Michael Chen-Williams — Senior Enterprise Network Architect, Verizon Business
Michael Chen-Williams is a Senior Enterprise Network Architect at Verizon Business, based at the Basking Ridge, NJ headquarters. He is a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure #42876) and a (ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), with 16 years of US commercial telecommunications experience.
Michael's practice focuses on enterprise WAN, SD-WAN design, Private 5G deployment and network security architecture for multi-site US clients. He contributes technical review and authorship for Verizon Business published content including sign-in guidance, security posture documentation and service architecture references.
Expert Credentials
- Role: Senior Enterprise Network Architect, Verizon Business Professional Services.
- Base: Basking Ridge, NJ — Verizon global operations HQ.
- Certifications: CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure #42876, CISSP.
- Education: MSc Telecommunications Engineering (NYU Tandon, 2009); BS Electrical Engineering (University of Michigan, 2007).
- Experience: 16 years in US commercial telecom — Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group since 2014; AT&T Business Solutions (2010-2014); Cisco Systems (2007-2010).
Professional Bio
Michael joined Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group in 2014 and has led enterprise WAN and SD-WAN design engagements for multi-site retailers, regional healthcare networks and state and local government clients across the US. Before Verizon, he spent four years at AT&T Business Solutions as Manager of Network Architecture covering Mid-Atlantic enterprise accounts, and three years at Cisco Systems as a Network Engineer on the US enterprise SE team.
At Verizon Business he is a standing contributor to Professional Services design reviews for SD-WAN and Private 5G programs above $1M TCV, and sits on the internal architecture review board that standardises how field architects assemble reference designs from the Verizon Business product catalogue. Michael reviews published technical content on verizonbusiness.at for accuracy, including the security posture, sign-in procedure and service silo pages.
Areas of Expertise
Enterprise WAN
Multi-site MPLS, internet transit and broadband underlay design for US retail, healthcare and manufacturing networks. Experience modernising legacy MPLS into hybrid fiber + 5G overlays without uptime regression.
SD-WAN Design
Vendor-neutral SD-WAN architectures on Verizon-managed platforms. Path-selection policy, application steering, encryption layering and SASE integration. Pre-sales design and day-two optimisation.
Private 5G Deployment
RF planning and core integration for enterprise Private 5G in CBRS and licensed spectrum bands. Vertical focus: warehousing, manufacturing floors, campus deployments and healthcare facilities.
Network Security Architecture
Zero-trust network access, microsegmentation, SASE policy design and alignment to NIST Cybersecurity Framework and CISA secure-by-design guidance.
Career History
| Role | Institution | Years | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Enterprise Network Architect | Verizon Business (VESG) | 2014–present | SD-WAN, Private 5G, security architecture |
| Manager, Network Architecture | AT&T Business Solutions | 2010–2014 | Mid-Atlantic enterprise WAN and MPLS design |
| Network Engineer | Cisco Systems | 2007–2010 | Enterprise routing, switching pre-sales support |
| Graduate Research Assistant | NYU Tandon School of Engineering | 2007–2009 | Telecommunications systems engineering |
Published Insights
Selected title-only references to Michael's Verizon Business Professional Services writing.
- "Hybrid WAN Refresh Patterns: Replacing MPLS with Fiber + 5G Backup"
- "Private 5G for Mid-Sized Manufacturing: RF Planning Without RF Teams"
- "Zero-Trust Network Access Rollout for Multi-Site Healthcare"
- "SD-WAN Path Selection: Why Application Policy Beats Round-Robin"
- "Secure Remote Administration: MFA, IP Allowlisting and Audit Logging for Commercial Portals"
Speaking Engagements
ONUG Spring 2023
Panel on enterprise SD-WAN operational maturity. Michael contributed on day-two optimisation and path-selection policy tuning in heterogeneous underlay environments.
SD-WAN Summit 2024
Case-study presentation on a multi-site US retailer migrating 340 branches from MPLS to a hybrid Verizon fiber + 5G Business Internet overlay with SASE policy enforcement.
Mobile World Congress Americas 2024
Session on Private 5G deployment patterns for manufacturing operators, including spectrum selection, core integration and handover strategy between Wi-Fi and private cellular.