Tara Thielhelm
Burke,VA
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Intelligence Operations Specialist
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
12.2022 - Current
- Serve as Deputy Division Chief for Integration Management Division (OI-OAM)
- Manage and lead 70 intelligence analysts, comprising of military, civilian and contractor personnel, at two geographically dispersed locations
- Supervise and provide oversight of intelligence production in support of DTRA Director’s priorities and combatant commanders' Counter-WMD efforts
- Oversee intelligence oversight responsibilities for department’s intelligence activities as t designated OI-OA Intelligence Oversight Officer. Develop and maintain Intelligence Oversight (IO) training program, tailored to OI-OA mission and liaise with IO counterparts throughout the Department of Defense for purpose of ensuring that the DTRA Intelligence Oversight Program remains aligned with Department of Defense and Intelligence Community policies and best practices.
- Review analytic products and Enforce Intelligence Community standards resulting in 100% of individual and team production adherence to DTRA OI-OA procedures, Intelligence Community Directives, and Defense Intelligence Enterprise analytic tradecraft.
- Act as Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) for the OI-OAM contractor workforce. Give guidance and direction to OI-OAM contractor employees in support of DTRA requirements and oversee efforts regarding the preparation of integrated operational and intelligence analyses that directly support the mission of DTRA to counter WMD and emerging threats.
- Serve on the Joint DIA-DTRA Operational Planning Team (OPT) which was established for the purpose of planning and facilitating the transition of DTRA’s all-source intelligence mission and capabilities to the DIA. Engage with DIA Intelligence Oversight (IO) counterparts on developing plan for transitioning DTRA IO responsibilities to DIA.
Intelligence Operations Specialist
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
04.2019 - 12.2022
- Served as a Senior Intelligence Analyst (SIA) for DTRA's Integration Management Division (OI-OAM)
- Provided oversight of a Current Intelligence Team which monitored the Director’s Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIRs) and delivered daily intelligence briefings to the DTRA Director and other Senior Leaders on WMD and emerging threat activities
- Provided direct, in-depth intelligence analytic support to DTRA leaders and mission partners in order to support their decisions and action; coordinated throughout the Intelligence Community (IC) /Inter-Agency (IA) representatives to develop and disseminate timely, tailored products to customers throughout the DoD and to Coalition Partners
- Interfaced with counterparts across the WMD enterprise, including DIA, CIA, NRO, NGA and NSA with respect to current known WMD and emerging threats.
Intelligence Specialist
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
10.2016 - 04.2019
- Served as supervisor for a current intelligence team which monitored current and emerging improvised threats
- Conducted research of serialized reporting relevant to standing Priority Intelligence Requirements and produced relevant WMD and Improvised-Threat briefings for the Daily Intelligence Standup provided to the J2 and staff in order to provide situational awareness
- Provided oversight of branch production and ensured all products adhered to the department SOP and met Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 203
- Supported rapid acquisition processes to acquire and deliver capability solutions designed to prevent or mitigate threats on the battlefield to the warfighter. Provided threat briefs on the Director's Priority Intelligence Requirements in support of the Rapid Acquisition Management Process (RAMP).
Team Lead for General Support Branch Core
Joint Improvised Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO)
10.2014 - 10.2016
- Served as supervisor to analytical teams encompassing specialized single-source functions which provide analytic support to fused, all-source intelligence products in support of Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) actions: Network Analysis Cell (NAC), Document and Media Exploitation team (DOMEX), Humint Exploitation Support Team (HEST), and COIC Signatures Analysis Team (C-SAT)
- Coordinated the planning, analysis, production and dissemination of fused, integrated products in support of the Warfighter, COCOMS and coalition allies
- Acted as open source expert for coordination and collaboration with the DoD and IC. Liaised with the CIA’s Open Source Center, NGA, NSA and DIA with regards to open source technologies, Open Source methodologies and Intelligence Oversight policies and practices. Developed new and innovative analytic methods. Participated in IC open source and social media conferences and workshops concerning emerging priorities, sources, methodologies and capabilities.
- Ensured analysis was relevant, timely and met mission needs and IC standards
- Identified intelligence gaps and identified collection requirements in collaboration with collections management team.
