Can you briefly describe your career journey and what led you to your current role as VP of Product and Application Security?
I started in the tech world back when web hosting was taking off before “The Cloud” or “Security Engineering” existed, when folks used to run web hosting companies from their own garage. I even had a FreeBSD 4.11 server with very basic specs and a 300+ days uptime that I leveraged to sell web hosting services. My first tech roles were working in Data Centers in Houston, Texas while I was still in college. Over time, I moved through different positions in support, quality assurance, network, development, and eventually into what is now called security engineering; providing me with experience that spans across the entire OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model, from silicon to cloud, from layer 1 to layer 7.
I’ve been fortunate to work at some amazing companies in multiple tech hubs that exposed me to Silicon Valley, Research Triangle Park and the Pacific Northwest: EV1Servers, cPanel, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, F5 Networks, Amazon, and now GoDaddy. I gained deep experience in multiple security realms including but not limited to incident response, network security, secure development lifecycle, and even cyberlaw (was a legal extern at F5)!
One of the turning points in my career was working in Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing (TwC) group — it really sparked my long-term focus on building secure products. From there, I helped stand up product security organizations from infancy for both Amazon FinTech and Physical Stores including securing Computer Vision and Machine Learning technologies like Just Walk Out and Amazon One before joining GoDaddy. Participating in the security industry also helped me network and grow additional skills. I always enjoy attending and speaking at security conferences when feasible such as BSides (Scotland), DefCon (Vegas), SysCan (Singapore), EkoParty (Argentina), ISDFS (Romania) among others because they have also helped shaped my career in product security while networking with fellow passionate security professionals.
What's the most challenging yet rewarding thing that you've worked on at GoDaddy?
Building the BISO (Business Information Security Officer) Program from the ground up. This initiative was entirely new, and our CISO placed their trust in me by providing the opportunity, support, and guidance to shape the program from start to finish, including overseeing hiring, designing the organizational structure, and setting the strategic direction. I believe in coaching-first leadership, so my focus was on hiring and developing strong, autonomous BISO leaders who could partner closely with business and engineering leaders and their teams. Watching the BISOs thrive and drive real impact has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my role.
I have enjoyed seeing the growth and development of each BISO, with different tenures and maturity levels as they grow their programs. I continue to help grow the BISO organization focusing on parity and continuity when it comes to the security posture of each business and engineering organization. I recently hosted a BISO Summit at my home in Austin, Texas. Bringing together several directors and distinguished engineers created an environment for engaging conversations and strategic planning. These discussions were instrumental in shaping our goals and defining our OKRs.
How do you balance security with product usability and speed to market?
Security can’t exist in a silo. I see it as a business enabler, not just a gate. My background spans across business, cybersecurity, and law (I hold a BBA Computer Information Systems, MBA in Finance, MS in Digital Forensics/Cybersecurity, and a JD with a focus in Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw). Therefore, I approach things with a wide lens, balancing the myriads of business and engineering perspectives when making decisions that require balance between the business and security leaders as it comes to product launches. I might explore a DBA in international business at the International University of Monaco as my next educational adventure.
When security is embedded early in the development cycle and aligned with business goals, it enhances innovation instead of slowing it down. Shifting Left into the development lifecycle has been a game changer for our organization along with innovation via Artificial Intelligence.
How do you approach motivating your team members to reach their full potential?
I take a servant leadership approach — I work for my team not the other way around. I make it a priority to build relationships with each team member, regardless of role or title. I ask for feedback annually from the whole organization and keep my door open for anything — whether it's a technical escalation or something affecting team morale. My goal is to help them remove obstacles and create a welcoming and accommodating space for their best work.
I’m here to help my team grow and enable them to take on challenges with the right support.
The biggest compliment for me is when a former direct employee follows me and wants to join me at my new company or team, which has happen quite a few times over the years.
I also leverage the GoDaddy morale mechanisms available to me such as GoDaddy Everyday Champions Points, Fun Fund and the Gather Event framework. I was fortunate to host both the 2023 Houston and Dallas gather events with a 90s theme that my wife helped me set up and decorate in a couple of hotel presidential suites, which allowed me to connect with fellow co-workers and even GoDaddy employees from other divisions in a face-to-face casual environment.
What trends or technologies are you most excited about in the future?
Professionally, I’m excited about where cybersecurity intersects with artificial intelligence and crypto currencies and/or blockchain. These areas are evolving fast and offer huge potential for both risk and innovation. I’m currently exploring blockchain research and investments in Tallin, Estonia.
On a personal level, I’ve always been fascinated by mechanical systems and automotive tech — I love tinkering, reverse engineering, and figuring out how things work from the inside out for any type of vehicle whether land, air or water. That curiosity spills over into my work in security. “Vehicle Hacking” was a trend that got my attention that intersected both of my technology passions. I like to research the security mechanisms and controls around Exotic Cars, Yachts and Private Jets.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
My hobbies usually fall around five primary topics: Cultural Traveling, Empirical Cooking, Life Hacking, DIY-ing and Exotic Car Rallying.
Cultural Traveling is a big part of my life — not just for fun, but to connect with different cultures through language, food, and local traditions, living versus visiting. I see myself as a global citizen: I was born in Monterrey, Mexico, hold dual citizenship with Mexico and the U.S., and have residency in Portugal as well as Monaco, plus e-residency in Estonia. I plan to continue adding additional residencies and passports, South Korea is also a potential candidate, I guess I watched way too many James Bond 007 movies.
I speak Spanish and English, along with conversational Portuguese, Italian, French and German, learned Cyrillic and Hangul alphabets as a hobby - and dabble in a few other languages as well. It really helps when I’m on the road, whether for business or personal adventures. It really comes in handy when you are road tripping through rural areas across Europe or when you just want to have a special connection with folks worldwide in their own native tongue.
Empirical Cooking: as part of cultural exploration, I enjoy cooking different cuisines with my family as I learn about the culture of different countries – and even try to learn a little bit of history and some common phrases as part of the experience. I have culinarily traveled all continents.
Life Hacking: finding a good deal is a unique passion – enjoying everything life has to offer at an affordable rate. I have my fair share of extremely affordable presidential suite, private jet, exotic car and yacht experiences with very minimal cost.
DIY-ing: I enjoy playing around with power tools and have designed and built the majority of the furniture in my Texas home, as well as other home improvements such as flooring, board and batten accent walls, and faux fireplaces.
Exotic Car Rallying / Van Life: I’m also a car enthusiast. My most recent trip? A 30,000 KM road trip from Porto, Portugal to Oslo, Norway with several stops along the way including the German Autobahn. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that combined my love for driving with exploring new cultures. I also traveled with my family for a little over a year throughout the United States visiting every state of the continental US – empirically trying out a hybrid glam version of “VanLife”.
Micro-Influencer: And yes - I keep up with social media trends too. You might even catch me testing out new Meta platforms, posting a funny reel in Instagram, or the occasional embarrassing TikTok dance. It keeps me connected to emerging tech… and it’s a fun way to unwind. I’m also an empirical micro-influencer with helps me understand the space as a content creator and small business owner. Plus, it gives me the opportunity to share bits and pieces of my hobbies with friends, family and followers. Feel free to follow me on Instagram: frugxyz
Family: I’m so fortunate that my wife and son share the same hobbies. We get to explore the world together, sharing very similar passions in life. Additionally, they have also pursued careers in cybersecurity.
Final Thoughts
I’ve always believed that curiosity, empathy, and continuous learning are core to strong leadership — especially in security engineering. The more we understand people, technology, and business, the better we can build systems that are secure, usable, and impactful.
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