Starbucks’ Security Pro Went from Cyber Competitions to Corporate Red Teaming

DeMarcus Williams, a senior security engineer at Starbucks, has built a career defined by creativity, intuition, and persistence. With roles at the U.S. Department of Defense, AWS/Amazon, and now Starbucks, he specializes in offensive security, red teaming, and adversary emulation. In this episode, DeMarcus joins Jack Clabby of Carlton Fields, P.A. and Cyber Florida’s Sarina Gandy (guesting hosting) to share how his love of video games first sparked his cybersecurity journey—and how competitions like the Southeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (SECCDC) cemented his path.

DeMarcus opens up about overcoming imposter syndrome, the unique work-life balance he’s found at Starbucks, and why half of his red teaming comes down to gut instinct. He shares the difference between penetration testing and red teaming, what it’s like preparing for full-scale global operations, and the hacker mindset that still kicks in whenever he walks into a Starbucks café.

In the Lifestyle Polygraph segment, Sarina poses the ultimate face-off: what’s the bigger moment—the walk-up to a boxing ring or to the DEF CON keynote stage? And, between Stone Cold, The Rock, and The Undertaker, who would dominate in a Capture the Flag competition?

Follow DeMarcus on Twitter: https://x.com/medarkus_  @ medarkus_

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Cybersecurity and Curiosity

02:47 Day-to-Day Life of a Senior Security Engineer

05:30 The Role of Gut Instinct in Cybersecurity

08:31 Early Inspirations and the Journey into Cybersecurity

11:35 The Importance of Competitions in Career Development

14:33 Transitioning from Student to Professional

17:34 The Red Team Experience and Its Impact

20:25 Recruitment Opportunities in Cybersecurity Competitions

23:33 Navigating Corporate Culture in Cybersecurity

26:31 Mentorship and People-First Approach

29:11 Lifestyle Polygraph and Fun Insights