Meet TCS Network Administrator Matt Kinsley
Matt Kinsley joined the Trussville City Schools Technology Department during the summer of 2021. His responsibilities are vast and vital. Without his expertise, day-to-day teaching and learning would look very different. Maintaining a large network in this high-tech era requires a wide array of skills and talents, including a dynamic personality and sharp interpersonal communication skills.
Q: What is your job title and what are your general day-to-day duties?
A: I am a network administrator. I monitor the network, so things like making sure that the Wi-Fi is functional and user experience is uninterrupted. I monitor traffic on the network looking for any suspicious or malicious traffic and set policies to mitigate security risks. Lastly, a large component of the position is ensuring communication is available building-to-building so that teachers and staff are able to access their files/applications as needed.
Q: What was attractive to you about this position at TCS?
A: What interested me the most in the opportunity to join TCS was becoming a part of and working within this community. My wife and I relocated to Alabama from New York in 2020 and have felt the most at home here in Trussville. In addition, coming from a position where I was solely responsible for all IT aspects, it was nice to join a team environment that you could brainstorm and bounce things off of.
Q: What have been some of your biggest takeaways so far regarding this new role?
A: When a WORF [work order release form] comes in, get on it!
Q: For someone seeking this line of work in which you’re in, what advice would you give them?
A: Learn … and don’t stop learning! Technology is constantly evolving, and new solutions to new problems emerge all the time. I try to spend at least an hour a day on Udemy, YouTube or doing some type of research to enhance my knowledge in areas I know I’m weak in.
Q: Outside of work, tell us a little bit about yourself.
A: My wife and I have a little boy, Charlie, who just turned a year old. I love to participate in all sports and watch a few. I’m also a huge Michigan Wolverines fan and have a Zaxby’s salad almost every day for lunch.
– Submitted by Trussville City Schools.