William Vernon, PhD, MBA

Led high impact strategic communications efforts as a Corporate Communications Officer supporting the NGA West (N2W) Transformation and Engagement Team at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) that bridged internal operations with external mission awareness. Delivered clear, consistent, and value driven messaging to senior leadership, workforce stakeholders, and government partners. Trusted advisor for initiative-taking engagement, crisis response, and transformation messaging, while also managing communication products that elevate transparency, strengthen culture, and align with NGA’s strategic vision.Developed and implemented strategic communication plans to enhance organizational visibility.

• Coordinated internal and external communications, ensuring message consistency across platforms.
• Crafted media materials to effectively convey agency initiatives and achievements.
• Meticulously designed subject-specific floor plans to enhance operational readiness and communications with but staff and agency leadership.
• Took initiative to learn to develop SharePoint based webpages; developed and managed project webpage for the organization on both classified and unclassified systems. Enhanced outreach and knowledge distribution.
• Developed, wrote, and edited communication products including feature articles, briefings, and promotional content for the workforce while facing platforms in coordination with the Office of Corporate Communications.
  • Coordinated NGA workforce engagement initiatives and external tours, ensuring consistent representation of agency goals to government partners, mission teams, and the public.
  • Planned and executed strategic communications initiatives and NGA events, including internal/external briefings, stakeholder engagements, and multimedia campaigns.
  • Lead inter-agency collaboration with SMEs and partner organizations to deliver value added communications and enhance workforce understanding of NGA’s transformation priorities.

• Serves as the team lead for approximately 20 contractors and subcontractors located in the Saint Louis area of responsibility
• Mentored junior team members, fostering professional growth and enhancing team capabilities.
• Reported regularly to managers on project budget, progress, and technical problems.
• Streamlined interview processes, improving candidate experience and reducing hiring timeframes.
• Improved onboarding experience for new hires, creating a comprehensive orientation program.
• Increased applicant quality by streamlining the hiring process and implementing a pre-screening system.

• Analyzed and incorporated quantitative and qualitative data from a variety of UX methodologies (e.g.; usability studies, user personas, participatory design, surveys, heuristic evaluations, etc.) to identify user needs and improve product usability and. enhance the NGA user experience.
• Facilitated workshops and design sprints to collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and integrate user research findings.
• Provided data-driven reports, in a variety of formats in order to communicate findings and inform decision making.
• Conducted and incorporated UX research techniques such as observations, interviews, surveys, questionnaires, card sorts, usability tests, tree tests, and A/B testing to analyze assumptions, find commonalities across target audience members, and recognize needs, goals, and mental models in the NGA digital space either live or remote

Completed a highly successful and dedicated 30-year career in the United States Army with the primary focus of medical support missions to both combat and combat-support organizations. A diverse list of positions held
include: command senior medical advisor; clinical practice manager; senior advisor for clinical education, training, and research; Senior Advisor to the Deputy Commander, Chief Nursing Officer, and the Chief Medical Officer of a US Army Medical Command aligned medical center.

Operational positions included Military service recruiter/station commander, Chief of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security, Task Force Intelligence Analyst, Deputy Director for an American Heart Association and American College of Surgeons aligned global training
network, First Sergeant for a US Army Medical Command aligned medical company. Culminating at the pinnacle of the enlisted rank scale as a Command Sergeant Major for a US Army Medical Command aligned personnel support battalion (Troop Command) for a major military medical facility.

Senior Advisor to the Commander (CEO) of a U.S. Army Medical Command-aligned organization consisting of 1135 soldiers (active and reserve), students, and civilian HR personnel. Primary oversight of soldier training, discipline, and enforcement of standards.

• Developed process improvement initiatives that decreased processing time for personnel actions and increased accountability of data and metrics.
• Developed a robust Leader Development training program, which introduced various leadership styles and focused on style integration
• Implemented a student advisory board to highlight and address non-educational issues and concerns of students within the medical center to help mitigate stress points and increase performance
• Developed and launched a volunteer program within the command to enhance military/civilian relations as well as to address the needs of El Pasoans and military families

Areas of Special Emphasis: Leader Professional Development; Promotion Potential Assessment; New Employee Sponsorship.

Leadership's Impression: "The epitome of a Servant Leader, dedicated to the welfare of Soldiers and Family Members."

Senior Advisor to the Corps Command Surgeon (Chief Medical Officer - CMO) regarding medical training, tasking, and manning of more than 2400 enlisted medical personnel across the Pacific theater of operations. Served as a voting member of the installation's Senior Medical Counsel.

• Provided oversight for the regional Medical Simulation Training Center, ensuring realistic just-in-time training for combatant command-aligned medical personnel to ensure increased survivability in hostile and austere environments.
• Advised on strategic planning initiatives to enhance operational readiness and effectiveness during the execution of multi-national war-fighting exercises in support of our partner nations.

Areas of Special Emphasis: Organizational Inspection Program; LSS-Lean Leader Training.

Leadership's Impression: "Highly skilled organizational and strategic leader, skilled at solving complex operational problems."

Served as the senior enlisted advisor for the Deputy Commander, Chief Nursing Officer, and Chief Medical Officer for a Level II 243-bed Medical Center with over 113,000 beneficiaries and 5000 staff members. Provides advisory support to coach, teach, and mentor 6 Executive-level advisors to their respective Deputy Commanders. Managed manpower for all enlisted within the hospital by coordinating with the U.S. Army's Human Resource Command and the local Military Personnel Office.

