Meet Our Leadership Team

More about Infracore:   About   Culture   Approach

Our Team

We’re a people-focused business in a highly technical industry

Paymon Hamidi, Chief Executive Officer

Paymon co-founded Infracore in 2003 after being a founding member of a “.com” in the mid-nineties. Being responsible for the technology operations of a top 10 visited website was the perfect opportunity for Paymon to gain the knowledge, experience and confidence needed to start another technology-based organization.  His mission when he started Infracore was to provide best-in-class IT services to organizations, unlocking their potential to achieve more.     

 

In the early days of Infracore, Paymon wore multiple hats. He was the front-facing engineer to many of our clients, the salesperson for bringing in new business and the head of operations. Over time, Paymon realized that he had to evolve his role to become an engaging and empowering leader. It was no longer just about his contributions to the bottom line; it was about his vision and his ability to build cohesive teams.  

 

One of Paymon’s favorite sayings is, “No one is perfect, but a team can be.” This reflects what he truly enjoys about Infracore's culture of supporting each other by sharing our knowledge. It is very difficult for individual engineers or small technical teams to know everything about IT, but as a larger team of values-aligned engineers, Infracore comes close.

 

Paymon is dedicated to ensuring that our core values of Integrity, Commitment and Trust are at the forefront of how we show up to each other, our partners and our clients. He also pays close attention to our processes related to work-life balance, personal growth initiatives and leadership development programs.  

 

When he’s not working, Paymon is a chauffeur to his two daughters. He also enjoys playing & watching soccer (Real Madrid is his favorite team and Cristiano Ronaldo is his favorite player).  

Christopher Eakin, Chief Technology Officer

Chris co-founded Infracore in July of 2003. As CTO, his focus is heading up our vCIO consulting practice, ensuring we lead the way in developing our people and providing our clients with a top-tier approach to IT. Chris enjoys transforming our clients’ IT departments by helping them build and change the way IT is implemented and managed. He aims to ensure we make a genuine difference by building trust, leveraging IT to improve operations, having the right vision, starting conversations and empowering the right people to do what is needed. 

 

Chris has two favorite things when it comes to working at Infracore. First is the family of people he gets to work with. Second is how we encourage and cultivate career growth. He appreciates how Infracore stands for each individual’s success by pushing team members to be better, communicate effectively and clarify what they want. 

 

Chris grew up in a technical household back in the early days of IT. This provided him with an understanding and confidence in technology most people didn’t have at the time. It also helped him land his first job when he was 19, providing technical support on a UNIX-based platform for credit unions. Throughout his career, Chris has worked for a variety of companies, from larger mid-sized organizations to pure-play startups. He also worked at a venture capital firm, which inspired his drive to start Infracore. 

 

Outside of work, Chris prioritizes spending time with his family. He also enjoys riding his electric bike, swimming, photography, camping and he recently received his General HAM radio license.

Brett Henrich, Chief Operating Officer

Brett began his journey at Infracore in 2006. He started as an IT Specialist and worked his way up to earn the title of Chief Operating Officer. In his COO role, he focuses on providing best-in-class service delivery to our clients as well as ensuring the wellbeing and growth of our team members. 

 

When it comes to working at Infracore, Brett appreciates that the leadership team members come from a technical background, giving them a practical understanding of the challenges that our technical staff face. He also values Infracore’s dedication to the growth of our people and the commitment to our core values. 

 

Brett got his start in IT working for Education Queensland in 1997. He then pursued a formal degree in IT from Queensland University of Technology and ran a small consulting business on the side. In late 2005, Brett moved from Australia to the United States and soon after started his position at Infracore. 

 

In his free time, Brett enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, desert exploration and taking his kids to the beach.

Kobe Bogaert, Chief of Staff

Since 2006, Kobe has focused on making a significant contribution to the performance of Infracore and our people through facilitating improved collaboration as Chief of Staff. He coaches on leadership skills, business process methods and strategic tools that empower our team to transform and grow. Kobe specializes in strategy development, executive team development, high stakes conflict resolution, leadership development, organizational culture and business process development. 

