Women's History Month: Civilians
Navy leaders and pioneers
14 March 2016
"From the Revolutionary War to current conflicts, women have played a crucial role in the security of our nation and the success of the U.S. Navy. Join us as we celebrate Women's History Month by profiling women leaders and pioneers across the Navy."
Ms. Lisa St. Andre, SES is currently serving as the director of business operations/comptroller, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: Since my childhood, I have always had a deep-seeded respect for the United States Navy. On my father's side, my uncle was a Navy pilot and was killed in Vietnam while aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN 65). I never met him growing up, but I knew of him and always respected the fact that he gave his life while serving in the Navy.
My opportunity to serve as a civilian came while I was at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine where I could actually see from my dorm room P-3s doing touch-and-goes at the nearby air station. My roommate found a job in the career bulletin for a Navy comptroller financial management intern program. I was majoring in math and Spanish at the time so the thought of numbers and finance for the Navy sounded interesting enough to me that I applied to the program and the rest is history.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: My parents definitely contributed, providing me the moral framework of honesty and integrity, as well as my college professors who pushed me toward this interesting career opportunity in Washington D.C. One of my first assignments was located at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) in Washington D.C. The comptroller at the time taught me a lot about the job that I still use today. During a tour at the Pentagon, I had two great mentors who were just phenomenal. One of those mentors was an aviation fighter pilot and he challenged me in ways that made me realize how much I love the Navy mission. Another mentor pushed me to continue seeking higher education, which led me to apply for the Secretary of the Navy's (SECNAV) Civilian Fellowship Program in Financial Management and allowed me to attend graduate school full-time at American University. Lastly, the senior leadership I had while working at the Navy's Office of Budget (FMB) really helped mold me into who I am today.
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or otherwise, which has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you ever thought you might.
A: My mentors encouraged me to push myself into uncomfortable settings in order to rise to the occasion. Their leadership has influenced me today to challenge my team into those types of opportunities or situations so they too can shine.
I was also greatly influenced by my mother who passed away seven years ago from lung cancer and lost her battle within six weeks of being diagnosed. That was something I really didn't think I could get through, but I did and I'm stronger for it today which is something that will stay with me forever.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: My five years at the FMBE office in the Pentagon, which is the appropriations liaison for the Department of the Navy, is one of the most memorable assignments because of the team I worked with. I was one of the only civilians alongside ten military officers from across the Navy. It was so exciting to work so closely with Congress, supporting SECNAV, as well as the chief of naval operations and the commandant of the Marine Corps. To contribute to the Navy mission at that level was really exciting for me.
During that assignment, I was able to participate in a congressional staff delegation on a carrier embark, which made me love the Navy even more. It was incredible to see a Navy ship the size of a small American city operating so safely and precisely in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Also, being from Boston, the fact that it was the USS John F Kennedy (CV 67) made it very special to me.
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A:It is a phenomenal honor first and foremost, but it's really about people. The Navy is a huge family, making people the most important asset that we have. Building strong teams with integrity is really the key and I'm so excited to be in this position and be able to do that here at Navy Medicine.
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Ms. Leslie Taylor
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: college peer heavily recruited me to come to Patuxent River to see firsthand the dynamic world of flight test for naval aviation. As she had predicted, I was hooked after spending merely a day on the base, seeing the real-world military systems operating on the ground and in the sky above and having naval aviators engage us directly as engineers. After that, I was on fire to become a part of the team.
The direct, hands-on experience of that single day proved to be representative of the day-in, day-out life of a flight test engineer throughout the formative parts of my career. That tie to the warfighter's mission has kept me engaged and inspired during the course of my 31-year career.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: My mentors early on were supervisors who took a particular interest in forming the "worker" I would become. One mentor that sticks out to me the most was one of those supervisors who believed in me more than I believed in myself. He was an outstanding leader who put me in for significant growth opportunities for developmental programs and challenged me to excel in all facets of my career. At his urging, I applied for and was eventually selected to leave my comfort zone as a frontline supervisor and take on a completely new role as the Weapons Integration IPT lead on the F-35 Program. This meant moving from Pax River to Crystal City. I was reluctant to take that particular job and leave my Pax River work family, but this mentor was persistent. He kept saying, "It's the best thing for you and the best thing for the Navy." It proved to be superlative advice, and that was the most career-broadening move I had made up until that point.
