Lolita Barnes
Upper Marlboro,MD
Summary
Forward-thinking and strategic manager with 15+ years' experience with the Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, Federal Records Act, Federal Tort Claims Act, Subpoenas, and Legal Demands at the expert level. A proven leader in developing, directing, and delivery of the full operations of Records and Information involving Rural Development's business, housing, and utility programs. Extensive history with USDA federally assisted/conducted and enforcement programs.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Supervisory Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department Of Agriculture/Rural Development Business Center/Enterprise Office/Records And Information Management Division/Information Management Branch
12.2022 - Current
- Serve as Branch Chief and Agency FOIA Officer.
- Manage a staff of 10 professionals through three sections (Intake, Adjudication, Appeals/Demands) and oversee daily operations for three of the division's four functional areas - Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts (FOIA/PA), Federal Tort Claims Act, and Subpoenas and Demands for Official Information
- Ensure timely delivery of disclosures to public citizens, media outlets, and oversight organizations
- Perform extensive collaborations with OGC, State/Program Offices, and other Federal Agencies to execute branch priorities, requests for information, consultations, and initiatives
- Completed the Records Management Instruction revision and authored several other policies, briefings, and reports
- Ensures staff attends all training conducted by the U.S
- Department of Justice
- Assigns cases and monitors the goals established by the Enterprise Office and in the FY 2023 FOIA Plan
- Compose responses to Congressional Correspondence and subpoenas/demands.
- Actively participated in professional development opportunities, staying current with industry trends and emerging technologies within the field of information management.
- Use database to research, gather, analyze and present data.
- Assisted stakeholders and the public with complex research inquiries, providing expert guidance and personalized support throughout with complex research inquiries, providing expert guidance and personalized support throughout the process.
Supervisory Records and Information Management Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development Business Center/Chief Enterprise Office/ Enterprise Services Division/Records and Information Branch
03.2021 - 12.2022
- Developed and shaped the branch through the hiring of seven (7) new Records Management (RM) Specialists, one FOIA Specialist, realigning five (5) senior specialists into Team Leader roles, promoting seven (7) Specialists, and creating five (5) sections within the Records Management Unit and FOIA Unit to ensure optimal delivery of service to internal and external customers
- Managed and oversaw the full realm of Agency recordkeeping, disposition and release of records for the Agency, including risk assessments and pilot projects
- Established the direction of the branch (now division) through the Fiscal Year 2023 Plans for RM and FOIA containing immediate and long-range goals, and the branch's (division) Instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
- Utilized my background in EEO to supervise a diverse and dynamic group of professionals, which consisted of 23 individuals (19 employees & 4 contractors), ranging from grades 7-13, by establishing clear guidelines, providing performance expectations, inclusion, respect, praise, and immediately resolving all grievance and performance issues
- Advise leadership on Records and FOIA matters, policies, and procedures
- Created training slides for the Agency-wide FOIA Training attended by nearly 900 individuals
- Participated with creating training slides for an Agency-wide RM Training attended by nearly 1,000 individuals
- Executed specialized training for the RD Agencies and several State Offices to ensure proper disposition and disposal of records
- Developed briefings, reports, and data calls for leadership to convey the activities of the branch
- Actively participated and coordinated several key RM initiatives
- Accomplished a reduction in FOIA requests during the fiscal year
- Assigned cases, projects, inquiries, and developmental assignments to both units of the branch to further the goal of building resident experts, while executing the mission of the office
- Maintained significant collaboration with OGC, OCIO, State/Program Offices, other USDA Agencies, as well as the USDA Chief FOIA and Records Officers
- Oversaw the Litigation Hold clean-up for RD through coordination with all OGC divisions and regions and ensured that records were not disclosed that were subject to a hold
- Oversaw the development of training for Records Custodians based on the SOPs created and NARA's training modules
- Arranged cross-training opportunities to ensure both units were well-versed in RM and FOIA
- Fostered an environment of engagement among both units by establishing a monthly branch staff meeting (oftentimes with guest speakers), weekly case reviews with FOIA staff, and weekly project meetings with RM staff, as well as a weekly Chat and Chew for informal conversations
- Oversaw the development of the branch's SharePoint site and redesign of the RD FOIA public website
- Resolved issues with the Central File Unit contractors in the South Building Sub-basement and records in the South Building Attic.
Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development Business Center/Chief Enterprise Office/Enterprise Services Division/Records and Information Branch/FOIA Unit
05.2010 - 03.2021
- Served as the Mission Area's FOIA Officer and Agency point of contact concerning Litigation Holds and eDiscovery requests
- Employed an extensive experience and knowledge of the FOIA/PA Program for Rural Development by managing the disposition of requests from inception at the Intake stage through adjudication of the release for closure
- Serve as Team Leader by providing the day-to-day administrative and technical guidance to a diverse staff of nine professionals, with several geographically situated outside of the DC-area
- Assigned and reviewed all proposed release of records and determination letters of staff members and made necessary revisions
- Furthered the goals of equal opportunity among this diverse group of professionals with the assignment of workgroups for projects or opportunities to increase or further develop their skillset, and ensured that every staff member felt valued - also, oversaw and actively participated in each workgroup and project
- Developed a weekly training series on a multitude of FOIA processing topics for the staff
- Mentored and counseled everyone with one-on-one time specific to their need or issue
- Personally, guided other Specialists in the processing of complex cases
- Drafted the Agency response for all FOIA-related Congressional and Controlled Correspondence
- Independently authored nine (9) and co-wrote one (1) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
- Prepared all annual FOIA reporting, data calls, and drafting of narratives for inclusion in reports intended for the U.S
- Department of Justice, U.S
- Congress, and the White House
- Significant collaboration with OGC and other USDA Agencies relating to consultations, referrals, and issues of concern
- Advised high-level officials on all aspects of FOIA/PA matters
- Analyzed and determined the FOIA Unit's goals and strategies, and made recommendations for improvements, as well as implementing supervisor's initiatives
- Analyzed regulations and policies to determine the impact on work processes.
Freedom of Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights/Office of Adjudication and Compliance
09.2009 - 05.2010
- Administered all FOIA/PA requests for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR) and its component offices and divisions
- Conducted an analysis of all requests, determining qualifications for expedited processing, fee waivers, perfecting requests, and whether the release of highly sensitive EEO and program-related complaint files, Reports of Investigations, compliance reviews, Civil Rights Impact Analysis' (CRIA), OIG Hotline Complaints could be partially or withheld in full
- Independently completed the Staff Office's backlog of FOIA cases
- Performed collateral duties as Records Officer and Correspondence Analyst.
Education
Skills
- FOIA and Privacy Act Administration
- Tort Claims Investigations
- Records Management Disposition and Guidance
- Subpoena and Demands Decision-making
- Agency Annual Reviews and Reports Coordination
- USDA-wide and OGC Collaborations
Accomplishments
- Developed a comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Records and Information Management Division to establish the direction as a newly created component of the Enterprise Office.
- Developed two (2) RD Instructions for FOIA and Privacy Act to address the 34% increase in disclosures of agency records.
- Developed the RD Instruction for Tort Claims to communicate clear guidance on national and state office roles and claim thresholds under or over $100,000.
- Created a new RD Instruction to address the 67% increase in subpoenas and demands seeking testimony or official information for legal proceedings.
- Co-authored the Records Management RD Instruction to protect the integrity and security of agency physical and electronic records.
- Co-authored a new official RD Form to address OMB M-21-04 and to verify the identity of individuals or authorize private information to reduce privacy breaches and fraud risks.
Affiliations
- Member, American Society of Access Professionals (FOIA)
- Member and Former Vice President, Federally Employed Women
Other Employment
- U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services/Office of Congressional Affairs
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services/National Institutes of Health
- U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration/Office of the Executive Secretariat
- U.S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Office of the General Counsel
- U.S. Department of Justice/U.S. Attorney's Office/Grand Jury
Awards
Numerous outstanding performances, special achievement, extra effort, and spot awards, including plaques, have been received throughout my Federal career at USDA.
References
- Michael Watts, Esq., SES Director - USDA Forest Service, (202) 205-0194, Former Supervisor
- Sherie Hinton-Henry, Administrator (Retired) - USDA Rural Development, Operations and Management/Associate Assistant Secretary, (571) 235-4860, Former Supervisor
- Jill Clifton, Esq., Administrative Law Judge - USDA Office of the Administrative Law Judges, (202) 720-8162, Job Reference
- Carl Butler, Division Director - USDA Farm Production and Conservation, (202) 720-7006, Character Reference
- Michael Colclough, Security Chief - USDA Farm Production and Conservation, (202) 617-5470, Character Reference
Timeline
Supervisory Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department Of Agriculture/Rural Development Business Center/Enterprise Office/Records And Information Management Division/Information Management Branch
12.2022 - Current
Supervisory Records and Information Management Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development Business Center/Chief Enterprise Office/ Enterprise Services Division/Records and Information Branch
03.2021 - 12.2022
Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development Business Center/Chief Enterprise Office/Enterprise Services Division/Records and Information Branch/FOIA Unit
05.2010 - 03.2021
Freedom of Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights/Office of Adjudication and Compliance
09.2009 - 05.2010
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