• Reviewed all staff evaluations and performance plans to ensure personnel placement and staff development necessary to meet individual and organizational needs.
• Assessed patient surveys, safety reports, and inquiries to establish best practices to enhance patient satisfaction and safety. Diligent follow-up contributed to addressing a backlog of over 100 patient safety reports.

Areas of Special Emphasis: Executive Leader Restructuring, Credential Management, Studer Group Engagement, Arbinger Leadership Development Training, Root Cause Analysis.

Leadership's Impression: "Uniquely able to calmly lead at all levels and produce results, he is an early adopter and catalyst for change."

Senior advisor to the Company Commander (CEO) responsible for command and control, personnel administration, finance, discipline, health, morale, welfare, training, physical readiness, and family support of 410 medical personnel assigned to WRNMMC. Enforced policies and procedures to enhance the organization's mission accomplishment. Mentored personnel on professional development and career progression.

• Spearheaded process improvement initiatives resulting in zero late or rejected evaluations.
• Developed a robust sponsorship program that ensured a smooth and welcoming transition for all inbound personnel.
• Developed and implemented the organization's resiliency training program; Conducted Resiliency Trainer Assistant (RTA) course, certifying 21 RTAs, expanding the organization's resilience support.

Leadership's Impression: "Demeanor and presence unequivocally influenced peak performance and high standards throughout the organization."

Served as the senior advisor for the Deputy Commander for Education, Training, and Research for the largest military medical center in the U.S., providing oversight of training for over 6000 staff members. Directly responsible for the coaching, teaching, and mentoring of 161 staff members.

• Spearheaded the relocation and integration of 57 staff members, $1.2 million in equipment and supplies, and the installation of $350,000 in IT equipment during the realignment of the military medical centers at Walter Reed and Bethesda.
• Shared oversight of a multifaceted, multi-service education platform consisting of 4 medical licensing courses, staff development programs, and General Medical Education.

Leadership's Impression: Exemplary leader with unquestionable professionalism and potential; serves as a role model for others to emulate."

Served as the senior enlisted advisor to the CMO and CEO of a sustainment (logistics) organization of 3400 personnel and 68 sub-organizations. Planned, coordinated, and conducted health service support and evacuation of sick and wounded, assessed medical and tactical intelligence, and oversaw daily medical operations.

• Developed and executed resilience training programs and counseling to help soldiers apply necessary skills to enable post-traumatic growth.
• Developed and instructed first responder training to forward-deployed Air Force Security Forces and members of the Iraqi Army.
• Introduced an at-home infant CPR training program aimed at increasing the knowledge and capabilities of new parents within the organization,

Leadership's Impression: "Committed to excellence, brings out the best in subordinates; embodies a "mission first, people always" mindset.

Supervised a global footprint for continuing healthcare and medical education efforts. Provided centralized administrative control of 12 Training Sites with over 728 instructors for the American College of Surgeons as well as 521 Training programs across 335 training sites for the American Heart Association. Served as the primary liaison between the Department of Defense, the American College of Surgeons, and the American Heart Association for trauma and resuscitative medicine programs to include ATLS, ACLS, PALS, and BLS.

• Developed a robust staff assistance visit program to ensure quality training and regulatory guidance. Meticulous planning enabled increased travel year after year without budget increases. Conducted 98 Staff assistance site visits with over 150 programs assessed over 3 years to ensure compliance with the American Heart Association guidelines and military regulations.
• Collaborated with stakeholders at various training sites to develop and implement policies that improved organizational effectiveness and compliance with institutional goals and regulatory requirements.
• Developed a system for digital certifications of instructor reverification and post-course report submissions; reduced processing time from 6 months to 1 week.

Served as the intelligence officer for a forward deployed (Iraqi Theater) Area Support Medical Battalion in support of medical operations across 39 forward operating bases. Analyzed intelligence data to support operational planning and decision-making processes through timely delivery of accurate and actionable intelligence products.

Medical section leader for a forward-deployed engineer battalion. Responsible for the morale, welfare, and training of assigned U.S. Army medics and Korean Augmentees. Responsible for the medical and dental readiness of over 650 assigned or attached personnel.

• Introduced the Army's newly deployed medical tracking online programs: Medical Operations Data System (MODS) and Medical Protection System (MEDPROS)
• Designed and executed the first MODS and MEDPROS user training program throughout the South Korean theater of operations.
• Served as a member of the Korean Peninsula Smallpox Outbreak Response team.

Senior advisor to the Commander (CEO) on matters relating to organizational security, installation emergency readiness and contingency plans: Implements expansion of units mission during mobilization: coordinates fitness testing and records maintenance; Coordinates professional development school attendance.

• Essential in the development and implementation of the chemical, biological, and nuclear accident/incident response and assistance teams.
• Responsible for coordinating the mobilization processing of personnel of tenant units in support of operations immediately following the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

Successfully served as an on-production U.S. Army recruiter and recruiting station commander. Regularly surpassed individual missions as well as collective station missions. Applied market analytics to increase market penetration, managed administrative operations, trained and mentored new recruiters, and fostered positive relations with community and educational leaders.