Stefanie Marie Kenyon
Stefanie K. is a Senior Software Architect and Full Stack Engineer with over a decade of experience delivering secure, scalable, and modern systems across Federal and Department of Defense (DoD) agencies. Currently pursuing her Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Management and Master of Science in Data Science at Boston University, Stefanie brings a rare blend of technical depth, leadership, and a strong foundation in cybersecurity (DISA STIG, NIST, RMF, ATO, FedRAMP, IL-4, IL-5, ICAM), DevSecOps and CI/CD automation, cloud platforms like AWS and Azure, and low-code/no-code platforms like ServiceNow and Salesforce. She has played key roles in software modernization, enterprise systems integration, and providing recommendations on how to solve very difficult problems. Stefanie is also highly skilled in technologies such as Java, C#, Python, TypeScript, Angular, JavaScript, CSS, HTML and holds certifications including Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals, CompTIA Security+, and Oracle Certified Associate Java Programmer.
In addition to her technical accomplishments, Stefanie is deeply committed to mentorship and community engagement. She has served as a mentor for IEEE Region 3’s Eye-To-Eye videoconferencing project, guiding high school students in developing facial recognition-based web apps using Python and TensorFlow. She also mentored participants in the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program through a partnership with GDIT, sharing insights on emotional intelligence, social networking, and career readiness. Recognized as GDIT’s Volunteer of the Month in August 2021, Stefanie exemplifies a passion for empowering the next generation of technologists while continuing to innovate in highly regulated and mission-critical environments. Fluent in both English and German, she is a dynamic leader and lifelong learner shaping the future of secure software architecture.
In addition to Stefanie’s full-time work and volunteer work, Stefanie also contributes to the tech industry by serving as an independent contractor to CompTIA, a globally recognized technology organization. In 2022, Stefanie served as a Subject Matter Expert for the CompTIA Objective Development Workshop where the workshop team set the standards and objectives for the CompTIA Tech+ certification exam. In 2024, Stefanie served as a Subject Matter Expert for the CompTIA Item Writing Workshop where the workshop team developed and wrote test items for the CompTIA Tech+ certification.
• Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals
• CompTIA Security+ CE
• Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer
• Virginia Commonwealth University- B.A.
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• University of Virginia
• Boston University- M.S.
• IEEE Region 3
• DC Women in Technology
• Society of Women Engineers
• Association for Computing Machinery
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my family. Having a retired US Army Warrant Officer father and a German mother, discipline, hard work, and high achievement were always a focus. From a very young age, they recognized my love for learning and provided me with tools I needed to do so. I also attribute my success to a lifelong passion for math and a constant curiosity to learn new technologies. That drive has helped me lead complex modernization projects and inspired me to simultaneously pursue a Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Management and a Master’s in Data Science so I can continue growing and staying ahead in an ever-evolving tech landscape.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice that I ever received was take ownership. Work is all about flexibility and growth so you must always keep an open mind to new opportunities and change direction. It also emphasizes finding passion in your work, and keeping a positive attitude which can help you in networking and forming new connections.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women to find mentors and STEM programs in their communities. A STEM teacher at their school should be a great resource in helping young women find STEM-based groups in their communities.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Technology evolves so fast. New technology can solve many problems faced by individual people or organizations. But new technologies are pushed to the market so quickly where technologists cannot even learn them at the pace needed to stay competitive in the emerging job market. Now we are seeing highly qualified technologists losing their employment because of the skill gap.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In both my work and personal life, I value continuous learning, balance, and discipline—whether it's challenging myself through hiking, or building teamwork and focus on the soccer field.