Dedicated students. Professional mindset. Bridging the gap between classroom and career. A community built on sharing knowledge.
RITSEC History
In the wake of September 11, 2001, students Jared Campbell, Eric Linden, and Matt Hile recognized a shifting global landscape. Under the guidance of Dr. Samuel McQuade, they founded the Security Practices and Research Student Association (SPARSA). For years, SPARSA served as the professional backbone of the program, focusing on academic research, corporate consulting, and security policy. It was the bridge between the classroom and the workforce, helping students secure careers in an industry that was just beginning to define itself.
As the field grew, so did the need for hands-on, tactical experience. The RIT Competitive Cybersecurity Club (RC3) emerged to fill this gap, treating security as a sport. RC3 was the technical powerhouse, dedicated to the “red and blue” mechanics of penetration testing, forensics, and server hardening. Guided by core values of ethics and empowerment, it built a culture where students taught students, ensuring RIT remained a dominant force on the national leaderboard.
In 2018, the two organizations unified to form RITSEC. By combining SPARSA’s professional network and research focus with RC3’s technical rigor and competitive drive, the merger created a single, comprehensive home for security at RIT. Today, RITSEC honors that dual legacy: we are a community that breaks things to learn how to fix them, while possessing the professional maturity to lead the industry.
Current E-Board
The elected student leadership responsible for guiding the club’s vision and daily operations.
Legacy E-Board
The past leadership who laid the groundwork and defined our culture.
2024-2025
RITSEC
Kasey Kiggins
President
Rachel Leone
Vice President
Kip Rath
Public Relations
Lukas Peters
Secretary
Leah Kvares
Head of Education
Will D'Andrade
Head of Research
Drew Young
ISTS
Maxim Kochnev
IRSeC CA
Chase Killorin
CTF CA
David Girard
Treasurer
John Arrandale
Operations Lead
Dan LaChance
Tech Lead
2023-2024
RITSEC
Anthony Ioppolo
President
Kenneth Anderson
Vice President
Sophie Larson
Public Relations
Raina Freeman
Secretary
Kasey Kiggins
Head of Education
Chase Killorin
Head of Research
Zach Price
ISTS CA
Jack Audino
IRSeC CA
Rachel Leone
CTF CA
Albie Snyder
Treasurer
Michael Scalzetti
Operations Lead
Alex Noble
Tech Lead
2022-2023
RITSEC
Bradley Harker
President
Max Fusco
Vice President
Mohammad Eshan
Public Relations
Sarah Dill
Secretary
Kenneth Anderson
Head of Education
Anthony Ioppolo
Head of Research
Michael Vaughan
ISTS CA
Jacob Doll
IRSeC CA
Zach Price
CTF CA
Bailey Powers
Treasurer
Abdulmalik Banaser
Operations Lead
Alex Beaver
Tech Lead
2021-2022
RITSEC
Enzo DeStephano
President
Brayden Werner
Head of Education
Tenchi Mata
Head of Research
Alison Nakai-Lackey
ISTS Competition Architect
Jason Howe
IRSeC CA
Olivia Gallucci
Treasurer
Jazmin Morales
Secretary
Bradley Harker
Director of Public Relations
Philomena Gray
Operations Lead
Max Fusco
Tech Lead
2020-2021
RITSEC
Jonathan Bauer
President
Phillip Babey
Head of Education
Enzo DeStephano
Head of Research
Daniel Szafran
ISTS Competition Architect
Joshua Niemann
IRSeC CA
Spencer Roth
Treasurer
Jason Howe
Secretary
Danielle Schloss
Director of Public Relations
Kyle Schleich
Operations Lead
Ayobami 'Emmanuel' Adewale
Tech Lead
2019-2020
RITSEC
Shannon McHale
President
Owen Siebert
Head of Education
Ian Furr
Head of Research
Jack McKenna
ISTS Competition Architect
Quintin Walters
IRSEC CA
Amanda Brown
Treasurer
Jon Bauer
Secretary
Adrianna Visca
Director of Public Relations
Evan Mikulski/Kyle Schleich
Operations Lead
Sunggwan Choi
Tech Lead
2018-2019
RITSEC
Micah Martin
President
Russell Babarsky
Head of Education
Nick O'Brien
Head of Research
Sean Newman
Competition Architect
Shannon McHale
Treasurer
