JOANNA J. BENAVIDEZ
Fort Collins,CO
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
- Responsible for quality control of a significant number of intelligence reports published to national databases; provided analysis of insurgent communications in support of military commands; displayed detail-driven focus essential to the production of reports providing battle space owners a clear understanding of the SIGINT environment, ensuring missions success.
Operations Officer
National Security Agency Colorado
01.2021 - Current
- Engagement & Policy (E&P) Directorate: As a member of the leadership team, supports the successful execution of core E&P functions to advance NSA’s integrated policy, strategic communications, planning, compliance, engagements with customers and foreign partners, and delivery of intelligence products and services
- Enables short- and long-term mission operations through effective support to a team of senior leadership decision-makers that aligns with corporate priorities, policies, and laws
- In this position, served as the acting Chief of Strategic Communications and Public & Private Partnerships.
Mission Director
03.2022 - 09.2022
- Oversaw a joint military, civilian, and contractor team of over 50 personnel across 11 technical mission sets on the NSAC watchfloor; a multi-disciplined cryptologic center that leverages partnerships to produce integrated intelligence critical to warfare in support of national missions and priorities worldwide
- Orchestrated, synchronized, and provided leadership for the defense of the Nation from a variety of operations by proving 24/7 collection, analysis, and discovery
- Ensured effective tipping of high interest activity to all elements on the SIGINT watch floor and fostering collaborative environments and dialogue to best support assigned tasking.
COMMUNICATION OFFICER
American Veterans Employee Resource Group
06.2018 - 09.2021
- (AV ERG), Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Office, NSA: As a collateral duty, supported the DEI Office as the American Veterans ERG Communications Officer; furthered NSA goals and objectives, reduced barriers to inclusion, and enabled workforce to work at their natural best
- Briefed the Director NSA and other Senior leadership on AV ERG initiatives focused on ensuring that agency supervisors were equipped with the data necessary to leverage the talent and skills of their workforce
- Coordinated and hosted multiple information drives on topics to include military transition, human resources, joint duty assignments, and education benefits, ultimately assisting Active Duty in their transitions to civilian life, and advocated for veterans to receive credit for their prior service when they would have otherwise not received credit.
Operations Officer
GG, National Security Agency, NSA
08.2019 - 01.2021
- Engagement & Policy Directorate: Crafted input to the weekly NSA update for the Secretary of Defense and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on technical and operational statuses requiring concise writing style and focus on outcomes
- Delivered Agency perspectives on requests from the Department of Defense and Office of the Director of National Intelligence overseers
- Used LSS Black and Green Belt training to map and improve the process for key and required Agency functions of Director, NSA Engagements and Congressional Notifications, reducing unnecessary steps and saving workforce hours.
NSA/CSS Representative Support
09.2016 - 08.2020
- Designed and implemented a layered communications framework across multiple communications platforms for NSA representative leadership at over 15 regional offices, creating a consistent flow of information to all parts of the enterprise elements in the field
- Spearheaded a quarterly Global Operations Synchronization virtually for 35+ sites to maximize field leader knowledge transfer on planned, strategized, and relevant topics required for agency leaders
- Identified 11 deficient Memorandums of Agreements (MOA) with customer commands and agencies, and established a process with policy experts to bring MOAs into compliance.
Executive Assistant
07.2018 - 08.2019
- To the Director, E&P Director: Provided direct support the NSA Director for Engagement and Policy across a wide range of technical, operational, policy, planning, and administrative areas
- Ensured the E&P values, mission needs, and expectations were reflected in E&P relationships and daily operations
- Ensured that the Director, E&P was apprised of all issues as well as work across organizational boundaries
- Responded to taskings from the NSA/CSS Director, Deputy Director, Executive Director, and Chief of Staff and maximized information sharing throughout E&P
- Helped to rejuvenate E&P leadership communications with the workforce, resulting in a more than 100% increase communications with the workforce
- Provided critical feedback and guidance to shape and improve both in-person and virtual town halls and engagements with the workforce
- Efforts included a critical review of the IC Climate Survey in preparation for a public Tributary on the survey results; directly supported DIR E&P to craft responses to candid questions
- Built a network of EAs across the Agency to provide comprehensive and coordinated products in support of Deputy Director NSA requirements, to include supporting travel and engagements
- EA forum was used to share information across the agency, which continued beyond tenure.