That leap taught me many things, but one thing in particular was if I could make that transition, I could make many others. I moved up in my career from that point until I was a Department Head at the GS-15 level. Roughly ten years' time had passed, and my phone rang one day. It was that same mentor telling me he knew of the perfect job for me -- and again, he would not take no for an answer. The job was Director, Flight Test Engineering, an entry-level SES position. I followed his advice and applied for the job and was ultimately selected. The most powerful part of the phone call from this gentleman was knowing that if I were to be selected, I would become his boss. That was a powerful vote of confidence from a leader I admired greatly.
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or otherwise, who has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you ever thought you might.
A: My greatest source of influence has been my parents, both of whom were from very humble beginnings. My parents married at the age of 25 and 16, with my dad working while my mother finished high school. My dad then paid my mother's way through college in the late 1950s, certainly not a mainstream idea at the time. My mother became a very accomplished teacher while my father climbed the corporate ladder of a construction company to become the youngest superintendent they had ever promoted. He was in his early 30s. While those were idyllic times in my memory, my father was tragically injured on the job and suffered a spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic in his early 40s. It was then that my parents, my brother and I found the stuff of which we were truly made. The details are less important than the outcome, which saw my parents' marriage thrive, my brother and me both graduate high school, me to go on to college and become an engineer, and my mother to advance her career until she retired as a part of the Mason County Board of Education in West Virginia.
My parents have been my source of strength throughout all aspects of my life. They still serve as a demonstrative example of the power one has over one's own circumstances. They have always had unwavering faith in my abilities and have always been there to prop me up.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: My first assignment was to directly support the fleet by supplying weapon employment planning data for the tactical platforms of the day, the A-6E, F/A-18A/B/C/D, AV-8B, S-3, P-3, F-14, OV-10D, A-4M, A-7E and AH-1. It was the experience of working with weapons integration and delivery data on these platforms that truly set the course for my career. While I have had many memorable assignments, the launch of my career from this particular vantage point has provided the technical underpinning that I have found so valuable.
Following that first assignment, I served as the first-line supervisor of the teams providing those weapon employment products, then I became the F-35 Weapons Integration Lead, then I moved into Warfare Analysis and now to the position I am in today as NAVAIR's civilian leader of Test and Evaluation. Throughout all that, those first seven years of direct fleet support served me well as the technical and ethical drive that motivates me to support the warfighter to this very day.
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A: Being a leader within the Navy centers on the qualities described in our strong Navy Ethos:
"We are the United States Navy, our Nation's sea power - ready guardians of peace, victorious in war.
We are professional Sailors and Civilians - a diverse and agile force exemplifying the highest standards of service to our Nation, at home and abroad, at sea and ashore.
Integrity is the foundation of our conduct; respect for others is fundamental to our character; decisive leadership is crucial to our success.
We are a team, disciplined and well-prepared, committed to mission accomplishment. We do not waver in our dedication and accountability to our shipmates and families.
We are patriots, forged by the Navy's core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. In times of war and peace, our actions reflect our proud heritage and tradition.
We defend our Nation and prevail in the face of adversity with strength, determination, and dignity.
We are the United States Navy."
To me, this really says it all. With these basic values at the core, my role as a leader is to set a clear course in the areas of responsibility for which I've been charged and to have unwavering commitment as a servant leader to those whose hands-on efforts deliver products to our warfighters.
I have a passion for the people who support naval aviation across the board, and I will strive to enable them to be the best they can be.
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Ms. Susan Orsini, Civilian Mariner
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: Upon graduation from USMMA, I wanted to spread my wings a little bit. I was an Aviation Intelligence Officer, under the now defunct OSAM program. It was during this period I came to value the importance of contribution, and consider opportunities with this in mind, and not just the size of a paycheck.
