Edition #14: Staying Sharp, Building Forward

Author

Dominic Alegrete
April 03, 2026

April is here, and Q2 is officially underway. This past month, I kept my head down, stayed focused, and kept building. Not every month is going to be loud, and that is okay.

🚀 Milestones & Moments: Staying Sharp in Q2

Personally, this month was not packed with any major announcements, but as Q2 has started, I have made sure that I am staying sharp and on top of everything that needs to get done.

Next week, I will be sitting for my SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst) exam. I have been working on this for the past few months, and I am ready to sit down and get it done.

In addition to studying for my certification, I have also been working on different labs like Splunk and Elastic to continue to sharpen my skills. It is important that even if you are on the job, you are still taking the time to learn new things or enhance your ability with the tools you are already using.

On the academic side, school has been going well. I am excited to announce that I will be graduating in May and receiving my associate's degree in cybersecurity.

This is something I am super proud of and cannot wait to accomplish. It is crazy how time flies, and we are already in Q2, but I cannot wait to get this quarter started and rolling.

🌍 The Youngest in Charge Spotlight

I wanted to announce that I am putting the final touches on the Youngest in Charge Playbook, and it will be dropping this month.

I appreciate the patience on this, and I apologize for any delays. I just wanted to make sure that what I am putting out is my best work.

No matter what, the intention will never change for the playbook, which is to help others start a career in cybersecurity, become financially free, and better their overall health and wellness.

I also wanted to highlight the Youngest in Charge Network, a community I am building within Skool. This is where I will be hosting webinars and interviews with high-level professionals and mentors of mine in the tech, health, and finance spaces.

The community is made for people who are hungry, who want to get better, and who are serious about becoming the youngest in charge of themselves, their families, and any other groups they are part of.

This is a two-way street. As we grow, I want this to be a space where we share resources, learn from each other, and add value collectively. And if you have knowledge or expertise you want to bring to this community, please reach out.

The community is still being built out, but you can get in now. Click here to join

🛡️Cybersecurity Update: Federal Agencies Ordered to Stop Using Anthropic

The Medusa ransomware group has reportedly targeted the University of Mississippi Medical Center, raising serious concerns about the vulnerability of healthcare institutions to ransomware attacks.

For more details, read the full article on SC Media

🔒Breach One, Teach One

This month, I focused on data breaches and the different effects they can have across multiple sectors, including healthcare, education, and government.

If you want to keep up with my latest videos, Subscribe to My YouTube.

💪Your Health is Your Greatest Asset

You can have the best study plan, the best routine, and all the right resources, but if you are not sleeping, none of it will hit the way it should. If you are not getting enough sleep, you will never have the energy to be at full capacity when studying, working, or trying to level up in any area of your life.

When people do not get enough sleep, it impacts more than just how tired they feel. It affects your focus, your decision-making, your mood, and over time, it can have serious effects on your overall health.

When you are consistently getting quality sleep, your mental clarity improves, your memory gets sharper, and your ability to retain and process what you are learning goes up significantly.

Here are two options to help:

  • Manta Sleep Mask: blocks out light completely to help you fall into a deeper and more restful sleep

  • Magnesium Glycinate: helps relax your nervous system and promotes deeper and more consistent sleep. Recommended to take 1 to 2 hours before bed

🗓️Upcoming Events

Taking place April 9-10 in Miami, FL, BITE-CON is a conference focused on educating and exposing underserved and underrepresented communities to emerging technologies like AI, Web3, blockchain, and more.

BEYA Career Day:

On April 11th at 12 PM EST, I will be joining other student ambassadors live on the BEYA YouTube channel for Career Day. An open conversation around STEM careers, student journeys, and growth in the tech space.

Happening from April 14 to 16 in Houston, TX, AI Experience 2026 brings together executives, founders, and builders to have real conversations around AI strategy, implementation, and its impact on business and industry.

❓Question of the Month

What skill are you currently building that you know will matter a year from now? Whether its AI or an industry-specific tool. I am always looking to better myself.

📚What I’m Reading This Month

This month, I picked up the Red Team Field Manual by Ben Clark. If you work in cybersecurity or are trying to break into the field, this is a solid resource to have in your toolkit.

If you have any book recommendations you think I should check out, reply to this email and send them my way.

🔹Resource Spotlight: Claude AI

There are a lot of AI tools on the market, but Claude has been my new go-to. I have only been using it more intensively for about a month, and I can already see a huge difference in my work.

What makes it stand out is the quality of responses and the ability to connect it to different apps to make your workflows easier.

I have also been playing around with Claude Cowork and Claude Code, and the ability to run extensive tasks directly on your computer and desktop is something that really sets it apart. Definitely worth the investment.

💭 A Thought to Keep in Mind

“Slow down, calm down, don't worry, don't hurry, trust the process.”

- Alexandra Stoddard

📩 Let’s Stay Connected

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