Bryant Barzola, MBA
Consulting Engineer
Redefining success through bold leadership, scalable innovation, and transformational results
About Me
About Me
I'm a visionary IT leader with expertise in AI-driven automation, enterprise collaboration, and large-scale system deployments. Armed with an MBA and top Cisco certifications, I deliver innovation that drives measurable efficiency and growth.
With 8+ years of experience at Cisco Systems, I specialize in SD-WAN and Collaboration technologies. I've orchestrated enterprise consulting projects, led cross-functional teams, and secured executive stakeholder buy-in through compelling presentations and strategic execution.
My passion lies in applying cutting-edge AI and automation to solve complex challenges. I've built RAG systems with FAISS and LangChain, developed custom web applications for network analysis, and created automation scripts that have accelerated global project timelines.
When I'm not architecting enterprise solutions or mentoring teams, you can find me exploring financial technology, building innovative web applications, and staying at the forefront of AI and automation trends.
Experience
Consulting Engineer
Cisco Systems
United States
Orchestrated enterprise consulting to design, test, and deploy SD-WAN and collaboration technologies. Collaborated with Customer Experience (CX) teams to accelerate deployment, mitigate risks, and drive prototyping.
- Leveraged AI and automation to enhance customer testing, implementation, and validation, improving efficiency and reducing error rates
- Designed and implemented a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system powered by a FAISS vector database and LangChain, enabling intelligent information retrieval for Cisco documentation and customer use cases
- Streamlined processes for global projects by engineering 200+ automation scripts that accelerated project timelines and enhanced deployment efficiency
- Delivered testing insights and ensured seamless implementation of collaboration technologies for enterprise clients, including Wells Fargo and Truist
Technical Consulting Engineer
Cisco Systems
United States
Resolved high-impact technical issues for global clients, ensuring continuity for mission-critical systems through advanced troubleshooting and stakeholder collaboration.
- Directed the resolution of mission-critical technical issues under tight deadlines, ensuring uninterrupted client operations
- Identified and documented 11 product defects with solutions, driving product improvements and operational reliability
- Generated 21+ sales leads through technical expertise, contributing to increased client adoption rates and earning a Bronze Medal in 2021
- Forged alliances with internal Cisco teams and external partners to engineer solutions and accelerate the resolution of high-stakes technical challenges
Network Support Engineer
Cisco Systems
United States
Managed network and VoIP support operations for enterprise clients, diagnosing and resolving critical issues while optimizing workflows, streamlining processes, and driving operational efficiency.
- Reduced ticket resolution time by 40% by standardizing workflows, improving case resolution from 7 days to 2 business days for LATAM VoIP cases
- Strengthened client relationships through bilingual (English/Spanish) communications, resolving complex issues and improving team collaboration in the LATAM region
- Aligned client workflows with Cisco's strategies during an on-site engagement with HSBC Mexico, achieving measurable efficiency gains
- Monitored network and system alerts to identify and address risks, preventing potential system failures and minimizing downtime
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC
Graduate degree in Business Administration focusing on leadership, strategy, and organizational management.
Bachelor of Science in Network Information Technology
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT
Undergraduate degree in Network Information Technology with focus on networking, systems administration, and IT infrastructure.
Projects
A collection of projects I've built and contributed to
CollabHelper
AI-powered Cisco Collaboration assistant using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with FAISS and LangChain. Ask questions about CUCM, Unity, Webex, and other Cisco Collaboration tools and receive intelligent, context-aware answers.
FV Analyzer
Comprehensive financial planning suite featuring Future Value Calculator, Debt Snowball Calculator, Mortgage Payment Calculator with amortization schedules, and Retirement Savings Calculator. Built to help users make informed financial decisions.
Value Stock Analyzer
Real-time stock analysis tool for value investors. Instantly analyze publicly traded companies using key metrics like P/E Ratio and Return on Assets (ROA) to identify undervalued investment opportunities and assess operational efficiency.
Tampa Perfect Cleaning
Professional static website for Tampa Perfect Cleaning - a family-owned house cleaning service in Tampa Bay. Modern, responsive design with online booking integration, SEO optimization, and service area pages for Tampa, Land O Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Odessa, and Zephyrhills.
CUCM Live Monitor
Real-time monitoring dashboard for Cisco Unified Communications Manager. Displays active calls, device registration status, individual phone call states, and cluster node health with WebSocket-based live updates every 5 seconds.
Webex AI Bot
Customizable Webex Teams bot powered by OpenAI's GPT models with configurable personalities. Choose from 9+ personality templates (Professional, TARS, Yoda, Pirate, etc.) or create your own. Docker-ready with simple environment variable configuration.
Personal Portfolio
Modern, minimalist portfolio website built with Astro and Tailwind CSS. Features dark aesthetic with emerald accents, smooth animations, and fully responsive design. Optimized for performance with static site generation and deployed on Cloudflare Pages CDN.
Certifications
Professional certifications and credentials
CCNP Routing and Switching
Cisco Systems
Professional-level certification demonstrating expertise in planning, implementing, verifying, and troubleshooting enterprise networks.
CCNA Cybersecurity Operations
Cisco Systems
Associate-level certification validating skills in security monitoring, host-based security analysis, and network intrusion analysis.
Cisco Certified Specialist - Collaboration Core
Cisco Systems
Specialist certification demonstrating advanced knowledge of collaboration infrastructure including CUCM, messaging, and conferencing.
Certified Meraki Networking Associate
Cisco Meraki
Associate-level certification for Cisco Meraki cloud-managed networking solutions.
ITIL Foundation in Service Management
AXELOS
Foundation-level certification in IT service management best practices and frameworks.
Get In Touch
Have a question or want to work together? Feel free to reach out!
Let's Connect
I'm always open to discussing new projects, creative ideas, or opportunities to be part of your vision.
Location
Greater Tampa Bay Area
© 2025 Bryant Barzola, MBA.