
Johnny Sanders, Sarah Wessman, Braden Bailes, and Ron Hulshizer
SOMA Cyber was founded by Braden Bailes and Johnny Sanders, two seasoned professionals with careers steeped in IT operations and information security. Braden, a former Air Force active-duty service member, and Johnny, a retired United States Air Force veteran, built their experience supporting critical technology environments across military and regulated sectors. During their time working together, they developed a shared vision: to build a firm capable of delivering enterprise-grade security services consulting and auditing without the inflated cost and complexity often associated with large consulting firms.
Today, SOMA Cyber is led by an experienced leadership team that includes the newest member of the team, Senior Vice President Ron Hulshizer, who brings decades of banking, governance, and cybersecurity experience to the firm. Ron has spent much of his career serving financial institutions in cyber and compliance leadership roles, including more than twenty years leading cyber services within a national consulting firm and currently serving on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of a community bank. His background in financial reporting, IT governance, and regulatory oversight strengthens our ability to support highly regulated organizations.
Beyond the leadership team highlighted below, SOMA Cyber is supported by a dedicated staff of trained auditors, security consultants, and technical specialists. Many members of our broader team bring experience from nationally recognized consulting firms, federal environments, and highly regulated industries. Together, we provide the depth, structure, and delivery capacity clients expect — while maintaining the accessibility and responsiveness of a specialized firm.
At SOMA Cyber, we help organizations navigate the evolving cybersecurity landscape with clarity and confidence. Our services range from virtual ISO support and comprehensive risk assessments to regulatory compliance consulting, penetration testing, and IT audit services. We serve financial institutions, institutions of higher education, municipalities, healthcare organizations, and businesses of all sizes, each benefiting from tailored, real-world IT expertise aligned to regulatory and operational realities.
As a certified veteran-owned small business, SOMA Cyber combines military discipline, industry knowledge, and practical execution to strengthen security postures efficiently and effectively. We are structured to deliver like a large firm, without losing the accountability, agility, and personal commitment of a focused leadership team.
“Big firm expertise. Community bank rates.”

With a career spanning over 20 years in Information Technology (IT), Braden is an accomplished consultant in cybersecurity, IT risk management, and control assessments. He leads various cybersecurity initiatives, including internal and external network security assessments. Braden also holds the Certified Information Systems Auditor® (C
With a career spanning over 20 years in Information Technology (IT), Braden is an accomplished consultant in cybersecurity, IT risk management, and control assessments. He leads various cybersecurity initiatives, including internal and external network security assessments. Braden also holds the Certified Information Systems Auditor® (CISA®) designation and actively contributes to both ISACA® and the Arkansas Infosec community.
Before establishing SOMA Cyber, Braden accumulated a diverse set of experiences across multiple sectors through a successful IT career, including a role as a Managing Consultant at one of the nation’s largest accounting and consulting firms.
His professional journey began with service in the United States Air Force as a Systems Administrator, Information Assurance Manager, and IT asset management specialist. He later transitioned to government contracting, where he managed IT systems for a significant international project under the U.S. Department of Defense. His industry experience also extends to the telecommunications and financial sectors, including a lead role in managing IT systems at a major bank in Little Rock, Arkansas. Braden found a specialized focus when he joined a large national advisory firm in 2015, becoming a Managing Consultant in IT Risk Services. In this capacity, he conducted comprehensive IT audits in compliance with Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR), Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) control assessments, and Information Technology General Controls (ITGC) reviews specifically targeted at financial institutions. It is here that he also evolved into a dedicated penetration tester.
With over a decade of specialized experience in IT security, Braden excels in identifying and rectifying security vulnerabilities to protect organizational assets. In addition to his professional responsibilities, he remains committed to continuous learning and skill enhancement, actively participating in cybersecurity Capture the Flag (CTF) hacking competitions to sharpen his skills.

