Hello, I’m Michelle Arena.

I work at the intersection of enterprise IT, cybersecurity, and operational risk—helping ensure that complex systems are stable, secure, and audit-ready in regulated environments.

Currently, I’m an Assistant Vice President and Application Manager at BayernLB, where I support mission-critical banking applications across trading, finance, regulatory reporting, and compliance. My work centers on application stability, secure change management, testing, and data validation, with a strong emphasis on understanding how technical decisions impact risk, controls, and the business.

Before banking, I worked in enterprise SaaS implementations at Yardi Systems, where I led complex client rollouts, reduced go-live timelines by 70%, and learned how to translate technical systems into solutions that work for real users. Earlier in my career at Apple, I built a strong foundation in troubleshooting, communication, and delivering reliable support under pressure.

I hold a B.S. in Cybersecurity from St. John’s University (Summa Cum Laude) and a CompTIA Security+ certification. Outside of formal roles, I stay hands-on through projects involving Linux systems, vulnerability assessment, data validation, digital forensics, and custom tooling—because understanding systems deeply matters in security and IT.

Outside of work, I enjoy training my German Shepherd, building and experimenting in my home lab, staying active, and continuously refining my technical skill set.

Explore my work to see how I approach enterprise systems, security, and operational risk in regulated environments.