# Barklee Sanders

> Senior Systems Engineer | Senior Support Engineer & Cybersecurity Engineer | AI/ML Automation (Python) & LLM Prompt Engineering With AiVAclaims.com | Policy Advisor | Forward Deployed Engineer | Software Architect

Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/barklee

Senior Support Engineer | 16+ Years | IT Transformation Leader | Automation, AI & Security Strategist | Secret Clearance Eligible 

Accomplished and results-driven Senior Support Engineer, leveraging over sixteen years of extensive experience to excel within dynamic, high-growth technology leaders such as Robinhood and Meta Platforms. I possess proven expertise in architecting, implementing, and meticulously optimizing innovative IT solutions, with deep specialization in strategic process automation, impactful AI/ML integration comprehensive enterprise cybersecurity enhancements (including robust Okta & FIDO2 implementations), and modern DevOps operational principles . 

My comprehensive background encompasses managing complex system administration duties across diverse enterprise platforms including ServiceNow, Google Workspace, and Apple Ecosystems. I have a rigorously demonstrated track record of successfully leading mission-critical technology projects, expertly resolving intricate technical incidents impacting thousands of global users, and delivering substantial, clearly measurable improvements in operational efficiency, crucial end-user satisfaction metrics, and overall organizational security posture. 
Professionally certified in Google Cybersecurity and CompTIA Security+ . 

AiVAClaims.com 
Building something personal and powerful for our veterans.
As the solo founder of AiVAClaims.com, I set out to solve a frustrating and deeply personal problem: why does it take so long for veterans to get the 100% disability rating they've earned?
So I built a platform that uses AI, automation, and veteran-first design to fast-track the process—because every day without full benefits is a day too long.
🚀 On average, we’re helping veterans secure a 100% rating in just 80 days.
 That’s 43% faster than the VA’s 141-day average—and more than 4× faster than the 341-day pace of most law firms.
💵 Why this matters:
$3,831.30/month for a veteran rated 100% (no dependents)
That’s $45,975.60/year—and nearly $1.38 million over 30 years
🔓 The impact goes beyond compensation:
Comprehensive health care through VA and TRICARE
GI Bill and educational access for family
Zero-down home loans
Survivor and dependent benefits
My mission with AiVAClaims.com is to secure every benefit faster, more reliably, and with genuine care, especially for veterans who've been waiting far too long.
If you're a veteran or you support one
I'd love for you to check out what I'm building. 
It's one founder, one mission: deliver results with dignity.

## Work Experience
### Senior System Engineer @ You.com
Jan 2025 – Present | San Francisco, California, United States
You.com is an enterprise AI platform dedicated to providing secure, accurate, and flexible AI solutions.
Our company has recently secured $100 million in a Series C funding round, bringing our valuation to $1.5 billion.
In my current role, I am actively engaged in the following:
I own and expand our company-wide endpoint infrastructure across macOS, Windows, and Linux, ensuring a reliable and secure device experience for our rapidly growing, AI-focused workforce.
I am responsible for automating the entire asset lifecycle, from procurement to decommissioning, using Python scripts, App Sheet workflows, and AI bots. This maintains real-time inventory accuracy and minimizes manual effort.
I administer and optimize mobile device management platforms like Rippling and Jump Cloud to enforce security policies, streamline the onboarding process, and support hundreds of distributed endpoints.
I provide VIP, white-glove support to our executives and cross-functional teams, handling escalations with speed and empathy to model service excellence.
To empower employees and reduce repetitive support requests, I build and curate an internal IT wiki, self-service tooling, and onboarding run books.
I integrate and automate scheduling, badge-access, and workflows within the Slack/Google ecosystem to improve collaboration, facility utilization, and incident response times.
I partner with the Security, DevOps, and People teams on critical SOC 2 and zero-trust initiatives, working to align controls, close gaps, and foster a culture of security-by-default.
Utilizing AI-enhanced observability tools, I monitor and remediate network, VPN, and endpoint events in real time to preempt issues and maintain compliance targets.
I champion a culture of continuous improvement by sharing best practices and mentoring colleagues.

