dena ketcher
Bio
“I have always had a passion for helping and teaching others and after graduating from Ottawa University with a BA in Education I decided to pursue an MA in Special Education. I have been a Special Education teacher for Shawnee Mission School District since 2006. In my years there I have had the pleasure of teaching every elementary grade level, and currently teach 4th-6th graders. In 2011 I joined the Missouri Army National Guard as a Signal Support Specialist.Three years later I was promoted to Sergeant and deployed to Afghanistan with the 220th Engineer Unit as their Senior Signal Support Specialist. I discovered a passion for IT while I was deployed, as I worked with many different avenues of communication and security during that time.”
Q&A
Q: Why did you decide to come to Centriq?
A: I decided to make Centriq my new home, at least four nights a week after work for the next seven months, because of the flexibility in their schedule and the hands on training. I still work during the day and attend school at night. Also, I learn best by hands on work and being able to make mistakes within a learning environment. The smaller class size allows me to receive more one-on-one support from the instructors, which I appreciate.
Q: What class has been your favorite so far?
A: I have really enjoyed IT Admin 6 since we were able to begin the network build for a fictional company. It is nice to see all the pieces come together and put them to work. I am looking forward to building our network and meeting our client???s needs. I am also very excited for Security +, as security is a very important topic in IT today.
Q: What do you hope to do after Centriq?
A: I am very excited about moving into a new career with new challenges and am looking forward to getting my feet wet after graduating. I would like to use my military background and eventually work for a company that works alongside the government or in Information Security. I understand the need to secure vital information as this was a major aspect of my duties while deployed and will continue to be in my career. Helping others keep their personal information as safe as possible or information vital to our nation is important to me. I want to continue to make a difference in the lives of others.
Q: What other interests do you have?
A: I grew up riding horses and dirt bikes with my Dad, starting at the age of five. I barrel raced all of my horses up until high school. I enjoy being active and outdoors. I like camping, lifting weights, running and have a huge passion for obstacle mud races. I also competed in Judo tournaments for about four years. I have a black belt in Goju Ryu and was an instructor. I enjoy playing video games with my kids (love Resident Evil 5) and am building a gaming PC with my son.