Robert Barstead, Ph.D.
About Robert Barstead, Ph.D.
Robert Barstead, Ph.D., is a Senior DevOps Engineer at Cala Health, with a background in Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics. He has extensive experience in DevOps practices, emphasizing security integration and company-wide collaboration.
Work at Cala Health
Robert Barstead has been employed as a Senior DevOps Engineer at Cala Health since 2022. His role involves overseeing the integration of development and operations processes, with a focus on enhancing efficiency and security within the organization. Located in San Mateo, California, Barstead contributes to the company's mission by implementing best practices in DevOps, ensuring that security measures are adopted across the company.
Previous Experience in DevOps
Prior to his current position, Robert Barstead worked at Exaptive, Inc. as Director of DevOps and DevSecOps from 2015 to 2022. In this role, he was responsible for leading initiatives that integrated security into the development process. He also held a position as a Software and Network Engineer at New Spin 360, LLC from 2013 to 2015, where he gained valuable experience in software development and network management.
Academic Background
Robert Barstead earned a Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder. He furthered his education at Northwestern University, where he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Molecular Genetics. His academic background provides a strong foundation for his analytical and problem-solving skills in the field of technology.
Long-Term Role at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
From 1994 to 2013, Robert Barstead served as an Associate Professor at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. During his 19 years in this role, he contributed to research and education in the field of molecular biology and genetics, which helped shape his expertise in scientific inquiry and analysis.
DevOps Philosophy and Advocacy
Robert Barstead emphasizes the importance of company-wide buy-in for security measures within DevOps practices. He advocates for integrating security seamlessly into the DevOps process to prevent breaches while maintaining operational efficiency. Barstead promotes empowering developers, project owners, and managers with control over the entire development pipeline, ensuring that security is a shared responsibility.