Our Team

Doyle has over 30 years of end-to-end experience in information technology. As part of the IT leadership team for the world’s largest retail auto parts chain, his contributions covered the full range of information technology and software solutions.

Doyle “retired” from the corporate world to provide the values and benefits of optimizing and leveraging information technology assets, solutions, and investments for small to medium-sized businesses and organizations. He is passionate and committed to applying his 30+ years of experience and expertise in a competitive and cost effective manner for his customers and clients.

In his spare time, Doyle enjoys spending time with Lynn, his wife of 35 years, as well as his sons, Jordan and his wife, Lindsey, and Jake. They enjoy traveling and sightseeing. He also likes to play a round or two of golf on occasion.

Posts by Doyle

• Why must ALL of my computers be covered under an MSP agreement? (7/22/2019)
• What exactly is ERP? (2/18/2019)
• 2018 In Review and 2019 In Our Sights (1/9/2019)
• The SandStorm IT Team Christmas & Holiday Dinner (12/21/2018)
• 5 Reasons to Outsource Your IT Help Desk Support (10/29/2018)
• SandStorm IT Moves Up to #12 on the MBJ 2018 List of Largest Memphis Area IT Companies (9/11/2018)
• SandStorm IT’s (and TC-PC’s) 25th Anniversary (8/20/2018)
• SandStorm IT Debuts at #16 on MBJ List of Largest Memphis Area IT Companies (9/25/2017)
• We’ve moved! Check Out SandStorm’s New Office! (9/11/2017)
• VoIP – An Alternative to the Typical Land-line Telephone System Solution (8/28/2017)

Jake is a proud graduate of the University of Memphis, holding a BA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.  Prior to founding SandStorm Innovations, LLC with Jordan and Doyle, he spent 6 years in the Supply Chain organization for a Fortune 500 retailer.  His expertise is centered around Business Activities, Process Improvement, and Transportation and Distribution Network Design.  He has been a central member of strategic teams for several key initiatives, including distribution network realignments, delivery operations tests, resource utilization and efficiency strategies, routing optimization, and transportation software development, training, and implementation.  Throughout his career, he has developed and honed his project management skills.  He excels at coordinating cross-functional teams to meet project milestones, exceed deadlines, and develop best business practices.

The younger of the two Sanders brothers, Jake brings many valuable skills to the management team of SandStorm.  Keeping a finger on the financial pulse is Jake’s main focus at SandStorm, as he’s responsible for the financial and business operations.  A strong business background allows him to ensure customer needs are exceeded, while maintaining a strong financial position and vision for the company. His experience working with teams with diverse backgrounds strengthened his communication skills, allowing him to break down complex ideas in a way that is easily understood and absorbed.  Jake comes from a world where efficiency is king.  He is very adept at quickly understanding a process, identifying inefficiencies, then developing an approach to streamline the operation.  

When he’s not finding ways to “do more with less”, Jake spends his time with his two dogs, Stella and Remington.  He enjoys reading, cooking, shooting sports, and entertaining everyone with his corny jokes (a talent he inherited from Doyle).

Posts by Jake

• What’s the value in having a dedicated IT partner? (4/9/2018)

Jordan has more than a decade of professional, full-stack web application development experience and is well-versed in modern languages, frameworks, and design patterns.  He loves learning about new technology.

Jordan enjoys spending time with Lindsey, his wife of over ten years. They share a passion for fantasy, science fiction, and studying the parts of life which are rarely considered.

In addition to his work in technology and his time with his wife, Jordan has a strong passion for music and can be found performing on TheCyberPulse Twitch channel.  He is also likely to be found simply writing or recording some music of his own.

Posts by Jordan

• What does Facebook know about you? (11/5/2018)
• What does Google know about you? (10/15/2018)
• Common Browser-based Network Attacks and How to Avoid Them (10/4/2018)
• 5 Tips to Bring Any Team Together with Software (7/30/2018)
• The Purpose and Scope of Popular Open Source Software Licenses (5/7/2018)
• What is Linux, and Why Would I Want to Use It? (1/15/2018)

Justin has been working in the IT business for more than 19 years. He has a creative approach to solving technical challenges both large and small. There is not a problem out there that can’t be solved.

Justin enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, and shooting sports.

Posts by Justin

• Windows Server 2008 R2 End-of-Life Support is Near (6/24/2019)
• How can a multi-site “Voice over Internet Protocol” (VoIP) solution benefit your business? (5/6/2019)
• Why does my business need a next-gen firewall? (3/4/2019)
• When does your business need a server? (1/7/2019)
• What are Managed IT Services? (5/21/2018)
• Data Breaches – What you need to know (10/16/2017)

Matt has had a long time interest in all things technology – from computers to home theater and audio systems. He’s experienced in hardware, troubleshooting, networking, and some web development. Matt’s free time interests include cooking, home remodeling, outdoor activities (shooting, fishing, swimming, etc) and spending time with family.