### Chair Of The SFPUC Power Subcommittee @ San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Jan 2024 – Present | San Francisco, California, United States
Led oversight and advocacy efforts as Chair of both the SFPUC Power Subcommittee and District 6 Citizens Advisory Committee, focusing on utility performance, equity, and infrastructure reliability for underserved communities.

Successfully advocated for comprehensive inspection protocols and enhanced oversight of the Treasure Island power grid, directly contributing to a measurable reduction in recurring outages across the island—an area historically impacted by persistent service disruptions. 

Acted as a vital liaison between SFPUC and the District 6 community, ensuring transparent communication of utility service changes, addressing resident concerns, and promoting accountability in public-facing operations.

Elevated public awareness of Treasure Island’s long-standing infrastructure crisis, highlighting a pattern of 500+ outages over 25 years (approximately one every 2–3 weeks). Mobilized support for a citywide emergency declaration, a formal grid upgrade report, and a comprehensive cost analysis to ensure a reliable energy future.

Spearheaded community-driven campaigns to push for sustainable infrastructure and energy equity, emphasizing San Francisco’s obligation to uphold world-class standards of service.

Passionate about sustainability, resilience, and transparency, with a clear mission: to lead initiatives that drive systemic reform, ensure grid reliability, and build a more energy-efficient and just future for all San Franciscans. 

For more details or to join the advocacy movement, visit: treasureislandsfpoweroutages.com

### Energy Policy Advisor - Public Utilities Advisory Board Member, District 6 @ San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Jan 2021 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco, California, United States
Appointed by District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney
Granicus Board Info - https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/boards/w/098a146c082ae14e/boards/6464

Appointed by Supervisor Matt Haney to represent District 6 on the San Francisco Public Utilities Citizens Advisory Committee, providing strategic input on utility planning and oversight for Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island.

Successfully advocated for comprehensive inspection and oversight measures for the Treasure Island power grid, leading to a notable reduction in power outages across a community that had experienced 500+ outages over 25 years—with disruptions lasting 3–5 hours every 2–3 weeks. ⚡

Served as a trusted liaison between the committee and local residents, ensuring transparent communication of utility updates, voicing community concerns to city leadership, and driving policy discussions grounded in lived experience and data.

Played a key advisory role in utility decision-making, offering district-specific insights to the City Council and SFPUC on critical infrastructure challenges, sustainability efforts, and equity-focused service delivery.

Proactively raised public and governmental awareness about long-term energy reliability issues affecting marginalized residents, helping lay the groundwork for grid modernization efforts and accountability measures.

### Founder, CEO & Founding Forward‑Deployed Software Engineer @ AiVaClaims
Jan 2024 – Present | San Francisco, California, United States
Built and launched the VA Claim AI Assistant in 30 days, handling architecture, engineering, and product design independently. The platform helps veterans reach 100 % disability ratings 43 % faster than the national average.

AI System Development — Created a full‑stack web platform that integrates document parsing, disability code analysis, and personalized benefit discovery using Google Gemini APIs.

Frontend Architecture — Built a responsive and scalable frontend in React, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS, managing complex claim workflows with accessibility in mind.

Google Ecosystem Integration — Operate entirely within Google’s AI ecosystem using Gemini CLI, AI Studio, and Google Deep Research to build, refine, and deploy features rapidly.

Automated Coding with Jules  -  Used “Jules,” a Google‑built AI coding agent, for test writing, bug fixes, refactoring, and repetitive engineering tasks, dramatically increasing speed and consistency across updates.

Prompt Engineering System — Designed a custom GPT‑based prompt‑optimization layer to improve clarity and structure before feeding tasks to agents like Jules or Gemini, boosting performance and accuracy.

Multimodal AI Stack — In addition to Google tools, use Grok, OpenAI, Anthropic, and local LLMs for specialized workflows and fallback reliability.


Daily Template Updates — Maintain an evolving .md file and modular AI prompt‑template system, updated daily with research from X.com and developer forums to reflect the latest policy changes, LLM capabilities, and tooling trends.


Veteran‑Centric Design — Built interactive claim‑prep tools, an AI assistant for uploading documents, and a benefits matcher tailored for accessibility and speed.


