Tara Cuevas
Washington,USA
Summary
Strategic Privacy Leader with extensive expertise in data privacy laws and industry best practices. Successfully designed and implemented privacy and civil liberties programs that ensured compliance while significantly reducing risk exposure. Excels in cross-departmental collaboration to advance data protection initiatives and adept at advising on data use strategies, all while promoting organizational transparency.
Overview
2025
2025
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Operations
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Washington, USA
01.2025 - Current
- Leads all operational and support functions of the Enforcement Division.
- Leads legislative and policy analysis.
- Develops strategy for emerging technology integration for the Division.
- Develops and assesses Enforcement's standards and performance metrics to improve efficiency.
- Directs the development and implementation of operational policies and procedures, including those related to information policy and data governance.
- Conducts internal audits to verify compliance with applicable laws and regulations related to data privacy.
- Evaluates third-party services used by the organization for compliance with relevant legal and policy standards.
- Develops and implements operational strategies to maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction.
- Leads statistical assessments producing well-crafted data-driven reports.
Associate Chief
CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY (CISA)
Arlington, USA
02.2022 - 01.2025
- Led civil liberties and privacy policy program for the Office for Privacy, Access, Civil Liberties, and Transparency (PACT).
- Led privacy policy analysis activities for PACT and trained privacy staff in privacy policy analysis and development.
- Developed and implemented governance structures, oversight processes, principles, and risk models for CISA mission areas of elevated privacy and civil liberties risk, including emerging technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and the operational use of social media.
- Reviewed and edited privacy documentation for First Amendment, privacy, Fair Information Practice Principles, and other civil liberties equities.
- Coordinated effectively with legal, data, technical, and cybersecurity professionals to develop effective solutions to data and emerging technology policy issues.
- Led qualitative and quantitative evaluations to measure compliance with privacy and civil liberties standards.
- Supported DHS investigations into complaints against CISA programs and activities for non-compliance with constitutional, statutory, regulatory, policy and other requirements.
- Served as Principal Advisor to CISA leadership, delivering strategic civil liberties and information policy guidance.
- Analyzed legislative decision-making and regulatory updates to inform policy development and advice.
- Effectively engaged with internal and public stakeholders to improve the delivery of CISA resources and services.
- Directed strategic messaging and communicated complex and nuanced ideas in a clear, tactful, and persuasive manner.
- I represented CISA by presenting at events, such as the DHS Information Law Symposium, on privacy and civil liberties risk mitigation activities.
- Represented PACT in a variety of working groups (DHS Responsible Use of AI Working Group; CISA AI Action Group; CISA AI Governance Working Group; National Security Council (NSC) AI, National Security, Privacy, and Civil Liberties Group; NSC Sub-Interagency Policy Committee on AI and Democracy and Human Rights, etc.).
- Acted for the Chief of PACT regularly, managing the Privacy, Civil Liberties, and Public Engagement, and Freedom of Information Act Divisions (FOIA).
Senior Policy Advisor
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES (CRCL)
Washington, USA
07.2020 - 02.2022
- Led cross-functional teams across DHS to implement strategic change.
- Directed development and planning of innovative business processes and technologies.
- Developed implementation plans, goals, and objectives as well as external reports.
- Established partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to coordinate and implement policy change agency-wide.
- Served as lead technical expert in navigating sensitive and complex records and information policy areas in order to prevent harm to individuals.
- Led information-sharing and data governance efforts and initiatives.
- Established and conducted information policy compliance reviews.
- Drafted impactful memoranda, presentations, strategic plans, policy papers, and talking points addressing information policy and civil liberties equities.
- Drafted and refined policies to align with organizational standards, congressional decisions, and regulatory updates.
- Executed comprehensive reviews to detect and address potential risks within the DHS enterprise.
- Frequently acted as Section Chief for extended durations during a period of robust organizational change. Managed emerging technologies, vetting, and cyber functions while acting.
Branch Chief
U.S CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) FRAUD DETECTION AND NATIONAL SECURITY DIRECTORATE (FDNS)
Washington, USA
12.2018 - 07.2020
- Led the Screening Coordination Branch within the National Security Division and Public Safety Division (NSPSD)
- Effectively managed an accountability driven and results-oriented team with a wide range of expertise and backgrounds (legal, policy, administrative adjudications, law enforcement, etc.)
- Served as Program Manager for a major emerging technology/machine learning contract.
- Directed complex and high priority programs of national interest.
- Led the development, implementation, and evaluation of national security policy.
- Analyzed legislative and regulatory updates to inform policy development and advice.
- Established enhanced risk mitigations and safeguards in national security processes to ensure program effectiveness and continuity while minimizing harm to individuals and privacy risk.
- Formulated communication plans for various programs and technologies.
- Advised USCIS Leadership on complex policy matters and made informed recommendations grounded in data.
- Conducted multi-year strategic planning, and aligned resources with changing strategic priorities.
- Spearheaded and directed internal USCIS working groups toward achieving organizational goals while minimizing privacy and civil liberties risks.
- Represented USCIS interests in interagency working groups, and developed collaborative relationships across government..
- Acted as Division Chief through rapid operational changes amid pandemic from April to July 2020
Section Chief
USCIS FDNS
Washington, USA
05.2017 - 12.2018
- Provided leadership, guidance and direction to the Section.
- Managed and assigned workloads based on changing priorities
- Evaluated and enhanced business processes to improve operations and ensure privacy principle implementation.
