University with an anticipated graduation date of Sept 2021.

In addition to experience and education, Jim has earned several industry-recognized certifications. These include ISC2’s CISSP (Certified Information Security Professional), EC-Council’s C|EH Master Certifications (Certified Ethical Hacker Master), and CompTIA’s Cloud Essentials+ and CYSA+.