Mark is a Lead CMMC Certified Assessor (CCA), Provisional Instructor for CCP and CCA courses, and President & Co‑Founder of 1st Defense CMMC. With over 25 years in IT, cybersecurity, and compliance–including leadership roles at IBM Global Services and Microsoft Federal–he brings deep practical experience to the CMMC ecosystem. Mark has participated in more than 30 CMMC Level 2 assessments, giving him firsthand insight into assessment expectations, common challenges, and effective preparation strategies. He holds CISM and PMP certifications and a master’s degree in Information Systems Management.