Eric S. Thlang
Cyber Security and Consultant in the United States
I was born on in Kampong Thom, Cambodia, and raised in Krong Pailin near the Cambodia–Thailand border. My childhood was shaped by the Khmer Rouge years, when I was separated from my family and forced into child labor, as so many children of my generation were. Against the odds, I survived, was reunited with my family, and in 1979 we fled to the Thai border.
In 1981, we resettled in the United States as refugees, first in Massachusetts and later in California. I went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Computer Engineering from San Jose State University in 1994, followed by a Master of Science in Information Systems from Strayer University in 2000.
My career has spanned substance abuse counseling, volunteer service with Cambodia’s Ministry of Rural Development, and more than two decades in information security with U.S. government agencies including the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of State. Today, I work as a Lead Cybersecurity Engineer, dedicated to protecting critical systems.
Looking back, I feel profoundly blessed. My family survived Cambodia’s darkest chapter, and I was given the chance to pursue both education and a meaningful career in America. Through this journal, I hope to honor my father, preserve our family’s stories, and share lessons of resilience, gratitude, and hope with future generations.