TEAM LEAD, STRATEGIC
06.2016 - 09.2016
- COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (STC), Counterterrorism Mission Management Center (CTMMC), NSA, Camber Corporation: Provided executive-level support to Agency senior leaders in preparation for Presidential, National Security Council (NSC) Staff, and other interagency meetings
- Drafted, coordinated, and delivered prep materials and talking points on counterterrorism missions, operations, activities, and accomplishments.
Duty EXECUTIVE-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT
United States Army
03.2009 - 10.2015
- Provided leadership, mentoring, and oversight to a combined team of military, civilian, and contractor employees supporting at 24/5 Communications Team operation
- Provided executive-level support to Agency senior leaders in preparation for Presidential, NSC Staff, and other interagency meetings
- Drafted, coordinated, and delivered prep materials and talking points on counterterrorism missions, operations, activities, and accomplishments
- Established the process to ensure that SCT members were synchronized across three shifts and produced consistently high-quality products
- Spearheaded a speech writing group that provided a comprehensive paper on ISIL’s Global Expansion for NSA CT leadership to present at the annual Enterprise Leadership Summit
- Led effort to compile and edit a continuously updated repository of threat and security posture reporting related to international events which was used to produce daily CT threat updates
- Threat updates were used by leadership to track threat streams and were distributed and briefed to inform key leaders across the Agency
- LEADERSHIP THROUGH INTELLIGENCE LIFECYCLE: Oversaw the response process to Requests for Information (RFIs) pertaining to Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) collection in support of Military Commanders’ priority information requests
- Leveraged experience to train 10 all-source analysts in SIGINT reporting, analysis, dissemination, and technical capabilities
- Implemented training plan for reporting, analysis tools, and database uses that enabled Soldiers to operate with minimal supervision
- PROCESS IMPROVEMENT: Increased intelligence reporting by more than 20% over previous leadership team by sharing lessons learned and new strategies
- Established and refined relationships with multiple intelligence entities operating from the tactical level to the national level; focused efforts and streamlined information exchanged procedures with six regional and three national intelligence organizations, eliminating redundancy and maximizing assets available.
Education
Master of Business Administration -
University of Maryland University College
Associate of Applied Science - Intelligence Operations Studies
Cochise College
Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification (2022 - undefined
DoD LSS Black Belt training (2021) - undefined
Associate of Arts - Modern Standard Arabic
Defense Language Institute
2010
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Linguistics
University of Pittsburgh
2008
Certificate, Leadership - undefined
University of Pittsburgh
2008
Additional Information
- Veterans Preference Points: , 10 | Active TOP SECRET/SCI clearance held since 2009
Timeline
Mission Director
03.2022 - 09.2022
Operations Officer
National Security Agency Colorado
01.2021 - Current
Operations Officer
GG, National Security Agency, NSA
08.2019 - 01.2021
Executive Assistant
07.2018 - 08.2019
COMMUNICATION OFFICER
American Veterans Employee Resource Group
06.2018 - 09.2021
NSA/CSS Representative Support
09.2016 - 08.2020
TEAM LEAD, STRATEGIC
06.2016 - 09.2016
Duty EXECUTIVE-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT
United States Army
03.2009 - 10.2015
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
Master of Business Administration -
University of Maryland University College
Associate of Applied Science - Intelligence Operations Studies
Cochise College
Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification (2022 - undefined
DoD LSS Black Belt training (2021) - undefined
Associate of Arts - Modern Standard Arabic
Defense Language Institute
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Linguistics
University of Pittsburgh
Certificate, Leadership - undefined
University of Pittsburgh