Simmons takes cyber fast track thanks to UNG

The path that led Zach Simmons to a career in cybersecurity is marked at every turn by the impact of the University of North Georgia (UNG).

Stacy Wright, his STEM teacher at Creekside Christian Academy in Hampton, Georgia, attended one of the first cyber teacher camps at UNG. She returned to Creekside encouraging her students to play CyberStart America, a competition that would allow them to earn scholarships for cyber certifications. Simmons was one of those students. UNG also led CyberStart recruiting efforts in Georgia.

After graduating from high school in May 2023, Simmons jumped in headfirst to UNG's cyber program, earning a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity and a master's degree in computer science within a combined span of two and a half years. A December 2025 graduate from the master's program, Simmons now works at Chick-fil-A's corporate offices in vulnerability management. He will begin a new role in cybersecurity engineering with Samaritan's Purse in September.

Wright fondly looks back to her student's high school days and remembers letting Simmons know she was ahead of him in the CyberStart game.

"He went home that weekend and made sure he was going to beat my score," Wright said. "After that, there was no looking back."

Simmons carried the same competitive nature into UNG, regularly participating on teams that earned high honors at national and regional competitions. Between weekly CyberHawks student club meetings, classes and other interactions, Simmons was in an ideal atmosphere.

"There was something every day of the week where you could learn from some of our top students," Simmons said.

Dr. Hyungbae Park, associate professor of computer science and cybersecurity, marveled at Simmons' commitment to growth and excellence.

"He was trying to build as many skill sets as possible," Park said. "If you want to be at the top of your game, it requires dedication and patience. Sometimes it's going to take time to work on those tasks."

Dr. Pedro Diaz-Gomez, a visiting professor of cybersecurity, said Simmons "thinks like a researcher" and brings a refreshing humility that makes him a strong teammate. Diaz-Gomez also appreciates how Simmons can inspire others.

"Zach is a great example to all our other students," Diaz-Gomez said. "He helps other students see what they can do."

A prime example of that mindset came when Simmons taught car hacking alongside Dr. Bryson Payne, director of UNG's Institute for Cyber Operations and professor of computer science and cybersecurity, at Alliance Academy for Innovation. Before long, he was giving the talks at the Forsyth County high school on his own. Payne is grateful to see Simmons thriving early in his career.

"It's great to see that cycle produce students who want to work in the federal government or our communities," Payne said. "Zach still gets to live in Georgia and be a leader in cybersecurity."