Upon completing my USN service, July 1990, I was hired by Military Sealift Command. My first ship with MSC was the USNS Mercy and we were deploying to 5th fleet to support Desert Shield/Desert Storm. It was ironic, as at that time, in my Navy billet, as a woman, I would not have been deployed.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: Not to be corny, but my parents, Dr. Robert Sealby, my mother, Mrs. Martha Lee Schmidt, and my step-father Howard Schmidt. All have values the reinforce doing the right thing, not the easy thing. Don't be afraid to stand by your commitment. Be strong enough to ask for help, and persevere.
After them it would have been my high school Volleyball and Basketball coach, Lo Hunter. Her motto has always stuck with me- PERFECT practice makes perfect, substandard practice makes.... Capt. Charles Becker, a retired MSC master. I sailed with him frequently, and just when I thought I could coast a bit, he would throw me a curve ball in a different direction, from Webmaster, to standard of living conditions aboard ship. He made me a much better Master than I would have been without his influence. He certainly did not make things easy.
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or otherwise, who has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you ever thought you might.
A: My Mom. She was raised and went back to live in a small rural town in Missouri. After having lived elsewhere and moved back, she realized there was not a "911" system in place. It concerned her, as it is an area with an aging population. Long story short, she was told it would be too hard, too expensive, and it wasn't needed. She got a petition together. Proposed a 1-cent tax on gas, got the county onboard, and yes; 911 is now available in her area. It taught me there is a way to make changes. If someone says it can't be done without going to Congress, well, go to Congress. My Mom's amazing.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: USNS Mercy 1990-1991 Starting my maritime career under circumstances in which Merchant Mariners have served their country in every conflict, made me proud of my choice, and appreciative of making a tangible contribution.
My time aboard the USNS Kilauea. The "Killer" was the least comfortable, hardest working ship I have been on. The bonds between crewmembers were as tight as I have ever had, forged strong enough that they still endure.
USNS Safeguard, during CARAT 2011. During this assignment I was able to work with a spectrum of Naval personnel from other countries: Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines. There were a lot of "meet and greets" it gave me a true appreciation of what people might see when they look at me.
I have often said "My license doesn't say 'female' Master on it", and it doesn't. This is a comment I would generally make regarding that success is dependent on merit, and not gender. However, in the ports I mentioned before, it became apparent to me, that without any great effort it was obvious that: I was a Captain, that I was a woman, and that I was an American. Realizing this, it crystallized something another mentor taught me, the woman who taught me to ride horses, Jean Gravell,... wherever you go, you reflect where you come from- Make it a good reflection.
I realized that mattered to me. I wanted to leave a good impression on people I met regarding American women in leadership positions.
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A: Lead by example. It means taking responsibility, and taking care of my people. Making a decision and standing by it. Believing in myself, my skills and competence, building my team, delegating and growing people, giving them just a bit more than THEY think they are ready for, and backing them up. Reinforcing the pride the crew should feel about the work they do, the contribution they make, it is truly important. Clean dishes are just as important as engine performance, and navigation.
Being able to motivate people to do things they don't want to do, that I wish I didn't have to have them do, but it has to be done. It means standing up for what is right big or small; If there is a safety issue, distribution of watches, disciplinary problem, bullying, etc. I accept that it is up to me to take care of that situation, and ask for help, to get it as right as I can. To show people that doing the right thing is how we do things. Transparency I guess...but losing that word, just being open, honest, decisive. My crew needs to have confidence in me, trust me, have faith in me, that my decisions are sound.
I don't know what words describe, or what it really means; being a leader. It's just something you do, and, thankfully, something you can get better at... Being in a leadership position, doesn't make a person a leader; I have learned that is true. I try to be the best leader I can be. I'm still working on it.
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Ms. Diane Boyle (SES)
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: My father enjoyed a successful 38-year career as a Naval aviator and officer, so I think supporting the Navy mission is in my blood. After graduating from college, I worked for a time in the private sector and did the same after graduating from law school. However, working in the private sector did not appeal to my desire contribute to a greater cause and give me the satisfaction or opportunities that I have found working for the Navy.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: My parents, my husband, and several of my supervisors.
