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 30 years across the Pentagon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Boeing, and IBM Watson Health (through Merek). He is the CEO of Merek Security Solutions, Executive Director of the Center for Cybersecurity and Cyberpsychology Research (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 completed a 2025–2026 Fellowship at the Center for Digital Thriving at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where his work examined 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.
Where 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, CCCR
Center for Cybersecurity and Cyberpsychology Research, a 501(c)(3) education organization grounded in research
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
30 Years Cybersecurity Experience
U.S. Navy (22 years), Pentagon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Boeing, and IBM Watson Health (through Merek)
The team behind Merek.
Passion. Experience. Diligence.
Seth Watkins
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 supported its rollout across three New Mexico schools.
seth@merek.io
Ashley Parker
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
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
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
Brad brings 20+ years of enterprise technology leadership to Merek, 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
Luke draws 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, CompTIA CASP, PMI–RMP, and Six Sigma Master Black Belt credentials — pairing disciplined audit rigor with hands-on offensive security research.
luke@merek.ioHow we make decisions.
Merek studies how people and technology shape each other, so we hold our own decisions to the same standard. Before any major commitment (a new offer, a market, a partnership, a significant spend), we run it through a structured, AI-assisted advisory review.
The offer
Would the right client feel foolish saying no?
The market
What small market can we serve completely, and how do we reach it?
The product
What is the one thing we do well, and what should we cut?
The money
Who pays, from what, checked against our actual books.
Integrity & governance
Would this hold up if the paper and the ledger were read side by side?
The mission
Does this help people, starting with children, live well with technology?
Each lens tests the decision independently. Every figure is checked against our books, every claim is labeled as verified or opinion, and disagreements are recorded rather than smoothed over. A finding on integrity or on our ability to pay stops a decision until it is resolved.
The lenses are AI advisory personas, not people. They advise; they never sign, and nothing they say is presented as the view of a real director. A person decides: our CEO, Michael Davis, makes every decision, signs it, and keeps the record.
Six industry certifications, one framework practice.
Specialized expertise across compliance, assessment, strategy, and risk management.
CISSP
(ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional
CISM
ISACA Certified Information Security Manager
CGRC
ISC2 Certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (formerly CAP)
CDPSE
ISACA Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer
CCSK
Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge
NIST
Experienced with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and SP 800-171
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 Scarola — 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.