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Chris Elgee

Principal InstructorBuilder and Breaker at Counter Hack; Cyber Warfare Officer in the Army National Guard

Specialities

Offensive Operations, Cloud Security

Connect with Chris

Chris Elgee

About Chris Elgee

Chris Elgee is a SANS Principal Instructor, Senior Security Analyst at Counter Hack Challenges, and Cyber Range Lead (S-6) for the Army National Guard’s 91st Cyber Brigade. He teaches SEC560: Enterprise Penetration Testing, SEC588: Cloud Penetration Testing, and SEC543: AI-Assisted Source Code Analysis and Exploitation for Penetration Testers. Known for blending offensive security expertise with immersive learning design, Chris brings real-world adversary tactics into the classroom, helping students think like attackers while strengthening defensive skills.

Chris’ career began in traditional IT and military service, steadily evolving into leadership roles across cybersecurity operations, penetration testing, and Army units. He served in multiple leadership positions within the National Guard, including Battalion Commander of a Cyber Protection Battalion and senior operations roles, where he led teams defending critical infrastructure and coordinating large-scale cyber exercises. These experiences now shape the course experience, grounding technical concepts in mission-driven scenarios and emphasizing decision-making under pressure. At Counter Hack, he designs and builds NetWars and Holiday Hack challenges, translating real-attacker methodologies into engaging, story-driven exercises used by thousands of practitioners worldwide.

Chris holds the GIAC Security Expert (GSE), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), reflecting deep expertise across offensive operations and security engineering. His contributions extend beyond the classroom through the development of large-scale cyber ranges and training platforms, including his role as project lead for SANS Skills Quest by NetWars, a hands-on environment designed to continuously build practitioner skills. Chris Elgee is also a faculty member of the SANS Technology Institute, which has been designated an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and is a multi-year winner of the National Cyber League competition.

In the classroom, Chris is known for his energetic, story-driven teaching style and his ability to make complex concepts approachable through practical application. Students consistently value the realism of his labs and the way he connects technical skills to real-world impact. Outside of work, he invests in his community through volunteer service, plays bass at church, and spends time with his wife, four children, and their two dogs, Charlie, a mini schnauzer, and Isabella, a Yorkshire.

Qualifications Summary
  • Principal SANS Instructor; Senior Security Analyst at Counter Hack Challenges; Cyber Range Lead (S-6), Army National Guard
  • GIAC Security Expert (GSE), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
  • Former Battalion Commander, Cyber Protection Battalion; extensive leadership in military cyber operations
  • Design Lead for Core NetWars Tournament and contributor to Holiday Hack Challenge
  • Project Lead for SANS Skills Quest by NetWars
  • Instructor for SEC560, SEC588, and SEC543
  • Faculty member, SANS Technology Institute

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