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or otherwise, who has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you ever thought you might?
A: When first began working for the Navy, I was focused on the job at hand and was not aware of the Senior Executive Service. The idea of becoming a member was not something I thought of. Although he was not a member of the SES himself, after working for him for only a few years, my first supervisor is the one who pushed me to consider becoming an SES in the future and helped guide my career choices. He challenged me to have the confidence to believe that I could be a Navy leader. He also challenged me to thank him for his help as I earned promotions by finding and guiding someone else to up the ladder.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: All of my assignments have been memorable, but probably the most memorable were the years I spent at the Commander, Naval Installations Command, because that is where, as a civilian, I had the most contact with the Navy personnel who were focused on direct support to operations. It is also where I learned more about the Navy budget and priorities, and had the opportunity to see Navy installations around the world, creating a greater sense of the importance of supporting the Fleet.
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A:It means translating the Navy mission into action, leaning forward, and growing the next generation of leaders.
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Ms. Carrie Meza
QUESTIONS:
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: When I interned at the Pentagon the Navy programs that I saw unfolding were the most interesting of all the services. I was interested in the development of the BMD mission and the idea of performing that function from sea. I also felt like the Navy civilians were a more integrated part of the overall effort than the other civilian staffs.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: The role models that have helped guide me have been family members. I come from a long line of independent women who struggled to do the things they wanted to do in their lives and who didn't accept limitations based on
gender. The women in my family from my great-grandmother, to my mother and
aunts; each showed me in their own way how important it was to know your own
worth and not settle for anything less. The people who have influenced me throughout my life are people like Eleanor Roosevelt and Sandra Day O'Connor. They were women who were important to history not because they were women, but because they did what they needed to do to accomplish their goal when they weren't supposed to be able to. They were women who just "carried on" doing those extraordinary things they would later become famous for. I have always found strength in the courage of these women to see a world without gender limitations even though their world was full of them.
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or
otherwise, who has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you
ever thought you might.
A: It sounds corny, but everyday my husband challenges me and influences me to be more than I ever thought possible. He understands even more than I do what drives me and challenges me to meet all of my goals. When I feel overwhelmed by being a wife, a mother, and a leader he steps in and takes the burdens that he can and reminds me that I don't need to be all of those things perfectly all of the time. He has an amazing amount of patience to understand that sometimes I just can't put that task down and dinner is going to be later than we planned, or that even though I've promised to do that chore the last 5 days he should just go ahead and get it done instead.
There are times I question my abilities or my accomplishments and he is always the first to remind me of all of the small steps that got me to the big ones. I have people in my life who have influenced the way I view the world or the way I interact in the world, but the one person who influences who I am is far and away, my husband.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: My time in OPNAV N80 and CNE/CNA/C6F are the most memorable tours of my career, largely because they kept me out of my comfort zone every day. I am glad to look back on those tours now as defining tours, but my time in those jobs was full of stress and anxiety; always wondering if I was capable of the work that was required and surprising myself at my accomplishments by the end. Each job I've ever held, whether civilian or contractor, has had its challenges; but those two particular tours made me grow in ways I didn't think possible and contributed greatly to my confidence in my skills and abilities to this day.
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A: Being a leader in the Navy means constantly growing and evolving. Our threats and missions are constantly changing and evolving based on
technology. I think being a leader in the Navy means you have to change and evolve as well. As we continue to expand the workforce, bringing in a 4th generation, we have to resist the urge to look at things through an old lens and instead use the experience of the senior leaders to shape the ingenuity of the younger staffs. Naval leaders need to ensure that we remember all experiences are opportunities to learn, including failure, the greatest ingenuity often comes from spectacular failure.
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Ms. E. Anne Sandel (SES)
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: I joined the Department of the Navy partly because my Father served in the military for over twenty years, but also because I saw an opportunity in building a career in support of the men and women in uniform as well as a place where I could practice my passion for engineering, teambuilding, and eventual leadership of large organizations who were dedicated to service to our nation.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: I have had many mentors and role models over the years both in uniform and civilian clothes. I have made it a practice to study the leadership styles of many for whom I've worked. I try to capture those traits that I feel are positive and incorporate them into my style. I also find bad leadership practices to be helpful in growing as a leader - it is just as important to understand and identify the effects of bad leadership as to know the positive attributes.
