Adam Blackington

Technical Strategist · AI Expert · Cloud Architect

Pioneering the intersection of artificial intelligence and cloud architecture with over 15 years of experience in technical strategy, AI implementation, and enterprise solutions.

About Me

Adam Blackington is a pioneering technical strategist and AI expert with over 15 years of experience in cloud engineering, artificial intelligence, and technical leadership. His expertise spans major cloud providers like Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services, where he's led groundbreaking initiatives in AI/ML implementation and cloud architecture.

As an AI thought leader, Adam specializes in bridging complex technical concepts with practical business solutions, helping organizations leverage cutting-edge AI technologies for competitive advantage. His deep understanding of both traditional cloud infrastructure and modern AI systems enables him to architect solutions that are both innovative and scalable.

Beyond his technical expertise, Adam is a respected speaker and educator in the AI community. He has conducted numerous workshops and presentations on AI implementation, cloud-native architectures, and emerging technologies. His commitment to innovation extends to his community involvement, where he actively promotes diversity in tech and AI education initiatives.

Adam Blackington - Technical Strategist and AI Expert

Professional Experience

My career spans across major cloud providers and technical leadership roles, where I've specialized in cloud architecture, technical strategy, and customer advocacy.

2011–Present

Founder & Advisor

LionLink Networks

Founded a data center colocation and network services company, establishing a strong presence in multiple major data centers in Virginia. Grew LionLink's offerings to provide high-availability hosting and network solutions for enterprises.

  • Founded and scaled data center and network services company
  • Currently serving as technical advisor on strategy and operations
  • Applying technical insight and business acumen to guide the company's growth
2022–2024

Customer Engineer

Google Cloud

Drove enterprise cloud adoption by crafting tailored Google Cloud solutions that solved complex problems for clients. Acted as a trusted advisor to business and IT stakeholders, translating technical requirements into actionable cloud architectures that improved scalability and efficiency.

  • Led Google's National Capital Region LGBTQ+ ERG, fostering community engagement
  • Provided technical guidance to enterprise clients
  • Delivered cloud migration and architecture solutions
2019–2021

Partner Solutions Architect

Amazon Web Services

Supported high-potential startup partners in the AWS ecosystem as a technical strategist. Provided architectural guidance and training to AWS partners, helping them integrate AWS services into their products and scale successfully.

  • Organized hands-on "Game Day" workshops
  • Wrote technical blog posts to enable partner developers
  • Exemplified AWS's Customer Obsession principle
2014–2018

Infrastructure Systems Team Lead

TISTA Science and Technology

Led cloud infrastructure and automation projects for federal government clients. Managed the design and deployment of virtualized data centers and DevOps pipelines for agencies such as the IRS, improving reliability and reducing deployment times.

  • Guided teams in implementing technologies like VMware, Kubernetes, and Ansible
  • Modernized legacy systems while meeting strict security requirements
  • Coordinated with stakeholders to ensure compliance

Technical Skills

My expertise spans a broad range of modern cloud and infrastructure technologies, enabling me to design and implement robust, scalable solutions.

Cloud Platforms and Hardware

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
  • DigitalOcean
  • Dell Servers
  • HP Enterprise Servers
  • SuperMicro Servers

AI Models

  • OpenAI: GPT-4o-mini
  • Anthropic: Claude 3.7 Sonnet (thinking)
  • Google: Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental
  • DeepSeek: DeepSeek V3 0324

Infrastructure & OS

  • VMware
  • Proxmox
  • Linux Systems
  • Cisco Routing/Switching
  • Data Center Infrastructure

DevOps & Automation

  • CI/CD Pipelines
  • Infrastructure as Code
  • DevOps Best Practices

Monitoring & Analytics

  • Nagios
  • New Relic
  • Kentik
  • LibreNMS
  • FortiMonitor

Coding

  • Python
  • Bash
  • Next.JS
  • React
  • TypeScript
  • Remotion Framework

Professional Certifications

These industry-recognized certifications validate my expertise in cloud technologies and architecture, reflecting my commitment to technical excellence.

Google Cloud Certified Professional Cloud Architect

Google Cloud

2023

AWS Certified Solutions Architect

Amazon Web Services

2020

AWS Certified Developer

Amazon Web Services

2019

What Colleagues Say

Adam's expertise in internet engineering, particularly in BGP optimization and the intricacies of IP transit, proved to be a linchpin in guiding the Google Cloud account team assigned to Fortinet. His understanding was pivotal in addressing the specific requirements of the Fortinet SASE platform, contributing substantially to the formulation of a strategy that was both relevant and highly effective. Adam's role was not just instrumental but irreplaceable, forming the backbone of the successful GCP/Fortinet SASE deal. His contributions were not only crucial but also served as a cornerstone in the entire negotiation, ultimately driving the deal to its successful conclusion.
Alexander McMillen

Director, Network Operations, Fortinet

Get In Touch

Interested in learning more or working together? Connect with me on LinkedIn to reach out professionally and see updates on my work.