Deirra Footman
Deirra J. Footman is a network engineer and security professional with 15 years of experience across K–12 education, govtech, healthcare, finance, and consulting. Based in Baltimore, she developed an early interest in technology that led her to the Cisco Networking Academy and an internship with Baltimore City Public Schools, launching her career in IT.
She specializes in data center networking and security, with expertise in network refreshes, segmentation, and enterprise security solutions. Her technical focus includes Cisco ACI, ISE, and Nexus platforms, and she has led large-scale transformations centered on performance, scalability, and Zero Trust architecture.
Deirra is evolving into enterprise security leadership, focusing on strategy, resilience, and guiding teams through complex challenges. She is also the voice behind “Deirra Decoded,” where she shares insights through content and speaking, helping others grow in their careers.