Stephen Burkhalter
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area
Email: stephen.burkhalter@outlook.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-burkhalter
- Senior IT & Desktop Support Specialist | Automation & AI Advocate | Culture Change Leader
- Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area |
Professional Summary
Experienced IT and Desktop Support Specialist with nearly two decades of providing expert, hands-on support, driving cultural change, and modernizing technology environments. At Duke University, transformed a toxic IT culture into a collaborative, service-focused department supporting 200+ faculty, staff, and researchers.
Deep expertise in desktop administration, cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux) support, and infrastructure management, combined with strong skills in automation and emerging AI tools. Proven success operating in hybrid and remote settings, enabling smooth remote research, teaching, and administrative work.
Dedicated to continuous learning, actively completing certifications in Prompt Engineering (Vanderbilt), AI Engineering (IBM), and LLMOps (Duke). Passionate about empowering users through proactive, empathetic service while aligning technology solutions with organizational needs.
Technical Skills & Core Competencies
Operating Systems & Platforms: Windows 10/11, Windows Server 2019/2022, macOS, Alma Linux, Ubuntu, VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox
Desktop & End-User Support: Tier 1–3 support, hybrid and remote support (ScreenConnect, Microsoft RDP, VNC, Teams, Zoom), Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, JAMF, BigFix, Active Directory, ServiceNow
Networking & Infrastructure: Server administration and lifecycle management, virtualization environments, MECM (SCCM), network printing (Direct and ePrint), SSO troubleshooting, organizational unit (OU) management
Web Development & Automation: PHP 8, Python 3, JavaScript, jQuery, MySQL, MariaDB, Apache, Drupal 7/9/10, WordPress
AI & Emerging Technologies: Prompt engineering workflows (Vanderbilt), AI-enhanced automation (IBM), LLMOps (Duke)
Soft Skills & Leadership: Cultural transformation, user training, strategic IT planning, project execution, empathetic communication, collaborative team leadership
Professional Experience
Duke University — IT Analyst
Trinity Technology Services (TTS) — Economics Department
2006 – 2024
Led comprehensive IT and desktop support operations for 200+ faculty, staff, and graduate students.
Transformed a toxic IT culture into a collaborative, service-oriented team praised for proactive support.
Ensured infrastructure stability and seamless hybrid/remote operations.
Provided Tier 1–3 support across Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile devices.
Oversaw full device lifecycle and vendor management.
Administered servers, virtualization, and Active Directory environments.
Enabled remote teaching and research continuity via Windows VMs and RemoteApp.
Managed web services, including Drupal and WordPress migrations.
Integrated automation and AI-enhanced workflows.
Championed cultural transformation recognized by faculty and staff.
Supported faculty research and external academic journal web projects.
Orange County Public Schools — Technology Support Representative
2001 – 2006
Provided IT support and integrated technology across classrooms.
Built two computer labs and developed the school’s first website and intranet.
Created an application integrating Accelerated Reader for student tracking.
Recognized as Support Person of the Year for exceptional service and innovation.
Education
West Liberty University: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management
Valencia College: Associate’s Degree in Computer Programming
Certifications & Ongoing Learning
Prompt Engineering Specialization, Vanderbilt — Completed
AI Engineering Professional Certificate, IBM — In Progress
LLMOps Certificate, Duke — In Progress
React.js: Building an Interface, LinkedIn Learning
Learning Python, LinkedIn Learning
Python Data Analysis, LinkedIn Learning
Learning System Center Configuration Manager, LinkedIn Learning
CompTIA A+ Certification, 2001
References
Available upon request.