For Jean Menard, scenes in a movie were the catalyst for launching a lifelong journey. As a high school student in his native Haiti, he watched Die Hard II—but it wasn’t the action or explosions that caught his attention.
“Watching the computer hacking scenes fascinated me,” Menard recalled. “I thought, ‘I want to know how to do all of that.’ That’s what led me to study computer science.”
That moment of curiosity became the first steppingstone in the path toward a career in cybersecurity—proof that inspiration can come from anywhere, and that inspiration can strike from the most unlikely of places.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science in Haiti, Menard moved to the United States in 2009 with plans to return home the following year. But when a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, his plans changed. Granted Temporary Protected Status, Menard stayed and began building a new life in the U.S.
The early days weren’t easy. A native French and Creole speaker, Menard initially struggled with English and faced challenges communicating during job interviews. But he persisted—first taking a job as a sales associate at Staples, then advancing to a field engineer position at Dell, and eventually joining the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as an IT security analyst.
Driven by a passion for learning, Menard continued his education while working and navigating life as a military spouse. He enrolled at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), earning a bachelor’s degree in computer networks and cybersecurity, followed by a master’s in cyber operations. He is now pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration with a cybersecurity focus and expects to graduate in December 2026.
One of the defining moments of Menard’s career came when he was selected by UMGC as an RSA Conference Security Scholar and presented his doctoral research at the world-renowned cybersecurity event, held in San Francisco on April 28 – May 1.
His research, which explores how cyber-physical threats to the supply chain can undermine national security, resonated deeply in a world increasingly vulnerable to attacks such as SolarWinds and Supermicro.
“We’ve seen how attackers can exploit the intersection of cyber and physical systems to sabotage critical infrastructure,” said Menard. “My work focuses on closing those gaps before adversaries can exploit them.”
For Menard, presenting his findings at the RSA Conference was a profound point of pride. “This was my first time attending a cybersecurity conference of this scale,” he said. “It was truly eye-opening. The experience motivated me to keep growing academically and professionally in this field.”
UMGC has been part of the RSA Conference Security Scholar Program since its inception in 2016. The initiative connects emerging cybersecurity talent with industry leaders and peers to foster professional development and innovation.
Currently, Menard works part-time as a Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program (DoD CSA) scholar, while also serving as an adjunct instructor at UMGC, teaching courses in cyberspace operations.
Looking ahead, Menard will complete his three-year commitment with the Department of Defense. Afterward, he hopes to move into a senior leadership role—as a chief information security officer, cyber strategy consultant, or federal security program director—where he can help shape national cybersecurity policy.
From a Hollywood movie to the global cybersecurity stage, Jean Menard’s journey is a reminder that even a random moment can set a career in motion—and that perseverance, purpose, and passion can carry it to extraordinary heights.
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