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Sandra Chaparro — Software Engineer

Sandra Chaparro

Software Engineer transitioning into Cybersecurity

I bring real software engineering and application-security experience into my transition into cybersecurity.

View My Work Résumé

My Story

From Software Engineering to Cybersecurity

I'm a software engineer based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. My path started in Computer Science, moved into full-stack software engineering, and has run through production systems ever since — healthcare EHR platforms, internal dashboards, and client web products. That production work kept putting real security problems in front of me: authenticating users, authorizing access, and protecting sensitive data. Cybersecurity is the next deliberate step on that same path, not a restart — I'm building focused knowledge in threat intelligence, OSINT, threat hunting, and AI security through certification study and self-directed learning, on top of the application-security experience I already have. I care about technology that actually helps people, and I bring a developer's instincts to security problems: curious, detail-oriented, and always growing.

What matters to me

Secure by design

Security isn't a phase — it's a mindset.

Mission-driven tech

I'm drawn to projects where the work serves communities, not just growth metrics. Impact is part of my definition of done.

Always evolving

Transitioning from SWE to security taught me that curiosity is a skill. I bring a developer's instincts to hard security problems.

Work

Featured Work

A look at what I've built — from client-facing web products to full-stack software engineering work.

Web & Client Projects

Screenshot of the DR Tile Solutions website

DR Tile Solutions

Client Website

A business website for a tile and remodeling company, with services, a project gallery, service areas, and FAQs built to drive quote requests.

Astro · Tailwind CSS · Vercel

View Project →
Screenshot of the MC the Barber website

MC the Barber

Client Website

A website for a local barbershop featuring a gallery, testimonials, location details, FAQs, and booking/contact functionality.

Astro · Tailwind CSS · Vercel

View Project →
Screenshot of the Salvatierra Digital website

Salvatierra Digital

My Software Development Business

The website for my own web development business, offering custom website development, SEO, and ongoing website support.

Astro · Tailwind CSS · Vercel

View Project →

Software Engineering

Raptor CRM

In Progress

A mobile-first CRM replacing a paper notebook for a user juggling two sales roles — car sales and independent medical insurance — keeping both client lists organized and quick to access between calls.

View Repo →

Dental Practice Management System (EHR)

DSD Cohort

February – March 2025

  • Architected a multi-tenant EHR platform enabling seamless support for multiple dental practices from a single codebase.
  • Developed RESTful APIs for appointment scheduling, treatment tracking, payment processing, and product sales.
  • Implemented JWT-based authentication and role-based access control, protecting sensitive patient health information.

Next.js · TypeScript · Tailwind CSS · Express.js · JWT · Linux · Figma

Frontend Repo → Backend Repo →

Grocery Inventory Management System

DSD Cohort

March – April 2024

  • Developed a full-stack React application that suggests 100+ recipes based on available ingredients and auto-generates grocery lists.
  • Integrated a third-party recipe API and designed a MongoDB backend to store API responses and user preferences.

React · MongoDB · REST APIs

View Repo →

Career

Professional Experience

A summary of my experience — full details are in my resume below.

  • Software Engineer

    Mayan Technologies

    April 2025 – January 2026

    • Built full-stack features for a specialty healthcare EHR — secure payment processing, appointment scheduling, and product sales modules serving 15+ practitioners.
    • Diagnosed and resolved critical performance bottlenecks by optimizing inefficient MySQL queries, cutting API response time from 3.5s to 207ms (a 70% reduction).
    • Strengthened API security by implementing authentication and authorization middleware across endpoints, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive patient information.

    Node.js · Express · React · Next.js · MySQL · APIs

  • Web Developer

    SWITECH

    July 2024 – April 2025

    • Designed and deployed responsive websites, improving user engagement and cross-device usability.
    • Partnered directly with business owners to translate needs into high-performance web solutions.
    • Implemented automated CI/CD pipelines with Vercel and Git, achieving 100% zero-downtime deployments.

    React · Bootstrap · Astro · Figma · Vercel

  • Computer Science Tutor

    Superprof

    December 2022 – July 2024

    • Provided individualized instruction to 10+ students in Java, JavaScript, and C++ through hands-on coding and pair programming.
    • Designed and implemented a curriculum focused on Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) best practices, resulting in a 35% improvement in student code quality metrics.

    Java · C++ · JavaScript

  • Software Engineer Co-Op

    Motorola Solutions, Inc.

    May 2022 – October 2022

    • Developed a centralized React dashboard with OAuth 2.0 authentication integrating the Jira API, providing real-time project visibility across sites.
    • Built responsive Bootstrap front-end interfaces, improving page load performance and data interactivity.
    • Completed FedRAMP compliance training covering security controls, authorization requirements, and industry best practices for services handling federal government data.

    React · OAuth 2.0 · Jira API · Node.js · Express

Transition

Why Cybersecurity

My move into cybersecurity isn't a cold start — production engineering kept putting real security work in front of me: protecting patient data, securing APIs, and completing federal compliance training. This is a continuation of that work, not a departure from it.

Applied in Professional Roles

  • Implemented authentication and authorization middleware protecting sensitive patient data in a production healthcare EHR.
  • Built JWT-based authentication and role-based access control (RBAC) to safeguard protected health information (PHI).
  • Completed FedRAMP compliance training covering security controls, authorization requirements, and best practices for federal data.

Currently Learning

  • Studying for the CISSP certification (ISC2) — in progress.
  • Studying for CompTIA Security+ — in progress.
  • Applying security-first practices in day-to-day development work while building toward threat intelligence, OSINT, threat hunting, and AI security.

Roadmap

Cybersecurity Focus

Where I'm focusing my transition: application security, threat intelligence, OSINT, threat hunting, and AI security.

Application Security

Threat Intelligence

OSINT

Threat Hunting

AI Security

Supporting Certifications & Training

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) — Cert Prep

LinkedIn Learning

Completed

Cert prep course completed via LinkedIn Learning — not the official ISC2 CC exam credential.

View Credential →

CISSP

ISC2

In Progress

CompTIA Security+

CompTIA

In Progress

AI Fluency Framework & Foundations

Anthropic

Completed

Claude Code 101

Anthropic

Completed

Claude 101

Anthropic

Completed

Cloud Foundations

Epicor

Completed

Application Studio Foundations

Epicor

Completed

Toolkit

Technical Skills

Software Engineering

JavaScript · TypeScript · React · Next.js · Chakra UI · Tailwind CSS · Bootstrap · C#

Application & API Security

OAuth 2.0 · JWT · Authentication & Authorization · RBAC

Databases & Backend

Node.js · Express · SQL · MySQL (Sequelize) · MongoDB (Mongoose) · APIs

Tools & Platforms

Git/GitHub · CI/CD · Linux

Background

Education

  • B.S. in Computer Science and Information Systems Engineering

    Fort Hays State University

    June 2019 – December 2022

    • Delivered full-stack projects using Java, JavaScript, PHP, and C++ with a 100% on-time completion rate, deployed on Heroku and Netlify.

  • English

    Arizona State University — Global Launch

    2018

Evidence

Full Résumé

For the complete breakdown of roles, responsibilities, and technologies, download the full résumé.

Download Résumé →

Get in touch

Contact

Have a role, project, or opportunity in mind? Send a message and I'll get back to you.

Find me elsewhere

LinkedIn

© 2026 Sandra Chaparro.