Tech Stack: React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, PWA, Google Gemini CLI, AI Studio, Gemini APIs, Google Deep Research, Jules (Google AI Agent), GPT Prompt Optimization, OpenAI, Anthropic, Grok, Local LLMs, GitHub, WCAG Compliance, Agile Dev, X.com & Dev Forum Research

### Senior Support Engineer @ Robinhood
Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 | Menlo Park, California, United States
Swiftly resolved a six-month outage of the It@Robinhood.com email alias within 48 hours of being informed. Cleared a backlog of 5,000+ unresolved messages, restoring critical executive visibility and re-establishing trusted communication channels with internal stakeholders.

Designed and implemented Robinhood’s first inventory management system using Google AppSheet, delivering a complete solution in under three weeks. The platform successfully tracked 1,000+ IT assets, reducing retrieval time by 30%, enhancing data accuracy, and enabling real-time hardware lifecycle visibility.

Automated the creation of 150+ internal IT wikis using ChatGPT and Python, accelerating institutional knowledge capture and improving onboarding speed by 40% for 50+ new hires. This solution reduced dependency on manual training and significantly enhanced knowledge accessibility. 

Deployed an AI-powered IT chatbot, boosting automated resolution rates from 60% to 95%. This innovation saved an estimated 7,280 hours annually—equivalent to $436,800 in labor costs—and drastically reduced repetitive workload, empowering the support team to focus on complex issues. 

Mentored Year Up interns through five months of structured, hands-on IT systems training and career coaching, fostering future talent and promoting inclusivity within the tech workforce.

Introduced a Google Calendar-based appointment system, cutting scheduling conflicts by 30% and streamlining day-to-day field support operations.

Streamlined Slack–Google Calendar integrations, increasing scheduling accuracy by 20% through automation of availability checks, confirmations, and reminders.

Scaled Glean’s AI-powered Chat LLM org-wide, automating 80% of internal IT queries and saving 10+ leadership hours weekly, unlocking capacity for high-value strategic work.

### Senior Enterprise Support Engineer @ Meta
Jan 2017 – Jan 2023 | Menlo Park
Provided White Glove technical support to M-Team executives and high-priority VIPs, consistently surpassing service benchmarks. Resolved critical, time-sensitive technical issues approximately 7.5x faster than the team average (~23 mins vs. ~173 mins) while managing 7.5x the standard monthly ticket volume (~450 vs. ~60), showcasing exceptional efficiency and performance under pressure.

Engineered a custom Python automation script to streamline a previously manual and resource-intensive meeting scheduling workflow. This solution drove conservative annual cost savings of $1.7M+, reclaiming 28,800+ labor hours, significantly reducing operational burden and increasing productivity.

Spearheaded a global user onboarding process overhaul, cutting system access provisioning time from several months to just two weeks, resulting in vastly improved onboarding experiences and operational agility for new hires at scale.

Redesigned mission-critical on-call infrastructure and protocols, reducing service downtime incidents by 40% and enhancing operational reliability across global support environments.

Led the Task-IQ Machine Learning Project deployment within Meta’s infrastructure, successfully eliminating 100% of manual task allocation for select workflows and improving issue resolution time by 25%, showcasing strong integration of ML to optimize support operations.

Supported and administered a vast enterprise infrastructure footprint spanning 100,000+ systems (macOS, Windows, Fedora, Ubuntu) and 50,000+ mobile devices, using MobileIron MDM for end-to-end lifecycle management. Delivered consistent, high-impact operational support across a globally distributed environment.

### Urban Planning Consultant - Treasure Island Citizens Advisory Board Member @ Treasure Island Development Authority Citizens Advisory Board
Jan 2020 – Jan 2022 | San Francisco, California, United States
Appointed by the Mayor of San Francisco to provide input and strategic recommendations on the redevelopment of Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island, with a focus on community advocacy, housing equity, and infrastructure improvements.

Collaborated with city officials, community leaders, and organizational stakeholders to ensure resident concerns were elevated and incorporated into development planning. Provided ongoing feedback on environmental impact, community benefits, housing policies, and public space enhancements.

Acted as a key liaison between the Treasure Island Development Authority and island residents, facilitating two-way communication, gathering feedback, and translating complex redevelopment updates into actionable insights for the community.

Successfully advocated for toll exemptions for existing residents, protecting long-term affordability and access. Supported housing transitions by championing rent control measures and helping residents relocate to upgraded units within the redevelopment.

