U.S. Department of StateSenior IT Specialist | Hybrid AD/M365/Azure | Automation, DBA, Security, and Team Leadership
Aug. 2015 - Aug. 2023Baghdad Governorate, IraqI led a 12-person team modernizing ISC’s hybrid IT environment, driving accountability, documentation, and project delivery. I administered complex Active Directory across on‑prem and Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, SharePoint Online) supporting 2,000+ DOS, DOD, and contractors in a high‑threat locale—ensuring secure access, reliable authentication, and strict policy compliance. I automated AD operations with PowerShell, boosting efficiency by ~20% and reducing overhead. I improved resilience and cost efficiency by decommissioning three storage servers and migrating Exchange, SharePoint, and user data to O365, and led app/service migration to Microsoft Azure to enhance performance and user experience. I also invested in team mentorship within IRM, helping rebuild a skilled IT workforce. I administered multiple production Microsoft SQL Server environments (2008–2019) supporting mission‑critical applications for 2,000+ users, ensuring high availability, security, and performance. I planned, installed, configured, and upgraded SQL Server instances from scratch on Windows Server (standalone and clustered), including service accounts, collation, max memory, TempDB configuration, and security baselines.