Meet the Team
At IT Audit Labs, we understand your unique challenges and look forward to providing you with peace of mind and robust protection. Meet our specialists who combine deep technical knowledge with a personal commitment to addressing your information security needs.
Eric Brown
Managing Director
Eric enjoys the challenge of creating order from chaos, gravitating toward opportunities to improve organizational strategy and technical controls. In vCISO/vCIO roles, he excels at empowering technical teams by removing roadblocks and serving as a strategic technical voice within senior leadership. Eric's first vCISO role was actually landed during a vacation in Iceland, initially filling in for a couple of months but ultimately staying in the role for five years. Eric aspires to make valuable connections and solve challenging problems with our partners, clients, and the entire ITAL team. Outside of work, he enjoys aviation, finding peace and perspective offline, and above the clouds.
Expertise:
vCISO, vCIO, Strategic Leadership
Kelly Venzke
Director of Business Operations
Kelly's dedication to cybersecurity stems from her commitment to protecting sensitive information and ensuring digital integrity. With a strong background in operations and project management, she excels in security awareness training and keeping partner organizations secure. At IT Audit Labs, Kelly has spearheaded initiatives to safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII) within Business Operations and HR, significantly reducing business risk and enhancing compliance. Her certifications, including PMP, KMP, and ITIL Foundations 4, underscore her expertise and dedication to the field. Outside of work, Kelly enjoys hiking, exploring nature, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, blending her professional rigor with a love for creativity and relaxation.
Expertise:
Security Awareness Training, PMP, KPM
Victor Barge
Global Delivery Director
Victor's background in digital transformation, and change management makes him a valuable asset to IT Audit Labs and our clients. Before joining, he served as an Enterprise Solutions Director at Daugherty Business Solutions, where he developed capabilities, created solutions, and provided sales enablement. He also led DEI initiatives for the Twin Cities. At Prime Therapeutics, Victor led Infrastructure & Security PMO organizations, addressing the challenges of HIPAA, the Affordable Care Act, ransomware, and GDPR. He is particularly interested in how generative AI will shape the future of cybersecurity, creating new careers and opportunities to make the world more secure. Outside of work, Victor enjoys tennis, cycling and spending time with his dog.
Expertise:
PMO, IT Transformation, HIPAA
Bill Harris
Principal Architect, CISSP
Bill entered the field of cybersecurity for the satisfaction of doing something meaningful, such as securing businesses and government agencies. He focuses on risk management, maturity and vulnerability assessments, and IT governance, holding a CISSP certification. Bill believes the next decade in cybersecurity will be shaped by advancements in AI and quantum computing, impacting both offense and defense. Outside of work, in his words, he enjoys "reading fiction and raising a child. I recommend both; you’ll get perspectives you wouldn’t otherwise have."
Expertise:
vCISO, vCIO, Strategic Leadership
Nick Mellem
Director of Innovation and Outreach
Nick's fascination with technology, cultivated through hands-on experience in the Marine Corps, led him to a career in cybersecurity. He specializes in social engineering, enhancing clients' defenses by understanding adversary tactics, and compliance, navigating standards like PCI, FTI, CJI, CMMC, and NIST to ensure adherence to rigorous protocols. A career highlight was successfully leading a team to recover from a significant social engineering attack, reinforcing his passion for cybersecurity. Outside of work, he enjoys photography and firearm marksmanship with a focus on safety and technique.
Expertise:
Social Engineering, Compliance, CMMC
Cameron Birkland
Security Engineer
Cameron found his passion for cybersecurity through an interest in computer viruses and analyzing massive cyber-attacks. As a key member of our Blue Team, he focuses his efforts on optimizing networking and firewalls to restrict attackers' movements. Outside of work, Cameron enjoys building his home lab with vintage hardware and spending time outdoors.
Expertise:
Networking, Blue Team Operations
Jen Lotze
Principal Consultant
Jennifer Lotze is a cybersecurity expert who brings a unique perspective shaped by her background in special education and her work with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Her experience as an educator gives her an exceptional ability to make complex security concepts accessible to all audiences, while her cybersecurity expertise ensures the content is practical and actionable. With a passion for empowering professionals to protect themselves in an increasingly connected world, Jennifer has become a sought-after speaker and trainer, known for transforming how people think about digital security. Her talent for breaking down technical topics into clear, implementable strategies has made her a trusted voice in the industry, whether she's leading lunch and learn series, speaking at conferences, or helping organizations build stronger security cultures from the ground up.
Mike Lockett
Technical Project Manager
Mike's passion for technology stems from his desire to simplify complexity and empower teams to work smarter. With a strong background in solution architecture and digital transformation, he excels in delivering intuitive, enterprise-compliant solutions that leverage the Microsoft Power Platform suite. At IT Audit Labs, Mike has spearheaded automation initiatives and AI-powered workflows that strengthen processes, improve data flow, and reduce manual effort across multiple business units. His organized, collaborative approach consistently earns praise from customers and colleagues alike—one program manager noted that his work "improved the overall performance of our entire program." Mike's certifications underscore his commitment to staying current with advancements in the Microsoft ecosystem and modern automation practices.
Samuel Cala
Security Engineer
Sam is a Security Engineer and Backend Developer at IT Audit Labs with a strong passion for security and continuous learning. He enjoys learning, breaking, and fixing things to better understand how systems work.
Sam is known for solving problems quickly and efficiently. His technical strengths include rapid development, automation, and threat detection. He enjoys tackling complex challenges and finding practical solutions that improve security and reliability.
Sam is looking forward to working with the R&E team and supporting your day-to-day technology needs.