In a world increasingly reliant on technology, the risk of cyber incidents looms large, threatening the very fabric of our interconnected lives. Amid this chaos, Sandia is a leader in defense against cyber threats, thanks in large part to individuals like Kelcey Tietjen. As a senior scientist, Kelcey has established himself as an expert in the global fight against cybercrime.

A journey begins

Kelcey began his career as an intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he worked in mechanical engineering and systems engineering. After earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico, he pursued graduate studies in high-tech crime investigation at George Washington University.

His career took a pivotal turn when he joined a cybersecurity company that sent him around the globe to assist with cyber incident response. He often worked over 80 hours a week tackling some of the most severe incidents in support of national security. His career path eventually led him to roles at Bechtel and Apple before landing at Sandia.

Throughout his journey, Kelcey has confronted high-stakes challenges, including uncovering financial theft and navigating multi-billion-dollar lawsuits. At Sandia, he has been a pivotal force in empowering our community partners and government entities to effectively combat and manage cybercrime.

A global mission

“Site assists are my bread and butter,” he said.

When asked how cyber assist opportunities arise, Kelcey highlights the importance of his long-standing presence in the cyber community, which has fostered a strong network.

“Word of mouth spreads fast,” he said. “Unfortunately, there is no bat signal, but there is a connection through the Cyber Center of Excellence where stakeholders can more formally reach out for help.”

Participating in cyber assists allows Sandia to support the broader community while gaining valuable insights into attacker behavior, such as their movement patterns and tactics. This knowledge enhances Sandia’s ability to coordinate incident response efforts and better prepare for future threats.

Building a community

Beyond his technical expertise, Kelcey educates others on cyber incident response. He teaches a graduate course at New Mexico Tech on incident response and is actively involved in the TracerFIRE program, which simulates real-life incidents for college students. He empowers individuals throughout the nuclear security enterprise, equipping them with the knowledge they need to participate in incident response.

“One of the best things about Sandia is the wide scope of cyber professionals we have; the breadth and depth of expertise is impressive, especially with site assists. There’s a strong bench of talent we can lean on for support,” Kelcey said.

A vision for the future

As Kelcey continues his mission, he remains committed to staying ahead of the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. He is particularly excited about exploring exploding technologies like artificial intelligence and generative AI, viewing them as new challenges to tackle. Two key questions hold his attention: how can we better detect when AI is being abused, and how can we leverage AI as an ally to accelerate our incident response capabilities?

With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Kelcey Tietjen exemplifies the spirit of Sandia in the ongoing fight against cybercrime.

Get to know Kelcey

Q. What do you like to do when you’re not helping make the world more secure?

A. I’m an avid pickleball player! I used to play rugby, but I’ve since made the switch to pickleball, and I love it.

Q. What do you love most about Sandia?

A. The constant influx of new challenges and innovations. Whether it’s the implementation of a new cloud service or advancements in operational technology, there’s always something new being integrated into the ecosystem.