Stephen Deal, CISSP, is a fractional CISO and vCIO advisor who has spent decades helping small and mid-sized businesses cut through the noise and build security programs that actually work. With a focus on compliance frameworks like SOC 2, HIPAA, NIST, and CMMC, Steve specializes in serving industries where security is non-negotiable — law firms, payroll and bookkeeping firms, and senior living and care facilities. Having navigated the cybersecurity field from practitioner to trusted advisor, Steve brings a pragmatic, people-first perspective to the table — and a firm belief that the best security teams are built on diverse thinking, not just technical credentials. As a partner at Arch Access Control, a Black-owned cybersecurity consulting and advisory firm, Steve helps lead an organization that embodies that belief from the ground up. He also serves as an instructor in the Urban League of Pittsburgh's Tech Academy, teaching the CompTIA Security+ Certification class and actively working to bring underrepresented talent into the cybersecurity field.