Board Members
Todd Clark, President
Todd Clark is the President and Co-Owner of DenaliTEK Incorporated, a Managed Services Provider based In Anchorage.
Todd, a lifelong Alaskan with a degree in Computer Science and studies in economics and business, started working in the Alaska IT industry as a Systems Engineer in the 1980’s. As an instructor for both Novell and Microsoft products he taught and collaborated with many of the local IT industry leaders of today.
Todd is also the founding president of Cybersecure Alaska. Cybersecure Alaska is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring Alaska has a cybersecure business community. Todd works with Alaskan businesses to provide excellent IT support, cybersecurity, and compliance solutions.
Mike Messick, Secretary/Treasurer
A lifelong Alaskan, Mike and Deep Forest Security have been providing cyber-incident response, information security risk management, and digital forensics for select clients requiring high levels of information assurance for over 15 years. Alaska-based Deep Forest Security provides specialized consulting and AI/Machine Learning powered managed security solutions that dramatically reduce the risk of unauthorized activity and intrusion.
Prior to his role as owner of Deep Forest Security, Mike served as a security officer for an ISP with over 30,000 customers, and as a part of a global vulnerability management team for a multinational oil and gas company with over 50,000 employees. In both roles, Mike helped evaluate cyber risk, set policy and technical safeguards, and actively interface with law enforcement to investigate foreign nation-state and domestic cyber-intrusions.
While providing cost-effective, cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions and guidance for organizations of all sizes and industries, Deep Forest Security is also involved in the cyber counter-intelligence community as part of efforts to protect national critical infrastructure and multinational, US-based businesses against advanced cyber-threats.
Eric Wyatt, Board Member
Eric Wyatt is the IT Director/CIO of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough since Sep 2014, providing leadership to the Borough IT department and IT and GIS services to all Borough employees and services to citizens.
Eric grew up in St Croix Falls, WI and has an Applied Math degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1986. He came to Alaska with the Air Force in 1991 and spent 20 years in the Fairbanks / North Pole area before moving to Palmer in 2013.
Eric has been married to Christina Wyatt for 17 years. (They met in Rotary in Fairbanks.) They have two daughters, Samantha age 11, and Danielle, age 8. They enjoy hunting, fishing, time at the cabin in Seldovia, AK and many activities at St John’s Lutheran Church in Palmer.
He then started his own business in Fairbanks, AK for IT Training and consulting from 1998 to 2006. As a Microsoft Certified Technical Education Center (CTEC) business, Eric held certifications of Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), Master Technical Trainer (MTT), Microsoft Certified Network Engineer (MCSE) Plus Internet over multiple versions of MS Windows, Comptia A+, Network+, and Security+ and others.
Eric returned to supporting the US Military from 2006 to 2012 as a contractor with Northrup Grumman and then Intelligent Software Solutions as a lead systems administrator, developer and trainer in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Prior to his present position, he worked for Resource Data, Inc in Alaska and was contracted to BP as a Program/Project Manager on the North Slope and in Anchorage.
Mark Merchant, Board Member
Mark Merchant is currently serving as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Municipality of Anchorage. He has worked for a variety of state and local government agencies directly involved in information technology and cyber security for over the past 28 years in Alaska.
Mark is also veteran and non-commissioned officer of the United States Army serving in the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) with the 1st Infantry Division out of Ft. Riley, KS.
Mark was born in Anchorage Alaska and some of his hobbies include public speaking on a variety of Cyber Security topics and helping Alaskan businesses and State agencies with digital forensics investigations.
Mark recently graduated from the FBI’s CISO Academy in Quantico, VA and currently holds two active certifications, CISSP and GCFA.
Non-Profit Status
Cybersecure Alaska is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization recognized as tax exempt by the Internal Revenue Service
Vision and Purpose
The Cybersecure Alaska vision is for Alaska to be the most cybersecure business community in America by 2026.
Cybersecure Alaska is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes. Its’ purposes shall be co-extensive with the purposes set forth in Section 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provisions in effect of any future United States Internal Revenue Law. It is intended that the corporation will be exempt from taxation under Section 501 (c) (3) and will qualify to receive tax deductible gifts under Sections 170, 2055, 2106(a) 2A, and 2522 of the said Code. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code of Regulations, the corporation shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax or by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under the above sections of the Code.
Among the general charitable, educational, and scientific purposes for which the corporation is formed, are the following specific purposes:
a) To develop and provide information on cyber security threats to businesses in Alaska.
b) To educate the public concerning the cyber security threats and prevention strategies.
c) To provide resources for businesses to easily assess their cyber security vulnerabilities and develop their own prevention strategies.
d) To define and as necessary, refine the definition of a credible security assessment.
e) To promote and explain cyber security threat prevention practices through various forms of media.
f) Within the limits of the laws affecting an organization with 501 (c) (3) status, initiate and participate in legislation when necessary to promote the purposes above.
g) Within the limits of the laws affecting an organization with 501 (c) (3) status, information will be provided to the public and the legislative bodies on critical issues affecting cyber security threats and their prevention.
h) To do all things that are necessary for, or incident to, the purposes herein before stated.