About Me — Who I Am and Why I Teach

Welcome to the About Me video — the story behind who I am, where I come from, and why I created Mapped Learning.My path through education has been long, intentional, and built on curiosity. I started at Heald College, earning four Associate’s degrees in Applied Sciences: Electronics and Computer Repair, Cisco Networking, Microsoft Networking, and Network and Systems Administration. From there, I earned my Bachelor’s in Network Administration from Western Governors University, followed by two Master’s degrees — one in Information Security and Assurance, and another in IT Management through an MBA program. I’m now working toward my PhD in Information Systems with a specialization in Cybersecurity at Dakota State University, with a planned completion in August 2029.Along the way, I’ve passed more than 25 professional IT certification exams, most of which are still active. I’ll be posting the full list on the Mapped Learning Substack so you can see exactly what I’ve studied and where my expertise comes from.My career has taken me across the entire IT spectrum. I started in retail as a Sales Associate, then moved into IT roles including Desktop Support Specialist, Systems Administrator, Senior Server Administrator, and IT Instructor at two different colleges. Today, I serve as a Cybersecurity Manager — an Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM) supporting the Department of Defense. It’s a role that brings together everything I’ve learned: security, leadership, architecture, troubleshooting, and the responsibility of protecting systems that real people depend on.Mapped Learning exists because I’ve always wanted to teach — but only to people who want to learn. Not to a classroom forced to be there. Not to students checking a box. This platform lets me teach freely, clearly, and without noise.Education is one thing. Knowledge is another.Education is structured and credentialed.Knowledge is what actually changes your life.And I believe knowledge should be free.This channel is yours.Tell me what you want to learn.Ask questions about anything technical that confuses you or that you want to understand better.Mapped Learning is a long‑term project, and I plan to keep building it as long as it helps people who genuinely want to learn.Thanks for being here.If this resonates with you, share it with someone who’s learning too.Everything I create here is free — and if you want to support the mission, the links are below.We’re just getting started. Get full access to Jonathan Lincoln at mappedlearning.substack.com/subscribe