Jack McKenna
Secretary
Alicen Dipiano
Director of Public Relations
Brandon Adler
Operations Lead
Scott Brink
Tech Lead
2017-2018
RC3
Sean Sun
President
Ohan Fillbach
Vice President
Kristen Tumacder
Competition Architect
Sean Newman
Secretary
Michael Milkovich
Treasurer
Shannon McHale
Treasurer
Bryson McIver
Web Admin
Susan Lunn
Operations
Megan Fritts
Faculty Advisors
Bill Stackpole
Faculty Advisors
2017-2018
SPARSA
Micah Martin
President
Kyle Carretto
VP of Practices
Cameron Clark
VP of Research
Josh Stuts
Treasurer
Russell Babarsky
Secretary
Bo Yuan
Faculty Advisor
2016-2017
RC3
Ben Bornholm
President
Nicholas Piazza
Vice President
Brad Campbell
Tech Lead
Sarah Jacobus
Competition Architect
Sean Sun
Competition Architect
Sean Sun
Web
Ohan Fillbach
Web
Michael Milkovich
Treasurer
Kristen Tumacder
Secretary
2016-2017
SPARSA
Jesse Buonanno
President
Cameron Clark
VP of Practices
Dave Kukfa
VP of Research
Brandon Adler
Treasurer
Jon Myers
Secretary
Bo Yuan
Faculty Advisor
2015-2016
RC3
Scott Vincent
President
Sean McConnell
Vice President
Ed Mead
Tech Lead
Luke Matarazzo
Competition Architect
Jaime Geiger
Web
Ben Bornholm
Treasurer
Pooja Sharma
Secretary
2015-2016
SPARSA
Corrine Smith
President
Tyler Fornes
VP of Research
Jesse Buonanno
Treasurer
Peter Muller
Secretary
Jared Stroud
Graduate Advisor
Bryan Harmat
Graduate Advisor
Bo Yuan
Faculty Advisor
2014-2015
RC3
Jon Barber
President
Jaime Geiger
President
Jaime Geiger
Vice President
Nicholas Piazza
Vice President
Scott Vincent
VP of Administration
Sean McConnell
VP of Technology
Ben Bornholm
Treasurer
Sean McConnell
Secretary
Luke Christian
Secretary
2014-2015
SPARSA
Bryan Harmat
President
Jared Stroud
VP of Practices
Jon Barber
VP of Research
Stanley Chan
VP of Research
Mike O’Gorman
Treasurer
Peter Muller
Treasurer
Corinne Smith
Secretary
Stanley Chan
Graduate Advisor
Bo Yuan
Faculty Advisor
2013-2014
RC3
Brandon Maur
Founder
Thomas Desrosiers
Founder
Zuhdi Abdelkarim
President
Daniyal Syed
Vice President
Jon Barber
VP of Technology
2013-2014
SPARSA
Ben Kelley
President
Bryan Harmat
VP of Practices
Lucas Duffey
VP of Research
Stanley Chan
VP of Research
Claire McKenna
Treasurer
Jared Stroud
Secretary
Ben Andrews
Graduate Advisor
Bo Yuan
Faculty Advisor
2012-2013
SPARSA
Stanley Chan
President
Ben Kelley
VP of Practices
Brandon Myers
VP of Research
Lucas Duffey
Treasurer
Kayla Green
Secretary
Chaim Sanders
Graduate Advisor
Gary Scarborough
Faculty Advisors
Bo Yuan
Faculty Advisors
2011-2012
SPARSA
Ryan Peck
President
Neil Zimmerman
VP of Practices
Chaim Sanders
VP of Research
Lucas Duffey
Treasurer
Stanley Chan
Secretary
Gary Scarborough
Faculty Advisor
2010-2011
SPARSA
Jacob Ruppal
President
Chaim Sanders
VP of Practices
Ryan Peck
Treasurer
Michael Tortora
Secretary
Gary Scarborough
Faculty Advisor
2009-2010
SPARSA
Conner Finlay
President
Jacob Ruppal
Vice President of Practices
Josh Smith
Vice President of Research
Chaim Sanders
Treasurer
Neil Zimmerman
Secretary
2007-2008
SPARSA
Alex Getty
President
Connor Finlay
Vice President of Practices
Josh Smith
Vice President of Research
Adam Burke
Treasurer
Jacob Ruppal
Secretary
2006-2007
SPARSA
Jason Batchelor
President
Alex Getty
Vice President of Practices
Nick Carpenter
Vice President of Research
2005-2006
SPARSA
Jason Batchelor
Vice President of Practices
2004-2005
SPARSA
Jeff Volante
President
Jim Farrelly
Vice President of Practices
Sara Berg
Vice President of Research
Brian Luteran
Treasurer
Jason Batchelor
Secretary
2003-2004
SPARSA
Keith LeClaire
President
2002-2003
SPARSA
Steve Frank
President
Jeff Volante
Vice President of Practices
Keith LeClaire
Vice President of Research
Katie Hathaway
Treasurer
Jim Farrelly
Secretary
2001-2002
SPARSA
Jared Campbell
President
Matt Hile
Vice President of Practices
Gena Daley
Vice President of Research
Reina Smith
Treasurer
Aksh Sehgal
Secretary