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or otherwise, who has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you ever thought you might?
A: One of my dearest friends early on shared with me a Coach John Wooden quote that I have never forgotten: "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." I have carried that thought into every job, situation and important event in my life and it has paid significant dividends in always doing the right thing regardless of who might be or not be watching. I have also over the years come to depend on my Faith in God and the importance of looking after others, it's about everyone else and how I can help them, and not about me at the end of the day.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: I have had extraordinary assignments throughout my government career. I have led the stand up and creation of PEO IWS and PEO LCS and understand the importance of getting an organization properly structured and focused on Mission with essential components in place and documented guidance. I have had the honor to have served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for ASN RDA and learn how things are accomplished in the DoN and DoD, and the importance of consistency, accuracy and alignment of message. I was honored to be selected as the Program Executive Officer for Littoral and Mine Warfare (PEO LMW) traditionally a Flag Officer assignment and personally experience the responsibilities and stress associated with leading a complex organization with multitudes of requirements, stakeholders and customers executing globally with limited resources and schedule, a transformational experience for me as a civilian. I would say these and all of my previous assignments have shaped me and made me a better leader and person.
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A: It means being humble, dedicated, and ethical in everything. It means that the Navy has vested trust and confidence in me to achieve the mission and objectives of the organizations to which I have been assigned a leadership role. I see on a near daily basis that talent and ability gets one to a leadership position, but it takes character to keep you there. Finally, I have learned that good leaders know that activity does not equal progress and that you get what you inspect, not what you expect. Caring for the Team, and ensuring they have your respect and full attention in assisting them with achieving the mission and vision of the organization must stay a primary goal.
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Special Agent Mary Jones, NCIS
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: I always wanted a career in law enforcement. In college I joined Army ROTC and requested the Military Police Corps. I served 3 years on active duty, and 9 in the Army Reserves. At the MP Advanced Officer Training Course, which I attended shortly after coming off active duty, I met a Naval Investigative Service (NIS was our name before NCIS) special agent who told me all about NCIS. It seemed to me the perfect hybrid of law enforcement and the military. I applied and was hired in 1989.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: I've had so many role models and mentors over the years. Col (RET) Rose Favors, a USMC lawyer, was bright, funny, impressive and a genuine pleasure to work with no matter how difficult the subject matter. She was well respected for her legal knowledge and competence and someone with whom everyone genuinely enjoyed working. Former NCIS Director Mark Clookie was another mentor for me throughout much of my career. Mr. Clookie demonstrated to me that you can have a full balance of all the roles we have throughout our lives: parent, child, professional, leader, and spouse. He taught me to seek all the facts before making any decision because as leaders we are often called upon to make difficult decisions. Policies and SOPs guide that process, but leaders must make decisions, popular or not, and often in difficult circumstances. Good leaders always take the time to gather all the facts.
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or otherwise, who has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you ever thought you might.
A: I was blessed to grow up in a very traditional family. I am the second oldest of four children. My father had been in the Navy as a navigator before I was born and transferred into the Navy Reserves when I was a young child. I have memories of him in uniform flying out for reserve weekends. After his active duty time, he became a salesman for the Armour Dial Corporation. Each of his promotions at Armour Dial became a transfer for our family. We lived in CT, MA, AZ, and IL. During my sophomore year in high school, we moved to my parent's home state of Maine. They had always wanted to come back home to Maine and this was their chance, so my dad took an early retirement and bought a farm equipment and wood stove store. My dad worked hard, 6 days a week when he had his store. When we were old enough, we all chipped in where we could - pick-ups, deliveries, inventories. He and mom expected us all to do well in school and to go to college. I don't recall it ever being an option, just an expectation. All four of us went to college, 2 joined the military, and we have all done well. I think the most important part of my childhood was relocating to different states. I never lived anywhere for more than 3 or 4 years, sometimes less. Kids are resilient and learn to adapt and that adaptability carried forward in my professional career because NCIS has made the same demands on me and my family.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: I have so many, but there are three that stand out the most.
