Mark Foster
About Mark Foster
Mark Foster is a Sr. Systems Engineer specializing in Infrastructure, currently working at ExtraHop in Seattle, Washington. He has extensive experience in IT security and systems engineering, with a career spanning over two decades in various roles across notable companies.
Work at ExtraHop
Mark Foster currently serves as a Senior Systems Engineer specializing in Infrastructure at ExtraHop, a position he has held since 2022. Prior to this role, he worked at ExtraHop as a Senior IT Security Engineer from 2014 to 2022, accumulating eight years of experience within the organization. His tenure at ExtraHop has allowed him to develop a strong foundation in systems engineering and IT security within the technology sector.
Education and Expertise
Mark Foster has a diverse educational background. He studied at the University of Washington, where he earned a Certificate in Digital Forensics from 2012 to 2013. He also attended Lake Washington Technical College, obtaining a Certificate in Drafting, CAD & Technical Illustration from 1993 to 1994. Additionally, he holds an AA Degree in Math, Physics, and Computer Programming from North Seattle College, completed between 1994 and 1998. Mark is also a Certified Advanced Security Practitioner through CompTIA and holds a CISSP certification, reflecting his expertise in information security.
Background
Mark Foster has extensive experience in the technology field, with a career spanning several roles and organizations. He worked as a Recovery Team Engineer at Dell/EMC Isilon from 2011 to 2014 and served as a Linux Server Engineer at the Port of Seattle from 2004 to 2008. His earlier career includes positions as a System Engineer at Verisign Naming and Directory Services from 2001 to 2004 and as a CAD Drafter & Technical Illustrator at Boeing from 1992 to 1995. He also held the role of CTO at Medius Interactive from 1995 to 1998.
Contributions to Open Source and Community
Mark Foster has been actively involved in the open-source community as a Ports Maintainer for FreeBSD since 2005, indicating his commitment to software management and contribution. He is also engaged with Free Geek Seattle, promoting technology reuse and education. Additionally, he contributes to local tech communities through his involvement with the Greater Seattle Linux Users Group (GSLUG) and the Seattle BSD Users Group (SeaBUG).