Adam K. Clifford
Hands-On Technology Executive · Responsible AI, Data Governance & Security
// AI gives us a head start. People carry us across the finish line.
Oshkosh, WI · 717-826-2000 · adam@cliffords.net · adam.cliffords.net · linkedin.com/in/adamkclifford · youtube.com/@AdamKClifford
Frequent speaker on responsible AI (a dozen+ talks; new sessions 2026) · VP, Wisconsin InfraGard · Operates a self-hosted multi-agent AI lab
Professional summary
People-first technology leader with 20+ years across nearly every seat in the profession: engineer, consultant, founder, Director of IT, and CIO, serving organizations from small business to the Fortune 100 in both public and private sectors. Deep, current expertise in responsible AI adoption, data governance and compliance, and advanced security. I build before I advise. New technology gets proven in my own AI lab before I set strategy or policy on it. I lead people-first, and I measure success by the strength of the teams I leave behind.
Core competencies
Responsible AI Strategy & Governance · Microsoft 365 & Security (Defender XDR, Sentinel, Purview) · Data Governance & Compliance (incl. CMMC) · Cybersecurity Leadership & Zero Trust · Cloud & Identity (Azure, Entra) · Enterprise Architecture · Digital Transformation · IT Operations · Vendor & Partner Management · Team Leadership & Development
Career highlights
- First CIO in Miron Construction's 100+ year history, leading technology, cybersecurity, and innovation for a ~$3B firm with a 60-person IT organization and ~$20M budget.
- Zero attrition guiding a 60-person organization through the company's first-ever CIO transition, while promoting two service-desk team members into new roles.
- Saved nearly $700,000 by negotiating a Microsoft E7 enterprise agreement that extended Copilot from a planned 250 seats to ~1,000 employees.
- Averaged $2.5M per quarter in solution-architecture sales at 70% margin at CoreTek Services; created Graph-API-delivered fixed-bid offerings that opened new revenue streams.
- Migrated 40,000+ mailbox enterprises to Exchange Online and served on active-breach and ransomware response teams at Heartland Business Systems.
- Built and operates a self-hosted multi-agent AI lab, a working study in responsible AI: tiered autonomy, least-privilege and break-glass controls, on-premises privacy.
Professional experience
Miron Construction Co., Inc.
Chief Information Officer · July 2025 – June 2026
Recruited as the first CIO in the company's 100+ year history to establish enterprise technology, cybersecurity, and innovation leadership at a ~$3B commercial construction firm. Led a 60-person IT organization and ~$20M budget.
- Created and led a people-first responsible AI strategy: policy, governance, a champions network, an in-house training curriculum, and company-wide communication positioning AI as an accelerator of expertise rather than a substitute for it.
- Guided the organization through significant institutional change with zero attrition across the 60-person team; promoted two service-desk team members into advanced roles.
- Negotiated a Microsoft E7 enterprise agreement extending Copilot from 250 planned seats to ~1,000 employees, saving nearly $700,000.
- Directed data governance and AI-readiness across Microsoft Purview and Varonis to classify and protect sensitive data ahead of AI adoption.
- Strengthened security posture via Intune CIS hardening, layered Conditional Access that reduced MFA friction, a new privileged-access model (later shared with the InfraGard community), and a continuous penetration-testing program at the cost of one prior point-in-time test.
- Led the CMMC exploratory assessment, established change- and portfolio-management frameworks in ServiceNow, and helped lead the Oracle ERP program including a mid-project integration-partner transition.
- Designed and launched an innovation grant program whose process guardrails turned technology proposals into business decisions the executive committee could act on. Three grants approved and funded in year one.
Clifftech LLC
Owner & Technical Director · November 2023 – June 2025
Independent consultancy serving enterprise clients and multiple Microsoft partners, maturing their Microsoft security, Purview, and modern-work practices.
- Consulted to three Microsoft partners on building AI, compliance, and security practices: go-to-market offerings, sales enablement, and partner specialization strategy.
