{"id":835,"date":"2022-06-09T17:18:39","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T17:18:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/startersites.io\/elementor\/persona\/?page_id=835"},"modified":"2026-08-13T21:01:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T21:01:46","slug":"about-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/?page_id=835","title":{"rendered":"About Me"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"835\" class=\"elementor elementor-835\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f5e726 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6f5e726\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1098c2 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d1098c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/profilepic.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1533\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/profilepic.png 320w, https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/profilepic-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/profilepic-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a70e808 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a70e808\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef44ba0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ef44ba0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Hi, I&#8217;m Matthew Vallejos, a CompTIA Security+ certified cybersecurity professional working toward a career in security operations, with a genuine interest in offensive security as my longer-term direction.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10e7ad2 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-10e7ad2-c1e2775 \" data-id=\"10e7ad2\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"10e7ad2\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-id=\"10e7ad2\">\n    \t\t\t<p class=\"e-91db467-1308669 e-paragraph-base\" data-interaction-id=\"91db467\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"91db467\">My IT journey began in high school when I was enrolled as a junior at Colorado State University - Pueblo. I finished three years of coursework towards a Computer Information Systems Major with an emphasis in Cybersecurity. In my 20's I've pursued employment opportunities as a construction worker and an assistant manager at a fast food restaurant. These experiences allowed me to learn the importance of customer service and a hard work ethic.<br>After re-committing myself to learning and working in Cybersecurity, I've developed my own study path and worked to build my fundamentals in Cybersecurity. Completing Security+ ce, working through hands-on labs in SIEM analysis, endpoint detection, and vulnerability assessment, and getting real practice with tools like Wireshark, Nmap, and Kali Linux, not just watching someone else use them.<br>I've built this website to document my journey in Cybersecurity. Check out my other website: https:\/\/theevidencevault.com\/ for my blog on history and science, and check out my blog articles!<br>Outside of work, I train Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. These arts have helped me develop into a more patient person. They helped me realize how important it is to master the fundamentals and to being willing to learn at all times. I also enjoy reading, especially if it's about history, camping, hiking, and being in the outdoors.<\/p>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d7e0e1e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d7e0e1e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9ff67c4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9ff67c4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d59606f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d59606f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">My Certifications<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54ac7af elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54ac7af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Currently active certifications. Constantly looking to add more and learn as much as possible!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ecc9a75 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ecc9a75\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-167a063 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"167a063\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bcd7944 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bcd7944\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"601\" height=\"601\" src=\"https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Security-png.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1469\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Security-png.png 601w, https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Security-png-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Security-png-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b7cd866 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b7cd866\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e3ceb9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8e3ceb9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-811b517 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"811b517\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7aac459 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7aac459\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Hear It From Matthew<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a3a05a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"a3a05a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;start&quot;:0.1,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"http:\/\/matthewvallejos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthew_Portfolio_Video.mp4#t=0.1\" controls=\"\" preload=\"metadata\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c62cbbb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c62cbbb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2491fa6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2491fa6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40558d3 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"40558d3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-695eb76 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"695eb76\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Contact Me<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be475b5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"be475b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I&#8217;m currently Open for job offers. I&#8217;m looking for an entry-level position in the IT field or entry-level SOC analyst.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a43e7da elementor-shape-rounded elementor-grid-0 e-grid-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-social-icons\" data-id=\"a43e7da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"social-icons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-social-icons-wrapper elementor-grid\" role=\"list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon elementor-social-icon elementor-social-icon-linkedin elementor-repeater-item-62474c5\" href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/matthew-vallejos-5290a526a\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Linkedin<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fab-linkedin\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" 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