A CLEARER VIEW OF THE CLOUD

Looking Beyond Features

To Find Real Value

About


Throughout this website, you will find different sections that provide an overview of how I view technology, systems, and problem-solving, along with some of the ideas and approaches I have developed.


My career began in healthcare, where I worked as a nursing assistant while earning my undergraduate degree in biology. Working in that environment gave me valuable experience, but it also helped me realize that IT was a better fit for the way I think and approach problems.


I tend to look at things from a bird’s-eye view, paying attention to how people, processes, and technology work together. I often notice when something is more complicated than it needs to be and start thinking about how it could be simplified, improved, or organized more effectively. I also consider the cost and look beyond the sales pitch to determine whether a solution offers real value.


That way of thinking is what drew me to IT. I enjoy breaking down complex problems, making connections between different pieces of information, and finding practical solutions that improve how something works.


Fast-paced environments bring out my best work. Had I stayed in healthcare, I probably would have worked in an emergency room because I enjoy situations that require quick thinking, flexibility, and focus. I stay calm under pressure and can adjust when priorities or circumstances change.


At the center of my work is a simple goal: understand the bigger picture, identify what can be improved, and create solutions that are useful, efficient, and meaningful.

Automated Paylocity Human Resources Provisioning

Intelligent automation that transforms new hire data into fully-provisioned, productive employees on day one.

Paylocity

Webhook

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When Paylocity fires
a new-hire webhook,
the event is captured
instantly.

AI Data

Intelligence

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Azure OpenAI cleans and standardizes messy data,fills missing fields, and
validates accuracy.

Identity & Directory

Provisioning

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Automatically creates the user in Microsoft Entra ID with correct attributes,licenses, and roles.

Access & Resource

Enablement

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Grants access to systems, applications, M365 apps, SharePoint groups, and department resources.

Notifications

& Audit Trail

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Sends confirmations to IT and HR and logs every action for full visibility and compliance.

Overview

We connect Paylocity to your digital ecosystem using intelligent automation. When a new hire is added in Paylocity, a serverless workflow captures the event, uses AI to clean and enrich the data, provisions the user in Microsoft Entra ID, assigns licenses and system access, and notifies key stakeholders

all in minutes.

BIG IMPACT, MEASURABLE RESULTS

Faster Onboarding

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New hires are set up
and ready to go
in minutes, not days.

Data Quality

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AI eliminates typos,
inconsistencies, and
missing information.

Stronger Security

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Correct permissions
and least-privilege
access from day one.

Greater Productivity

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Employees have the
access and tools they
need from the start.

TECHNOLOGIES USED

Azure Logic Apps, Azure OpenAI,
Microsoft Entra ID, and Paylocity Webhooks.

WHAT IT AUTOMATES

User account creation, data validation, license
assignment, application access, group
membership, and stakeholder notifications.

WHAT IT REQUIRES

Webhook connection from Paylocity, data mapping
to Entra ID, and workflow configuration.

WHAT IT COSTS

Standard Azure Logic Apps execution
billing and Azure OpenAI token consumption.

Self-Healing Identity Governance

AI agents keep employee access current by identifying and removing permissions that are no longer needed.

  • Compares the current annual access review process with an automated approach.

  • Shows how AI agents monitor access, remove unnecessary permissions, and document every action.

Current Process

Annual reviews leave unnecessary

access in place.

Annual Access Reviews

  • Managers review employee permissions once a year.


Large Permission Lists

  • Reviews often include long spreadsheets that are difficult to validate accurately.


Outdated Access Remains

  • Employees may keep permissions after changing roles, teams, or responsibilities.


Risk Increases Over Time

  • Unused access can expose sensitive systems and company data.

Evolved Approach

AI agents continuously monitor, update

and document access.

Monitor Access

  • The agent reviews sign-ins, file activity, application use, and role changes.

Identify Access That Is No Longer Needed

  • Permissions are flagged when they have not been used, no longer match the employee’s job, or present additional risk.

Remove or Restrict Access

  • The agent removes the permission or requires additional identity verification.

Record and Report the Change

  • Each action is logged, and the appropriate manager is notified.

