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Kelvin Walker
Manager, Risk Transformation at Optiv Inc
Professional Background
Kelvin Walker is a highly accomplished IT risk management and information security professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in the field. With a proven capacity to lead teams effectively, Kelvin has dedicated his career to the successful delivery of strategies, technologies, and information security projects across various industries, including professional services, financial services, and manufacturing/distribution.
As a senior manager, Kelvin's qualifications are grounded in a robust understanding of IT security strategies encompassing a wide range of technologies and information platforms. He has garnered an excellent reputation for implementing innovative solutions and cost-effective measures that enhance organizational security postures. Kelvin is not just results-oriented; he is also dedicated to fostering an environment of trust and openness, guiding teams towards achieving objectives in a collaborative manner.
Education and Achievements
Kelvin began his educational journey at Cumberland County High School, where he laid the foundation for his future professional path. He pursued higher education at Tennessee Technological University, earning a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. This academic background equipped him with essential knowledge and skills that he would later apply in his varied roles throughout his career.
Work Experience
Kelvin's career is marked by various prestigious roles, showcasing his versatility and expertise in IT risk management and information security. He has served as a Master Security Consultant at DXC Technology, where he was instrumental in advising clients on security strategies within the security advisory services division. Prior to this role, he was an Expert Security Consultant at both DXC Technology and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, lending his insights into security assessments and compliance reviews.
At HP, Kelvin held the position of Expert GRC Consultant, which involved governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) efforts, further solidifying his expertise in regulatory frameworks. He also made significant contributions while serving as the Director and Chicago Practice Leader at SSAE 16 Professionals. His earlier roles encompassed various managerial and consultative positions, including Sr. Business Architect at STA Group, Manager of IT Audit at Grant Thornton LLP, and Sr. Manager at Clifton Gunderson LLP.
Kelvin’s experience extends to consulting independently in risk management and information security, where he provided dedicated support to organizations seeking to strengthen their security and compliance frameworks. His strategic vision and hands-on approach have benefited various clients, especially in the realms of IT audit and business advisory services. Furthermore, his foundational years at Sterling Plumbing Group, both as a Manufacturing Engineer and Sr. Programmer Analyst, introduced him to the critical intertwining of technology and operational efficiency.
Specialties and Skills
Kelvin Walker specializes in an array of critical competencies in his field:
- Information Risk Management: Effectively identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks to safeguard organizational assets.
- Technology Audit and Assessment: Conducts thorough evaluations of IT systems to ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
- Regulatory Effectiveness Review: Offers comprehensive reviews to ensure organizations meet compliance mandates within various frameworks like Sarbanes-Oxley.
- PCI Compliance: Prepares businesses for readiness reviews and compliance needs concerning payment card industry standards.
- Business Continuity Planning: Develops strategies to ensure organizational resilience in the face of disruptions.
- Project Management: Oversees technology-related projects to deliver results on time and within budget.
- Executive Reporting: Prepares high-level reports for executives, summarizing audits, assessments, and strategic initiatives.
- Change Control Management: Implements processes to manage changes to IT systems and services efficiently.
Achievements
Throughout his illustrious career, Kelvin Walker has amassed numerous achievements that highlight his expertise and the impact of his work on organizations. His leadership in conducting SSAE 16 and SOC 2 audits has been pivotal in ensuring clients attain compliance and operational effectiveness. His strategic planning skills have empowered many organizations to align their IT investments with business objectives, optimizing resource allocation and enhancing overall security postures.
Kelvin’s involvement in business continuity planning has also resulted in robust frameworks that safeguard businesses during operational disruptions, enhancing their ability to respond swiftly and effectively. These contributions have positively impacted the organizations he has worked with, ensuring they are not only compliant but also resilient against emerging threats in the ever-evolving landscape of information security.
In summary, Kelvin Walker is a distinguished professional in IT risk management and information security with a rich tapestry of experience spanning over two decades. His commitment to excellence and innovative problem-solving makes him a valuable asset to any organization looking to fortify its security framework and navigate the complexities of information technology.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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