Johnny has more than 30 years of information technology (IT) experience. Most of his operational experience was acquired during active duty in the U.S. Air Force and DoD projects where he was a system engineer over multiple platforms, as well as a chief information security officer (CISO).
He focuses on cybersecurity, payment card industr
Johnny has more than 30 years of information technology (IT) experience. Most of his operational experience was acquired during active duty in the U.S. Air Force and DoD projects where he was a system engineer over multiple platforms, as well as a chief information security officer (CISO).
He focuses on cybersecurity, payment card industry audits, IT audits, system security, policy, procedure, business continuity, and disaster recovery reviews for various industries, including healthcare organizations, financial institutions, and institutions of higher learning.
Before establishing SOMA Cyber, Johnny was a director at one of the nation’s largest accounting and consulting firms where he established new business practices and service lines while building a team of well-trained security professionals. Prior to joining his previous firm, Johnny was senior engineer for a large IT company that managed a sizable international project for the U.S. Department of Defense. In addition to leading network and datacenter administration teams, he was responsible for system audits, security, and network accreditation. He also served as the chief operating officer (COO) for a regional broadband development company where he directly managed all installation and IT personnel, as well as overseeing network security and product development.
Johnny also taught basic and advanced network design, network security, and routing administration for Cisco Networking Academy at Arkansas State University. He holds Payment Card Industry Qualified Security Assessor (PCI-QSA), Certified Information Security Manager® (CISM®), Certified Information Systems Auditor® (CISA®), and CompTIA Security+ certifications.
Johnny is a retired member of the United States Air Force and a graduate of Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with a B.S. degree in business management.

Ron is Senior Vice President for SOMACyber, a company dedicated to providing comprehensive and effective cyber security solutions for clients.
In addition to SOMACyber, Ron joined Wisdom Exchange Bank in 2024 in Alva Oklahoma and is on the Bank’s Board of Directors and the Bank’s Audit Committee.
Prior to joining SOMACyber, Ron was an Advis
Ron is Senior Vice President for SOMACyber, a company dedicated to providing comprehensive and effective cyber security solutions for clients.
In addition to SOMACyber, Ron joined Wisdom Exchange Bank in 2024 in Alva Oklahoma and is on the Bank’s Board of Directors and the Bank’s Audit Committee.
Prior to joining SOMACyber, Ron was an Advisory Director at BankOnIT. Prior to that, Ron was the Managing Director for BKD/FORVIS for the cyber team for twenty-one years. Prior to that, he was the Chief Financial Officer for two software development firms responsible for Financial Reporting and the Data Centers. Prior to that Ron was with a Fortune 50 firm in the aerospace and nuclear industries.
Ron has spent most of his recent career with Financial Institutions with cyber and compliance services.
Ron is a member of InfraGuard, the Institute of Management Accountants, and ISACA. Ron is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA®), is Certified in Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT®), and is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA®).
Ron received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, and his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
In his free time, Ron loves to travel with his wife of 40 years and hike and visit as many National Parks as possible, attend college football games and OKC Thunder games with his family, watch Tottenham Spurs soccer, enjoys Presidential history, and road biking.

Sarah brings nearly 20 years of experience in writing, editing, quality assurance, and instructional design to her role at SOMA Cyber, where she plays a key part in the review and finalization of client deliverables. Sarah has spent the last several years working in the information security and compliance field with SOMA Cyber and has qu
Sarah brings nearly 20 years of experience in writing, editing, quality assurance, and instructional design to her role at SOMA Cyber, where she plays a key part in the review and finalization of client deliverables. Sarah has spent the last several years working in the information security and compliance field with SOMA Cyber and has quickly become a vital member of the consulting team. Sarah has quickly gained strong familiarity with industry standards and regulatory frameworks through hands-on engagements with SOMA’s audit and assessment team. Her rapid growth in cybersecurity knowledge, combined with meticulous attention to detail, ensures the consistency, clarity, and professionalism of SOMA’s work products.
Prior to joining SOMA Cyber, Sarah served as a Senior Instructional Systems Designer supporting the Army National Guard. In this role, she developed interactive, SCORM-compliant web-based training programs and led a team responsible for ensuring technical accuracy and adherence to established standards. Her ability to translate complex subject matter into accessible, user-friendly content is a strength she now applies to the documentation and reporting processes at SOMA.
Sarah has also held key administrative and editorial roles in both the private and public sectors. She has worked with accounting firms and nonprofit organizations on organizational projects and curriculum development and served as a Certified Government Administrative Manager. Her background includes freelance editing for books, grant proposals, and technical documents—experience that is reflected in her commitment to excellence in every project she supports.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from Arkansas Tech University and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.
SOMA Cyber
621 Broadway Street, Paducah, KY, 42001
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