I'm Dawson Siefert.
Building secure systems and capturing intentional moments from Houston, Texas.
Built around craft
IT Support & Troubleshooting
Diagnosing and resolving technical issues across Windows systems, Microsoft 365, user accounts, authentication, endpoints, networking, and business applications.
Systems Administration
Supporting and improving business IT environments involving Active Directory, Entra ID, Microsoft 365, Group Policy, documentation, and infrastructure troubleshooting.
Cybersecurity & Security Hardening
Identifying risks, reducing unnecessary exposure, improving access control, reviewing system behavior, and applying practical security-minded improvements.
Network & Firewall Configuration
Working with firewall rules, DNS behavior, NAT, VPN access, segmentation, reverse proxy exposure, and secure network design.
Self-Hosted Infrastructure Setup
Building and organizing self-hosted infrastructure using Docker, Portainer, Linux, Proxmox, OPNsense, reverse proxies, DNS, and monitoring systems.
Photography
Photography with a focus on portraits, automotive subjects, nature, atmosphere, light, shadow, contrast, and intentional composition.
I'm Dawson, a cybersecurity graduate, IT System Administrator, and photographer based in Houston, Texas.
I earned my Bachelor of Business Administration in Cyber Security from the University of Texas at San Antonio in May 2022, and I've continued developing my skills through real-world IT work, personal infrastructure projects, and hands-on experimentation.
Professionally, I work with Microsoft-based business IT environments involving Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Windows systems, Group Policy, Fortinet-related systems, endpoint security, and CMMC-related security conversations. I care about visibility, consistency, documentation, and understanding the root cause of technical problems.
Outside of work, I run a home lab where I experiment with Proxmox, OPNsense, Docker, Portainer, ZFS, reverse proxies, VPNs, DNS, logging, and monitoring. I'm also a photographer with professional portrait experience, exploring light, shadow, contrast, and atmosphere.