The first was in Okinawa, Japan, (my second office and first overseas your) where I stayed for two consecutive tours (4 years). It was high op-temp office and I was able to work in a wide variety of assignments as part of the NCIS mission. I have often said if you are bored working for NCIS, you are not trying. I was first asked to go undercover for a period of about 3 months to identify an on-base larceny conspiracy. Being newly assigned to the island, it made more sense to put me in that role rather than an agent who was well known in the military community. In the end, I discovered that MWR employees were manipulating the inventory records to hide their theft of expensive merchandise.
While in Japan (1997-2001), I also created a Domestic Violence Unit which was a fairly new concept at the time. Working with another special agent, we also developed a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) that included volunteer medical professionals willing to be on call to collect evidence from victims of sexual assault. This practice allowed us to have evidence collection by a knowledgeable, trained medical professional who was able to conduct the exam in the privacy of the OB/GYN clinic. This resulted in victims receiving faster and more discreet treatment instead of waiting in the ER.
Finally in Japan, I enjoyed participating in drug suppression operations in foreign ports. I worked as a shallow undercover agent in Thailand and Mali, supporting our Singapore Field Office. The operations consist of agents from NCIS and Drug Enforcement Agency (if present in that country) working with host nation law enforcement to buy drugs near ports about to be visited by US Navy vessels. After three days of multiple arrests by the local authorities, word "on the street" was to not sell drugs to Americans. Our efforts made it less likely sailors will be targeted by local dealers as well as more difficult for sailors to find drugs.
Another assignment that was unique and challenging was a 6-month deployment to Croatia and Bosnia in support of the UN Implementation Force (IFOR) near the end of the Balkan conflict. We worked closely with host nation officials in the ports of Pula, Split, and Dubrovnik and assisted with the first official U.S. Navy ship visit to the country of Croatia. We supported the force protection efforts for the multi-national forces in Croatia and Hungary and assisted in the security plans for the first national vote in Bosnia. This included the safe transportation of thousands of Bosnians who had fled their country during the war but wished to return to cast their votes. We also conducted numerous route surveys to prepare for the secure withdrawal of troops from Bosnia, through Croatia, at the conclusion of the IFOR mission. Ultimately that came much later.
Another memorable assignment was a 3-year, joint duty tour as the Counterintelligence Coordinating Authority (CCICA) for Africa Command (2012-2015). AFRICOM is a high op-tempo command. I was able to work closely with the CI entities of all three services, as well as the FBI, Department of State, and many other US agencies. I was invited to and attended an INTERPOL General Assembly session in Columbia because of a biometrics program I led at AFRICOM that was at the forefront within DoD. INTERPOL was eager to expand this program to include other nations as part of a multi-national border management initiative. AFRICOM developed and sought funding for a program to guide and assist African nations in collecting and storing biometric signatures and worked closely with SOCOM to successfully identify potential threats to the US entities based overseas. And there is so much more...
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A: The two most important things are setting a good example for everyone in my organization and being a source of positive change for the future.
The first requires that I conduct myself in a way that is beyond reproach. We all make mistakes, but the key is how we handle them. If you own your mistake and become part of the solution, you learn and grow. I expect leaders under me to hold their people accountable while being tolerant of minor mistakes. It's a necessary balance.
Being a source of positive change is also very important. The threats to the DoN are continually evolving. As the requirements of the DoN to respond to those threats evolves, so must NCIS. We need to understand the threats and this requires continual learning throughout our respective careers . My level of responsibility increased with each new assignment. I have learned I always have more to learn. With that, we must be open to new and different ways of doing things. We need leaders with an open mind and willingness to change and adapt to the world as it changes around us. We must peer into the future and anticipate those changes as well. Mentorship is part of that. Guiding our personnel to look down the road, with a long term career plan, is key to growing our leaders for tomorrow.
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Ms. Joan Johnson (SES)
Q: Why did you decide to join/serve the Navy?
