#CyberChats Podcast Summer Series '25: Launching Cyber Careers: UMGC Students Share their Pathways to Cyber
Mike Gronau
Mike Gronau is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, cybersecurity engineer, ethical hacker, and competitive CTF player with a passion for offensive security, malware analysis, and red team operations. He has built his career on bridging deep technical expertise with a strong understanding of governance, risk, and compliance.
He holds multiple industry certifications, including CISSP, CASP+, PenTest+, CySA+, and Security+, and has applied his skills in both government and private sector environments. Mike has spent years competing in collegiate-level cybersecurity competitions with the UMGC Cyber Team, placing at regional and national levels, and volunteering as a red teamer for the U.S. Department of Energy’s CyberForce competition.
In his free time, Mike breaks things to understand how they work — from reverse engineering malware to developing custom tools for offensive security. Driven by curiosity and a hands-on approach, he is always looking for new ways to sharpen his skills and share what he learns with others in the community.