Posts by Matt

• How can I find hidden programs running in the background? (6/3/2019)
• Backups: Is my data safe when EVERYTHING goes wrong? (1/21/2019)
• Is your computer running slowly? Here are 3 simple solutions! (6/11/2018)
• Why do I need an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)? (2/5/2018)
• Solid State Drives, are they worth the expense? (11/20/2017)
• What are the best ways to combat computer infections? (10/26/2017)

Robert is a 10 and half-year Navy veteran who enjoys traveling and seeing the world. He has lived in San Diego, CA, Oahu, HI, and Yokosuka, Japan. On deployments in the Navy, he has traveled all over the Pacific Ocean to the Persian Gulf stopping along the way to see many of countries that touch the Pacific Ocean. Robert enjoys tinkering with computers and solving complex puzzles which lead him into being a network administrator.

Robert has always had a love for computers, building his first computer when he was thirteen. Having worked on both Windows Server 2003 and Linux servers, he is a very versatile IT technician that is ready to complete any task that is handed to him. When he isn’t at work, he spends time with his wife and son and also going out to play some golf.

Posts by Robert

• Bad Battery Life on your device? Here are a few things to check. (7/29/2019)
• Why is it bad to reuse passwords on multiple sites? (6/17/2019)
• What is patch management for 3rd party software? (4/1/2019)

Cristian is a recent graduate of Southwest Tennessee Community College, with a degree in Information Technologies and a concentration in Networking. He's been in the IT workforce for 2 years.

Cristian's interest in IT was sparked from wanting to understand more about how computer software was developed. When he was in college, he took a course in Networking and found a new interest, steering him to change his major.

In his time off, Cristian is dedicated to bettering himself. He is currently dedicated to earning his CCENT, but doesn't let that distract him from exercise and playing rugby with the Memphis Blues.

Posts by Cristian

• How can I protect my employees from phishing? (8/12/2019)
• What’s the difference between a data leak and data breach? (6/24/2019)
• Are you still on a workgroup network? (4/15/2019)
• Where is the best location to install my Wireless Router? (3/18/2019)

Mark has loved computers since he started hacking away at Linux boxes in middle school. He is passionate about solving problems in the best possible way, and can often be found experimenting with the latest programming languages, reading, or writing guitar-based music.

He is currently finishing his final semester of a BS in Computer Science at the University of Memphis.

Samantha is a graduate of the University of Memphis with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Samantha first got started with technology at her high school Robotics club where she built and coded a custom robot to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition. Starting with C++ in high school, she has learned many new languages at the college level, inspiring her to start developing websites and applications. Her favorite language is Python and Django.

While getting her degree, Samantha spent her off hours volunteering and helping the community. She helped run and co-run summer camps for Memphis city youth where she taught children how to assemble robots, build apps, create video games, and more. From there, Samantha started with CodeCrew and taught high school students in an AP level Computer Science class. She loves working with kids of all ages and enjoys spending her time volunteering to teach them new skills and mentoring young people with an interest in future careers in STEM.

When not helping the community, Samantha enjoys playing video games, watching movies and celebrating life with friends and family. Born and raised in Memphis, TN, she's always on the lookout for upcoming events that provide opportunities to support local businesses and lend a helping hand to those who need it.

Jacob became interested in Computer Programming and Internet security while in middle school. He taught himself programming in C++ and Python at this time, and later worked on video game programming and web security tools in high school. He has a BS in Computer Science from the University of Memphis, where he was a Computer Science tutor for two years.

In his free time, Jacob likes to play Super Smash Bros. competitively and play a relaxing game of billiards every now and then with friends.

Posts by Jacob

• What is cryptojacking and how does it affect me? (6/10/2019)
• What makes a strong password? (5/13/2019)
• What is “Incognito mode” in Google Chrome and Why would you use it? (12/10/2018)
• What is the future of IoT? (11/19/2018)
• What are the security concerns of IoT? (9/17/2018)
• What is the Internet of Things (IoT)? (7/23/2018)
• What is a Denial of Service Attack? (4/30/2018)
• What is a VPN? (2/12/2018)
• Does your business REALLY need a website? (11/27/2017)
• What is a Firewall and Why do I need one? (10/9/2017)

Jeff has over 10 years of graphics experience including web graphics and large-format printed graphics. He also has close to 10 years of experience in both B2B and B2C E-commerce. Jeff is a Certified Google Adwords Professional with solid CPC advertising knowledge. He’s been a Constant Contact All-Star Award winner for the past 4 years with exceptional e-mail marketing content, open rates and click-through rates. Jeff is an experienced web developer with experience in software such as WordPress, Magento & PinnacleCart.

