Dr. Joseph Burt-Miller Jr. brings clarity and drive to every part of his professional life and career. After earning his doctor of information technology degree at Capella University, he continues to shape conversations in the tech space through his podcast Cyber Coffee Hour, where he recently featured Capella President Dr. Constance St. Germain. He reflects on what motivated him to pursue a terminal degree, how the Capella journey shaped his perspective, and what it means to lead with purpose in an evolving field.
What inspired you to pursue the Doctor of Information Technology program at Capella University, and how did that experience shape your perspective on leadership and innovation in the IT field?
Dr. Joseph Burt-Miller: After completing my Master’s in Cybersecurity at St. Leo University, I did not feel satisfied. I knew pursuing the doctorate would involve hard work, and at times it seemed scary enough to not pursue it, but I did not want to live in regret. I didn’t want time to pass, and I constantly asked myself the question: what if? I also looked at pursuing the doctorate as a test for myself. I didn’t feel I needed a doctorate for a job, but I did it to prove I could do hard things. After speaking with my late grandmother, who gave me the final push to pursue it, that was all I needed. When I was researching which college to choose for my doctorate in 2017, there were not many options for a cybersecurity doctoral degree. It was Capella and two other schools, if I recall correctly. I chose Capella because it was recognized by DHS and the NSA as a center of academic excellence. I’ve worked in the federal government all of my adult life, so Capella University’s distinction was a no-brainer for me, as I was working at DHS at the time.
My experience helped shape my perspective on leadership and innovation in the IT field in several ways. First, working with others in my cohort helped me to develop my leadership skills. From taking the lead in organizing our group chat so everyone can stay in contact, to hosting meetups and even team dinners. Second, it highlighted the importance of empathy. During my journey, some candidates dropped off for various reasons, and some, including me, may have fallen behind due to the overall stress of the doctoral journey. There were multiple times when I made sure I was there to talk to a fellow cohort member; sometimes, they just needed someone to vent to. There was understanding that everyone has the same goal of finishing, but that the journey getting there is not easy, and that we will go through various emotions that, at times, only those who are experiencing them with you can truly understand. Lastly, when it comes to innovation, having the opportunity to learn what everyone was researching and working on exposed me to what was possible in the IT field. I found that to be very exciting, as the research that everyone conducted, and what we learned along the way changed my mind set and perspective. Instead of hearing about it in the news or seeing it on TV, we had the opportunity to connect with others that were doing that work, or developing that piece of technology. Being the researcher, you were responsible for bring it all together.
Looking back on your Capella journey, which skills or lessons from the DIT program continue to influence how you approach technology, strategy, or problem-solving today?
Dr. Joseph Burt-Miller: That is a great question. The biggest lesson I took from my DIT journey was to never lose sight of the goal, no matter how arduous it is. This process made me realize that you must lean on others as you work to cross that finish line. You cannot do it alone. There were times when I questioned if I could do it. I questioned if I was good enough. Those moments are when you lean on your fellow cohort members and mentors to continue on and push through. I omitted family and friends intentionally here. It’s not to say family and friends don’t have your back, but the support is not the same. Unless they’ve had an experience like yours, it’s very hard for them to relate, so the support may feel very generic. Receiving support from your fellow cohort mates, those who are in the trenches with you, fully understand and their support may resonate more. Don’t be afraid to lean on the people in your inner circle whom you trust and rely on. Whatever that may look like to you, stay in contact with them.
You recently featured Capella President Dr. Contance St. Germain on your podcast. What stood out to you about that conversation, and why was it meaningful for you to spotlight Capella leadership through your platform?
Dr. Joseph Burt-Miller: I had such a great time with Dr. St. Germain on the Cyber Coffee Hour podcast. What stood out to me throughout the conversation was learning that Capella was evolving and embracing AI, not shying away from it or trying to condemn its use. To me, it is a very forward-thinking approach because, as she shared during the episode, AI is not going away. Rather, she wanted to ensure her staff is up to speed on how to use it through training and to maintain that level of transparency with students about how it will be used within the curriculum. As a Capella University alum, I’m very proud of my time as a student, so it is natural for me to want to see Capella continue to evolve and provide the best education possible. I found it important to showcase Capella leadership in this regard, as it serves as an example of what leadership looks like when it evolves and adapts with the times and does not stay stagnant and fall behind. The Cyber Coffee Hour is in its third season, and this is by far one of my favorite episodes. Dr. St. Germain is always welcome!
What advice would you offer to Capella students or alumni who are interested in building thought leadership through platforms like podcasting, writing, or speaking within the technology and IT space?
Dr. Joseph Burt-Miller: The best advice I would give to Capella students or alumni is to find what you’re already passionate about and run with it. For example, I’m a big podcast listener, and not all of them are cybersecurity-focused. Before launching the Cyber Coffee Hour, I was inspired by other podcasts. I studied what they did to make me a fan and want to listen to or watch each episode, and pulled certain elements to incorporate into my own podcast. After examining the field of cybersecurity podcasts, I found many of them boring or just not resonating with me, because at times it felt like more of a corporate meeting where you only heard from the CISOs, CTOs, CIOs, etc. I want to hear from those trying to make it into the cybersecurity field about the struggles they may have endured.
My advice is to home in on what you genuinely enjoy and make it your own. Don’t try to be like everyone else. Do not be afraid to fail or be overly concerned about trying to be perfect on your first episode or article, because it may not be great. But that is ok! The main thing is that you did it, and you can build off of it. You are doing more than those who didn’t have the courage to do it at all. As long as you believe in what you do, it will make a difference, so keep working at it, seek mentors in that space, and look for ways to continually improve. You will get there, and I look forward to rooting you on.
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