 

Kobe has worked with private and public clients throughout the United States and Europe in technology, distribution, manufacturing, healthcare, pharma, biotech, government, education, professional services, construction, social media, non-profit and a variety of foundations. A native of Belgium, Kobe moved to San Diego in 1995 and became a US Citizen in 2010. He holds a BA in finance from KHLeuven in Belgium and an MBA in strategic management from the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management. 

 

Kobe and his wife currently reside in San Diego with their two teenage sons. Outside of work, Kobe enjoys giving back to the community. He has served as a committee and board member for organizations including the Rotary Club and the EvoNexus incubator.

Matthew Strebe, Chief Information Security Officer 

Matt’s journey into technology began in the United States Navy, where he laid the groundwork for his expertise in information technology. His career took off as he spearheaded the installation and management of the inaugural optical fiber network aboard a warship, pioneering a groundbreaking prototype. This experience saw him traverse various ships, implementing systems and imparting vital training to navigate the challenges of high-stakes IT environments.

 

Drawing from his invaluable military experiences, Strebe ventured into the private sector defense industry, where he further honed his skills and knowledge. His tenure with a subcontractor to SAIC proved instrumental in shaping his understanding of the intricate and complex enterprise IT landscape. Throughout his consultancy days, Matt authored several authoritative books on computer and network security, as well as the nuances of Information Technology consulting. His expertise extends to advanced administration techniques for operating systems, cementing his reputation as a hands-on authority in the field. He holds two patents for cybersecurity protocols related to firewalling and authentication, and routinely works as a forensic expert witness in major cybersecurity data breach cases nationally.

 

Matt is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in cybersecurity leadership, security program development, business alignment, risk management, security transformation, and security roadmap implementation for hundreds of corporations ranging from small tech startups to multinationals. He is recognized as a trusted leader with outstanding interpersonal and communication abilities, adept at fostering collaboration, consensus-building and influencing stakeholders. Matt has successfully demonstrated proficiency in solving intricate global cybersecurity challenges, consistently delivering results that mitigate risk and enhance business value within budget and timeline constraints.

 

Areas of Expertise:

Board Level Cyber Security Leadership | Enterprise Risk Management | IT Risk Management | Security Program Management | Policy Development | Governance | Compliance | Data Governance | Data Privacy | Incident Response | Crisis Management | Business Continuity | Disaster Recovery | NIST 800 Series | NIST CSF | CIS | ISO/IEC 27001 | FFIEC | HIPAA | PCI-DSS | CCPA | GDPR

 

Outside of work, Matt enjoys writing, travelling with his family, sailing, motorcycling, off-road trips, and playing with his three Chihuahuas.

Wayne Bowe-McLeod, VP of Business Development

Wayne began his journey at Infracore as Director of Sales in 2013. Today, as the VP of Business Development, he represents Infracore in the early phases of client engagements. He’s passionate about partnering with companies that aim to change the world for the better and who understand the important role that IT plays within that mission. When it comes to IT projects, Wayne enjoys the IT assessment process, including but not limited to security audits and regulatory compliance gap analyses. He finds that the leaders who invite outside inspection are forward-thinkers who have the best intentions for their employees and clients – making them values-aligned with Infracore’s core values of integrity, trust and commitment.

 

When it comes to working at Infracore, Wayne appreciates the high degree of care, thoughtfulness and professionalism that the team employs each day. He values that our people consistently look for ways to stand for each other’s success and work hard to share praise with and amongst one another. 

 

Wayne served in the US Navy in telecommunications and IT for eight years. He then began a career in business-to-business sales, working for a well-known business supplies and equipment company. He specialized in sales of office equipment and professional services before joining the Infracore team. 

 

Outside of work, Wayne is a father and husband first. He has four kids and takes pride in his ability to participate in nearly every family event. Over the years, he has enjoyed watching his kids compete in swimming, water polo, wrestling, pole vault, speech & debate and much more. Wayne and his wife also value the time they spend socializing with close friends.