In his spare time, Jeff enjoys building things and tinkering. His hobbies are many and include: Video Games, Racing radio-controlled cars, Robotics, General Electronics, Arcade Restoration, Woodworking and Building/Designing various things for family and friends. When he’s not busy creating, he can often be found with his daughter Samantha (Age 4) and his beautiful wife of 10 years, Carmen.

Posts by Jeff

• Is Biometric actually more secure? (9/9/2019)
• Ultimate Google Search Tips and Tricks Cheat Sheet (8/26/2019)
• Security Alert – Update Warning for Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 (8/19/2019)
• Security Alert: Grammarly browser extension leaks everything you’ve ever typed into the service. (7/9/2019)
• How often should I physically clean my computer? (7/1/2019)
• Data Breach: Almost 20 Million Patient’s Data Stolen in 2 Separate Medical Laboratory Data Breaches (6/5/2019)
• What are targeted ads and how can I turn them off? (5/20/2019)
• Remote Desktop Vulnerability discovered in Windows XP, Windows 2003 & Windows 7. (5/17/2019)
• What is WordPress? (4/29/2019)
• Vulnerability Alert: Multiple Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications are storing cookies insecurely (4/18/2019)

Monica is a graduate of the University of Memphis where she obtained a BA in Accounting. Monica has always had a passion for working with numbers and mathematics. Her hobbies include watching college football, being outdoors, logic puzzles and board games.

Miker is a man of many talents ranging from programming to philology, from music to mythography. Having been an amateur programmer for ten years working on ancient text-based games in C and more modern web-driven applications in PHP and, more recently, Ruby on Rails. He played a few musical instruments over the years, from trombone to guitar and bass.

Miker is also a writer of fiction having composed a couple of unpublished short stories as well as parts of an unfinished novel set in a detailed, fictional world complete with fleshed out languages, elaborate cartography, and exhaustive lore inspired by the works of Tolkien.

Posts by Michael

• What is a Domain Name System and how does it work? (2/4/2019)
• The Benefits and Risks of Software from the Internet (7/2/2018)
• Free (No Cost) Software, Open Source Software, and Free (Copy-left) Software (3/5/2018)
• Data Hashing and Encryption and How They Enhance Security (12/21/2017)
• 5 Things You Should Know If You’re Starting Out Programming (11/13/2017)

Anthony has over 25 years in the Information Technology Services Industry and a Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB) (concentration eBusiness) from the University of Phoenix, San Jose Campus. Anthony started out working as an electronics technician for Symbol Technologies then moving on to Client Services, Consulting and Business Development roles for several technology organizations, some of which were GE Capital IT Solutions (now CompuCom), WebEx Communications (Cisco) and All Covered.

Anthony brings a diverse operational background and knowledge of the Information Technology industry to SandStorm IT which significantly benefits our clients. Anthony is driven to help our clients see the challenges they will face and how technology and services can resolve problems, fuel their innovation and enable them to outpace their competitors.

Is his off time, Anthony enjoys spending time with his wife Jennifer and the kids, hiking/walking with their two dogs Duke and Alice (Goldendoodles), visiting Memphis’ best restaurants, and a good movie from time to time.

Posts by Anthony

• What is Managed Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware? (4/22/2019)

Curtis has a decade of IT infrastructure design and management across the healthcare and engineering industries.  He holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Management Information Systems from The University of Memphis.  Upon graduation, he started his IT career as a helpdesk technician for a Memphis based healthcare IT managed services organization.  While there, he worked his way up from the help desk to the role of Senior Systems Administrator and was primarily responsible for the day to day operation of all servers, networks, databases, and software for the organization’s customers.

Curtis then served as IT Director for an international automation controls engineering corporation based in Memphis.  During this time, he was responsible for all facets of IT for the company and for select clients including infrastructure design, planning, procurement, installation, maintenance, and support.  He had a hand in designing several automation controls systems currently in place in several Fortune 500 companies.

At SandStorm IT, Curtis brings wide breadth of knowledge and experience across many different IT fields.  He complements the existing SandStorm IT team by bringing additional experience in servers, desktop support, wireless, virtualization, networks, and software. When Curtis is not out and about for SandStorm IT, he can typically be found volunteering with the Brighton Middle and High School Band programs.  He also enjoys reading about the latest advances across the tech industry or playing with some piece of technology.

Curtis lives in Atoka with his wife, McKenzie, their dog, Jocko, and hedgehog, Jack.

