About Ilya Sulakov
Building at the Edge of the Digital Frontier
Where security meets innovation, and technology serves purpose. I architect AI-powered solutions that don't just protect systems—they transform how organizations think about security, automation, and digital evolution.
My Journey
Key moments, achievements, and milestones that have shaped my path
AI Gateway Development
Developed AI Gateway (Light LLM Proxy), a secure internal AI endpoint with vendor-agnostic backend support, custom security guardrails, comprehensive cost tracking, and rate limiting capabilities.
System Administrator at Luxottica
North American retail IT: partner with store operations, corporate IT, audit, and security stakeholders to ship integrated software platforms—generative AI, Azure automation, and audit-friendly operations for POS-adjacent systems.
Youth Villages Lived Experience Impact Grant
Secured grant funding for the SUN Pathways AI platform development
CyberCincy Conference Speaker
Featured speaker at Cincinnati's largest AI community conference
AI Security Speaker at CyberCincy
Established thought leadership in AI security by authoring and presenting on 'Value Systems & Utility Convergence in LLMs' at a major regional AI conference.
SUN Pathways Platform
Led the technical architecture and development of 'SUN Pathways,' a grant-funded, AI-powered platform designed to address systemic barriers for foster youth by connecting them with college and career resources.
Apache Guacamole POC
Spearheaded the adoption of Apache Guacamole as a secure jump server by building a POC that demonstrated web-based privileged access (SSH/RDP), LDAP integration, and session recording.
Founded The Conrad Group
Envisioned and founded The Conrad Group to harness the power of digital transformation and AI, offering strategic business solutions for an evolving digital landscape.
Founder at The Conrad Group
Founder-engineer delivering digital transformation, secure AI, and automation for medium and large organizations. Hands-on architecture and implementation on identity, edge, and product engineering alongside a skilled delivery team.
Information Technology Administrator at CJR
Oversaw IT operations including network management and system administration. Implemented firewall security and managed Active Directory. Provided technical guidance and support to IT staff. Performed forensic analysis for litigation. Assisted the director of IT with policy drafting and governance.
Information Technology Support Analyst at Connecticut Children's
Supported hospital IT operations across clinical and enterprise systems, focusing on high-priority incident triage, identity/access continuity, and cross-team implementation support in a regulated healthcare environment.
Bachelor of Science - BS in Cyber/Electronic Operations and Warfare
Central Connecticut State University (Attended)
Cyber Security & Networks in Cyber Security
University of New Haven (Attended)
Understanding the Interconnected World
This photo represents a pivotal moment in my journey—the first time I truly understood the interconnectedness of this new cyber world we're building and terraforming from our natural earth. It was a profound philosophical mindset shift that crystallized my desire to be on the edge, as one of the builders of this new digital frontier.
Values & Vision
What drives me
Purpose-Driven Technology
Technology should serve a purpose beyond itself. Every solution I architect is designed to solve real problems, create meaningful impact, and advance how organizations think about security and innovation.
Continuous Learning
The digital frontier is constantly evolving. I stay on the edge by continuously learning, experimenting, and pushing boundaries—always asking 'what's next?' and 'how can we build it better?'
Building Community
We're not building in isolation. Through speaking, teaching, and collaboration, I'm committed to helping others understand and shape this interconnected world we're creating together.
Looking Forward
The path ahead
As we continue terraforming this digital world, I'm focused on ensuring that security, ethics, and human values remain at the core of everything we build. The future belongs to those who understand both the technical and philosophical dimensions of this transformation—and I'm committed to being one of those builders.
Let's Build Together
Interested in discussing digital transformation, AI security, or cloud architecture? Let's explore how we can work together to build secure, innovative solutions.