Contributed to the revitalization of a neglected community park, providing a safer, more engaging space for local children. Organized family-focused programming such as movie nights to foster community connection.

Advocated for improved public health access, including the establishment of a COVID-19 vaccine site on the island and battery backup support for residents with medical equipment needs.

Drove community beautification by securing the installation of additional trash receptacles and supporting app-based delivery services to improve quality of life for residents.

Assisted in expanding board representation by helping secure appointments for two additional community members, promoting inclusive governance and accountability.

Maintained a steadfast focus on environmental justice and equitable development, working to address systemic challenges and empower marginalized voices throughout the redevelopment process.

### Policy Advisor - San Francisco Environmental Equity Consultant @ San Francisco Planning Department
Jan 2021 – Jan 2022 | San Francisco, California, United States
Appointed by the Mayor of San Francisco to provide strategic input and community-driven recommendations on the redevelopment and environmental planning of Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island, with a focus on equity, sustainability, and public health.

Active member of the Environmental Justice Working Group, advocating for equitable access to healthy, sustainable environments for communities of color and low-income neighborhoods across San Francisco.

Raised awareness of environmental justice challenges, including ongoing pollution, frequent power outages, food deserts, and lack of recreational spaces in underserved communities such as Treasure Island.

Collaborated with environmental advocates, city officials, and grassroots organizations to address systemic disparities and ensure marginalized voices were centered in policy discussions.

Contributed to the development of San Francisco’s Environmental Justice Framework and its integration into the General Plan, ensuring that policy commitments were shaped through authentic community engagement with impacted residents.

Championed initiatives that promote access to clean air, reliable energy, nutritious food, and safe public spaces for all residents and workers, aligning efforts with broader goals of climate resilience and social equity.

Played a key role in advancing a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for San Francisco through community empowerment, environmental policy reform, and cross-sector collaboration.

### IT Operations Consultant - Signal Support Systems Specialist (25U) @ US Army
Jan 2014 – Jan 2020
Led end-to-end management and security of critical network infrastructure supporting high-stakes military operations, ensuring availability, speed, and integrity of communications in forward-deployed and strategic environments.

Implemented a secure base-wide network in the Indo-Pacific region, improving data integrity and cybersecurity by 38%. Orchestrated a full network upgrade—replacing legacy switches and routers—to increase speed and reliability by 52%.

Spearheaded network segmentation initiatives across multiple units, resulting in a 27% reduction in internal threats and improved operational performance.

Developed and enforced access control policies, reducing unauthorized access incidents by 63%, and strengthening zero-trust architecture compliance.

Delivered responsive technical support to over 500 service members, maintaining a 94% first-call resolution rate for hardware, software, and network issues. Designed a remote support strategy, cutting on-site visits by 28% and enhancing field efficiency.

Played a key role in the seamless transition during a major command center network upgrade, ensuring zero downtime and uninterrupted operational readiness.

Installed, configured, and maintained tactical telecom systems, including the deployment of a satellite uplink at a forward operating base that improved communication reliability by 32%.

Conducted RF spectrum analysis during critical missions, optimizing signal clarity by 22%, and delivered hands-on training to teams, reducing equipment downtime by 17%.

Led cybersecurity operations, conducting security audits and implementing a multi-layered defense strategy using firewalls and intrusion detection systems.

Mitigated vulnerabilities, reducing breach incidents by 9%, and passed high-level security inspections with zero critical findings through ongoing assessments and compliance enforcement.

### IT Specialist-Intern Co-Op @ BorgWarner Inc.
Jan 2016 – Jan 2016
Provided end-to-end technical support and systems management, including hardware and software troubleshooting, network administration, and desktop support, ensuring seamless day-to-day IT operations.

Assisted in the successful deployment of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system (e.g., SAP), leveraging Asana to manage project timelines, assign responsibilities, and ensure milestone completion across departments.

Collaborated with cross-functional stakeholders—including finance, operations, and IT—to gather ERP system requirements, ensuring the solution integrated smoothly with existing business workflows and delivered value across the organization.

Led comprehensive testing and QA efforts using Selenium, identifying and resolving critical system bugs prior to go-live. Ensured the ERP platform functioned efficiently and aligned with user expectations and performance benchmarks.

