I’ve spent more than two decades in healthcare technology, moving between hospitals, data centers, and identity platforms. Today I work as an Enterprise Solutions Architect at UI Health in Chicago, focusing on Entra ID / Azure AD, Active Directory modernization, hybrid identity, and governance for systems that support 24×7 patient care.

About Me

I’m Adam — a Midwesterner by origin, a Chicagoan by choice, and someone who has always been happiest when I’m figuring out how things work.

From Lake Michigan drives to dinners by the sea in Capri — the water has always been where I feel most at peace.

Somewhere between curiosity and chaos. Michigan, early days.

Growing up in Michigan

I grew up in Michigan, in a place where you learn to fix things yourself, help your neighbors without making a big deal out of it, and stay curious even when nothing much is happening. I spent a lot of time taking things apart, putting them back together, and quietly watching how people and systems worked.

Some of my favorite memories are riding my four wheeler along the trails around our family home and disappearing into the woods for a while. That mix of freedom, motion, and quiet has stayed with me ever since.

My siblings and me — classic Midwestern childhood energy.

Family

I’m one of three siblings. We grew up sharing rooms, camping trips, Christmas mornings, and the kind of everyday Midwestern childhood moments that stay with you even after everyone grows up.

Technical theatre — lighting and sound boards were my first real “control panels.”

Finding the control board

In grade school, I found my way into technical theatre—the place where light boards, patch panels, and coiled cables all whispered their own logic. I loved the idea that you could stand at a console and command what happened across an entire stage. Even then, the concept of a distributed system with a central point of control made perfect sense to me.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that I wasn’t just learning how to run a show. I was learning what it feels like to take responsibility for a system, understand its quirks, and make the complicated look effortless. That instinct—to keep the lights on, keep things moving, and help the whole production run smoothly—never left.

Graduation with Grandma and Grandpa Betzold. Their pride is something I still feel every day.

Graduation and first steps into tech

My first job after graduation was with Charter Communications in the Bay City call center — helping people troubleshoot cable internet. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me patience, problem-solving, and how to make people feel heard.

Bay City — where I first learned to support people through technical chaos.

Learning the craft

Starting in Bay City gave me a foundation: real problems, real customers, and real urgency. Eventually, I transferred to the Walker call center, where the stakes got higher and the experience deeper.

Walker call center — longer hours, tougher calls, and a whole new level of troubleshooting.

Walker was where I really got the hang of solving problems quickly and cleanly, even when someone was stressed, frustrated, or overwhelmed on the other end of the line.

Early years — the start of friendships that would last decades.

Lifelong friendships

As I settled into adulthood, I started building friendships that have lasted through moves, careers, relationships, and the kind of life changes you only understand with time.

The faces are the same, the stories are longer, and the connection feels deeper. These are the people I still travel with, laugh with, and lean on — the ones who've become part of my life in a way that simply stuck.

Same people, later years — proof that the best friendships grow with you.

My camper — added in 2021 — my weekend reset button and a different kind of community.

A different kind of escape

In 2021, I added a camper into the mix — a place where the pace shifts, the noise drops, and everything feels simpler. Campfires, golf carts, stars, and a community that knows a totally different version of me.

The people who make the moments matter.

Finding home in Chicago

I moved to the Chicago area in 2004, starting in the suburbs. In 2006, I finally made it into the city, and by 2008 I landed in the building I still call home. Chicago shaped my adulthood — my career, my friendships, and the way I show up in community.

And being near water — Lake Michigan sunrises, lakefront drives, quiet marina mornings — connects me back to everything I loved growing up.

The building I’ve called home for years — and now have the privilege to help guide.

Serving on the board

In 2025, I was elected to the Board of Directors for my building. I stepped up because I believe in transparency, accountability, and making sure residents feel heard — not dismissed. This building isn’t just where I live; it’s a community I care deeply about.

Where most of the sense-making happens — consoles, dashboards, and the logic to tie it all together.

What I do for work

By day, I work in healthcare IT as an Enterprise Solutions Architect. I build and support the infrastructure thousands of people rely on every day — identity systems, automations, cloud transitions, and the background systems that make a hospital run smoothly.

Broadway in Chicago — one of my favorite ways to come up for air.

Broadway, darts, and the in-between

Outside of work, I make space for the things that keep me grounded: Broadway in Chicago, nights out with friends, and small rituals that break up the grind.

Darts league nights — equal parts competition, laughter, and group therapy.

I also play darts on a league with friends. It’s less about winning and more about connection — the kind of weekly rhythm that keeps a community intact.

My parents visiting Chicago — two worlds meeting on the water.

Finding peace on the water

Boating has always been one of the most grounding parts of my life. There’s something about being on the water that slows everything down and gives my mind room to breathe.

“First mate” mode — happiest when I’m near the water.

Whether it’s Lake Michigan, a quiet marina, or open water anywhere else, being on the water feels like the same kind of freedom I had as a kid on those trails.

Six Things About Me

I find peace on the water. It’s where I feel most grounded.

I love solving systems — technology, workflows, puzzles.

I'm the friend who quietly fixes things — your Wi-Fi, your lighting, your overwhelm.

I show up for people. Not loudly — but reliably.

I write because it helps me make sense of things.

I care about community and try to leave places better than I found them.

Why I write

This site isn’t a portfolio or a pitch. It’s a place for me to think out loud. I write to make sense of things — travel, change, work, board life, and the moments that stay with you longer than you expect.

If you’ve made it this far, I’m glad you’re here.