Sara Fitzgerald
Bluffton
Summary
To leverage my extensive experience in IT security policy, strategy planning, and communications within the federal sector to transition into a leadership role within the information technology sector.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Supervisory Lead IT Policy, Strategy & Comms
Food & Drug Administration
11.2012 - 07.2025
- Manage the overall IT Security policy process for the Office of Digital Transformation under the direction of the CIO, within the division focused on governance and compliance. Includes full cycle from development, aligning with compliance standards, NIST and other cybersecurity frameworks, to the final approval of the CIO. Coordinate requirements with SMEs, ELT and develop and communicate policies agency wide.
- Key team member in the development of the FDA five year IT strategic plan & operating plan in response to federal guidelines and PDUFA requirements. Gathering stakeholder requirements through industry, aligning goals and vision to match the agency mission. Work on this led to receiving 2024 Commissioners Special Recognition Award for advancing a “OneFDA” IT ecosystem through the inaugural agency-wide FDA IT Strategy.
- Under the Office of the CIO, supervised and led the implementation of a new security awareness training from scratch, maintaining 100% compliance annually. Expanded the program beyond standard training that won multiple FISSEA awards.
- Partner with all Centers within the FDA in various areas to ensure compliance with SLA metrics, policies that affect all areas, training etc are maintained and communicated. Partner outreach also achieved through participation and membership of various committees including Cybersecurity & Data Committee and Process Improvement Working Groups.
- Stayed current on all cybersecurity trends and requirements surrounding the use of AI, data protection, social media and other modern IT trends.
Lead - IT Security Policy & Awareness
Chickasaw Nation Industries
01.2009 - 01.2012
- Company Overview: Client: Food & Drug Administration
- Held the same roles and responsibilities as stated above but in a federal contractor/private sector role supporting FDA in a client facing role.
- In a management role, overseeing a team, was requested to be come a full time FDA employee.
Senior Consultant
BearingPoint (acquired by Deloitte)
01.2005 - 01.2009
- As a member of the Business Transformation division, supported multiple internal and client facing projects.
- Supported the Dept of the Navy in an effort to build their five year strategic plan. Designed and held workshops to identify risks and needs, working closely with all levels up to Execs to implement a final plan.
- Brought into a three month client project at the Dept of State to support the Office of Information Assurance to build a training program and bring the Dept into compliance with FISMA and federal guidelines. Successfully built a project, under the Office of the CISO, that extended the project from three months to two years. Develope and utilized comms and training outreach to educate all offices within the Dept of State, resulting in award winning work that extensively improved the overall FISMA grade of the department.
- Established ongoing plans so that Enterprise wide agency systems would maintain the level of compliance each year and comply with annual security awareness through training.
Case Manager
Omniplex
01.2003 - 01.2005
- Managed the full lifecycle of background investigations for DSS, consolidating data and leads to provide quality assurance from the start of assigning leads through the adjudication of government backed security clearances.
Education
B.A. - Govt & Intl Politics
George Mason University
01.2003
Skills
- Leadership & Teamwork
- Organization
- IT Training & Security Awareness
- Strategy Planning, Governance and Compliance
- Policy, Emerging IT Trends, Data Protection/Management
- Knowledge of compliance standards and IT federal guidelines
- Active Top Secret security clearance
Timeline
Supervisory Lead IT Policy, Strategy & Comms
Food & Drug Administration
11.2012 - 07.2025
Lead - IT Security Policy & Awareness
Chickasaw Nation Industries
01.2009 - 01.2012
Senior Consultant
BearingPoint (acquired by Deloitte)
01.2005 - 01.2009
Case Manager
Omniplex
01.2003 - 01.2005
B.A. - Govt & Intl Politics
George Mason University
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