Posts by Curtis

• What is a DNS attack and how can I defend against it? (8/5/2019)
• What will happen on January 14, 2020 when Windows 7 is no longer supported? (5/27/2019)
• How can software licensing affect my business? (1/28/2019)
• Why is Patch Management Important For Cyber Security? (10/11/2018)
• What is Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software? (10/8/2018)
• Wireless Access Points versus Wireless Network Repeaters (9/10/2018)
• What is HIPAA compliance? (6/18/2018)
• Are you protecting your employees’ information? (3/12/2018)
• Do I still need endpoint Malware protection? (1/29/2018)
• ALERT: Is My WIFI affected by the WPA2 KRACK? (10/17/2017)

In another life, Murray was a maintenance technician for a Memphis-based coin-operated laundry company. This is where he developed his acumen for electro-mechanical based troubleshooting. His career in maintenance would eventually spark his confidence and interest in the world of information technology. Fast-forwarding to 2018, Murray found himself at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology working on technical certifications, gaining experience and vital knowledge all while working full time. In March of 2019, he earned his CompTIA A+ certification.

When he’s not at work, he enjoys experimenting with all things radio, Raspberry Pi, and studying for his CompTIA Network+, Security+, and Cisco CCNA exams. Born in Memphis and raised in Tipton County, Murray loves the Mid South's rich history. He is a life long Memphis Tiger fan, St. Louis Cardinal fan and loves all things fishin'!

Lindsey has kept a computer as a constant companion since she received one for Christmas at 5 years old. She taught herself BASIC programming on her Apple IIGS as a middle schooler and started designing simple web sites as a hobby in the mid 90’s. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Memphis with a double major in physics and chemistry and a minor in mathematics (one class away from a major). She was on track for a graduate degree and career in astrophysics but soon discovered the programming she was involved with in the research lab was more interesting to her than the physics. She ultimately ended up in a career as a web programmer, but first not without a short detour as a laboratory chemist and two years as a teacher of high school physics, chemistry, and precalculus. Lindsey has had her interactive web application work featured on the Smithsonian Institute’s web site, and she put in several years of work on the UI team for FedEx’s SenseAware application.

She is a lifelong pianist and a classical singer. She spends much of her spare time researching the potential of the mind, the mysteries of the universe, and the connection between them. She enjoys spending as much time as possible with her husband Jordan. She is a huge fan of the world-famous Shiba Inu Maru.

Posts by Lindsey

• Why would I want to use Google Drive? (9/3/2018)
• 5 More Google Search Tricks You May Not Know (3/19/2018)
• Why is a mobile-friendly website important? (2/19/2018)
• 5 Google Search Tricks You May Not Know (1/8/2018)

Kaveon is a recent graduate of the University of Memphis with a BS in Computer Science. Since elementary school, he has loved problem solving and science. Kaveon originally started programming in his sophomore year of college. At this time, he was trying to prepare for future courses as he was originally pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree.

By the spring semester, having thoroughly enjoyed programming and wanting to learn more about it, Kaveon had officially changed his major to Computer Science and has loved programming ever since.

Matthew Stafford started as our bench technician after graduating Tennessee College of Applied Technologies in 2016, earning the A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications. He has recently moved to an associate programmer position, working on Rails, PHP, and Javascript.

He remains curious about technology as a whole, and spends his time researching IT Security and Computer Malware between DIY home projects.

Posts by Matthew

• Five Things to Consider When Purchasing a New Computer (9/16/2019)
• Phishing: How to Avoid Phishing Scams (7/15/2019)
• What’s the difference between Intel’s i3, i5 and i7 processors? (3/25/2019)
• What exactly are “Browser Cookies”? (12/3/2018)
• Ransomware – What To Do If You Are Infected (2/26/2018)
• What is Two Factor Authentication? (12/7/2017)
• What you need to know about Data Encryption? (11/2/2017)

Josh has more than 7 years experience as an IT consultant and technician, consistently working with everything from servers, to networks, to smartphones.

Josh enjoys learning about pretty much anything technology, including robots, augmented reality and software. He also designs 3D artwork and animations.

When he’s not working, Josh spends his time drawing and painting, or playing multiple musical instruments including the violin and guitar.

Posts by Josh

• Are Apple computers immune to infections? (9/2/2019)
• How to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi (7/8/2019)
• Why is phishing still the most common cyber-attack? (10/25/2018)
• How is Office 365 different than the standard version of Office? (10/1/2018)
• How to Win The War Against Spam! (9/24/2018)
• Why should I setup my office server with a domain? (8/6/2018)
• What is Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE)? (7/16/2018)
• What’s the difference between managed and unmanaged backup? (5/28/2018)
• Why is HTTPS so important? (12/18/2017)
• How much longer can I keep running Windows 7? (10/4/2017)