10 Minutes With Garrett Garcia

Garrett Garcia leads Security System Design and Delivery across the Americas, guiding a team of TPMs who keep data center construction projects moving smoothly. He’s known for cutting through ambiguity, aligning teams, and keeping complex security work on track across dozens of sites. With experience in 15 countries and more than 300 data centers, he brings a practical, real‑world lens to every project.

Outside of work, Garrett stays grounded through family life, road trips, karaoke nights, and a long‑running passion for RF and wireless security. He’s equal parts technical, curious, and down‑to‑earth.

Get to know him better in his full 10‑minute feature.

Describe your role and what you do in a nutshell.

I am the North and South America Regional Lead for the Security System Design and Delivery team. In a nutshell, I lead the day-to-day operational work of a team of Security System Design and Delivery TPMs who manage active data center construction projects across the Americas.

Our work focuses on data center security systems, including access control, CCTV, and perimeter security detection. My role is to help keep complex projects moving by aligning teams, removing blockers, managing priorities, and ensuring security system delivery remains coordinated across sites, vendors, and partner teams.

What do you consider the most important skill for someone in your role, and why?

The most important skill is the ability to turn ambiguity into execution. Data center construction and security systems delivery involve many moving parts: technical requirements, construction schedules, site conditions, vendors, partner teams, and regional differences. There is rarely a perfect amount of information, but the work still has to move forward.

For me, the key is aligning people around the details, making decisions with the best information available, and keeping programs moving despite uncertainty. I try to stay grounded by sticking close to day-to-day details, because the facts behind how things get done are often covered in nuance. At the same time, “trust but verify” is important in this role. You have to build trust with people, but you also need enough discipline and follow-through to ensure the work is actually moving as everyone expects.

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

I am most proud of the scale of my data center security work and the perspective it has given me. Since moving into data center security in 2018, I have had the opportunity to work in 15 countries and visit more than 300 data centers.

That kind of field experience changes how you think about security. You learn quickly that good design has to work in the real world, not just on paper. Every site has its own constraints, priorities, construction realities, and operational needs. I am proud to have built a career around helping teams deliver security systems in those complex environments, at a scale where consistency, adaptability, and follow-through really matter.

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance in your role?

For me, work-life balance starts with being intentional about where my time and attention go. In a role with many meetings, shifting priorities, and a large team to manage, it’s easy for the day to become completely reactive. I try to stay focused on what actually needs my involvement, where I can help unblock the team, and where a better process can prevent the same problems from repeating.

Outside of work, my family keeps me grounded. I grew up the oldest of 10 kids, so I had lots of practice with chaos, competing priorities, and people asking me where things were before I was even old enough to have a job. Now I’ve got three young kids of my own who make sure and remind me to take time and focus on life outside of work.

What is a piece of obsolete technology you still have a soft spot for?

I have a soft spot for vinyl records because they are true physical media. There is something that makes music seem more soulful when it’s played from a needle running through grooves of wax. Today, music is convenient, but I think you experience listening to an old record more intentionally. It takes a few minutes to set it up correctly and enjoy it, like using a French press to make coffee vs. pressing a button on a Keurig.

What is one thing people do not know about you that they would be surprised to discover?

People might be surprised to learn that I have a passionate interest in radio frequency technology and wireless security. That interest started a little over 20 years ago when I worked for Verizon installing fiber internet service. I would often run into interference from multiple wireless networks in the same area, so I started scanning for neighboring networks to make sure I was setting up wireless service on the cleanest available Wi-Fi channel.

That curiosity eventually grew into a broader interest in RF as an attack surface, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LR-WPANs, drone detection…I’ve gotten to use lots of cool spectrum analyzers! I was able to apply those interests early in my career, building and scaling a global Wireless Intrusion Detection & Response program across hundreds of data centers worldwide. A fun byproduct of that work was that I got to attend the DEFCON30 hacker convention, and the Wireless CTF team I competed with won the competition!

What are you passionate about or enjoy outside of work?

Outside of work, when I’m not just spending time with my family, I love singing karaoke in packed bars or doing pub trivia. In the summer, I really enjoy road trips with my kids because I’ve flown so much for work. Now, even stepping on a flight to Disneyland makes me feel like I’m clocking in, and I think taking the extra time to travel offers a great opportunity to create lasting memories for my family.