AWS Community Builders - Christmas Edition
Tags: aws, awscommunitybuilders, cbchristmas2022, cloud
Published: 2022-12-20 15:04:36


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/eokp2hr6cxlnzt2zgy7f.png)

## What surprises you most about the community builders program?

Honestly, this is a very hard question to answer considering how talented the individuals are in this program. One of the biggest surprises is the amount of training and resources that have been shared by the AWS team and our fellow community builders. I am incredibly amazed by the amount of community builders that the program has worldwide, and that has allowed me to make several connections and learn new things outside of the United States.

## What's your background and your experience with AWS?

About 4 years ago, I had graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Computer Science with TSU. From there, I started out as a Security Software Engineer for a telecommunications company with a bit of exposure to AWS services such as EC2 and CloudFormation. It made development for me a lot easier, so I decided to get certified in AWS. After getting a few certifications under my belt, I pivoted into Cloud Security. At this moment, I am a Cloud Security Engineer - VP at a financial institution who builds security solutions and frameworks the leverages AWS services.

Currently, I have these four AWS certifications:
- AWS Certified Developer Associate
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- AWS Certified Security - Specialty

Also, I am the lead contributor for [DataCop](https://github.com/damienjburks/DataCop), which is an open-source AWS framework that mitigates S3 bucket attack vectors based on customer configuration. 

To summarize, I have about 2 years of experience in AWS that is heavily focused on development and solutions architecture.

## What’s the biggest benefit you see from the program?

The individuals who are apart of this program share vast amounts of resources and learning material. This is the biggest benefit of this program. The ability to read technical blog posts, contribute to them, create my own, and have folks contribute to them as well. It is a safe environment to network and collaborate on building new things within AWS.

## What’s the next swag item that you would like to get?

I really, really, really, really, really want a Community Builder's hoodie/jacket. I typically wear hoodies and jackets around this time of year both inside and outside since it's fairly cold.

## What are you eating for dinner today? Share the recipe!

Today, I am eating Gumbo! Since I'm a ragin' cajun at heart, it's apart of my tradition to make Gumbo during the winter season. Here is the recipe that I'll share with you all:

- Louisiana Gumbo Base
- Smoked Sausage
- Hot/Spicy Sausage
- Blue Crabs a.k.a Gumbo Crabs
- Raw and Peeled Shrimps

If you'd like a much "better" recipe with times and all that, check this out: [The "best" Gumbo recipe](https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/authentic-new-orleans-style-gumbo/)

## Is there anything else you would like to say about the community builders program in 2022?

It is literally the best program I've been in. It has helped me elevate my career and inspired me to contribute to open source tooling. I'd like to give a special shoutout to the leading team to creating a platform for us to share resources and educate one another about all things AWS.