Team Chief, Alternative Analysis Group
Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO)
07.2011 - 10.2014
- Supervised Alternative Analysis Group (AAG), comprising of the Red Team, Wargaming team, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Cell and Cyber analysis Cell
- Provided government oversight and analyst supervision of Open Source, Red Team, Wargaming and cyber products to ensure that they met IC standards of accuracy and completeness and provided tactical relevance to the operational warfighter
- Mentored analysts on alternative analysis methodologies and ensured that analysts appropriately selected and utilized red teaming and wargaming analytic techniques in providing key insights that informed products
- Facilitated collaboration between AAG teams and established communication and support structure between AAG teams and other teams within JIEDDO and other elements within the IC
- Developed procedures to improve team effectiveness.
Intelligence Specialist, Middle East Branch
Army Directed Studies Office, INSCOM
05.2010 - 07.2011
- Served as All-source Intel Analyst for Middle East Branch
- Performed research and analysis of all-source data derived from multiple and specialized databases
- Conducted research and analysis of insurgency, terrorism, conventional operations, information operations, and asymmetric warfare trends to support all-source threat characterizations and vulnerability assessments
- Provided intelligence analysis characterizing all aspects of an enemy's diplomatic, information, military and economic factors
- Briefed research and findings and explain the implications of analysis to include rationale for proposed future projects
- Stay informed of military, political, economic, technical and other developments within the Middle East in order to perform directed analysis and intelligence related research by correlating data from multiple sources
- Monitored Arabic-language newspapers and other Arabic-language media sources and analyze regional trends
- Provided document translation and analysis of Arabic-language source material
Director, Open Source Research Center
Army Directed Studies Office, INSCOM
11.2007 - 05.2010
- Served as the Director of the Open Source Research Center (OSRC), ADSO
- Directed, supervised and coordinated the work of OSRC analysts
- Trained new analysts in intelligence analysis and production
- Communicated ADSO mission and strategic plans and vision and trained new analysts in ADSO analytical techniques and additional OSRC/ADSO TTPs
- Developed Intelligence Oversight procedures Ensured ADSO employees completed training and maintained records compliance
- Conducted research and analysis of insurgency, terrorism, conventional operations, information operations, and asymmetric warfare trends to support all-source threat characterizations and vulnerability assessments
- Prepared and presented intelligence assessments and briefings to customers
- Provided intelligence analysis characterizing all aspects of an enemy's diplomatic, information, military and economic factors
- Briefed research and findings and explained the implications of analysis to include rationale for proposed future projects
- Served as Senior Intelligence Analyst for ADSO project in support of INSCOM's Insider Threat Task Force.
Manager, Open Source Research Center
Army Directed Studies Office, INSCOM
04.2005 - 11.2007
- Served as Manager of the Open Source Research Center (OSRC)
- Led OSRC linguists in conducting graduate-level research analyzing information derived from open source material in support of classified ADSO projects
- Oversaw management of open source collection requirements
- Identified open source research requirements and developed plan to meet requirements. Advised team on information collection methods and practices.
- Utilized a variety of analytical techniques, including emulative analysis and task/concept analysis to work in partnership with other ADSO analysts in preparing and producing briefings on subjects related to the Global War on Terror which were presented to senior Army leaders in support of classified requirements directed by the Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA).
Education
Master's degree - Middle East and North Africa History
Boston University
05.1997
Bachelor's degree - History
Boston University
05.1995
Job Related Training
- DIA PACE Phase I, 07/11/2023
- Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC), 07/01/2023
- Nuclear Policy (NucPol), DNWS, 05/02/2023
- Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) training, 04/21/2023
- Rules of Thumb Nuclear Training, 11/04/2022
- NGA Intelligence Oversight Officer Certification, 09/21/2022
- DIA Intelligence Oversight Officer Training, 10/21/2021
- Army Civilian Education System's (CES) Advanced Course, 08/07/2015
- Red Team Members Course, 11/18/2010
- INSCOM's Basic Analyst's and Manager Course, 09/26/2008
Security Clearance
Top Secret/SCI Security Clearance
Languages
Arabic
Timeline
Intelligence Operations Specialist
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
12.2022 - Current
Intelligence Operations Specialist
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
04.2019 - 12.2022
Intelligence Specialist
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
10.2016 - 04.2019
Team Lead for General Support Branch Core
Joint Improvised Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO)
10.2014 - 10.2016
Team Chief, Alternative Analysis Group
Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO)
07.2011 - 10.2014
Intelligence Specialist, Middle East Branch
Army Directed Studies Office, INSCOM
05.2010 - 07.2011
Director, Open Source Research Center
Army Directed Studies Office, INSCOM
11.2007 - 05.2010
Manager, Open Source Research Center
Army Directed Studies Office, INSCOM
04.2005 - 11.2007
Master's degree - Middle East and North Africa History
Boston University
Bachelor's degree - History
Boston University
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