Tools and Programs


  • Azure AI Foundry Agents

  • Microsoft Entra Identity Governance

  • Microsoft Entra ID Lifecycle Workflows

  • Microsoft Graph APIs


Cost and Licensing


  • Uses Azure AI Foundry compute resources billed through Azure.

  • Requires Microsoft Entra Identity Governance licensing.

Results


  • Unused permissions are removed sooner.

  • Employee access stays aligned with current responsibilities.

  • Access changes are documented for audits.

Zero-Touch Intune Application Updating


Vendor Feed Monitor

  • Intune monitors vendor feeds for new Chrome and Zoom releases.


Release Note Generation

  • Azure Copilot extracts and summarizes the release notes.


  • The summary is posted to a Microsoft Teams channel.


Silent Background Update

  • Intune deploys the updated installers to all endpoints in the background.

How We Manage It:


We remove the chore of downloading and packaging third-party software updates by using managed application catalogs paired with intelligent release trackers.


The workflow:


Microsoft Intune monitors vendor feeds for Google Chrome and Zoom. Upon release, Azure Copilot extracts and summarizes the release notes into a Microsoft Teams channel, and Intune silently pushes the updated installers to all endpoints in the background.


Cost comparison:


Managed application catalogs and release tracking remove the need to manually download, package, and prepare third-party software updates.



Tools and programs being used:


Managed application catalogs and release tracking remove the need to

manually download, package, and prepare third-party software updates.

Implementation difficulty and

timeline:


Low difficulty (1 week). Requires enabling catalog application management and configuring automated deployment rings.



Components to purchase:


Included in Microsoft Intune enterprise licensing.

Automated Invoice Data Extraction


Document Ingestion

  • When an invoice arrives
    via email.

AI Data Extraction

  • Azure Document Intelligence reads
    the line items, standardizes the
    currency formatting.


Database Commit

  • Pushes the structured data directly into an Azure SQL database for accounting.

How We Manage It:


We eliminate manual bookkeeping by deploying optical character recognition tools combined with cloud orchestration to process incoming vendor invoices automatically.


The workflow:

When an invoice arrives via email, Azure Logic Apps pass the PDF to Azure Document Intelligence. The artificial intelligence reads the line items, standardizes the currency formatting, and pushes the structured data directly into an Azure SQL database for accounting.

Cost comparison:

Cheaper immediately. Recovers hours of administrative time spent manually typing invoice details into accounting systems.


Tools and programs being used:


Azure Document Intelligence, Azure Logic Apps, and Azure SQL Database.

Implementation difficulty and

timeline:

Low difficulty (1 to 2 weeks). Requires training a custom document extraction model and wiring the Logic App workflow.


Components to purchase:



Standard Azure Document Intelligence transaction billing.

The Zero Trust Gatekeeper

Identity becomes the security perimeter. Every sign-in is verified before access is granted.

  • This chart shows the move from password-only access to automated Zero Trust gating.


  • Instead of trusting the network, Microsoft security controls evaluate the user, device, and sign-in risk before a session is created.

Legacy Approach

Password Correct = Access Granted

In older environments, a correct password can be

enough—even from public Wi-Fi or an unmanaged device.

Password

Network

App

  • Trust is based on password or location.

  • Device health is not checked first.

  • Risky sign-ins can still reach apps.

  • Problems are often found after access starts.

Evolved Approach

Verify First. Then Grant Access

Before any session token is issued, Microsoft policies

check the user, the device, and the sign-in risk.

Entra ID + Identity Protection flag impossible travel, unfamiliar sign-ins, and risky behavior.

Intune confirms the device is managed, compliant, and ready for access.

Conditional Access allows access, requires MFA, or silently blocks the session.

  • Only trusted users on compliant devices get in.

  • High-risk sign-ins are stopped automatically.

  • Compromised identities are blocked before app access.

  • Security decisions happen in real time.

Programs Used


  • Microsoft Entra ID

  • Entra Identity Protection

  • Microsoft Intune

  • Microsoft Graph API


Rollout Approach


  1. Audit sign-in logs

  2. Run policies in Report-Only

  3. Enforce across production users


Timeline


  • 2–3 weeks

  • Moderate implementation effort


Cost


  • No new software purchases

  • Uses Entra ID P2 with E5 and P1 with F3