From Trailer Parks
to the Pentagon.
Meet Michael Davis — cybersecurity veteran, cyberpsychology researcher, Harvard fellow, and the founder who named his company after the teacher who changed his life.
Michael Charles Davis
Michael Charles Davis is a cybersecurity veteran, cyberpsychology researcher, and digital wellness innovator whose career spans 25 years across the Pentagon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Boeing, and IBM. He is the CEO of Merek Security Solutions, Executive Director of the New Mexico Center for Cyber Culture & Resilience (NM-CCCR, a 501c3 nonprofit), and the founder of MindfulBytes, a K–5 digital wellness curriculum currently serving 533+ students across three New Mexico schools.
He is currently a Research Fellow at the Center for Digital Thriving at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where his work examines how digital interactions shape children’s emotional and cognitive development. He is also a doctoral candidate in Cyberpsychology at Capitol Technology University, with his dissertation manuscript complete and defense forthcoming.
From a Black child in Southern trailer parks who learned to hide his intelligence to protect family relationships, to safeguarding classified networks at the Pentagon and Los Alamos, Michael’s journey embodies the intersection of lived experience and institutional expertise. He named his company after Mrs. Sharon Merck, the pre-algebra teacher whose mentorship changed the trajectory of his life. The name “Merek” is a deliberate rearrangement of her surname — a quiet act of tribute woven into the identity of everything he builds.
His forthcoming book, CTRL+ALT+HAPPINESS: How Teaching Presence Helps Us Raise Emotionally Connected And Resilient Humans In A Digital World, will be published through CTRL+ALT+Press, an independent publishing imprint he founded to publish work at the intersection of technology, consciousness, and human development.
“Security isn’t a technology problem. It’s a consciousness problem.”
— Michael DavisWhere the Work Lives.
Research Fellow, Center for Digital Thriving
Harvard Graduate School of Education (2025–2026)
Doctoral Candidate, Cyberpsychology
Capitol Technology University — dissertation manuscript complete, defense forthcoming
CEO, Merek Security Solutions, LLC
Cybersecurity consulting at the intersection of technology, psychology, and purpose
Executive Director, NM-CCCR
501c3 nonprofit advancing cybersecurity consciousness and research in New Mexico
Founder, MindfulBytes
K–5 digital wellness curriculum — 533+ students across three New Mexico schools
Founder, CTRL+ALT+Press
Independent publishing imprint for work at the intersection of technology, consciousness, and human development
Board Member, Sky Center
Santa Fe, NM — community-centered nonprofit leadership
Advisory Committee, Empower! Black Futures Community Fund
Santa Fe Community Foundation — grant evaluation and community investment
Member, FBI InfraGard
Public-private partnership for critical infrastructure protection
25 Years Cybersecurity Experience
U.S. Navy (22 years), Pentagon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Boeing, IBM
The Team Behind Merek.
Passion. Experience. Diligence.
Seth Watkins
Director of Operations
Seth brings a solutions-driven approach and commitment to operational excellence. He has been instrumental in optimizing internal processes, enhancing organizational efficiency, and driving seamless execution of Merek’s cybersecurity and compliance initiatives. His work integrating the MindfulBytes K–5 curriculum drove a 95% increase in educator adoption across partner school systems.
seth@merek.io
Ashley Parker
Director of Client Relations
Ashley drives business development, client acquisition, and strategic partnerships across corporate, educational, and government sectors. With a deep background in prospecting, lead generation, and sales strategy, she spearheads cybersecurity solutions outreach and plays a key role in expanding Merek’s reach and positioning in cyber risk management.
ashley@merek.io
Patrick Duffy
Principal Project Manager
Patrick combines strategic oversight with hands-on expertise to deliver high-impact cybersecurity and compliance projects. He leads cross-functional teams, optimizes project workflows, and aligns Merek’s innovative solutions with clients’ unique needs — balancing big-picture strategy with meticulous attention to detail.
patrick@merek.io
Dr. Simesha McEachern
Director of Learning
Dr. McEachern is a visionary educator and advocate dedicated to transforming how individuals and organizations engage with learning, digital literacy, and cybersecurity awareness. With a Doctorate in Education and deep expertise in curriculum development, she leads Merek’s research-backed learning initiatives in cyberpsychology and early childhood digital wellness.
simesha@merek.io
Brad Bennett
CTO Consultant & Advisor
Brad brings 20+ years of enterprise technology leadership to Merek as CTO Consultant & Advisor, most recently serving as Vice President & Enterprise Engagement Leader at Publicis Epsilon, where he directed a 220-person team delivering loyalty and CRM platforms for tier-one financial services clients. His track record includes managing $62M in annual revenue across five SaaS platforms and guiding compliance programs spanning PCI, PII, CCPA, and GDPR — expertise that shapes Merek’s approach to scalable, audit-ready client engagements.
brad@merek.io
Luke Owen
Senior Security Manager & Advisor
Luke serves as Merek’s Senior Security Manager & Advisor, drawing on 15+ years of U.S. Navy cyber operations with the Aviation Signals Intelligence Cyber Command, where he supervised QA audits across 14 highly sensitive government aircraft and ran network vulnerability programs using the NIST 800 series. He holds a Master’s in Information Security & Assurance from Embry–Riddle, an NSA Undergraduate Certificate in Information Security & Assurance, CompTIA CASP, PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI–RMP), and Six Sigma Master Black Belt credentials — pairing disciplined audit rigor with hands-on offensive security research.
luke@merek.ioEight Advanced Certifications.
Specialized expertise across compliance, assessment, strategy, and risk management.
CISSP
(ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional
CISM
ISACA Certified Information Security Manager
CAP
(ISC)² Certified Authorization Professional
CDPSE
ISACA Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer
CyberAB RP
CyberAB Registered Practitioner (CMMC)
NIST
NIST Cybersecurity Framework Certified
CCSK
Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge
GIAC
GIAC Security Certifications
Featured & Recognized.
Newsweek
Expert citation on cybersecurity and metaverse privacy
Authority Magazine
Raising Children With Healthy Social Media & Digital Media Habits
KOAT (ABC)
Cybersecurity expert segment
Santa Fe Magazine
Cyber Mindfulness — from Navy career to founding Merek
Albuquerque Journal
MindfulBytes program profile
New Mexico Living
Teaching how to be mindful when using the internet
“Michael’s curriculum has transformed how our students approach technology. They’re not only more aware of its impact on their emotions and actions but are also developing responsible habits that we know will carry forward.”— Ahlum Scalora, Head of School, Rio Grande School, Santa Fe, NM
Why “Merek”?
The company is named after Mrs. Sharon Merck, a pre-algebra teacher whose mentorship changed the trajectory of Michael’s life. The name “Merek” is a rearrangement of her surname — a quiet, deliberate act of tribute woven into the identity of everything we build. That name is a promise: To make organizations not just compliant, but genuinely conscious. Not just defended, but intentional.
Every engagement reflects that commitment — security built on understanding, psychology, and purpose.
Ready to Work with Michael?
Whether you’re interested in security consulting, research collaboration, speaking engagements, or booking inquiries — let’s start a conversation.