- Developed SOPs, project management tools, and reporting tools to bolster operations, improve customer service, and ensure goals were met in a timely and high-quality manner.
- Led several large-scale special studies to improve background check operations and reduce privacy and civil liberties risk.
- Provided data-driven recommendations leading to significant fiscal savings annually while preserving quality.
Special Assistant
USCIS FDNS
Washington, USA
10.2015 - 05.2017
- Provided advice to FDNS Leadership on complex and sensitive national security matters and potential impacts to privacy, civil liberties, and transparency.
- Monitored congressional decision-making and regulatory updates to inform national security policy development.
- Served as office point of contact and lead planner for Congressional staff site-visits.
- Directed Front Office operations and created procedures to improve records management, knowledge management, employee engagement, and training.
- Developed high quality written briefs, talking points, responses to Questions for the Record (QFR), and Congressional testimony.
- Oversaw cross-functional teams to execute two Executive Order initiatives for USCIS.
- Led the development of the FDNS Strategic Plan, including vision, goals, and monitoring measures.
- Represented FDNS in GAO and OIG engagements.
- Effectively led financial, technical, and human resource management functions for a pilot program, ultimately leading to the stand up of new Division with approximately 25 employees
Management and Program Analyst
USCIS FDNS
Washington, USA
06.2014 - 10.2015
- Led evaluations and studies to assess the effectiveness of national security programs.
- Redesigned operational workflows to enhance traceability of tasks among policy and legal professionals.
- Established procedural background check changes to mitigate privacy risks and harm to individuals as Chair of the USCIS Screening Coordination Working Group.
- Developed and implemented national security policies.
- Developed briefs, presentations, talking points, and program papers.
Presidential Management Fellow
USCIS OFFICE OF TRANSFORMATION COORDINATION (OTC)
Washington, USA
08.2011 - 06.2014
- Two-year Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF).
- Served as Executive Secretariat for the Transformation Executive Steering Committee.
- Updated Front Office procedures to increase productivity, limit privacy impact, reduce costs, and reduce waste.
- Conducted training sessions for Front Office team members.
- Developed and managed the OTC Strategic Plan, the OTC Quality Workplace Initiative, and the monthly OTC Newsletter to improve employee satisfaction and increase collaboration across units.
- Managed monitoring of business accomplishments and issues.
- Developed and tracked responses to all public engagement and oversight inquiries, including Congressional, GAO, and OIG inquiries.
- Directed customer support operations to address Congressional concerns.
Temporary Assignments/Details
U.S. Government
- USCIS Office of Privacy, Washington, DC, September 2019 – April 2020: National Vetting Center (NVC) Lead / Privacy Specialist
- Department of State (DOS) Mission to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris, France, September 2012 – December 2012: PMF/Governance & Transparency Advisor
- Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), Exploitation Crimes Unit, Washington, DC, November 2011 – May 2012: PMF/Management and Program Analyst
Education
Masters - Social Work
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia, PA05.2011
Bachelor of Arts - International Affairs
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Washington, DC05.2009
Skills
- Leadership
- Change Management
- Strategic Communication
- Information & Privacy Policy
- First Amendment & Civil Liberties
- Coalition Building & Stakeholder Management
Training
- European Data Protection, IAPP, 2024 (certification in process)
- Privacy Program Management, IAPP, 2024, (certification in process)
- Artificial Intelligence Governance, IAPP, 2024
- CISA Leadership Development: Leading Through Uncertainty; CISA; 2024
- Advanced Leadership Seminar, USCIS, 2019
- EEO Law Week, FELTG, 2019
- Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Management, Graduate School USA, 2015
- Developing Appreciative Intelligence for Innovation and Transformational Leadership, NTL, 2013
- Project Management, Graduate School USA, 2013
Awards
- 2012-Present, Annual Performance Awards
- 2021, DHS CRCL 'On the Spot' Award
- 2018, DHS Secretary's 'Gears of Government' Award
- 2018, DHS Secretary's 'Unity of Effort' Award
- 2017, USCIS FDNS 'Special Act' Award
- 2017, USCIS FDNS 'On the Spot' Award
- 2016, DHS Secretary's Unit Award
- 2016, DHS Secretary's Unity of Effort Award
- 2016, USCIS FDNS 'Special Act' Award
- 2013, USCIS OTC 'Make it Happen' Award
- 2012, USCIS Director's 'Pioneer' Award
- 2011, Presidential Management Fellowship
- 2011, University of Pennsylvania's Dr. Ruth Smalley Award
- 2005, St. Lawrence University's Book Award for Public Service
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Director of Operations
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
01.2025 - Current
Associate Chief
CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY (CISA)
02.2022 - 01.2025
Senior Policy Advisor
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES (CRCL)
07.2020 - 02.2022
Branch Chief
U.S CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) FRAUD DETECTION AND NATIONAL SECURITY DIRECTORATE (FDNS)
12.2018 - 07.2020
Section Chief
USCIS FDNS
05.2017 - 12.2018
Special Assistant
USCIS FDNS
10.2015 - 05.2017
Management and Program Analyst
USCIS FDNS
06.2014 - 10.2015
Presidential Management Fellow
USCIS OFFICE OF TRANSFORMATION COORDINATION (OTC)
08.2011 - 06.2014
Temporary Assignments/Details
U.S. Government
Masters - Social Work
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Bachelor of Arts - International Affairs
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
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