Michael Portera is the VP of Cyber Solutions at Sequoia, Inc. A graduate of Auburn, Michael gained IT consulting experience in Atlanta before moving to Huntsville in 2013. He became a respected professional within the defense sector, offering critical cybersecurity services. In 2020, he founded a cybersecurity company, which he sold in 2023. Now in a leadership role at the acquiring company, Michael continues driving innovation and striving to inspire others. He has presented at major conferences and contributed to open-source projects, helping build a culture of collaboration. Outside of work, he’s a proud girl dad (x2), enjoys video games, traveling with his family, and board games with friends.

What do you love most about living and working in Huntsville?

It’s a wonderful place to raise a family in a thriving economy.

What’s your best advice for starting a career in the Rocket City?

Network, network, then network some more

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

My family and I LOVE to play any type of game (board, video, sports)

Do you have any hidden talents?

I can play multiple instruments. “Play” is extremely subjective in this case.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career, and what valuable lesson did they teach you?

Former supervisor at KPMG, Don Roberts. He helped me get started in cybersecurity. I’ve been trying to pay it forward ever since.