- Served as virtual CISO and trusted advisor to enterprise clients on security strategy, roadmaps, and risk-based decisions.
- Delivered partner-enablement workshops as a Microsoft Certified Trainer at regional Microsoft offices, in partnership with Microsoft and Technofocus.
- Led data governance and Copilot-readiness engagements: data taxonomies, DLP and insider-risk policy, and data-custodian programs alongside legal, HR, and business stakeholders.
Concurrency
Secure Modern Workplace Technical & Solution Architect · January 2023 – November 2023
- Delivery lead and pre-sales architect for the security and modern-work practice; authored SOWs and led deployments across Defender XDR, Sentinel, and Copilot for Security.
- Created and ran a new security assessment program, including client workshops and team training.
- Presented at the Microsoft Technology Center in Minneapolis on modern security and advanced threat hunting.
CoreTek Services
Senior Enterprise Consultant, Modern Workplace Solution Architect · 2020 – 2023
- Averaged $2.5M per quarter in solution-architecture sales at 70% margin.
- Architected modern-workplace solutions: zero-touch provisioning, modern device management, Purview and compliance, Teams voice, and SharePoint Online.
- Created fixed-bid, Graph-API-delivered go-to-market offerings that opened new revenue streams.
Heartland Business Systems
Technical Architect · 2018 – 2020
- Migrated organizations of 40,000+ mailboxes to Exchange Online; designed MFA, Conditional Access, and passwordless authentication solutions.
- Member of the Security Response Team supporting clients in active breach and ransomware; served clients as a virtual CIO.
- Received Heartland's highest honor for teamwork and integrity; top-10 engineer by billable hours in year one.
School Specialty
Progressive IT leadership through Director of IT Infrastructure & Engineering · 2009 – 2018
- Drove $750,000 in first-year savings through vendor consolidation as Director.
- Defined the Microsoft 365 migration and Azure strategy; implemented DLP, network segmentation, and single sign-on; drove server virtualization to 95%.
- Led an infrastructure merger and support-services transition following an acquisition.
- Recruited and developed two interns, one transitioning from HR, both of whom went on to successful careers in IT.
Spectrum Health
Network and Systems Operator II, IT Security · 2008 – 2009
Thought leadership & community
Applied AI Research (Independent Lab). Design and operate a personal multi-agent AI system on self-hosted infrastructure: role-specialized agents, a shared MCP-based memory and tooling layer, and an on-premises model-serving stack. A working study in responsible AI covering tiered autonomy, least-privilege and break-glass controls, auditability, and privacy. See The Lab →
- Vice President, Board of Directors, Wisconsin InfraGard chapter (an FBI partnership program); AI Advisory Panelist, Fox Valley Chamber of Commerce.
- Speaking & content. A dozen+ conference and webinar talks on responsible AI, security and incident response, and data governance, including the Microsoft Technology Center in Minneapolis, with new responsible-AI sessions in 2026. Technical deep-dive videos on YouTube. See Speaking →
- Empowering the next generation. Cybersecurity Instructor, Microsoft TEALS (teaching high-school students two days per week); IT Advisory Board, Audubon Technology High School; former curriculum advisor, Fox Valley Technical College.
- Community. Volunteer educator teaching free computing and security classes for folks reentering the workforce; Girl Scout troop leader; ELCA East Central Synod council member.
Certifications
Trainer: Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
Expert: Microsoft 365 Enterprise Administrator · Cybersecurity Architect · Teams Voice Engineer
Associate & Specialty: Security Operations Analyst · Information Protection Administrator · Identity and Access Administrator · Azure Administrator · Azure Security Engineer · Security Administrator · Modern Desktop Administrator · Messaging Administrator · Teams Administrator · Exchange Online & Teams Support Engineer
Education
Grand Valley State University, Computer Science
This page is the résumé. For the story behind the highlights, including case studies, decision records, and what I've actually built, see About, Projects, and The Lab.