Linda Barcenal, VP of Talent Acquisition

Linda owns the role of VP of Talent Acquisition at Infracore. Her mission is to create and communicate a message that attracts talented professionals who are passionate about IT and even more passionate about helping others. She believes IT is crucial because it is the foundation of all innovation and thus promotes and fuels the imagination. 

 

Linda appreciates Infracore’s leadership, employees’ care for what we do and how the team stands for each other’s success. She also values our comprehensive focus on caring about the continuous professional and personal development of each employee. 

 

Linda started her career as an employment litigation paralegal. She then worked at a global biotech company as the legal department manager supporting the General Counsel with managing staff, contracts, board matters and compliance. After 10 years, Linda went on to manage the legal recruiting division of a workforce management and recruitment firm for branches throughout California. Before joining Infracore, she also served as a Corporate Recruiter and Global Organizational Development Manager, developing training programs, certification tracks and career roadmaps for employees at a managed security service provider.

 

Linda focuses on spending her free time dining with family and friends. She has a passion for hiking, yoga and meditation.

Eric Sawinda, VP of Technology Operations

Eric started his journey at Infracore in 2015 as an IT Manager. He has since been promoted to VP of Technology Operations. He enjoys team-oriented projects that incorporate the use of a variety of technologies to solve unique problems. 

 

Eric appreciates the level of impact he can make at Infracore. He enjoys the ability to influence the development of others, as well as the growth of the company as a whole. Eric looks to set a positive example for others, whether through technology, conversation, or action. 

 

After serving in the Navy as a diver, Eric moved to San Diego to work for a small MSP as a programmer, eventually transferring into their IT department. He then started a long-term role at a software company, where he worked his way up from IT Support Specialist to Director of IT before moving on to join the Infracore team.

 

When he’s not in the office, Eric spends his free time woodworking and welding. He enjoys camping in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. Eric has also attended Burning Man eight times!

Jason Schlarmann, VP of Technology Operations

Jason began his journey at Infracore in 2017 as an IT Manager. He has since been promoted to VP of Technology Operations. He’s passionate about supporting his customers’ ability to drive their business forward, ensuring their IT needs are met and exceeded by a team of equally passionate professionals. Jason enjoys projects that involve heavy team collaboration. When everyone is engaged and contributing, he finds that a lot more can be accomplished.

 

Jason’s favorite part about working at Infracore is the opportunity to collaborate with such an eclectic team of highly motivated and talented professionals who care about people as much, if not more, than the passion they hold for technology. The ability to uncover, grow and achieve employee career goals within this team is rewarding as well.

 

Jason’s start in IT began within hospitality environments, including hotels and restaurants throughout Southern California. This experience laid the foundation of his career, as delivering the best IT service for a guest, customer, or co-worker came into focus. Through years of self-employment and an eventual return to the corporate world joining the Infracore team, his continued goal has been to build relationships and pair the best solutions with the needs of those he supports. 

 

In his free time, Jason focuses on writing and performing music and theater production, as well as spending valuable time with his family.

Travis Johnson, VP of Technology Operations

Travis began his journey at Infracore in 2019. Just like many of his other colleagues, he began as an IT Manager and was promoted to VP of Technology Operations. He’s passionate about the next generation of technology and how he can utilize it to improve efficiency, security and productivity. He loves to work on projects that allow his team to grow their technical as well as managerial skills, showcasing the value of IT. It is through these projects that Infracore can reinforce teamwork and truly drive change and growth in all aspects of IT.

 

Travis appreciates how Infracore is one big family, helping each other to grow and support the success of our clients. He values that the Infracore team works together as a unit to improve one another – regardless of the project, client, or work site. The Infracore team is ONE!

 

Travis has been in IT for over two decades, starting off in Desktop Support. Since then, he’s worked in nearly every industry, in almost every IT position from Desktop Support, Network Admin, DBA, Systems Engineer, to IT Director. He worked with a variety of companies, from single-person businesses to Fortune 500 companies, before joining the Infracore team.

 

When not at the office, Travis enjoys spending time with his family, being on or in the water, staying fit and healthy, traveling and playing racquetball.

Unlocking your potential to achieve more.