Played a key role in developing formal IT policies and procedures, conducting in-depth research via Gartner and other authoritative sources to benchmark best practices and regulatory compliance requirements.

Utilized collaborative platforms such as Google Docs and Microsoft Teams to draft, revise, and disseminate policies efficiently, fostering internal alignment and enabling dynamic, cross-team feedback and discussion.

Coordinated with legal and compliance departments to ensure all IT governance documentation was in alignment with applicable laws and internal audit requirements, mitigating organizational risk.

Implemented Microsoft Teams as a standardized internal communication tool, significantly improving document sharing, collaboration, and policy awareness.

Developed and launched a centralized knowledge base using Confluence, providing staff with real-time access to IT documentation and ensuring consistency and adherence to established protocols across teams.

### IT Strategy Consultant - Technology Specialist @ Equus Advisors | Accounting and Tax Professionals
Jan 2015 – Jan 2016
Designed and deployed a robust data backup strategy using both cloud storage and NAS solutions, ensuring critical business data was protected with reliable recovery mechanisms and minimizing the risk of data loss.

Installed and configured tax software across multiple workstations, streamlining compliance workflows and improving the speed and accuracy of tax processing during peak filing periods.

Digitized legacy paper-based tax records by implementing optical character recognition (OCR) technology, significantly improving document accessibility, reducing manual entry, and enhancing operational efficiency.

Enforced best-in-class cybersecurity practices, including regular patching and updates, firewall configuration, and staff training, successfully strengthening protection of sensitive financial data and reducing exposure to potential threats.

### Tech Sales Supervisor @ Staples
Jan 2012 – Jan 2013
Achieved an outstanding 367% growth in both sales revenue and customer base within just six months by implementing data-driven sales strategies and consistently exceeding performance benchmarks.

Led and mentored a team of sales associates within the technology department, providing coaching, setting performance goals, and monitoring results to ensure alignment with store objectives.

Developed and delivered sales training at the district level, sharing proven tactics and best practices to elevate team effectiveness and drive regional performance.

Hired, onboarded, and trained new sales staff, fostering a results-driven environment built on collaboration, product expertise, and customer service excellence.

Ensured high levels of customer satisfaction by delivering personalized technology consultations, offering tailored product recommendations, and resolving concerns with professionalism and care.

Met and exceeded personal sales targets, demonstrating expert-level knowledge of consumer tech products and accessories while maximizing upsell opportunities and repeat business.

Maintained an efficient, visually appealing, and fully stocked tech department, optimizing merchandising, operations, and the in-store customer experience.

Cultivated strong leadership and communication skills, creating a motivated team culture with a shared passion for technology and a focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences.

### Computer Hardware and Software Specialist - IT Support Consultant @ Plan First Technologies
Jan 2011 – Jan 2012
Provided technical support and maintenance for computer hardware and software, improving user experience and reducing downtime across the organization.

Automated repair workflows using PowerShell scripting, increasing efficiency and accelerating troubleshooting processes by 30%, significantly reducing time-to-resolution.

Diagnosed and resolved hardware/software issues, ensuring optimal system performance and uptime through proactive problem-solving and root cause analysis.

Installed and configured new computer systems, fine-tuning settings and user environments to enhance usability, reliability, and performance.

Performed routine maintenance, including system updates, patches, and backups, to maintain system integrity and protect sensitive data.

Set up and maintained local networks, ensuring seamless connectivity, collaboration, and integration across devices and users.

Delivered responsive technical support to end-users, effectively resolving inquiries and guiding users through issue resolution and system optimization.

Developed and implemented IT policies and procedures, promoting secure, standardized, and efficient IT operations throughout the organization.

Collaborated with users to troubleshoot technical issues, educate on best practices, and identify opportunities to improve overall system use and productivity.

Contributed to organizational success by applying strong technical acumen to improve system performance, increase user satisfaction, and support core business functions.


## Education
### Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Onondaga Community College

### High School Diploma in Computer Infortmation Systems
Cortland Junior Senior High School


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/barkleesanders
- Website: http://barkleesanders.com
- Website: https://cal.com/barkleesanders

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Source: https://flows.cv/barklee
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/barklee/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-01