A: worked in industry for 17 years before choosing to work with the Department of the Navy. Because of my role in industry, I had the opportunity to build great, professional relationships at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. It was during that engagement that I fell in love with the work, the people and the culture. What really grabbed my attention was the workforce's understanding of the big picture; they really get not just how a system works, but how multiple systems integrate to create warfighting effects. This unique environment exists because of the strength of the civilian-military team working as a single entity to provide capabilities to the warfighter when needed. I have been working as a civilian with the Navy for 16 years now, and without a doubt it has been the most fulfilling 16 years of my 33 year career.
Q: Who have your role models or mentors been that have influenced you or helped to guide you?
A: I have been fortunate to have numerous mentors throughout my career, in industry as well as DoD. Many of those mentors have been role models as well - individuals who I sought out for counsel and advice because I respected their leadership style and their principles. In particular, I sought out those individuals who have had the courage and fortitude to do the right thing "against all odds."
Q: Please tell us a story about someone, perhaps in your family or otherwise, who has influenced you or challenged you to become more than you ever thought you might.
A: Both my parents have had a positive influence on me, and have shaped who I am as a person. Both my mom and my dad were first generation college graduates. My mother worked for a short period of time, then left work to raise a family. My father began a career in the aerospace industry and while working, completed his master's degree. My mother, by example, taught me to be compassionate and forgiving. She allowed me to try just about anything (sports, music, etc) - always encouraging, but never forcing or criticizing. My father taught me, by example, never to settle for mediocrity. He had a strong work ethic, excelled throughout his career, and ran a tight ship at home. Both my parents encouraged my brothers and me to build upon the foundation they gave us and to improve it. In other words, be better than the generation that preceded you. Part of that foundation was the value and strength of family. The blending of family values with high expectations for professional achievement led to an understanding of the need to create a healthy work-life balance. Academically, higher education was not a question, it was a given. Additionally, there was never a moment in my upbringing wherein either my mother or my father discouraged me from pursuing a technical career. To the contrary, my propensity for math and science was celebrated! Both of my parents have been wonderful mentors for me personally and professionally, and having celebrated their 60th anniversary, they continue to be a source of inspiration and encouragement.
Q: Please tell us which past assignments are the most memorable to you and why.
A: It may sound campy, but I've liked aspects of every position I have held. There have been high and low points, but I have learned something from every job I've had. One of the most memorable positions I held was that of the AH-1 Cobra Light Attack Helo Weapon Systems Support Activity (WSSA) lead. In a nutshell, the WSSA is responsible for lifecycle support for the AH-1 weapon systems and mission systems. I was selected for the position in August 2001 and was a newcomer to the Marine Corps rotary wing community. Two weeks after being assigned into the position, 9/11 occurred. Focus and priorities shifted to supporting immediate needs for squadrons deployed in theatre, and our small yet motivated in-house team turned to and provided some innovative, rapid solutions to urgent needs identified by the AH-1 community. One of the most rewarding days I recall is a visit from some AH-1 aircrew thanking the team for the tools and capabilities they provided on short notice. The aircrew shared that the capabilities were saving lives in theatre. That conversation on that day reinforced for each of us why we come to work each and every day.
Q: What does being a leader in the Navy mean to you?
A: As a leader, it's my responsibility to set and articulate a vision, to chart a course to achieve that vision, and to clear the path of barriers and distractors so our smart people can focus on doing great work. That vision aligns to the Navy's mission, and each member of the team should see themselves as a critical and necessary component of the mission. When the team shares clarity of priority and purpose, they are better positioned to deliver needed capabilities to the warfighter. The team does not work for me ... I work for the team. And their expectations of me should be high.
It is important to instill confidence in the workforce, and to foster an environment where teammates are encouraged to think boldly, take risks, and be innovative. Equally important, it is imperative that leadership creates and supports a culture that embraces diversity and values the richness of ideas and solutions that come from a broad group of individuals who bring different perspectives and experiences to the team. Finally, as leaders, we must help each of our teammates achieve a work-life balance that sacrifices neither professional accountability nor personal well-being.